Milwaukee County Wisconsin Genealogy

LaVies Cemetery | St. Barnabas Catholic Cemetery

Lavies Cemetery is located in Section 22 at 76th St. just north of Hwy 894. There's no parking available. It is in a very isolated location.

History

In 1849 a German immigrant Peter LaVies founded a homestead in this area. LaVies was a prominent area farmer and a member of the state legislature (Democrat 1854,55,56).

There are estimated about 50 burials in this location. Only about 5 flat gravestones remain. At least three of these are members of the LaVies family.

The cemetery was formerly cared for by St. Barnabas Catholic Church which no longer exists. No clear caretakers were appointed to the cemetery after St. Barnabus disbanned. Around 1977 the City of Greenfield was ordered to maintain the property under a governing state law that says if a cemetery is not cared for over 5 years, the community in which it lies must care for it.

Urban legend says that Jimmy Hoffa , former Teamsters union president was buried here when he disappeared in 1975. There has been no evidence to indicate this is truth.

In 1997 Greenfield officials turned down a proposal by the Greenfield Historical Society to put up a very small marker on the property. The officials did not want to call attention to the area.

Source: article published in the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel "Cemetery identification will stay buried" Nov 20, 1997 by Kenneth R. Lake

For More information contact Greenfield Historical Society. There may be a nominal fee charged for copies or postal costs.