A Catholic church and cemetery were established after 1873 at Gazeta (then 1. 5 mi. W) on one acre of land deeded by parishioner Frank Garvel (1837-1921). In 1889 the congregation moved to the new railroad town of Inez, reconstructed their church building (2 blks. NE), and dedicated it to St. Joseph in 1890.
In August, 1892, Frank and Anna Obsta (1838-1912) Garvel conveyed four acres here for a new cemetery, and reclaimed the land in Gazeta. In October that year, English immigrant John Finnegan (1827-1892) became the first burial here. The eleven burials at Gazeta--with the family names of Andre, Garvel, Konrad, Kutchka, Letts, Obsta, Ortiz, Rena, Scherer, and Schrobacher--were transferred here in November that year.
Subsequent burials further indicate the diverse backgrounds of settlers in Inez. By the turn of the century, the town hosted immigrants of Anglo, Czech, German, Hispanic, Irish, Italian, Jewish, and Swiss descent. The burial site of Joseph and Mary Adamski Obsta, Polish settlers at Gazeta in 1858, is not known, but 38 of their descendants are buried here. The family of Czech immigrants Alois (1866-1950) and Rozina Cernota (1852-1949) Andres includes 16 burials of more than 400 marked and others unmarked here.
|
