Leslie in Ingham County, Michigan — The American Midwest (Great Lakes)

Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian Church

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, April 23, 2021

1. Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian Church Marker

Side 1

Inscription. In 1845 local Catholics began holding Mass in the home of Irish immigrant James Markey in Bunker Hill Township. Father Kelly from Ann Arbor traveled on horseback to provide religious services. After the death of a neighbor’s son in 1849, Markey gave the church land for a cemetery. Parishioners built a wood-framed church in the middle of the cemetery in 1864. Bishop Lefevere of Detroit named the church after St. Cornelius, a Roman priest who became Pope in A.D. 251, and St. Cyprian, the Bishop of Carthage. In 1869 the parish purchased a farm adjoining the property and was assigned its first resident priest. By 1873 the farm was sold and the church was a mission of Pinckney’s parish.

Father Connelly of Williamston was assigned to the parish in 1898. The next year, he led construction of a larger church that could accommodate more members. It was paid for as it was constructed. In 1905 Father Connelly, now the resident priest, continued further expansion. The parish built a rectory and a convent, and the original church was moved from the cemetery across the street and converted into a school staffed by the Sisters of St.

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Joseph from Kalamazoo. Fires destroyed the church in 1906 and the rectory in 1910. Both were rebuilt, using fire-resistant brick and stone. The parish built a larger school with an auditorium in 1912. It served the community until 1964.

Erected 2014 by Michigan Historical Commission - Michigan Historical Center. (Marker Number L2262.)

Topics and series. This historical marker is listed in these topic lists: Cemeteries & Burial Sites • Religion & Religious Structures • Settlements & Settlers. In addition, it is included in the Michigan Historical Commission series list. A significant historical year for this entry is 1899.

Location. 42° 29.384′ N, 84° 18.393′ W. Marker is in Leslie, Michigan, in Ingham County. It is on Catholic Church Road 0.4 miles east of Williamston Road, on the left when traveling west. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 1320 Catholic Church Rd, Leslie MI 49251, United States of America. Touch for directions.

Regionally, this marker is in Mid-Michigan

and in Greater Lansing.

It is also in the American Midwest.

Globally, it is in North America,

the Western Hemisphere,

the

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, April 23, 2021

2. Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian Church Marker

Side 2

Western World,

and the Anglosphere.

Historically, it finds itself in what was once the Northwest Territory.

Other nearby markers. At least 8 other markers are within 7 miles of this marker, measured as the crow flies: Fairview Cemetery (approx. 4.6 miles away); Meridian-Base Line Initial Point / Meridian-Base Line Dual Initial Points (approx. 5.3 miles away); This Boulder (approx. 6.1 miles away); Millville United Methodist Church (approx. 6.4 miles away); First Baptist Church (approx. 6.9 miles away); City of Leslie (approx. 6.9 miles away); Seasonal Labor (approx. 6.9 miles away); Stockbridge Civil War Memorial (approx. 7 miles away). Touch for a list and map of all markers in Leslie.

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, April 23, 2021

3. Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian Church Marker

Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian Church image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, April 23, 2021

4. Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian Church

View of the church from northwest showing the rectory and the other additions discussed on the marker.

Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian Cemetery image. Click for full size.

Photographed by J.T. Lambrou, April 23, 2021

5. Sts. Cornelius and Cyprian Cemetery

Cemetery located directly across the road from the church.

Credits. This page was last revised on April 27, 2021. It was originally submitted on April 25, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. This page has been viewed 1,207 times since then and 135 times this year. Photos: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5. submitted on April 25, 2021, by J.T. Lambrou of New Boston, Michigan. • Mark Hilton was the editor who published this page.