The cemetery known as Lostlands is located in Eagle township about five
miles west and two miles north of Streator. It is known as the Lostlands
because when the plans were made for this territory it seems they were lost
and this section was left off the map and became known as Lostlands. Today
it is still called that.
The land first belonged to a man named Golliher. The people bought the land
for a cemetery and a church. They though the land there suitable for the
purpose because it was high and rolling. In those days tile was unknown.
The first person to be buried there was one of Frank Kennedy's children,
from near Grand Ridge.
Gradually the cemetery filled up and more land had to be purchased in order
to enlarge the cemetery.
Many settlers moved away, but their bodies were brought back here for
burial. People from Streator, Chicago, Spring Valley and Lostant were
interred here. Many people living around here have friends or relatives
buried there.
One will find many very splendid monuments in the cemetery. The neighborhood
is about sixty years old.
Land was purchased from the same man, named Golliher, for a church, to be
built. A few years later half of the church was moved to Kangley. The rest
was left to Patrick Whalen to be used as a crib and granary. The bishop gave
them permission to move the church.
Most of the people who settled here were Catholics, and a missionary would
come to say mass. Before the church was built mass was said in the homes of
the settlers. Father Callegan was one of the first priests to say mass here.
Mass was said at Belford's, also at my great-grand-uncle's, whose name was
Michael Prendergast.
While Father Callegan was on his missions he often received kind receptions
at Belford's, Conness', Kane's, Coffey's, Berry's, Finn's and most all the
other settlers. The mass was generally said at Belford's. The Belfords never
felt prouder than when Father John O'Reily or Father Quigley or Father
Joseph Alizeri designed to make their log house a church.
In about 1860 they built a building, which is now the property of Frank
Whalen, on the south side of the road across from the cemetery. This
building was used for a church, school and granary.
A funny incident I have heard about was when one of the teachers, whose name
was Mr. Corcoran, would leave the room to have a smoke, the children would
hide their books in the oats.
About five years later, or around 1865, they built a church in the west end
'of the cemetery. The priest came from Ottawa with a horse and buggy. The
priest who came was either Rev. Father Terry or Rev. Father McDunna. People
often came here who lived fifteen miles away to hear the holy sacrifice of
the mass.
At first the priest came once a month. Then later he came every two weeks.
Finally they started coming every Sunday. Soon Father Egan was sent to the
mission to be pastor of the church.
All the people soon learned what wonderful work Father Egan was doing. Very
soon enough money had been saved to build a church, which is now at the
present location, five miles west of Streator on the hard road. The church
is known as the Annunciation church of Eagle.
Father Egan was pastor of the Eagle church for forty-one years. He was born
in Cambridge, Mass., in 1851. He was ordained in 1882. After that he came to
Eagle, where he was pastor until he died, in 1923.
The part of the church that was moved to Kangley still remains there, where
holy mass is said every Sunday.
Extracted 06 Jun 2015 by Norma Hass from Stories of Pioneer Days in La Salle County, Illinois, by Grammar Grade Pupils, published in 1932, page 87.
| Lee | DeKalb | Kane |
| Bureau |
 |
Kendall |
| Putnam | Grundy | |
| Marshall | Woodford | Livingston |
