USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > History of Dubuque County, Iowa; being a general survey of Dubuque County history, including a history of the city of Dubuque and special account of districts throughout the county, from the earliest settlement to the present time > Part 96
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William Marshall was a native of London, England, and came to America in 1852, locating at Dubuque, Iowa, where he founded the Eagle Steam Boiler Works, and was one of the pioneer boiler manufacturers. He was a broad-minded man and did much toward the growth and development of his adopted country and city. Mr. and Mrs. Huntoon reside at 925 Grandview avenue, and are among the best people of Dubuque.
JOHN JEROME ROSHEK, president of the Roshek Brothers Com- pany, and one of the well-known commercial men of the North- west, is a native of Fort Washington, Pennsylvania, his birth occurring January 22, 1872. He is of Swiss extraction, his par- ents, Joseph Jerome and Mary M. Roshek, being born, reared and educated in that country. For years the father was engaged in the live-stock industry, both in Switzerland and in the State of Iowa, and was unusually successful in that line of business. He died in 1883, aged forty-nine years, an honored and highly esteemed citi- zen of the land of his adoption. When the disruption of the Union was threatened by civil war between the North and the South, Mr. Roshek took his place with the Boys in Blue and served faith- fully during the struggle that followed. John Jerome Roshek, the immediate subject of this memoir, acquired his early schooling in the public institutions of Pennsylvania, and when fourteen years old started out for himself as an employe of a Chicago shirt manu- facturing concern, with whom he remained three years. For a time he then traveled for an Eastern dry goods house, and in 1894, with his brother, F. H. Roshek, came to Dubuque, where they opened a small dry goods establishment on Main street, between Sixth and Seventh streets. From a comparatively small beginning their business grew and prospered, and, adding to their premises and stock as occasion warranted, they were soon compelled to seek larger quarters. They then removed their concern to the south- east corner of Main and Eighth streets, remodeling an old build- ing that had for years been a landmark in Dubuque, and temporarily occupied the first two floors. Here they again were unusually suc-
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cessful, and in time inaugurated and put into practical use the "bargain basement," now in vogue in New York, Chicago and many of the other large cities throughout the United States. Their establishment now occupies five floors and basement; they employ in the neighborhood of 225 people, and have the largest department store in Dubuque and one of the largest and best in the entire Northwest. Branch offices have been opened in New York City and in Paris, France, these being under the supervision of F. H. Roshek. These two men started out in life comparatively poor boys, and by hard work and strict attention to business have become prominent factors in the local commercial world.
ALFRED T. ROEDELL, teacher of the violin and leader of the orchestra which bears his name, Dubuque, was born in this city July 18, 1880, the son of Robert T. and Arabella P. Roedell. He received his early education in the local public schools, after which he took a course in music under Professor Thomas, of Dubuque. He then went to Chicago and studied the violin under Carmon Bar- rille and also took vocal instructions in Milwaukee. Succeeding this he returned to Dubuque, where he has since attained consider- able reputation as an instructor in violin and vocal accomplishments. He also conducts the Roedell Orchestra, which furnishes music on select occasions, and which is composed of finished musicians. On June 17. 1908, Mr. Roedell was united in marriage with Miss Minna Schulter, of Castleville, Iowa. Her grandfather at one time owned 175 acres of land where now is located the heart of the city of Dubuque, which he purchased from the Indians. In 1830, when this section of the country was thrown open for settle- ment by the government, his claim to the land was disputed, and received no recognition. Mr. and Mrs. Roedell, with their one son, Alfred T., Jr., make their home in the city of Dubuque.
ADOLPH LANGEL, now living retired from the active cares of life in Dyersville, has been prominently identified with the growth and development of the western portion of Dubuque county. A native of Prussia, Germany, he came to the United States in 1850, with a view to making this country his future home. His arrival in America was not calculated to inspire confidence in an adopted country, for while attending to some business matters in New York City his baggage, which had been left near the landing, was stolen. He later lost his hat on a trip down the Hudson river and his only suit of clothes was taken by thieves shortly afterward. A kind- hearted lady supplied his immediate wants, however, and he worked successfully for a time at his trade of carpenter. He then came west to Iowa and settled on eighty acres of land in Dubuque county. This he grubbed and cleared, and as his means afforded he added to
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his properties until he became the owner of over 2,000 acres of farm land. In conjunction with farming he also followed carpen- tering, and erected many homes throughout his section of the county. He took an active part in local commercial enterprises, and was at one time president of the Farmers' State Bank at Dyers- ville. He married Miss Catherina Schlichter and in 1906 they celebrated their golden wedding amidst the hearty congratulations of their many friends and admirers. They reared to honorable and useful lives a family of seven sons and four daughters.
JOHN LANGEL, residing on a farm of 200 acres on sections 24 and 25, Liberty township, is a son of the old pioneers, Adolph and Catherina (Schlichter) Langel, appropriate mention of whom im- mediately precedes this. He was born in Liberty township, Octo- ber 17, 1867, and until thirteen years of age attended the district schools. Until twenty-six years old he assisted his father in farm- ing and then bought 160 acres of his present land, and in 1906 forty acres more. This he improved by erecting a fine residence, barn and various outhouses, and today has one of the best farms in the community. He follows general farming, and also deals exten- sively in cattle and hogs. Mr. Langel was one of the organizers and is a director of the Luxemburg Savings Bank, is a Democrat in politics, and a trustee of Liberty township. He is a Roman Cath- olic in his religious views and has served as secretary of the Roman Catholic Mutual Protective Association of the State of Iowa. On January 23, 1894, at Luxemburg, he was united in mar- riage with Miss Elizabeth Steffan, daughter of the highly respected pioneers, Anton and Elizabeth Steffan, and to their union these children have been born : Anton, died February II, 1904, aged five years: Joseph, died in infancy; Katie, attended parochial school, now at home; Clemens, in school; Raymond; and Agnes.
D. A. GEHRIG, cashier of the German State Bank at Dyersville, Iowa, and ex-mayor of that city, was born in Switzerland in 1852, and when but quite young was brought by his parents to America and Dubuque county. He was educated in the Dubuque public schools, working after school hours and during vacation, and for a time was a clerk in the city treasurer's office. He was deputy county treasurer, and thus familiarized himself with figures and sound business principles. He served as city treasurer for two terms and for five years also occupied the position of deputy county sheriff with credit. Mr. Gehrig then, at the request of the directors of the German State Bank at Dyersville, relinquished his political affiliations and accepted the position of cashier in the above insti- tution. He has since served in this capacity, and has seen the bank grow and prosper until it has become one of the best institutions of
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its kind in the state. In the spring of 1893, Mr. Gehrig was elected mayor of Dyersville, and most creditably filled the position. He is half owner of the P. Freymann dry goods and grocery esablish- ment in Dyersville, which has become one of the solid and substan- tial concerns of the county. In 1875 he was united in marriage with Miss Frances Kistler, whose parents were among Dubuque county's oldest and highly respected citizens.
Hours
A. Samuel Mazzucchelli 0.5.
THE CATHOLICS.
T HE first Catholic services in Dubuque were held by Rev. Father Quickenbourn, of the Jesuit College, St. Louis, at the home of Mrs. Brophy the summer of 1833. Services were afterward held the same year at the house of Patrick Quigley. Early in 1834 Rev. J. Fitzmaurice, a Catholic clergyman, was sta- tioned at Dubuque.
"In the fall of 1833, in the south room of Patrick Quigley's two- story log house, at First and Bluff streets, religious services were held by Rev. Fr. Fitzmaurice, and during the following winter and for over two years mass was said by Rev. Fr. Mazzuchelli in the same room."-Statement of J. P. Quigley.
"The Catholics of Dubuque have subscribed $1,100 for the pur- pose of getting a Catholic church built. We have already bought the lumber and let out the contract, and expect to have it finished before All Saints' day, as they are far more zealous there than at Galena."-Rev. Fr. Fitzmaurice, in a letter dated July 28, 1834, to Bishop Rosati, of St. Louis.
Father McMahan was sent in 1834 by the Bishop of St. Louis to visit the few Catholics at Dubuque, but died the same year in Galena.
Although Patrick Quigley had a large family, he nevertheless furnished Father Mazzuchelli with room; the latter was really ar- chitect and builder of the first Catholic church and also collected and applied the funds. Services were held at Patrick Quigley's until September, 1836, when the roof of the church having been put on, meetings thereafter were held in that building. The corner stone was laid August 15, 1835.
St. Raphael's Catholic church in Dubuque was at first a member of the Catholic Episcopal See of Wisconsin Territory. In 1834 the subscription for the church was commenced. By November, 1835, the subscriptions amounted to $3,669.871/2 and by December 19. 1837, amounted to $4,961.6212 and every cent had been ex- pended. Included in these receipts and expenditures were the following sums which had been borrowed: $200 of James Mc- Cabe ; $200, James Cunningham ; $91, William Burke ; $65.75, Pat- rick Finn; $50, Baker & Cox; $26.50, Alexander Levi; $19.75, Patrick Quigley and Mr. Butterworth. The corner stone was laid by Father Mazzuchelli August 15, 1835.
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Rev. Samuel Mazzuchelli, in May, 1836, requested that sub- scribers to the new Catholic church fund would come forward and pay up or the work would have to stop. The total subscriptions were reported at $2,942.87; paid in thus far, $1,847.87; balance due, $1,095.
William Gary built the foundation for $809. A school was opened in the church in June, 1836.
While Rev. Samuel Mazzuchelli was the first priest to attend the congregation here regularly, he did not belong to this diocese ; his field of labor was across the river in Illinois and Wisconsin, but he came to this mission to minister to the spiritual wants of the resident Catholics. On July 28, 1837, when this metropolitan see was created, when the diocese of Dubuque was formed, and when Rev. Mathias Loras was named first bishop of Dubuque, there were but three churches and one priest in the diocese.
Very Rev. Samuel Mazzuchelli died February 23, 1864, aged fifty-six years. In early manhood he came west and established a mission at Prairie du Chien, to which Dubuque mission was at- tached in 1832. After the arrival here of Bishop Loras in 1839, Father Mazzuchelli took up his permanent residence in Galena.
Pierre Jean Mathias Loras arrived in New York in October, 1838, having come from France. With him came four sub-deacons, Causse, Petiot, -Ravoux and Galtier, and all spent the winter of 1838-9 near St. Louis, learning the English language and otherwise fitting themselves for their religious duties. The four sub-deacons came to Dubuque in the summer of 1839, were ordained deacons in November of that year and on January 5. 1840, were raised to the priesthood. In the spring of 1839 Dubuque had a population of about 2,500, of whom quite one-half was Catholic; Father Maz- zuchelli had not been idle. In 1838 there came from France, with Father Loras, Revs. Joseph Cretin and A. Pelamourgues; the latter afterward went to Davenport and the former to St. Paul. In the spring of 1839 Father Mazzuchelli was anxious to have Bishop Loras arrive and take charge of the diocese.
Hoping to bring back the new bishop for the celebration of Easter, Father Mazzuchelli started on March 19, 1839, on a steamer from Galena, arrived on the 23d at St. Louis, and in company with the good Bishop Rosati started on horseback to a neighboring French village, where Bishop Loras, assisted by Father Cretin, was giving a French mission .- (Rev. Louis De Cailly, in Memoirs of Bishop Loras.) Bishop Loras could not leave at once and it was not until April 21 that he reached Dubuque.
The first ten years of the labors of Bishop Loras here were spent in organizing the Catholics of the diocese. The settlement was very rapid and he had more than he could do-missions and churches were founded in all parts of the diocese. In 1839 when he came here there were not to exceed 2,000 Catholics in the dio-
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cese ; nineteen years later it was estimated there were forty-eight priests, sixty churches and forty stations and an estimated Catholic population of 54,000 ; all this was mainly due to the labors of Bishop Loras, who passed away in 1858. In 1850 the St. Paul diocese was separated from this and Father Cretin was named bishop; he died in 1857. In 1885 the Davenport diocese was separated from the Dubuque diocese. In 1856 Bishop Loras asked Rome to give him a coadjutor and in 1857 he received a rescript from Cardinal Barnobo which stated that the Holy Father had granted the re- quest and had named as his coadjutor Rev. Clement Smyth, super- visor of the Trappist Monks in this county, with the title of bishop. During his ministration of the diocese Bishop Loras had seen the establishment of the Sisters of the Blessed Virgin Mary, the Trap- pist Monks, Brothers of the Christian Institution, Sisters of Visi- tation, and had seen Catholic education expand to a wonderful degree.
St. Martin's congregation at Cascade was organized back in the thirties and at first was small and was visited only occasionally. Rev. Father Predine was one of the first, if not the first, pastor; his successor was Rev. Fr. Tracy, then stationed at Garryowen. Finally Cascade mission was severed from Garryowen and attached to Temple Hill, a strong Catholic settlement. Rev. Fr. McGinnis was pastor at this time. The church was a small brick building. Among the pastors have been Rev. Frs. Hamilton, Slattery, O'Con- nor, Cunningham, Lynch (under whom a fine new building was erected ; also St. Martin's convent and the accompanying schools), Hennessy, Barron, Roche and others. In 1882 the parsonage of St. Martin's was built. The new church cost about $45,000 and is. beautiful and imposing ; the organ is valued at about $4,000. The interior is tastefully, artistically and richly frescoed; it was built in 1890; the fine school adjoining cost about $15,000. Near stands. the beautiful convent where the Sisters of Charity, B. V. M., reside and labor ; they have successfully conducted the parish schools for- over forty years.
St. Joseph's church at Rickardsville was established by the French settlers before 1837, about two miles south of the present church. Father Cretin, later bishop, was the first pastor and probably organized the congregation. In 1840 Bishop Loras of- fered the holy sacrifice of the mass and occasionally preached to the congregation. In 1860 a large frame church was erected at Rickardsville, which was nearer the center of the parish. In 1905 a fine brick building was erected. Among the pastors have been Rev. Frs. Malony, Byrne, Quirk, Daly, Brody, McCarthy, Ma- honey, Clark and others. Adjacent is the school, priest's residence and cemetery.
In 1833 and 1834 Mother Clarke, Margaret Mann, Rose O'Toole, Elizabeth Kelly and Catherine Byrne, came to the United States
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from Ireland for the purpose eventually of establishing a convent and school. They first located in Philadelphia and on the 8th of September began their convent life.
They became acquainted with Rev. Terence James Donaghoe, who materially and spiritually assisted them in their efforts; they enabled him to educate his flock. In November, 1833, Father Donaghoe, having secured the right, bestowed on the above little community the title, "Sisters of Charity of the Blessed Virgin Mary." From 1834 to 1843 fourteen young women entered the community. In the latter year, mainly through the influence of Bishop Loras and J. J. E. Norman, of Dubuque, and Father Don- aghoe of Philadelphia, five of the sisters came to this county, where their services were much needed. They came here in 1843, accompanied by Bishop Loras, who had gone to Philadelphia on duties connected with his diocese. The five sisters to come here were Mary Margaret, Mary Joseph, Frances, Elizabeth and Patrice. They immediately began their important duties. They opened St. Mary's Academy for day pupils, soon expanded it, provided a boarding house, and ere long received pupils from the best families of the West. Thus the most sanguine hopes of Bishop Loras were realized. But before this date so rapid was the growth he was forced to call for assistance, and in October, 1843, thirteen other sisters and Father Donaghoe arrived, to the intense joy of Bishop Loras, the five sisters already here, J. J. E. Norman and wife, and the Catholics of this county and diocese. The site chosen for this community was a beautiful prairie tract about ten miles southwest of Dubuque, to which the name "St. Joseph's Prairie" was applied. In 1844 two other sisters from Philadelphia joined the community here. On August 15, 1845, the sisters, then numbering nineteen in all, renewed the triple vow of proverty, chastity and obedience at the Cathedral in Dubuque. Bishop Loras celebrated mass and Rev. Father Donaghoe and Rev. Father Cretin, afterward bishop of St. Paul, were present in the sanctuary; the latter had conducted the retreat of the sisters and now preached the sermon. Rev. Father Donaghoe settled affairs in Philadelphia and came here for perma- nent residence. He wrote to Bishop Loras, "The community brought me to Iowa; it is the cause of my return (to Iowa) ; and to its prosperity, or otherwise, will my continuance be prolonged, which I trust in God may be all the days of my life." He became vicar general under Bishop Loras, but devoted much of his time to the community.
A large frame building was erected on St. Joseph's Prairie, and there the novitiate and boarding school of the sisters were trans- ferred. Additions were made, many young ladies attended the school and the community prospered. On May 22, 1849, the con- vent, academy and all the adjacent buildings were totally destroyed by fire, with nearly all their contents. All the wearing apparel of
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the twenty-three sisters was burned-the books and clothing of the pupils were saved. This was a serious blow, but undaunted they began to build anew and there remained nine years longer, when they removed to Dubuque, locating on the present site of St. Josepli's college and later to Thirteenth and Main streets. After about twenty years the school was transferred to Mt. St. Joseph College, an institution devoted to the higher education of women. The Thirteenth street academy is used for day pupils. The boys of St. Patrick's are also taught by the sisters of the academy. The first parochial school in Chicago was taught by these sisters; it was opened in 1867 by Sister Mary Agatha. The sisters have steadily spread their influence until they now have schools at Dav- enport, Council Bluffs, Lyons, Boulder, Colo., Petaluma, Cal., Holden, Mo., Des Moines, Milwaukee and other places. Father Donaghoe died January 5, 1869. When Mother Clarke died, Mother Mary Gertrude succeeded her, and during the term of the latter the Mother house was transferred from St. Joseph's Prairie to Mount Carmel, Dubuque, in 1892. In 1894, Mother Gertrude was succeeded by Mother Mary Cecilia, but later Mother Gertrude again had charge; she was the last to die of the faithful band which came from Philadelphia in the forties.
The Cistercian order is a branch of the Benedictine order and was founded in the eleventh century by Robert of Moleme. When almost ready to die it was revived and rejuvenated by St. Bernard. In 1140 Abbe de Rauce, in the department of Orne, founded the Trappist Monks in the celebrated abby of La Trappe.
In 1849 Bishop Loras visited Mount Melleray, Ireland, and ex- pressed a strong desire to Dom Bruno Fitzpatrick for the estab- lishment of a colony of Trappist Monks in his diocese at Dubuque and offered a tract of land therefor, located twelve miles southwest of Dubuque. Abbot Bruno immediately sent messengers to inspect the land. They reported favorably and accordingly twenty-two monks of La Trappe crossed the ocean and came to this county. This led to the foundation of New Melleray Abbey and Father James O'Gorman became the first superior. It was first a monas- tery, but in 1859 was constituted an abbey and Father Ephraim Mc- Donald became first abbot; the second was Dom Alberic Dunlea.
In 1841 Bishop Loras selected the site of Holy Cross church. In July, 1841, he laid the corner stone of the Catholic church in Iowa City ; Father Mazzuchelli delivered the address. In January, 1847, Bishop Loras called a large meeting of all Catholics inter- ested in temperance in the schoolroom of the Sisters of Charity.
On November 14, 1847, the corner stone of the new Cathedral in Dubuque was laid. Rev. Samuel Mazzuchelli was orator; Gen. George W. Jones, grand marshal; Valentine Glenat, master of cere- monies, and his assistants were H. Gildea, J. Fitzpatrick, William Newman, J. B. Dessere, D. O'Shea. The order of the procession
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was as follows: (I) Cross bearers and acolytes; (2) school boys and teachers; (3) young ladies in white; (4) other ladies; (5) gentlemen; (6) clergy. Bishop Loras agreed to give $5,000 toward the new cathedral, providing the congregation would raise the bal- ance. All tried, but the work languished. In 1852, Bishop Loras agreed to pay one-fourth of the cost as the work progressed. The Catholic ladies' fair netted $375 for the cathedral in July, 1852.
The New Vienna and St. Boniface congregations to all intents and purposes are one and the same. Bishop Loras gave the name New Vienna to the town as an honor to Leopold, Emperor of Aus- tria, for his assistance to American Catholic missions. The first five pioneer families to locate at New Vienna were those of John Fangmann, Friedrich Rohenhahl, Heinrich Tauke, Herman H. Weickmann and Gerhard Hellmann ; they formed the nucleus of the village and church. They and others who followed them had come originally from Germany-Oldenburg, Hanover and Westphalia, and had first settled about 1833 near Muenster, Ohio. The above six families arrived in six prairie schooners drawn by oxen. They stopped at Cascade for two weeks in order to find a suitable location, which they found at Wilson's Grove and in the meantime visited Bishop Loras at Dubuque, by whom they were warmly welcomed. In October, 1843, their first log houses were built and occupied and farm work was commenced. By 1846, when Bishop Loras visited the colony there were seventeen families. Other German families continued to arrive. Religious services were held from the start. Mass was first celebrated January 6, 1846, in the log house of Herman Weichmann by Bishop Loras and there services were held for two years. The congregation was visited by Revs. Allemann and Raffe. Lay services were conducted by Mr. Fang- inann. To the south of this settlement were the English at Dyers- ville; on the east was the McKee settlement of pioneers from New England ; on the west was a Yankee settlement, and on the north the Dixon settlement. In 1848 the first church was built of hewed logs and with a stone foundation, and was dedicated to St. Boni- face. It was used for about seven years when a much more pre- tentious structure of solid stone was constructed and was dedicated in 1855 by Bishop Smyth. The last church was built in 1884-7 after which the old church of 1855 was devoted to school pur- poses. St. Francis Xavier church at Dyersville was an offspring of St. Boniface church. So was Holy Trinity at Luxemburg and others. The present church is one of the finest in the west. It cost $80,000, is built of limestone, gothic in style and 172x62 feet. The steeple is 20x20 feet and 200 feet high. The interior is rich and beautiful in the extreme. The tabernacle is a splendid speci- men of artistic carving and cost about $5,000. Among the pastors have been Rev. Frs. Plathe, Leutner, Orth, Weikmann, Schulte and Pape. The first school connected with the church was opened
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