Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers, Part 65

Author: McDonough, J.L., & Co., Philadelphia
Publication date: 1883
Publisher: Philadelphia : J.L. McDonough & Co
Number of Pages: 578


USA > Illinois > Perry County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 65
USA > Illinois > Randolph County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 65
USA > Illinois > Monroe County > Combined history of Randolph, Monroe and Perry counties, Illinois . With illustrations descriptive of their scenery and biographical sketches of some of their prominent men and pioneers > Part 65


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The Evangelical Lutheran Congregation of the Holy Cross, near Glasgow City (Renault P. O ) This congrega- tion was formerly connected with that of the Holy Cross (Wartburg P. O.). It was organized about the year 1853 by the Rev. J. G. Birkmann, and known by the name : " Evangelical Lutheran Immanuel s Congregation," and its first church stood about three miles south of Burksville. Rev. Mr. Birkmann served the congregation until his death in 1865 Then the Rev. C. S. Kleppisch took charge thercof, and after him the Rev. J. Nachtigall.


The first church having become well worn, and most of the members of the congregation living in the vicinity of Glasgow City, about five aeres of land were purchased near that place in 1869 as the site of a new church. In the same year the congregation reorganized itself, dropped its former, and adopted its present name: " Evangelical Lutheran Con- gregation of the Holy Cross." In 1880 a new church was erected on the lately purchased premises a frame building 28x40 feet, with a small steeple, was dedicated in the same year. The Rev. F. Erdmann preached in the German and the Rev. G. J. Goehringer in the English language, on the occasion. The following year a new frame parsonage was built. In 1880 the congregation extended a call to the present pastor, the Rev. H Schaefer, who was installed on the 7th day of November, 1880. The congregation numbers at present 20 voting members, and 75 communicants. Its church property is worthabout $2,500. The school numberts 20 scholars, and is taught by the pastor.


The Evangelical Lutheran St Paul's congregation in Columbia. This congregation, which numbers at present 24 voting members and about 80 communicants, was or- ganized in the year 1849, by Rev. G A. Schieferdecker. Of the members who took part in the organization only two, Jacob Beck and Henry Schmidt, Sen., are yet living. This congregation owns a brick church, which was built in 1855 and enlarged in 1870; a school-house built in 1870, and a two-acre graveyard. The whole property has a value of about two thousand dollars. The first pastor of the con- gregation was Rev. G. A. Schieferdecker ; his successor, Rev. Rennicke. From the year 1855 up to the present time the Rev. F. W. Holls, from Millstadt, St. Clair County, Illinois, has served the congregation. As the pastor of the congregation does not reside in their midst, it became neees. sary to employ a teacher for the school. This was done as early as 1850. The first teacher was Mr. Heid, who died soon ; his follower, Mr. Ben. Günther, who took charge of the school in 1856, died also. The other teachers who had charge of the school successively were, O. Gerstenbach, F. Ber-


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gesser, and S. Merz. The last named died in 1881, so that at the present time the congregation is without a teacher. The school numbers about seventy scholars.


THE CATHOLIC CHURCH.


The history of the Mother Church of Randolph county is so closely interwoven with its secular history that an at- tempt to separate the two seems, at once, a task, both im- practicable as well as impossible, especially so, as far as the early part of the history is concerned. The parish records of Kaskaskia and Prairie du Rocher comprise volumes of themselves and have, for years past, been the basis of re- searches of the historian. Much credit is due to the Histori- cal Society of Chicago, who, thought Mr. Edward G. Mason, rearranged and rebound those old records, and whose re- searches are embodied in papers read before that society on December 16th, 1879, and June 16th, 1880, which papers have been freely consulted in these pages. While the early records of the other parishes are greatly deficient, owing to the absence of resident pastors during the first few years of their organization, still, much valuable imformation has been obtained from early settlers, yet living. Taking all these facts into consideration it is evident that we must con- fine ourselves to a brief sketch of each parish, referring the reader, who desires deeper researches, to special works on this subject, a list of which is appended : Father Meret's Letters ; Shea's Ilistory of Catholic Missions ; Mason's Kaskaskia and its Parish Records ; Mason's Furt Chartres ; Montague's History of Randolph county; Reynolds' Pio- neer History of Illinois, and to the original records them- selves, most of which are among the archieves of the diocese of Alton, while others, are still in the possession of the par- ishes to which they belong.


Kaskaskia .- The earliest parish record of this congre- gation is the " Registrum pro anno 1696 " also a copy of the original mission records, entitled : " Extrait des Registres de Bapteme de la Mission des Illinois sons le titre de l' Imma- culée Conception de la S V.


"From Marest's letters we know that some Frenchmen intermarried with the Indians of this village and dwelt there, so that the inhabitants of Kaskaskia were a mixed popula- tion of whites and Indians, under the sway of the priests of the Order of Jesus. Within the first twenty years from its foundation, Kaskaskia was a mission, simply, then a trading station, and soon a military post ; features enough to justify the worthy priests to establish a parish to succeed their be- loved mission. It is curious to notice the difficulty the good fathers seemed to have found in writing the names of Indian women who appeared at these baptisms, as mothers and godmothers of the infants, as shown by their use of Greek characters for this purpose. We can imagine them stand- ing at the front listening to the many syllabled titles of pa- rents and sponsors, smoothly uttered in the Illinois tongue, and vainly trying to reproduce them, until in despair they have recourse to their classical learning for symbols or something akin to the new sounds.


Gabriel Marest appears as parish priest about that time, (1700.) Previous to him, 1696 to 1700, we meet with the


names of Fathers James Gravier and Julian Bineteau. In 1707, first appears the name of Father P. J. Mermet, who came to Kaskaskia, from the great village of the Peorias.


From the next baptismal records, commenced June 18th, 1719, it appears that the old mission chapel was still in use, but that a parish had been duly formed, and the first entry is a baptism performed by Father Le Bonllenger, the chap- lain of the Freuch troops, giving evidence of the presence of soldiers there at that period. This priest was a learned man. Ile prepared a catechism in the Illinois tongue. After him we find the pastorate in charge of military chap- lains."


We now find Kaskaskia no longer in the pastoral care of a missionary, or military chaplain, but having a regular parish priest. Father Nicholas Ignatius de Beaubois, who describes himself as "Curé de cette Paroisse", signalizes his accession by opening a new "Registre des Baptemes faits dans l'eglise Parroissiale de la Conception de Ne Dame des Cascas- kias," which he commenced July 9th, 1720. And this, per- haps, indicates the time of the substitution of a parish church for the earlier mission chapel. The burial register from January 4th, 1721, to 1727, relates many sad scenes, which the infant settlement had sometimes to witness, i. e. that of the many Indian massacres, to which they were subjected. This register of deaths was kept by Father Beaubois. From this register we further learn that Fathers Marest and Mer- met, died at Kaskaskia, and found their last resting places under the church, to which their remains were transposed from the old chapel, on Dec. 18th, 1727.


From this time to 1729, no records exist, save a marriage register, from 1724 to 1729, the books being probably de- stroyed. The next marriage record, a book of 220 pages, contains the marriages at Kaskaskia, from 1741 to 1835. It begins with R. Tartario as Cure. In Sept. 1746, Father P. J. Watrin becomes Curé. His successor was Father An- bert, in 1759. Father Menrin took charge of the parish, in 1764. He describes the parish as that of the Immaculate Conception of the holy virgin, village of Kaskaskia, county the Illinois, Province of Louisiana, Diocese of Quebec."


"The sturdy priest, Pierre Gibault, assumes the functions of Curé des Kaskaskias et Vicaire General des Illinois et la- marois in 1768, and his bold signature, with its unique flourish, greets us through these records for fifteen years or more.


We should know that the man with such chirography, would have been just the one to render the efficient assist- ance given to George Rogers Clark, and must have belonged to the church militant. Reluctantly we see the last of the handwriting of this friend of the new republic, which is followed in 1785, by that of De Saint Pierre as Cure, and that of De la Valiniece, as Vicar-General ; and in their time English names appear among the laymen, noted in the records ; e. g. McNabb, Edgar, Morrison, etc. New French names also appear, among them the Menards.


In 1793, Gabriel Richard takes up the record as parish priest. Later he was stationed at Detroit, and took a lead- ing part in the early history of Michigan, representing that territory in Congress, and was the only catholic priest who was ever a member of that body."


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


Next we meet (1806) the name of Father Donatien Olli- vier, noted for his great piety, who was succeeded by Father Francois Xavier Dahmen. Up to 1844, the time of the great flood, nothing of importance may be gleaned from the records, save the enlargement of the old church. the evacu- ation of the convent by the sisters, during the flood. Out of the materials from the ruins of the convent, a priest's house had been erected. In the steeple of the church hangs the old bell, brought here from France, in 1742, which has, with measured tones, tolled three generations to their graves. Rev. Becker, D.D., is at present parish priest of the "Island of Kaskaskia." The long feared junction of the Mississippi and Kaskaskia rivers, has been made north of the town, and the next flood will spare nothing of the ancient village, save its old parish records."


Prairie du Rocher .- The first church building at this place was erected in 1734 It was constructed in the French style of architecture, by driving cedar posts in the ground and filling the space between with stone and mortar. This building stood about 130 years. The early church history of Prairie du Rocher affords but little of importance. Mason tells us that the old records of St. Anne of New Chartres were transferred to this place, and in the burial register we find an account of the removal of the bodies of Fathers Gagnon and Collet, priests of St. Anne of New Chartres, from the ruined cemetery near that church on the point of the river, and their burial in the chapel of St. Joseph, at Prairie du Rocher.


In 1860 the erection of a commodious brick church was commenced, which has since been again enlarged by the addition of a sanctuary and a steeple. The congregation numbers 250 families, mostly of French descent. Rev. C. Krewet is at present parish priest.


St. Patrick's Charch, near Ruma, Randolph county, (O'Hara Settlement). This thrifty congregation dates its origin back to the year 1820. It was the first English- speaking Catholic congregation organized in the county, and among the first of the state. During the years 1820-I, Rev. Demonlin, who resided at Kaskaskia, came to this vicinity on horseback and said mass at the house of Henry O'Hara about once a month. This priest, as well as his two succes- sors, might well be termed "itinerant priests," since they attended several congregations and were continually travel- ling from one settlement to another. Father Brassac succeeded Father Demonlin, but little is known of him. R.v. Dr. Coeline, an Italian, was his successor. He was equally famous as a physician and priest. When Henry O'Hara died. (June 26th, 1826), he bequeathed 100 acres of fine land, in the N. W. quarter of section 5, township 5-8, for church purposes, and his oldest son, James, as his executor, deeded the same tract to the church, after the congregation had erected thereon a log church (1827). This primitive house of worship was 30 feet long, 20 feet wide, and 14 feet high. On the N. W. end was a log cabin which served as a vestry. The site was 50 feet west of the present church building. The parish records date from January 13th, 1831, at which time a Freuch priest, Rev. Vital


Paillosson, was pastor. He was succeeded by Father Vital Van Cloastere, who remained seven years (1832-39).


On May 4th, 1831, Bishop Rosati of St Louis, to whose diocese Southern Illinois then belonged, visited this congre- gation for the purpose of administering confirmation. The second Episcopal visit by the same prelate took place May 15th, 1834. The parish records also give an account of Bishop Rosatis administering confirmation at the house of Thomas James, near Harrisonville, Monroe county, on June 13th, 1836. Rev. John Kenny came to the pastorate Feb. 11th, 1839. He was succeeded by Rev. Patrick MeCabe, Nov. 24th, 1842. Rev. James A. Kane and Rev. Conway attended here from 1850 to 1854, when Rev. John W. Gifford was called to the pastorate. He was a native of Scotland and a convert to the Catholic faith. His memory as a famous orator is still cherished among the older mem- bers of the congregation. During his pastorate the new church was completed and he said the first mass in it. The corner-stone of the new church had been iaid by Bishop Vandville, of Chicago, in the spring of 1849. Father Gif- ford remained here till 1859. Ile died shortly after and his remains are interred in the Tipton Catholic cemetery (Mon- roe county). Rev. Francis Recouvreur was the next pastor (1859-1867). He built a parsonage and commenced the erection of a large building to be used as an academy for young ladies. The plan was afterwards changed, and after the completion of the building by Rev. A. Hinzelin, it was opened as a school for boys. Rev. Hinzelin came here in 1867, and after two years of successful labor among his parishioners, he died. His remains are interred near the front door of the church. He was a man of superior talents. Ifis conversational powers were great, and he especially excelled in music. He was born at Dienze, France, May 16, 1842, and was ordained by Bishop Junker, of Alton, on Aug. 16, 1866. After being in America six months he had so far mastered the English language that he could deliver a short address in that vernacular. The date of his death was Sept. 21, 1869. Of him may well be said : " Consummatus pravi complevit tempora multa." The history of the " Col- lege" forming a distinct part of this congregation, the writer tbought it best to embody it in the history of the " Convent," to which the reader is referr. d. Father Hinzelin was suc- ceeded by Rev. John F. Mohr ; he by Rev A. Vogt, both of whom remained but a short time. Rev. Lawrence Hoey, an excellent speaker as well as a fine scholar, was parish priest from 1870 to 1874, when the present pastor, Rev. Anthony Vogt, took charge. During his administration, a fine bell, weighing 2,700 pounds, was purchased, and a parish school erected, which numbers 50 pupils. The con- gregation now numbers 93 families, consisting of about 500 souls.


Convent of the Sisters of the Precious Blood near St. Pat- rick's church (O'Hara Settlement.)-During the year 1866, at the agitation of Rt. Rev. Bishop H. D. Junker, first bishop of Alton, St. Patrick's congregation commeneed the erection of a spacious two-story brick building, to be used as an academy for young ladies. The bricks were made on the grounds, and the work carried on under the supervision of


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


the parish priest, Rev. F. Recovreur, and a committee con- sisting of Edm. Faherty, Sr., J. D Simpson and John Ros- cow. The building was completed in 1867 by Rev. A. Hinzelin, and the plan changed to an academy for boys. The total cost was $17,000. The congregation set aside 25 acres of land for college purposes. The school was opened with Rev. Hinzelin as its first president. He was succeeded by Revs. Mohr, Vogt and Hoey, who were all anxious to make the school a success, but for many reasons, the main Que of which was undoubtedly its location, the school proved to be a financial failure. Upon the accession of Bishop Baltes to the Episcopal see, this prelate bought the college from the congregation for $5,000. He erected an addition to it and converted into a classical and theological seminary. While under these auspices the college was presided over by Rev. Hennemann, O. S. B., Rev. Willianı Cluse, Rev. J. Meckel and Rev. Augustus Brumleve as presidents, and independent of St. Patrick's congregation. Notwithstanding the energy and zeal of the president and professors, the school could not be made a success and was finally (1875) abandoned. Bishop Baltes then sold the building and grounds to the Sisters of the Precious Blood for $12,000. These sisters had come as exiles from Kurtweil, Baden, in 1868, and located at Belle Prairie, now Piopolis, Hamilton Co, Ill. In 1870 their number had swelled to abont 60, when half of them went to St. Louis, and became attached to that diocese. The remaining half, which remained in the diocese of Alton, intended to locate at Edwardsville and there erect their mother house. Plans for the same had already been pre- pared when Bishop Baltes offered them the "College near Ruma," which they bought and at once occupied. There are now 42 members of the order at the convent. The object of the order is to prepare and furnish teachers for the Cath- olic parish schools, and it is here, at their mother house, where their candidates are prepared for their responsible duties. The order is under the supervision of the General Superioress at Rome, Carolina Signoretti. The Superioress of the Convent is Clementine Herr. The parish schools of Edwardsville, Chester, Evansville, Ruma, St. Rose, Madon- naville, Altamont, Shawneetown, Piopolis and Mt. Carmel are supplied with teachers from this convent. Rev. John Menhaus is chaplain of the convent. The chapel of the institution is indeed very beautiful and tasty, and is a fit place of worship for the devout sisters and their pupils.


Evansville, Randolph county, Illinois. On the 7th day of April, 1860, 38 families, most of whom were poor, organized a Catholic congregation, with Michael Berthold, Nicholas Gross, Paul Pautler, Martin Oberle and John Schulein as trustees. After the organization was perfected the first mass was said in August, 1860, at the house of Michael Berthold and later divine service was held at the residence of Herman Stiefvater. At that time clergymen from Chester and Ruma attended to the spiritual needs of this congregation. A frame church 30x40 feet was soon after erected about 150 yards east of the present church site, which grounds are now used as a cemetery of the con- gregation. On June 14, 1866, this church, which had been dedicated to the honor of St. Joseph, was burned to the


ground, the work of an incendiary. It was, indeed, a heavy loss to the yet struggling little flock of Catholics. They, however, at once laid plans for the erection of a new briek building, and in May, 1867, the Vicar General of the diocese, Very Rev. P. T. Baltes, laid the corner-stone of their new church edifice. Mr. John Wehrheim, a non- Catholic, had donated two acres of land in the suburbs of Evansville, and Mrs. Mary Feaman also presented the con- gregation with one acre adjoining the above tract. The work of building the new church progressed rapidly. It is a handsome structure, 45x70 feet, and of the Romanic style of architecture. Christmas of 1867 found the congregation assembled in its new church for the first time, each member feeling proud of the good work accomplished. Rev. Louis Pommer was the officiating priest at this first service in the new church.


On the second day of December, 1869, the church was formally dedicated to the honor of St. Boniface hy Rev. John F. Mohr, delegated by Bishop Baltes. A parish school- house was also built in 1867, and a parish school is main- tained there since. Rev. John Menhaus, while pastor at Red Bud, attended this congregation in 1871. After Bishop Baltes took charge of the " College at Ruma" some of the clergymen who served there as professors acted as parish priests. When the " college" was sold to the Sisters of the Precious Blood the congregation was again blesssd with a resident priest, Rev. Albinus Breinlinger, who has been pastor since August 30, 1878. During his pastorate the congregation has built a fine parsonage and otherwise improved the church property. The erection of a large school building is at present contemplated. The.congrega- tion now numbers 70 families, or about 400 souls, and the total value of the church property is about 815,000. The members are mostly Germans. The history of the congre- gation is a worthy example of energy, liberality and devo- tion to the church


Red Bud .- On the 26th day of November, 1858, a few Catholic families residing in the vicinity of Red Bud, met organized, and determined to build a church. Rt. Rev. Bishop Junker said mass for them at the house of Mr. Hoefele. A handsome subscription having been raised, the congrega- tion soon found itself the happy possessor of a handsome church. The first service in the new church was held on Palm Sunday, 1859, by Rev. Bartels, then stationed at Freeburg. Rev. Blasinger and Rev. Kraemer remained here a short time as pastors. On the 28th day of September, 1862, the church was dedicated to the honor of St. John the Baptist by Bishop Junker. Rev. John F. Mohr was the parish priest from 1862-68. A house was purchased in 1862 to be used as a parsonage and school-house. Two fine bells were consecrated by Bishop Junker on December 1st, 1866, and the following year the erection of a new school- house begun. Rev. A. Rustige came as pastor in 1868, and after a stay of a few months was succeeded by his prede- cessor, Rev. Mohr. Rev. Berlage, of Prairie du Long, then visited the congregation on alternate Sundays. In Novem- ber, 1870, Rev. John Menhaus was called to the pastorate, and remained about one year. Like its sister congregation,


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HISTORY OF RANDOLPH, MONROE AND PERRY COUNTIES, ILLINOIS.


Evansville, Red Bud was then till 1875, attended by priests from the college, the last one of which was Rev. Augustine Brumleve, who was in 1875 made resident priest, having attended the congregation for two years previous, while pre- fect, and later president of the college. The benefit of a resident priest soon began to show itself. The old parsonage was sold and a handsome brick house crected south of the church in 1877. In 1882 the church has been frescoed and the congregation is now in a flourishing condition. To the congregation is attached a branch of the Catholic Knights of America, styled : " St. Augustine Branch, No. 266," organized November 14th, 1882, the object of which is a co-operative life insurance.


Chester .- In the year 1849, Father Perren, then parish priest of Ka-kaskia, occasionally visited Chester and at- tended to the spiritual wants of the little flock of Catholics residing there. In 1852 a church building was erected, and Father Repies took charge of the church. He was suc- ceeded by Revs. Kraemer, Chmelizek, Pommer, Claus and others. At present Rev. HI Hegemann is the parish priest and the future prospects of the congregation are encouraging


PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.


From the best data obtainable, the first Presbyterian minister to visit the Illinois country, was John Evans Fin- ley, from Chester county, Pennsylvania. He landed at Kaskaskia, in 1797, after having been borne by keel boat, from the headwaters of the Ohio, hither.


He remained but a short time -- too short to attempt an organization. In 1814, two missionaries, Samnel J. Mills and Daniel Smith, visited Kaskaskia, and reported a de- plorable lack of copies of the Bible, in that vicinity.


On the 27th of May, 1821, a society was organized, with nine members, under the care of Rev. Salmon Giddings.


The first members were : Mr. and Mrs. David J. Baker, Mr. and Mrs. Guthrie, Mrs. Permilia Burr, Mrs. Dr. Sy- mington, Mrs. Robert Morrison, Mrs. Martha Heard, and Mrs. Eliza Conn. Mrs. Permelia Burr, was elected and re- gularly ordained and installed as elder of the church. Soon after, Mrs. Burr's family moved some twenty miles up the Kaskaskia river, on a farm. From herc she often walked to church, so great was her zeal in the cause. In 1830, John Mann and James Clendenin were appointed elders. John Mann maintained his relationship with the church- continning after the removal to Chester, until the time of his death, which occurred in 1851. After the organization of the church, there is no record of any preaching, until 1825. It is known however, that Mr. Giddings and others, made them occasional visits. In November, 1825, Rev. John M. Ellis came on from Massachusetts, and located in their midst. He was well received, and listened to with attention. He remained here until April, 1828. During his incumbency the " Kaskaskia Social Literary Association " was organized, with Col. Thomas Mather as Librarian.




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