USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume I > Part 30
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On July 26, 1859, Rev. B. H. Schultes, who had been the resident pastor from 1856, died suddenly. His grave is in St. Ann's cemetery. Rev. J. M. Missi became the pastor on Decem- ber 24, 1859, and remained such until January 5, 1868, when his name appears for the last time on the books. It was Father Missi who built the present large and handsome brick church under the greatest difficulties, spending a good deal of his own money and working with his own hands. The people say that "he made more than one-fourth of the bricks in the church ." The building was under roof when he left it in 1868, with no debts on it.
Father Missi's successor was the Rev. Lawrence Osterling, O. M. C. He pushed the good work bravely forward. He had the church plastered, altars and pulpit built, and the interior of the church beautifully ornamented. In 1872 he erected a new parson- age. He was a zealous, pious priest, and a true pastor of his flock. He died on the 9th of February, 1877, consumed by his labors, only fifty-four years of age. He was buried in the church in front of the Blessed Virgin's altar, and a monument was erected in 1880.
Rev. F. X. Seegmuller was pastor from August, 1877, until June, 1879. Rev. John Nep. Wernich took charge on July 5, 1880. He was born in the city of Elbing, in the province of Ermland, Prussia, on February 21, 1846. He studied at the gymnasium in Elbing from 1855 to 1861, then in Braunsberg until 1864; having finished his theological studies in the Paderborn semi- nary, and having received minor orders in 1868, he was ordained priest on September 30, 1868. He spent the first five years of his ministry in the missions of western Missouri. Having nearly destroyed his health there, he returned to his native country and was appointed pastor of the parish of Olivia. The Prussian gov- ernment not recognizing the bishop's appointment, he returned to this country June 16, 1880. Two weeks after he became the pas- 1 (330)
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tor of St. Ann's, working hard and in every way furthering the interests of his congregation.
Following Father Wernich came Father Alois Danenhoffer, who. was in turn succeeded by the Very Rev. E. Faller. Father Faller, however, is the benefactor of St. Ann's church. Within the short space of one year he built a brick school-house, enlarged the parsonage, erected the large steeple on the church, bought three bells, etc., and for all these improvements he paid from his own means nearly $7,000.
The present pastor, Rev. A. J. Urich, took charge of St. Ann July 16, 1886. He at once set about to pay off a debt of $1, 100, in which he succeeded, and then made other necessary improve- ments. He fenced in the church property, had the parsonage and school-house decorated and furnished, and bought vestments, etc. The church property now is valued at about $20, 000.
Father A. J. Urich was born on February 17, 1863, at St. Joseph, Vanderburg county, Ind. He pursued his studies at St. Meinrad, and was ordained at Ferdinand June 19, 1886, by Bishop F. S. Chatard. St. Ann is his first congregation. The congrega- tion now numbers ninety families, mostly of German descent.
KENDALLVILLE, NOBLE COUNTY.
The Immaculate Conception Church. - Prior to 1866, the peo- ple of Kendallville who professed the Catholic faith attended church at Avilla, then under the pastorate of Rev. A. B. Oechter- ing. . This clergyman, in the year named, bought the structure owned by the Baptist congregation at Kendallville for $2, 500, and this was used by the Catholics until the coming of Father Dueh- mig, who paid for the dilapidated building and nearly rebuilt it, converting it into a respectable house of worship, 36 x 56 feet, put in new altars, etc., and added a vestry, priest's rooms, etc. The congregation continued to be a mission of Avilla until 1897, when it was placed in charge of St. Patrick's church at Ligonier.
KENTLAND, NEWTON COUNTY.
St. Joseph's Church. - Early in the 'sixties there were a num- ber of Catholic families living in the vicinity of Kentland and the
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first priest to visit thein was from Logansport. Services were held in the court house at intervals until 1864, when Rev. J. A. Stephan, who was stationed at Rensselaer, took charge of the mis- sion, visiting the same once a month, and holding services at the court house and Kent's hotel, and during the same year built the first church, a wooden structure, 40 x 60 feet, at a cost of about $1,000. The site, two acres, for this church was donated by Alex J. Kent, a Protestant. Mr. Kent also donated five acres, one mile south from town, for a Catholic cemetery.
At this time there were twenty-five or thirty Catholic families living within a radius of twelve miles of Kentland. Among the first Catholic families to settle here, however, were those of Anthony Dehner, P. D. Gallagher, Terrence Cunningham and John Ryan.
In 1870, Rev. Anthony Messman took charge as the first resi- dent priest, but as there was no parsonage, he made his home with John H. Smith. In 1871 he built an addition to the church and made other improvements, and in 1872 he built a brick par- sonage. In 1881, Rev. Baumgartner took charge; in 1883, Rev. William Miller; in 1892, Rev. Charles Ganser, the present priest, was placed in charge. In 1890-1891, the present brick edifice was built, with a seating capacity of 600. The building, furniture and decorations cost $20,000, and the church is handsomely fur- nished and decorated, is out of debt, and at least 500 communi- cants partake of the holy sacrament. The old church building has been transformed into a school-house, which is in charge of three Sisters of St. Francis from LaFayette and is attended by about forty-one pupils.
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KLAASVILLE, LAKE COUNTY.
St. Anthony de Padua Congregation was organized during the late Civil war by Bishop John Henry Luers, and soon afterward a neat frame church-building was erected at a cost of about $2,000. Henry Klaas, Sr., was largely instrumental in securing the con- struction of this building, being assisted in the task by the co-opera- tion of many good Catholics, such as the families: Haase, Berg, Moenix, Reineke and Hepp, in Indiana, and by others in Illinois, (332)
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across the state line. St. Anthony de Padua congregation was attended from St. John's, and Hanover Center, by Fathers Nigh, Wehrle, Fuchs, King, Rensen, Rachor, Siegelack and Deimel, and by Rev. J. H. Bathe, the first resident pastor, who was followed by Fathers Ganser, Weber, and the present pastor, Rev. A. M. Buchheit, who took charge July 29, 1895. Up to this time, Lowell had been a mission attached to St. Anthony's, but in October of that year it was attached to St. Augustine's of Rensselaer. At the start, the members of St. Anthony's congregation was comprised of twenty families; it now numbers twenty-nine, who are all West- phalians, and all well to do, many owning fine farms. The church grounds comprise six acres, on which are located the church build- ing, a neat parsonage the residence of the Sisters, and the ceme- tery. The school is attended by about thirty-five pupils, who are in charge of two Franciscan Sisters of the Sacred Heart, of Joliet.
KNOX COUNTY.
St. Rose Church is situated about eight miles south of Vin- cennes, about midway between that city and St. Francisville, in Illinois. The church was erected about 1842 and is a frame structure in the form of a cross. At the time the church was erected a very large number of French Catholics resided in that part of Knox county, both above and below that part of the Wa- bash river called "Faux Chenal." It was to accommodate these that the church was built. But the number of Catholics in that vicinity has gradually diminished by the wasting away of the old stock of French, and emigration, until at present the number of Catholics there is greatly reduced. St. Rose never had a resident pastor, but it was supplied every two weeks from the cathedral in Vincennes. Within the last few years the resident pastor of St. Thomas has also officiated at St. Rose.
St. Thomas' Church was built about 1850, and is situated on a prairie about eight miles southwest of Vincennes. The church is located on a forty-acre tract of land, and is a frame structure, well built and in good condition. The congregation worshiping here is largely composed of Germans and French, and is rapidly
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increasing. This church had no resident pastor for many years, but was regularly attended either from the Highland Orphan asy .- lum, or the Vincennes cathedral. About four years ago Rev. John F. Stanton was appointed resident pastor. He at once had a large and substantial pastoral residence erected, he made many improvements both to the church and grounds, until St. Thomas' is now one of the best country churches in this section. The pres- ent pastor is the Rev. Joseph T. Sennefeld.
KOKOMO, HOWARD COUNTY.
St. Patrick's Church at Kokomo has an interesting history, indeed. This church is not yet forty years old, but in this brief period its upbuilding has been remarkable. Back in the 'fifties there were but a few Catholic families in Kokomo, the sparse mission being visited by priests from Indianapolis and other points for the celebration of mass and the baptism of infants. Among these early mission visitors were Fathers Maloney and Doyle. The first efforts at establishing a mission and organization was begun by good Father Hamilton in 1859, in which year he secured a tract of ground which was consecrated for church purposes, and the following year witnessed the erection of the old church. At that time there were barely a dozen Catholic heads of families in Kokomo. Among these may be mentioned those of Cornelius Mc- Carty, John Conklin, Michael McGlynn; John Sullivan, Mark Mc- Teague and the Walters and Mclaughlin families. - After the establishment of this mission there was a period of more than ten years, during which period it experienced numerous changes in spiritual direction. The first to follow Father Hamilton was Father Force, then Father Kroeger, both of whom attended the church from Peru. Then there were Father Borg and Father Seegar, who also attended the mission for awhile, and others. The first resident pastor was Rev. Patrick Frauley, who served from September, 1869, to October, 1871, during which time he added a vestry to the mission church. He was succeeded by Father J. H. O'Brien, who, in turn, was succeeded by Father John Grogan in June, 1872. It was the next year, in September, of (334)
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1873, that the present beloved pastor, Rev. Francis Lordemann, came.
The congregation had increased by this time to a somewhat more pretentious force, and when Father Lordemann took charge comprised about fifty families. The pastor at once set about improving the property, and in 1874 the commodious parochial residence was built, additional grounds were purchased, the old church moved to an adjoining lot and its former site prepared for the erection of a more suitable house of worship. This edifice was completed in 1877 at a cost of about $20,000. In dimensions it is 56x 115 feet, and had an original seating capacity of 650, which has since been largely increased by supplemental pews, and three new altars have also been supplied since. An adjoining lot was acquired in 1893, and the next year saw the completion of St. Francis academy at a cost of $7,000. This admirable school is ably presided over by the Sisters of St. Joseph, four in number; a thorough course of instruction is given, and large classes are graduated each year.
The congregation of St. Patrick's church at Kokomo is for- tunate in not having been compelled to bear the burden of an excessive debt, the indebtedness never having exceeded $4,000, and is at present less than $2,000, that being on the school build- ing and Father Lordemann, being an excellent financier, has skilfully arranged for funds to meet this small indebtedness. St. Patrick's church is in a flourishing condition, is strong financially, and is rapidly growing in the number of its families. It owns ground fronting 430 feet on the west side of Washington street, between Broadway and North streets, and its buildings are in admirable condition. There are in the parish branches of the Catholic Benevolent legion, Total Abstinence society, Rosary society, Young Ladies sodality and Ancient Order of Hibernians, all of which have a large membership.
The original school attached to St. Patrick's church at Kokomo was organized in 1874 by Father Lordemann, and was partitioned off by boards each morning after mass from the audi- torium of the church proper. The attendance numbered about thirty-five pupils, but in 1877, the church-building was remodeled
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into a school-building, with a seating capacity for 130 pupils, although the number of attendants did not exceed sixty. But the number of pupils continued to increase, and in 1894 a new school- building was erected, 40 x65 feet on ground plan and two stories in height. The cost of the building, ground and equipment is estimated at $11,000, and the attendance numbers about 128. These pupils are under the charge of three Sisters of St. Joseph, of Tipton, and are graded up to the instruction given in the state high schools.
LAFAYETTE, TIPPECANOE COUNTY.
St. Mary's Church. - In the year 1808 Pope Pius VII erected Bardstown, Ky., into an episcopal see, and two years afterward the Rt. Rev. Benedict Joseph Flaget became its first bishop. Indiana, owing to its nearness, became a portion of the new dio- cese. In 1834 the Catholics had flocked into this state in such numbers that it was found impossible for the bishop in Kentucky to attend the many calls made upon him in Indiana, and it was found necessary to erect a new diocese in the latter state. Its see was fixed at Vincennes, and comprised the whole state.
The city of LaFayette was laid out in 1825, and in 1840 Catholics of pluck, energy and enterprise-among whom may be mentioned Owen Ball, Judge John Connolly and James H. Mc- Kernan-petitioned the bishop for a visiting priest, showing that there were at least fifteen Catholic families in La Fayette. In con- sequence, the Rev. Augustus Martin, afterward bishop of Natchi- toches, La., came down from Logansport for a short time. He was soon replaced in these periodical visits by his assistant, Father Francis, and he in his turn was replaced by Father Lalu- miere, of Terre Haute. Mass in those days was offered up in the houses of different members of the congregation. In 1843 the bishop of Vincennes sent to LaFayette, as the first resident priest, the Rev. Michael Clark, who rented from Mr. Benbridge a small room located on Fourth street, just south of the present govern- ment building. The fifteen families had now increased to twenty- five.
In 1844 the little church on Fourth street was entirely too (336)
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small to hold all the worshipers. Property was now purchased on the corner of Fifth and Brown streets, and in the same year the building of St. Mary's and Martha's church was begun and pushed to completion at a cost of upward of $10,000. It was by far the handsomest church edifice in LaFayette, and regarded as superior to all in northern Indiana.
During the pastorate of Father Clark, covering a period of about fourteen years, a parsonage was also built in the rear of the church, which was afterward destroyed by fire. Seeing at that early day the necessity of a school for the children under his charge, he built one on the ruins of the destroyed pastoral residence, which became the nucleus of the present .flourishing schools attached to St. Mary's church. Father Clark, after work- ing long and successfully in Lafayette, went to Bloomington, Ill., where he died full of years and good works as pastor of the Catho- lic congregation.
Rev. Father Maloney succeeded Father Clark in 1857, and remained in charge but a year and a half. At this juncture it was decided that the growing congregation in the upper half of the state justified the erection of an episcopal see therc. The Rt. Rev. J. H. Luers, a priest of Cincinnati, was selected bishop by Pope Pius IX, with Fort Wayne as the place of his residence. He was consecrated on January 10th, 1858. LaFayette soon attracted his attention, and such were then the prospects of the city, and so well was he pleased with the flourishing state of the church there, that he contemplated fixing his permanent residence. there. But after a year's stay, and after the failure of several negotiations regarding the purchase of an eligible site for a cathedral, school and residence, he returned to Fort Wayne. On the withdrawal of Bishop Luers, Father Maloney also left LaFayette, going to Indi- anapolis in 1859.
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In July, 1859, the Rev. Edmund B. Kilroy, until then pastor of St. Joseph's church, Laporte, Ind., succeeded to the vacant pastorate. In 1860 the Catholic citizens of Lafayette welcomed the Sisters of Providence, from Terre Haute, as laborers in the cause of Catholic education. Their school was first opened with about eighty scholars, on Fifth street.
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Old St. Mary's and Martha's church, on the corner of Fifth and Brown streets, had become entirely too small to hold the large, ever-increasing congregation, and Fifth street, now traversed by an important line of railroad, unfitted it for church purposes. At this juncture Lawrence B. Stockton, having come into posses- sion of that plat of ground known as Seminary Hill, proposed to donate a sufficient number of lots for the proposed new church. His offer was accepted, and Father Kilroy urged the Sisters to build their academy upon part of this donation. In 1860 the present St. Ignatius academy building was begun, and completed at a cost of $20,000.
As soon as the Sisters were located in their new house and . school, plans were made for the new St. Mary's church, and the excavation commenced. It was a herculean task to grade the site, and cost a sufficient sum to build an ordinary church. The founda- tion was laid in 1861. Now the call to arms sounded throughout the United States, and Father Kilroy was appointed by the governor to look after the interests, spiritual and temporal, of Indiana's troops in the field. His acceptance necessitated a new appoint- ment to the pastorate of St. Mary's church.
Rev. George A. Hamilton, a Kentuckian, was appointed to the charge. A seemingly hopeless task presented itself to him. Yet, in the short space of five years the church was built and dedicated, at a cost of $60,000, over and above that which had been expended on the foundation. The present pastoral residence was built at an outlay of over $8,000, and the boys' school, facing on South street, constructed at a cost of $10,000. During the eleven years of his pastorate Father Hamilton moreover erected St. Ann's chapel and school in the southern part of the city, and bought twelve acres of land for the enlargement of St. Mary's cemetery in Elston. Exhausted by his labors for the welfare of his congregation, he died in April, 1875.
Rev. M. E. Campion succeeded Father Hamilton, with the Rev. M. M. Hallinan, D. D., as his assistant. After over four years of efficient ministry, Father Campion desired a change, and was succeeded by Rev. M. Noll. His career was cut short by death after one month.
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Now the Rev. Joseph Rademacher, pastor of St. Mary's church, Fort Wayne, was sent by Bishop Dwenger to take up the burden of his predecessors in LaFayette. His management was marked by zeal and prudence, and gained him the respect and sin- cere good will of the people. In 1883 Father Rademacher was appointed bishop of Nashville, Tenn., and in 1894, after Bishop Dwenger's death, he succeeded to the bishopric of Fort Wayne.
In June. 1883, Rev. E. P. Walters succeeded Rt. Rev. Bishop Rademacher at St. Mary's church, LaFayette. Under his zealous and prudent management the church was put in excellent repair and embellished with beautiful fresco painting; artistic stained glass paintings were put into the windows, new confessionals were erected and a steam heating apparatus set up. Beside, St. Mary's cemetery was put in excellent order-all without incurring any debt. Father Walters, for whom a great many years and ecclesiastical honors of a higher degree seemed in store, died after a few months' illness on June 12, 1894.
On August 4th of the same year the Very Rev. J. R. Dinnen, pastor of St. Bernard's church, Crawfordsville, was appointed to the rectorship of St. Mary's church. It may be remarked here, that on January 1, 1887, St. Mary's was made an "immovable rectorate," giving its incumbent life tenure of the office. Father Dinnen, who is also dean of the LaFayette district and member of the bishop's council, soon won the love and confidence of his parishioners. He improved the pastoral residence, making a num- ber of necessary repairs, and bought the boys' school on South street for the congregation.
A great and long desired improvement was begun in the fall of 1897, and brought to a successful issue in the following spring; the tower and spire of the church were completed at the cost of about $5,000, the stately edifice thereby receiving its crowning glory.
St. Boniface's church .- The origin of St. Boniface's church dates back to 1853, when the number of Catholic Germans in LaFayette had increased to such an extent that a meeting was called on Christmas, 1853, and a building society was organized (339)
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for the purpose of establishing a German congregation and erecting a church. Two lots on Tenth street were purchased for $1,400, and St. Boniface's church, a substantial brick building, was erected during the following year at a cost of $7,000. In 1863 the con- gregation had become so numerous that it was decided at a meet- ing of the members to erect a large, new church on the corner of Ninth and North streets.
Even before the formation of the congregation into a separate parish the Germans in LaFayette were occasionally visited by Rev. Carius, of Logansport. In 1853, the Rev. Philip Doyle, who spoke German fluently, was appointed pastor of the new congre- gation. He organized the building society, with Herman Wilken as president ; John Meyer as vice-president, Conrad Schele, secre- tary, and Anthony Korty, treasurer, together with seventy-seven charter members. Father Doyle was succeeded by Rev. Pinkers, during whose pastorate a brick school-building was erected on Ferry street. Up to 1863, Revs. Neuber, Wehmhoff and Stephan followed each other in the order named as pastors of the congre- gation. The latter was succeeded by Rev. Deipenbrock, under whom the new church was built.
This church, a spacious brick edifice of the Gothic order of architecture, 155 feet long by 60 feet wide, was completed, except tower and spire, in 1865, at a cost of $28,762.
In 1866 the Rt. Rev. Bishop J. H. Luers placed St. Boni- face's church in charge of the Franciscan Fathers of the province of Cincinnati, who sent Fathers Venantius Arnold and William Gausepohl, the former as pastor, the latter as assistant. In 1867 a two-story brick school-building was erected on the foundation of the old church on Tenth street at a cost of $4,300. The new church was furnished with stained glass windows and a magnifi- cent high altar. In 1869 Rev. Denis Abarth, O. S. F., was placed. in charge, but retired on account of ill health in 1870. He was succeeded by Rev. Accursius Beine, O. S. F., who had the church furnished with a splendid large pipe-organ and two beautiful Gothic side-altars. In 1871 the congregation purchased the lot in the rear of the church for $1,600, and built the present parsonage at a cost of $5,000. In 1878 Father Beine was succeeded by Rev. (340)
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Agnellus Fisher, who had charge of the congregation till 1882, when he returned to Europe.
Rev. Daniel Heile was then appointed pastor. The school- rooms having become too crowded, he undertook, in 1883, the erection of the two-story brick school-building on Ninth street, adjoining the church, which was completed and furnished at a cost of $7, 300. In 1885 a Sisters' dwelling was built on the corner of Tenth and Ferry streets, for $2,500. In July, 1887, the contract for the completion of the tower and spire was awarded to John Duerwaldt, who finished his work on the 12th of September fol- lowing, aided by the sub-contractors, Theodore Wahl, masonry; Campbell & Moore; tin work and slating; Joseph Biehn, iron work; Nicholas Reiffers and Andrew Loges, painting. The spire, sur- mounted by a beautiful gilt cross, rises to a height of 185 feet, the whole improvement costing about $2,000.
Rev. Daniel Heile was succeeded in the pastorate by Rev. Pious Niehaus, O. S. F., who came to LaFayette as assistant at St. Boniface's and director of the Franciscan Sisters in August, 1886. He made various improvements in the church property and had prepared the plans for the interior decoration of the church, when, in the summer of 1891, he was called to assume the direc- tion of the Franciscan Sisters at Oldenburg, Ind. His successor was Rev. Ubaldus Webersinke, O. S. F. Under him, in the fall of 1890, the walls and ceilings were painted in a restful cream color, which deepens as it nears the floor into a warm yellow tint, and ends in a stone-colored border, relieved by Gothic ornaments. The clustered pillars also show a stone color up to the capitals; these are ornamented with floral designs, interspersed with gilt on a deep red ground. The prevailing design is the passion flower, branching out amid green foliage into the groined arches of the ceiling, entwining the Gothic finials of the windows and relieving the mellow tint of the walls. Rich gilding is intermingled with the trailing leaves of green leaves. The sanctuary, the most promi- nent part of the church, is treated specially and in the most artistic manner. The ceiling here is a beautiful azure tint, imbedded with gilt stars, the groins of the arch being richly ornamented. The walls, to the height of about fifteen feet, show a tapestry pattern
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