USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume I > Part 41
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Missions were held by Rev. F. X. Weninger, S. J., in 1859, and by Rev. Alphonse Leute, O. S. B., in 1875. In 1879 the con- gregation numbered seventy-two families. The estimated value of the church property is $2,800. The parsonage was bought in 1859, and the corner-stone of a new brick church was laid in Sep- tember, 1881. The present pastor is the Rev. William Wack.
TURKEY CREEK, LAKE COUNTY.
SS. Peter and Paul's Church, of Turkey Creek, was attended as a station as early as 1847 by Rev. A. Carius, and from 1850 by the Holy Cross Fathers-Cointet, Voors and Schilling-from Notre Dame, St. Joseph county, who regularly paid their visits until 1857, when Father Tusch became the first secular pastor. He was followed for a short time by Father Mayer, and then came Rev. Philip Wegmeyer, in 1858, as the first resident priest, who remained until the fall of 1859, after which came Father Giedel, who officiated until February, 1862, when Rev. M. P. Wehrle was placed in charge. Prior to this date the congregation worshiped in a log building, one and one-half miles northeast of the present
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church-edifice, which was erected by Father Wehrle in 1863. The site of the old church is still utilized as a cemetery. Father Wehrle remained in charge of the congregation until the summer of 1867, when he was succeeded by Father Schmitz, resident pas- tor of Dyer, Ind., who was succeeded by Rev. Philip Wegmeyer, who resided in Turkey Creek, and who again officiated from the fall of 1868 until July, 1871; Rev. H. Meissner was the pastor from that time until the summer of 1873; Rev. F. J. Frund, until the spring of 1874; Rev. Baumgardner, from April, 1874, until December, 1880; Rev. H. M. Roth, until the spring of 1883, and thereafter the congregation was attended from Crown Point by the Rev. Maurice Kaeder, O. S. B., until the close of 1884, when Rev. Joseph Flach was appointed resident priest and remained from early in 1885 until July 29, 1888, when the Rev. Charles V. Stet- ter, the present pastor, was placed in charge. To Turkey Creek there belong at present about forty German families.
UNION CITY, RANDOLPH COUNTY.
The Catholic church at Union City was begun in 1854; Rev. Sheon, of Sidney, was pastor one year. Rev. Hemsteger, from Piqua, came in 1855; Rev. Clane came next and established a chapel on the farm of Mr. Weis, two miles from town; Rev. Hem- steger came again, and stayed four years; Rev. Shelhammer, from Greenville, then came, remaining until 1862; Rev. McMahon was next, until 1865. During his pastorship a church was built on Plum street north of Oak street, frame, and about 1870 a large bell was added. Rev. Lamour was pastor from 1867 to 1870; Rev. Von Schwedler, 1870 to 1871; Rev. Noll, 1871 to 1875. Rev. Jeremiah Quinlan succeeded, who was pastor until 1890, when he was succeeded by Rev. F. A. King. The congregation is thriving and prosperous, with a property of four lots, a church, a parson- age, nunnery and a school-house; as also a cemetery, out of town, two miles north of the Salem pike. St. Mary's school is taught by Sisters of the Holy Cross and is attended by 100 pupils. A flourishing day school has been maintained for many years by the Catholics, which has been, for a considerable time, free to all
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comers, through the munificence of Peter Kuntz, lumber dealer in Union City, and a member of the Catholic congregation.
The congregation, in 1890, was worshiping in a substantial, but unpretentious and wholly inadequate edifice, and Father King's first thought was to provide a fairer and properly commodious house of worship for his people. There was only about $1,200 in the church treasury, but this apparant lack of material funds did not deter the earnest pastor, and it was not long until his efforts toward the enlargement of his parish were rewarded by the assurance of a fund sufficient to guarantee the completion of the work he had in mind. In 1891 the corner-stone of the new church was laid with imposing ceremonies, the Rt. Rev. Joseph Brammer officiating. On February 12, 1895-proud day for St. Mary's par- ish-the new church, splendid and complete, was dedicated to the service of God, the dedicatory services being presided over by Bishop Chatard. This new church cost nearly $25,000, and so well have its finances been managed that the congregation is prac- tically out of debt. The church is well-finished and stands a sub- stantial local monument to the zeal of good Father King and the earnestness of his parishioners. The present congregation num- bers 126 families.
With its passing as a place of worship the old church did not lose its usefulness, however, as it is now constantly occupied as a place of meeting of the several auxiliary societies of St. Mary's. In this old structure are held the meetings of the Catholic Benevolent society, of the Catholic Benevolent legion and of the Catholic Knights of St. John.
St. Mary's cemetery is a beautiful spot of consecrated ground, containing five acres, and the pride of the parish is manifested in keeping it in faultless order.
In addition to his duties as pastor of St. Mary's, Father King is also charged with the spiritual direction of the adjacent mission at Winchester. This is an interesting and growing mission, at present containing about a dozen families and full of promise of large future development. The church-building is a frame, was built in 1882 by Rev. J. H. Quinlan and cost $600.
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VALPARAISO, PORTER COUNTY.
St. Paul's Church, at Valparaiso, was organized in 1861 by the late Rev. Father O'Reilly, though previous to that the congrega- tion, which was somewhat small and scattered about the vicinity, was looked after by Revs. George Hamilton, John Force and A. Batti. Father O'Reilly at first held services in a hall over one of the business houses, and several years later erected a commodious structure, within a stone-thrown, where now stands one of the handsomest and finest edifices in the state, erected, in 1880, at a cost of $60,000. Later he built St. Paul's school, a three-story brick building, and a pastoral residence. He died in 1888, and Rev. John Dempsey, now at Crawfordsville, took charge, and he was succeeded, in June, 1898, by Rev. John H. Bathe, of Wabash, who was transferred, in July, to Fort Wayne. Very Rev. L. A. Moench, for many years stationed at Plymouth, is now rector.
The congregation numbers about 2,000, and is composed of Irish, Germans, Americans, French and English. The congrega- tion owns its own cemetery, which was purchased in 1872 and con- secrated by the late Bishop Joseph Dwenger, D. D., of Fort Wayne. It is the best laid out and handsomest in the county. Though over $100,000 have been spent during the past twenty years in the way of buildings, etc., the congregation is at present nearly free from debt.
The parochial school connected with the academy is in charge of five Sisters of Providence, and is attended by forty-five boys and eighty-five girls.
VANDERBURG COUNTY.
St. Joseph's Church .- The first Catholic church in St. Joseph's parish was a log structure, and was erected in the summer of 1841. The building was two stories high, the front half of the lower floor being utilized for school purposes, and the rear half, divided into two small rooms, served as the pastoral residence, while the upper floor was devoted to divine service. Prior to the erection of this building, mass had been read, as far back as 1836, by the Redemp- torist, Father Czackart, at the house of Widow Weis, the Father (462)
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coming all the way from St. Marie, Jasper county, Ill., where he had his home with John Piquet. Rev. Roman Weinzoepfel suc- ceeded Father Czackart and attended until May, 1842, after which date Rev. Anthony Deydier visited the mission several times. In October, 1842, Rev. Conrad Schneiderjans, of Oldenburg, Frank- lin county, was placed in charge of the missions near Evansville, established himself at St. Wendel, and from that place visited St. Joseph's until the fall of 1845. Rev. C. Oppermann and Rev. Martin Stahl, assistants of Father Deydier at Evansville, occasion- ally visited the mission until April, 1846, when Rev. Roman Wein- zoepfel returned, his station being then at St. Wendel.
September 15, 1849, Bishop de St. Palais came to St. Joseph's parish to administer the sacrament of confirmation. This visit was a blessed one, as it resulted in the purchase of ground, at a cost of $95, for the site of a new church-edifice. Thirty families sub- scribed $1,700, in money, toward the construction of the proposed building, while others pledged themselves to furnish labor or material. May 28, 1850, the corner-stone of the new edifice was laid by Bishop de St. Palais, assisted by Fathers Deydier, Kutassy and Weinzoepfel. The foundations were 40 x 86 feet, the walls of brick, and of Roman architecture. The total cost of the building was about $2,200, not including the cost of the bell ($150), nor the labor and material donated, and of this sum Bishop de St. Palais liberally contributed $200 from his private means. April 13, 1851, divine services were held in the new church, but it was not until April 27, that the building was formally dedicated. From May 9 until May 17, 1852, a very successful mission was held by Rev. F. X. Wenninger, S. J., the neighboring congregations taking part, and holy communion was administered to about 900 souls.
Toward the end of the 'fifties St. Joseph's received its first res- ident pastor in the person of Rev. F. W. Pepersack, who erected a substantial brick parsonage at a cost of only $1,000. In June, 1861, he was succeeded by Rev. John B. Merl, who remained until May, 1874. On November 1, 1874, the Rev. J. F. Sonderinann was placed in charge, remaining until May, 1875, when he was succeeded by Rev. Jos. Schuck. In 1879 Father Schuck built the present imposing school-house at a cost of $5,000. In 1885 he
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was sent to a more important charge and Father Pepersack returned to St. Joseph's. In the summer of 1886 the church with all its contents was destroyed by fire. It was a hard blow for the congregation and its venerable pastor, who, finding himself, owing to the infirmities of age, unequal to the task of rebuilding, resigned in the fall of 1887, when the Rev. A. A. Schenk was asked to assume the work. Father Schenk pushed the undertaking with characteristic vim, and, being cheerfully seconded by his parish- ioners, erected, in 1888, the present beautiful edifice, which, with its appurtenances, cost about $15,000. In November, 1897, Father Schenk was transferred to Brookville, and the Rev. Frank A. Roell given temporary charge of St. Joseph's, remaining until May, 1898, when Rev. Henry Fein succeeded him. A commodious parsonage of modern architecture, costing $3,000, will be erected in 1899.
The congregation of St. Joseph's at present numbers 100 fam- ilies, mostly prosperous farmers. The parochial school, taught by three Sisters of St. Francis, is attended by eighty pupils. The parish is also spiritually in a most healthy condition.
VIGO COUNTY.
St. Mary's of the Woods. - The grounds for the first church and cemetery in St. Mary's parish were donated in 1837 by the late Joseph Thralls, the patriarch of his family and the pioneer of Catholicity in these parts. In his house the first pastor and other missionary priests found a home. The first church, a small frame structure, was built in 1837. It was accidentally burnt down in 1842 or 1843. The next church was erected in 1844. It was a small brick building which, old residenters say, had very much the appearance of a prison or jail, from the fact that there were no windows in it, except one or two situated on or near the roof. This unique little structure was blessed on November 7, 1844. The following item is copied from the record: "1844. November 7th, Feast. Rt. Rev. G. de la Hailandiere, Bp. Vin., blessed the church at St. Mary's of the Woods, dedicated to God under the invocation of the Mother of God, by the name of St. Mary's of the Woods; attended the ceremony: M. M. E. Shaw, L. Lalumiere, V. Bellier, S. Buteux and M. Mullen. J. Corbe, pastor. "
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This prison-like building was pulled down and replaced by the present church in 1866. Priests visited these parts at an early day. The first that can be given as correct is that of the Rev. Stanislaus Buteux, who became the first resident priest in 1837. His first baptism is dated January 12, 1837, his first marriage Decem- ber 19, 1837. He was noted for his kindness of heart, cheerful, frank manners, and ardent zeal in the conversion of souls. He was beloved by both Catholics and Protestants. The old resi- denters love to talk of the old times when Father Buteux was wont to visit them in their humble log cabins, and warm his feet by their blazing fire-places. Father Buteux made several con- verts at an early date, some of whom did not prove faithful. He remained at St. Mary's until 1842, when he went to Boston, Mass., where he died in June, 1875, beloved by clergy and people. Father Buteux was succeeded by the Rev. Anthony Parret, who remained until 1844, when he joined the Jesuits, and died, many years ago in the south, of yellow fever.
Rev. John Corbe was appointed the pastor in 1844. He had charge until 1865, when he resigned the pastorship of St. Mary's congregation, but remained chaplain at the mother-house of the Sisters of Providence until the day of his death, June 3, 1872. Father Corbe was a native of the diocese of Rennes, France, where he made his studies and was ordained priest. He was quite young when he followed Bishop Brute to the diocese of Vincennes, in 1836. His first mission was Francisville, ten miles below Vin- cennes. In 1840 he took charge of the seminary at Vincennes, and soon after also of the congregation, until his removal to St. Mary's of the Woods in 1844. Bishop de St. Palais made him his vicar-general, and, during the absence of the bishop in Europe, he was administrator of the diocese.
The Benedictine Fathers at Terre Haute now took charge of St. Mary's church. The Rev. Martin Marty, O. S. B., and the Rev. Fintan Mundwiler, O. S. B., paid a few visits, when, in 1866, the Rev. Meinrad McCarthy, O. S. B., began to reside here. He had his home with the excellent Mr. Thralls until, in 1868, he built a two-story frame parsonage, with kitchen. Under his administration the present brick church, 75 x 32 feet, was built.
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He also had charge of many missions, in all of which he built small churches, not less than six in number. He is known as "the " church-builder. He remained pastor of St. Mary's until the spring of 1871.
The Rev. Eugene F. McBarron came on July 7, 1871. He revived the Catholic schools, which had been discontinued a few years before his advent. The Sisters of Providence had taught the parish school from the time of their arrival from France in 1840. In September, 1872, Father McBarron re-opened the school, with an attendance of forty children. The congregation at that time numbered seventy families. In 1873 he built an addition of four rooms to his parsonage. The old cemetery was situated near the St. Mary's institute; the new cemetery, bought of Mr. Frank Thralls in 1866, is adjoining the present church. Having labored zealously for the happiest results in his congregation, Bishop Cha- tard, to the great credit of the St. Mary's people, appointed him pastor of the church of the Assumption at Evansville, where he arrived November 7, 1879. Rev. Augustine Riehle is at present the pastor of St. Mary's.
VINCENNET KNOX COUNTY.
Church of St. Francis Xavier. - Vincennes is the oldest city in Indiana, and the church of St. Francis Xavier of that city, for- merly the cathedral of the old diocese of Vincennes, was the first church erected in the state. In consequence, it has special claims upon the respect and veneration of the Catholic people.
On the arrival of the French expedition under de Vincennes, in 1702, mass was celebrated by the accompanying Jesuit priest in the open air under a tree on the great sand hill which then over- looked the Wabash river at that point. After mass, and before either the priest, the Indians or the soldiers had refreshed them- selves, the site of the future St. Francis Xavier church was selected; afterwards that of the fort was determined, which for many years after bore the name of the church-Fort St. Francis Xavier.
This first church at Vincennes was built of logs placed on end, while the interstices were plastered or filled with adobe. Several (466)
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Indians, converted by the missionaries of previous years, aided in the work of its construction. It stood until about the year 1785, for it was not until that year, memorable by the arrival of Father Gibault, that the new or second log church, larger than the first and better appointed, was ready for occupancy. This second structure was 40 x 90 feet and served its purpose until 1830, when it was torn down, the present brick church having been then ready for use. Its ground plan was 60x 115 feet, and its vaulted ceiling fully seventy five feet high. The church was later lengthened by Bishop Hailandiere.
This edifice was projected by that most energetic and devoted priest, Father Champomier, in 1825, and the corner-stone was laid by him March 30, 1826. Interiorly it remained unfinished not only until the arrival of Bishop Bruté, in 1834, but even dur- ing his life. The good bishop took greater interest in educational matters than in church adornment, for he expended funds collected in France not to beautify his cathedral church but to establish free parochial schools and a seminary for the education of priests. However, before his death, in 1839, he had collected considerable material looking to the improvement of the cathedral church of St. Francis Xavier.
Bishop de la Hailandiere, who succeeded Bishop Brute, attended to this much needed work. He not only enlarged the building and finished the interior, but also erected on it a tower and spire and placed in the former a large clock, which for fifty years told time for the public. The subsequent pastors, notably Fathers O'Connor and Peythieu, additionally adorned the interior of the church with costly oil paintings of the stations of the cross and with a life-size sculpture of the dead Christ upon the cross. These to-day are the most attractive features of that venerable edifice.
The church library, which Bishop Brute began to collect, is now a most creditable feature, while the parish schools, which date back to the days of that saintly bishop, are, as he would have them, in charge of the Sisters of Providence. About 300 children attend them.
The location of the church, schools and rectory is central,
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and these structures are among the finest improvements in Vin- cennes.
The old cemetery which adjoined the first and the second log churches has entirely disappeared. The new cemetery is beyond the city limits.
In the chapel, which occupies the basement of the present church, repose the mortal remains of Bishops Bruté, Bazin, Hai- landiere and St. Palais.
Thirty or more missionary priests made transient visits to Vincennes and exercised their priestly functions in St. Francis Xavier's church previous to the establishment of the old Vincennes diocese and the advent of Bishop Bruté, in 1834. Since then a much larger number have ministered there, the history and labors of whom would be too much of a task to attempt here. The present clergymen in charge (1898) are Rev. Louis Gueguen, rector, and Rev. John Gorman, assistant.
Following is a complete list of all the pastors who have offici- ated at St. Francis Xavier's cathedral from the beginning until the present time:
The unknown Jesuit Father, who founded the church, from 1702 to 1708; John Mermet, from 1708; Antonius Senat, who was burned at the stake by the Indians at the same time with de Vin- cennes on Palm Sunday, 1736; Mercurin Conic in 1748; Sebastin Louis Meurin in 1749; P. du Jannay; Louis Vivier, from 1753 to 1756; Julian Duvernai, from 1756 to 1763. He was kidnaped by an armed force sent by the legislative council of Louisiana with instructions to arrest all Jesuit priests in the northwest. This armed force in the night, in October, 1763, seized Father Duver- nai and his property and carried them off to St. Louis and thence to New Orleans. The priests arrested were sent to France on the steamship Minerve. All the pastors of the church to this date were French Jesuits.
Pierre Gibault, the patriot priest of the northwest, was pastor at different times from February 10, 1770, to 1792. In February, 1777, he administered the oath of alliegance to the French settlers here, binding them to support and succor the American colonies, then struggling for independence. For this he was arrested by the (468)
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British authorities and sent out of the country. Benedict Joseph Flaget, afterward Bishop of Bardstown, in Kentucky, was the next pastor. This church was his first ministerial work in this country. Father Lavadoux was sent here by Bishop Carroll in 1795; John B. Rivet, also sent by Bishop Carroll, remained from June 12, 1796, to January 31, 1804, the date of his death. He was the first priest that died in Vincennes. Donatian Olivier came in 1805; Charles Nernickz, in 1806; Urban Guillet, in 1808; Etienne Theo- dore Badin, in 1810; Guy J. Chabrat, afterward coadjuter bishop of Bishop Flaget; Father Rosati, afterward bishop of St. Louis; Father Aequeroni, a Lazarist; Anthony Blanc, afterward arch- bishop of New Orleans; Father Jeanjean; Anthony Ferrari, in 1819; Father Richards, who was afterward elected a member of congress from Michigan; John B. Champomier, the builder of the present church edifice, from 1823 to 1826; Father Durbin, in 1826; Father Abel, in 1829; Father Fanche; Father John Timon, in 1830, who was afterward first bishop of Buffalo; Father Reynolds, afterward bishop of Charleston; S. P. Lalumiere; Father Petit; Xavier Dahman; Linnis O. Coome; Stanislaus Buteux; Maurice Berrel; Anthony Paut; Jul an Benoit; Augustus M. Martin; Benjamin Petit; Anthony Deydier; Julian Delaune; John Claude Francois, who celebrated mass for the first time in Indianapolis, in 1840, and went as a missionary to the Catholics around Logansport; Michael E. Shawe, one of the most eloquent pulpit orators of the time; John A. Vabret; Conrad Schneiderjans; Francis Masquelet ; Joseph Kundeck; John J. Corbe; John B. Chassé; Roman Wein- zoepfel; Maurice de St. Palais, who subsequently became bishop of the diocese; Hypolite Dupontavice; Francis Fisher; Ernest Audran, who was ordained in St. Francis Xavier, April 26, 1846, became its pastor, and so continued until 1868, when he was trans- ferred to St. Augustin's church at Jeffersonville, where he has remained to the present; John Gueguen; Bede O'Conner; John Contin; H. Peythieu, from 1879 to his death, January 9, 1892; and Louis Gueguen, from November, 1890, to the present time.
This historic church will ever remain a land-mark not only in the political history of Indiana, but also in the history of Catho- licity in the west. The mental eye will ever turn to it as the
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mother church of the Wabash valley and of Indiana, whence ema- nated faith and light and at whose altar ministered men as true to church and country as those of any other state in our American Union.
St. John the Baptist Church .- In 1839 the German emigrants to this country began to locate in Vincennes. The most of them were Catholics, and first attended divine services in St. Francis Xavier's cathedral, as members of that congregation. In a few years they became so numerous that they were formed into a sepa- rate congregation, and occupied the cathedral at 8 o'clock on Sun- days and holy days, but had no German priest. In 1846 Rev. Charles Oppermann came and ministered for them. In 1847 Rev. Conrad Schneiderjans was their pastor. They resided at the cathedral pastoral residence, and the congregation worshiped at the cathedral. In 1848 Rev. Nicholas Stauber. became the pastor of the German congregation, and also resided at the cathedral pas- toral residence. But a beautiful square was purchased, upon which he erected a portion of the present St. John's church, which is a brick building, 80 x 40 feet. He was succeeded by Rev. Leon- ard Brandt, who remained until 18.56; Rev. William Engeln then came and remained until 1863. He was succeeded by Rev. Ægidius J. Merz, who took charge in September of the same year. The German congregation of St. John's was then very large and increasing, and the church was soon found to be. too small to accommodate it. In the fall of 1866 Father Merz began enlarging the church by making an addition, so as to make the building in the form of a cross. This addition more than doubled the seating capacity of the church and made it 154 feet long, and the transept eighty feet longer. And again, in 1891, an addition to the church was made in front and two lofty towers erected, making St. John's church one of the largest and finest in the state. The church square upon which the church is erected is one of the finest, if not the finest, church property in the state of Indiana.
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