History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II, Part 3

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Logansport, Ind., A. W. Bowen & co.
Number of Pages: 1476

USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II > Part 3

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R' EV. JOACHIM BAKER, of St. Mary's church, Alexandria, Madison county, was born in Fort Wayne, Ind., March 7, 1863, a son of Jacob and Agatha (Meyer) Baker, natives, respect- ively, of Hesse-Darmstadt and Baden, Germany, but who were mar- ried in Fort Wayne, where the father was engaged in saw-milling.

Rev. J. Baker, the sixth of a family of nine children, received his preliminary education in St. Mary's parochial school at Fort Wayne and at the Cathedral school. In 1879 he entered St. Lawrence college at Mount Calvary, Wis., where he pursued his classical studies for four years, and then entered St. Francis sem- inary, Wis., from which he graduated in 1884; he then studied philosophy and theology in the same seminary, was ordained deacon March 17, 1888, and June 29, 1888, was ordained priest by Bishop Dwenger for the diocese of Fort Wayne. He was assigned as the first resident pastor of the church of the Immaculate Conception, Portland, Jay county, which had heretofore been attended by visit- ing clergymen from Fort Recovery, Ohio, and there he officiated from July 27, 1889, until May 23, 1891, when he was transferred to St. Anthony's, in Benton county, where he did most excellent work, and also attended the Goodland mission until January 9, 1896, when he came to Alexandria to assume charge of the congre-

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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

gation which later became known as St. Mary's. Until December, 1896, he had held services in Tammany hall, and then took posses- sion of the present church, the foundation of which was laid during the panic of 1893, but on which no further work was done until the arrival of Father Baker.

Father Balthazar Biegel, of Elwood, had attended to the spir- itual needs of the Catholics at Alexandria from 1892 until 1896, and when Father Baker came the congregation consisted of sixty families, or about 300 souls. Father Baker at once set himself energetically to work, and with praiseworthy zeal accomplished the task of completing the church edifice. It is 65x 55 feet in its ground plan, and has, under the same roof, three rooms for school purposes, has a seating capacity of 300, and cost $9,500. The church was dedicated by Bishop Rademacher September 19, 1897. The pupils attending the school in the fall of 1897 numbered sixty, but the attendance now reaches 130, who are under the instruction of four sisters of Notre Dame. Father Baker well deserves the deep love that is felt for him by his congregation, for he has cer- tainly labored with great assiduity in its behalf.

JOHN FREDERICK BAKER, proprietor of the Grand hotel, Vincennes, is a native of this city, was born March 4, 1869, and is a son of James Edgar and Nancy Louise (Graeter) Baker, the former of whom was a native of Bedford county, Ind., and was a son of Judge John Baker, for many years circuit judge of Knox county. Mrs. Nancy Louise Baker was born in Vincennes, and the Grand hotel is inherited from her father, Frederick Graeter.

John F. Baker is the elder of two children, his brother, James Edgar, Jr., being an accountant for a railway company in Illinois. John F. received a classical education, in preparation for the Catholic ministry, and is well trained in Greek, Latin, French, Spanish and English. From 1884 until 1888 he was a sailor in the merchant marine service, made three trips around the world, and later located in Rosaria del Santa Fe, in the Argentine republic, where he was for a year second in command of the naval reserve,

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

and returned home in the fall of 1889, but soon afterward shipped at Boston, Mass., as sailmaker's mate in the United States navy, cruised all the waters on the globe, particularly the Chinese seas, and at the end of three years was honorably discharged at Mare Island navy-yard, San Francisco. On his return eastwardly, at Kansas City, Mo., he met his father and brother, and there also formed the acquaintance of Miss Anna Marguerite Besher, whom he married June 1, 1892. After passing two years in Kansas City in the paint and wall-paper business, he took a two-year course in polytechnic study with the Westinghouse company, and qualified himself as inspector of air-brakes, securing a lucrative position on a Mexican railroad; but the climate of that country did not agree with his wife's health, and he went to Fort Worth, Tex., where he became air-brake inspector for the associated roads, eight in number, centering at that point. A year and a half later he was transferred to St. Louis, Mo., where he filled a similar position in the Missouri Pacific shops until April, 1896, when he returned to his native city, after an absence of twenty years, and assumed charge of the Grand hotel December 1, 1896. This popular hos- tlery is conviently located and is superbly fitted up for the accom- modation of the traveling public; its half-hundred guest-rooms are tastily furnished, are steam heated, and lighted by electricity. The dining-room service is strictly first-class and the menu beyond reproach, and Mr. Baker has already won a reputation as one " who can keep a hotel."

In politics Mr. Baker is a democrat, inheriting his proclivities from his father, who was the democratic surveyor of Knox county fourteen years and deputy auditor of state four years. Fraternally, the son is a member of Royal lodge, No. 233, K. of P., of St. Louis, Mo., and of Spring Palace lodge, No. 130, A. O. U. W. The fam- ily are members of St. Francis Xavier Cathedral congregation, and, being descendants of two of the oldest families of Vincennes, stand very high in social circles.

James Edgar Baker, Jr., brother of John Frederick, is united in marriage with Miss Mary Elizabeth Menaghan, a native of Youngstown, Ohio, and to their union has been born one daughter, Marguerite Nancy.

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Any Bettowe ING

CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

R T. REV. AUGUST BESSONIES, V. G., of the diocese of Vincennes, was born at Alzac, department du Lot, France, on June 17, 1815. His first studies were at the Petit seminary of Mont- faucon; thence he went to the seminary of Isse, near Paris, to study the classics and natural philosophy. While there Bishop Brute, first bishop of Vincennes, paid a visit to Isse, and although August Bessonies had already been received by the Lazarists for the for- eign missions, by the advice of the celebrated Father Pinault, his director, he offered his services to Right Rev. Bishop Bruté, for his diocese of Vincennes. The saintly prelate was pleased, and, stretching his arms around his neck, said: "I am happy at the project of seeing a new altar raised in my dear Indiana. But," said he, "I have no seminary at Vincennes; stay at St. Sulpice for three years, until 1839, and then I will send for you." So he did, and August Bessonies was at Havre, ready to embark in a sailing vessel, when he received the sad news of the good bishop's death. He arrived at Vincennes October 21, 1839. He was then a dea- con, too young to be ordained, but on the 22d day of February, 1840, Bishop de la Hailandiere, successor of Bishop Bruté, or- dained him a priest, and sent him to the forests of Perry county, although he had expressed a desire to be sent among the Indians, near the town of Logansport. He spent twelve years in his first mission in Perry county, founded the town of Leopold, of which he became postmaster under James K. Polk, and built seven churches; two of stone-one at Cannelton and one at Derby-the others of log.

When Bishop de la Hailandiere resigned, and Bishop Bazin was appointed, he refused to be vicar-general. After six months, Bishop Bazin died and M. de St. Palais succeeded him. He went to France in 1852, and at his return he was sent to Fort Wayne, where he remained only about a year, Father Benoit, former pas- tor, returning from New Orleans. He was then sent to Jefferson- ville and given charge of the church at the Knobs, and a number of other inissions. After four years spent there, he was sent by Bishop de St. Palais to Indianapolis, where he arrived on the 5th day of November, 1857. His first work was to built a house for the Sisters of Providence, who came soon to open a school. There

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

was then only a small brick church in the city, used by the Irish at eight o'clock, by the Germans at nine o'clock, and again by the Irish at ten o'clock. The next thing was to build a pastor's residence; when that was completed a school-house was erected for the boys, and after many efforts he obtained the Brothers of the Sacred Heart to take charge of it. St. Mary's German church had been built, and opened for services August 15, 1858. The new St. John's was commenced in 1866, and opened in 1871. There was yet a debt of $6,000 on the boys' school, and the right rev- erend bishop wanted a church costing $200,000. He subscribed himself $10,000, but the pastor, Rev. August Bessonies, objected, and said that he could not risk more than $60,000. The bishop agreed, and the church was commanced, but plans were changed, and the sum raised to $100,000. The pastor objected, and Rev. J. Q. Fitzpatrick was given charge of the building, but he collected only about $6,000 and left to build St. Patrick's church, to replace St. Peter's church, already built by August Bessonies, who had to take charge of the new building of St. John's church, which cost over $100,000. Money had to be borrowed, some at eight per cent. When the Very Rev. D. O'Donaghue took charge, there was a debt of $31,000, including interest, and it had been reduced to about $7,000, when the Rev. Father Gavisk completed the church, now one of the finest in the state.

In 1873 August Bessonies succeeded in procuring the Sisters of the Good Shepherd, and also the Little Sisters of the Poor. They commenced in poverty, and it required a great effort to keep them up, especially the Sisters of the Poor Shepherd, but, thanks be to God, they are now doing well, the Sisters of the Poor having 100 inmates and the Sisters of the Good Shepherd over 500. In 1872 Very Rev. Father Corby, vicar-general and chaplain of the Sisters of Providence at St. Mary's of the Woods, died, and Au- gust Bessonies was appointed vicar-general by Right Rev. Maurice de St. Palais. At the death of Bishop de St. Palais, June 28, 1877, August Bessonies was appointed administrator by Most Rev. J. B. Purcell, archbishop of Cincinnati, and when the new bishop, F. S. Chatard, D. D., was appointed bishop of Vincennes, in 1878, the adminstrator was appointed vicar-general.

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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

The new bishop asked the pope, Leo XIII, to appoint August Bessonies as Roman prelate, and this was done on the 22d day of January, 1884. In that quality he was invited to assist at the council of Baltimore. Although advanced in age, he remained pastor of St. John until Right Rev. F. S. Chatard, D. D., started the new parish of SS. Peter and Paul's, and in 1892 took him with him to the new parish, in which he is still working, all he can, at the age of eighty-three years and a few months. At the time of his golden jubilee, in 1890, the people of Indianapolis, Catholics and Protestants, offered him a purse of over $3,000, and Arch- bishop Elder did him the honor to attend. He had crossed the ocean fifteen times, and says that, if God spares him so long, he may cross it again in 1900, with many of his friends of Indianap- olis, to visit the world's exposition at Paris, and his numerous nephews, grandnephews and great-grandnephews, to the number of over fifty.

J JOHN ADAMS, a well-known business man of Madison, Jeffer- son county, Ind., was born in this city March 4, 1846, and is a son of Peter and Margaret (Krein) Adams, natives of Rheiu Prussia, who came to the United States early in life, and were later followed by John Adams, a half-brother of Peter, and these were the only members of the respective families to come to America-John Adams, the half-brother of Peter, being now a resident of Jeffersonville, Clark county, Ind.

Peter Adams was born about 1810, was a stonecutter by trade, and for three years served in the Prussian army. He came to America in company with a Dr. Kremer, who settled in Saint Magdalene, Ripley county, Ind .; but Mr. Adams at once came to Madison, which was then a new town, and here found plenty of work at his trade. Here he prospered, and had just built for himself a comfortable residence, when he was stricken with cholera and died July 12. 1849, leaving his widow with three children, two of whom died within one week after the death of the father. In 1852 the widow was married to Joseph Irvey, a native of

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

France, who died June 12, 1874, and her own death took place, in Madison, January 6, 1892, at the age of seventy-two years.

John Adams, the subject proper of this memoir, was educated in the public and parochial schools of his native city, and at the age of fifteen years was apprenticed to the tinner's trade. In 1869 he engaged in business on his own account, opening a tin and stove store, to which he subsequently added a trade in hardware and agri- cultural implements. By his attention to business, his skill and obliging disposition, he has thriven, and now owns his business place and residence.

THOMAS ADELSPERGER, a highly respected citizen of South

Bend, Ind., and an ex-soldier of the Civil war, was born in Frederick county, Md., June 12,1842, a son of William Joseph and Anna Mary (Obold) Adelsperger, natives of Carroll county, Md., both of German extraction.

William Joseph Adelsperger, who was born April 4, 1820, was reared a farmer and followed that calling in his native state until 1848, when he came to Indiana and bought a farm nine miles southeast of Fort Wayne, Allen county, on which he resided until 1852, when he removed to Adams county and was employed in the Fornax mill at Decatur for two years, and then was engaged in general merchandizing with J. &. P. Crabbs until 1858, when he was elected, on the democratic ticket, county recorder of Adams county, served two terms, and in 1866 purchased a farm in St. Mary's township, on which he resided several years, and then returned to Decatur and engaged in the grocery trade until 1887, when he retired to private life.

The marriage of William J. Adelsperger took place in Carroll county, Md., November 17, 1840, to Miss Anna Mary Obold, the result of the union being twelve children, of whom eight, beside Thomas, are still living, viz: William, of Toledo, Ohio; Joseph, of Saybrook, Ill ; Henry, of Notre Dame, Ind .; John, assistant pastor at the cathedral of Covington, Ky .; George; Louisa; Jane Mary Ellen and Julia, the latter now Sister M. Waltrude, order of the Holy Cross. The mother of this family was called away, in (48)

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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

the faith of the Catholic church, in February, 1876, and the father, December 23, 1890, and their remains now lie side by side in the Catholic cemetery in Decatur.

Thomas Adelsperger was educated in the district school, Allen county, Ind., at Hesse Cassel parochial school, in the same county, and the parochial and public schools in Decatur, Ind., till he was fifteen years of age, when, in 1857, he was apprenticed to the printer's trade in the office of the Decatur Eagle. In the spring of 1860, he bought a half interest in this newspaper plant, but later went to Fort Wayne and engaged in job and book printing with F. L. Furste. The Civil war having broken out and being well under way as an internecine struggle of indefinite duration, Mr. Adelsperger enlisted in company H, Eighty-ninth Indiana volunteer infantry, August 2, 1862, under Capt. A. J. Hill, and served until August 9, 1865-the temination of his term of enlistment for three years. He was engaged in many severe engagements and skirmishes, was taken prisoner at Munfordville, Ky., September 14, 1862, but was paroled, and was wounded in the battle of Tupelo, Miss., July 14, 1864, and these were his only mishaps. For meritorious conduct he was promoted from private to sergeant-major April 10, 1863, and to adjutant September 14, 1864, receiving an honorable dis- charge at the date mentioned above.

Returning to Decatur after being mustered out of the army, Mr. Adelsperger engaged in the drug business, under the firm-name of Bollman & Adelsperger, until the spring of 1866, when he was selected by his father as deputy county recorder and served until the official close of the term. He then returned to the Eagle office, remained there until 1869, when he went to Laporte, Ind., and engaged in the drug business until 1872, when he became a traveling salesman for Bliss & Torrey, of Chicago, Ill., for whom he handled druggists' sundries for three years. July 1, 1875, he became agent for Hord, Owen & Co., of Chicago, and for twenty- three years has been their trusted salesman in northwestern Indiana and eastern Illinois.

Mr. Adelsperger was united in marriage May 19, 1865, by Right Rev. Bishop Luers, at Fort Wayne, to Miss Helen Frances Hill, the union being blessed with six children, viz: Francis J.,

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

Richard W., and Christopher B., now deceased, and Edward R., Eva C. and Lucy, all of whom have been well educated-Edward R., now an architect, having attended Notre Dame college from 1885 until 1890, graduating in the latter year, and Eva C. graduating from St. Mary's academy in 1892; Lucy, after attending St. Joseph and St. Mary's academies a number of years, graduated from the South Bend high school in 1897. In 1880, Mr. Adelsperger came from Laporte to South Bend, which is now his permanent home. He is an honest, conscientious gentleman, and when he relinquished his business in Laporte was heavily in debt, but he has since liquidated every obligation, in full. He and family are true Catholics, his parents having been pioneers in this faith in Adams county, and he is among the foremost in aiding his church in all its good work.

K ILIAN BAKER, proprietor of a saw-mill at Fort Wayne, Ind., and prominent as a manufacturer of lumber, was born in Hesse-Darmstadt, Germany, December 15, 1830, and is a son of George and Catherine (Bashinger) Baker, who came to the United States in 1835, bringing their family of eight children. They landed in New York city, whence they went to Pittsburg, Pa. The father, who was born April 14, 1790, learned his trade, wagon- maker, in Germany, and after coming to the United States followed it for three years in Pittsburg. In 1836, however, the father had come to Allen county, Ind., and had entered a tract of land in Cedar Creek township, and in 1838 came here to reside perma- nently-Fort Wayne being then a town of 400 inhabitants. He followed his trade until 1848, when he erected a saw-mill, which he conducted in partnership with his sons, John, Jacob, Henry and Kilian. Two years later the father and son John sold their interest in the mill to Jacob, Henry and Kilian, his wife having died in 1850. Henry retired from the business in 1867, the father died in 1870, and Jacob withdrew in 1878, leaving Kilian the sole pro- prietor, the latter having been twenty-two years of age when he was admitted to a partnership with his father and brothers in the mill which he still operates.

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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

Kilian Baker was educated in the parochial schools of Fort Wayne, and in 1859 married Miss Anna Daugherty, who was born in Arcola, Allen county, Ind., in 1840, of Irish parentage. This marriage has been blessed with eleven children, of whom nine are still living, viz: John G., Frank J., Mary A., Agnes C., Mar- guerite G., Rosella, Catherine (now a Sister of Providence), Alfred K. and Grace A .- all devout Catholics. The necrology of Mr. Baker's brothers and sisters may be summed up as follows: John died February 19, 1897; Jacob, August 29, 1896; Magdalene, January 1, 1879; Conrad, in April, 1890, and Henry, October 26, 1872. A sister, Elizabeth, is the widow of John B. Bequeet. In politics Mr. Baker is a democrat, but seldom meddles with party affairs, being contented with the management of his mlll, which now turns out 10,000 feet of sawed lumber per day. He has been very successful in his management of this industry, stands high as a business man, being recognized as one of the most enterprising in the county, and socially he and his family stand with the best people of the city of Fort Wayne.

DEV. SIMON BARBER, chaplain of the convent of the Benedictine nuns, Ferdinand, Ind., was born in Louisville, Ky., February 14, 1862, and was baptized in St. Patrick's Catholic church, Thirteenth and Market streets, of the same city. As early as 1872, he entered the college of St. Meinrad, conducted by the Benedictine Fathers of the abbey of St. Meinrad, Ind. At the age of seventeen years he devoted his life to the service of God by taking the habit as a monk of St. Benedict, and in 1885 he was ordained to the holy priesthood. His first church was at Ferdi- nand, Ind., where he served as assistant pastor. He subsequently had charge of St. Mary's church, Portsmouth, Ohio, St. Henry's church, New Orleans, La., and St. Michael's church at Laramie, in the diocese of Cincinnati. On June 18, 1891, he went to Tell City, Ind., and assumed the charge of St. Paul's church.

The history of St. Paul's church, Tell City, Ind., dates from the time when the town was yet in its earliest stage of develop-

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

ment-a time when affairs of the material world were considered of greater importance, among some of the struggling settlers, than those pertaining to things religious and spiritual, but Rev. Father Barber's pastorate was marked by a zealous and devoted care for the spiritual and temporal welfare of his people, and, during his incumbency, the church made great strides, acquired property of considerable value, and increased the membership to 900. Father Barber is a gentleman of winning presence, courteous demeanor, and scholarly attainments, and enjoys the esteem not only of the Catholic but of the Protestant residents of the city as well.

V ERY REV. MATTHEW ELEVART CAMPION, irremovable rector of St. Vincent de Paul church, at Logansport, Ind., and one of the most eminent and devoted clergymen of the diocese of Fort Wayne, was born in Kilkenny, Ireland, November 9, 1844, and when not a year old was brought to this country by his parents.

After spending a few years of childhood in Quebec, Canada, and Burlington, Vt., he came to the then distant west, and on Christmas eve, 1850, began his early life's home in Michigan City, Ind. On the 28th of August, 1860, he entered the university of Notre Dame, where he graduated in 1865, receiving the degree of A. B., becoming a member of the faculty of the university, filling the Greek and Latin chair for three years, and receiving at the end of this time the A. M. degree. In the fall of 1867 he went to St. Francis seminary, Milwaukee, to complete his theological course, under the late illustrious Archbishop Heiss. On the 14th of January, 1868, he was ordained priest by Rt. Rev. Bishop Luers, assisted by Very Rev. J. Benoit, V. G .; and Rev. F. H. Lawler, being the first priest ordained in the new diocese of Fort Wayne after that diocese was separated from the Vincennes diocese. On the 24th of January, 1868, he was assigned to his first clerical duty as assistant to Rev. B. J. Force, Logansport, Ind., pastor of St. Vincent de Paul church, which then contained all the Catholics in Logansport, remaining in this position until April 9th, of the same year, when, on the death of the reverend pastor, he became

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Hours Truly ME Campion.

ST. VINCENT DePAUL CHURCH. LOGANSPORT, IND.

CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

pastor pro tem. On August 9th, of the same year, he was appointed pastor at Lagro, Ind.

During his pastorship at Lagro Father Campion built a beau- tiful brick church for the congregation, changed the old church into an elegant society hall, and also completed the interior of the church at Wabash, Ind. After remaining in Lagro for five years he was transferred to the cathedral at Fort Wayne, where he remained until 1875, when he was appointed pastor of St. Joseph's church at Delphi; then, after a month's stay and on the death of Rev. George A. Hamilton, he succeeded him as pastor at St. Mary's, Lafayette, Ind., taking charge May 9, 1875. He reduced the large church debt several thousand dollars and spent several thou- sand dollars in beautifying St. Mary's cemetery. After five years of hard work and with health broken, he resigned his charge of St. Mary's. In June, 1880. he took charge of St. Peter's parish, Laporte, Ind., and during his stay there he erected a beautiful parochial residence.

At the end of three years, on June 9, 1883, Father Campion was appointed pastor of St. Vincent de Paul church, Logansport, to be again among the people who had cherished a fond remem- brance of the first years of his priesthood. Here, within twelve years, he not only paid off every dollar of indebtedness of St. Vin- cent de Paul church, but also introduced steam heating at a cost of $1, 100, placed one of the largest bells in the west in the steeple of the church, while in the year 1888 he enlarged and remodeled the edifice at a cost of $10,000, and to-day it is acknowledged that St. Vincent de Paul church, for interior beauty and elegance, is not second to any church in Indiana.

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History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II, Part 3

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Logansport, Ind., A. W. Bowen & co. Number of Pages: 1476

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Logansport, Ind., A. W. Bowen & co.
Number of Pages: 1476