USA > Indiana > History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II > Part 96
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R EV. T. S. MESKER, the present rector of the Cedar Grove parish, Franklin county, Ind., is a native of Evansville, and was born March 20, 1862. His early education was obtained in the parochial schools of St. Mary's church under the pastorate of Rev. Ferdinand Viefhaus, which school he attended until April, 1874. He then attended the commercial college at St. Meinrad, Ind., under the Benedictine Fathers. After a two years' commercial course he began the study of the classics and completed this course at St. Francis Salesianum, at Milwaukee, Wis., after which he re-entered St. Meinrad and completed the full course of philosophy and theology, and was ordained priest by Bishop Chatard at St. Meinrad, receiving his degrees as follows: Minor orders, May 19, 1883: sub-deacon, June 3, 1884; deacon, June 7, 1884. and priest, May 30, 1885.
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Sincerely Jours Ff Mester
HOLY GUARDIAN ANGELS CHURCH, CEDAR GROVE, IND,
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
He officiated at divine service for the first time at St. Mary's church, at Evansville, June 7, 1885. His first ministerial charge was as assistant at St. Mary's at Indianapolis, being transferred from there to the pastorate of St. Bernard's church at Rockport, Ind. He contracted a severe illness whilst journeying to missions connected with this parish, and was forced to change climate for recovery. After several months' sojourn in the south he was appointed priest in charge of the Guardian Angel congregation, Cedar Grove, Ind., August 15, 1888.
Upon assuming charge of the congregation he found the parish somewhat in debt, but by assiduous toil and energy he succeeded in liquidating the debt in a few years.
Father Mesker is a gentleman of much personal magnetism, as well as ripe scholarship, coupled with brilliant oratorical powers, and these have endeared him to his congregation. He is a finan- cier and has succeeded in erecting one of the most beautiful churches in the southern diocese. The building is a model of beauty, in an architectural sense, built in the Queen Ann Gothic style, is almost too feet in depth and has a frontage of forty-eight feet. It is a substantial brick, the arches, pilaster, caps, etc., being of buff Bedford stone. The tower on the west side rises to a height of 106 feet and is surmounted by a gilt ball and cross eleven feet high; the windows are gems of beauty. The interior of the church is artistic and pleasing to the eye; the pews are of natural oak, and the high altar and communion table are finished in white and gold. The church, with its furnishings complete, cost $15,000. The valuation of the entire Catholic property in this parish is placed at $25,000.
REV. GREGORY A. ZERN, pastor of St. Ann's church at Grass Creek, Fulton county, Ind., was born in Fort Wayne, Allen county, in 1869, and is a son of Francis X. and Justina (Lauer) Zern, natives of Germany. His early education was acquired at St. Peter's parochial school of Fort Wayne and was supplemented by a classical course of five years at St. Lawrence
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
college, Mount Calvary, Fond du Lac county, Wis., and then by a five-year course of theological study in Cincinnati, Ohio. He was ordained priest by the Right Rev. Bishop Rademacher, at Fort Wayne, June 21, 1895, and said his first mass June 30, 1895, in St. Peter's church, in the city of his ordination. For some short time thereafter he was an assistant to Rev. Father Bleck- mann, of St. Mary's church, at Michigan City, and in September, 1896, was appointed to his present charge, where his labors have been rewarded by the love of his flock and the approbation of his superiors.
R EV. JAMES ZIEGENFUSS, assistant pastor of St. Ferdi- nand's church, at Ferdinand, Dubois county, Ind., was born October 24, 1850, at Silberhausen, on the river Unstrut, in the Catholic Eichsfeld, as that part of middle Germany, or North Thuringia is called. His father, John Henry Ziegenfuss, a son of John and Katharine (Gunkel) Ziegenfuss, was born in 1811, and died in 1888; his mother, Otillia, daughter of Henry Adam and Eleanora (Mueller) May, was born in 1815, and died in 1876. James, the subject, was baptized October 25, 1850, at Cosmas Damian church, by the Rev. Tieleke, and received the sacrament of confirmation, in 1863, at St. Gertrud's, Dingelstedt, at the hands of the Right Rev. Conrad Martin, D. D., bishop of Paderborn.
After some correspondence with Rev. Schloesser, agent of St. Raphael society, Bremen, and having bid farewell to his beloved pastor, Rev. F. Meister, and to the worldly rulers of the place, Christoph Ziegenfuss and William Doering, January 1, 1881, he paid a last visit to his mother's tomb, took leave from his aged father, his two brothers and one sister, and many friends, who all had accompanied him to the depot, Silberhausen Dingelstedt; then to Leinefelde from John Doering, his godfather by confirmation, at Heiligenstadt Eichsfeld, from George Wiegel, his godfather by baptism, and before midnight he arrived at Bremen; January 5 he went on board the steamer Leipzig, under Capt. Pfeifer, of the Norddeutsche Lloyd, with 200 passengers to land in Chesapeake bay at Baltimore, January 18, 1881. He took the first train for (1436)
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
Little Rock; there he was happy in listening to and seeing for the first time a Benedictine Father, the vicar-general, Very Rev. Aegid Hennemann, O. S. B. Directing his steps to the Benedic- tine mission, which he reached January 25, he was cordially received by Very Rev. Bonaventura Binzegger, O. S. B., prior of St. Ben- edicts, now "New Subjaco' Abbey (Spielerville P. O.), Logan county, Ark. ; staying there for seven months, he was called by the Rt. Rev. Abbot Fintan Mundwiler, O. S. B., entered St. Meinrad college September 1, 1881, Rev. Cyrine Thomas, O. S. B., being prefect; entered St. Meinrad scholasticate, under the rector- ship of the Rev. Meinrad M. McCarthy, O. S. B., and was invested with the scholastic habit (a garment like that of the monk), Decem- ber 24, 1882; entered the novitiate July 19, 1885, when Rev. Sig- isbert Zarn, O. S. B., was master of novices and FF. instructor ; pro- fessed July 25, 1886; made solemn vows July 28, 1889; was ordained by the Rt. Rev. Francis Silas Chatard, D. D., bishop of Vincennes, May 31, and June 13, 1890, the feast of the Most Sacred Heart of Jesus, he celebrated his first holy mass in the parish church at St. Meinrad. Then assisted the parish priest and taught at St. Mein- rad college until April, 1891, when he was sent to St. Leo, a Ger- man settlement in the lovely Roberts Cove (Rayne P. O.), La .; thence he was called to be sub-prefect and professor at St. Joseph's preparatory seminary (Gessen P. O.), La .; came again to St. Meinrad August 16, 1894; was next in charge of St. Henry's, Ind., chaplain of St. Joseph's orphan's home, Ky., and since Passion Sunday, 1895, he is known as the assistant priest of St. Ferdinand.
R EV. MATTHIAS ZUMBUELTE, pastor of St. Martin's church, Hanover Center, Lake county, Ind., was born in Westphalia, Germany, February 19, 1839, and is a son of Anthony and Eliza- beth (Oelinghoff) Zumbuelte. He received his preliminary educa- tion in the parochial school of his native district, and his classical education was acquired at the academy of Muenster, the capital of Westphalia. Having finished his studies at this institution he accepted the kind invitation of the late Bishop J. H. Luers, of Fort
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
Wayne, Ind., and entered the American college at Louvain, Bel- gium, in the fall of 1864 and was ordained at Malines (Mechlin), Belgium, May 26, 1866, and immediately came to America. In October of the same year he was placed as assistant at St. Vincent de Paul church in Logansport, Ind., and two years later was trans- ferred, as pastor, to Leo, Allen county, where he officiated, to the great satisfaction of his flock, until 1872; he then became pastor at Columbia City, Whitley county, where he remained until 1875, and then officiated at Crown Point, Lake county, until Easter Monday, 1876, and then made a visit of three months to his native land. On his return, he was appointed chaplain of the orphans' asylum at Rensselaer, Jasper county, where he also served as pas- tor of the church, and together with other work, erected a church- edifice. In 1888, he made another trip abroad for three months, and on his return was assigned to the pastorate of St. Joseph's, at Reynolds, White county, where he labored zealously one year, when he was assigned to his present pastorate of St. Martin's. Here his piety and many priestly qualities have won the hearts of his people, who are all Germans, and his many excellent traits of character as an individual have gained him many non-Catholic friends.
R EV. W. J. QUINLAN, pastor of St. Paul's church, Marion, Grant county, Ind., was born in Syracuse, N. Y., April 16, 1864. When he was four years old his parents moved to Valpa- raiso, Ind., where the boy received his school education in St. Paul's school. He made his collegiate studies and his course of philosophy and theology in St. Lawrence college, Calvary, and St. Francis seminaries, Milwaukee.
Rev. Father Quinlan was ordained to the priesthood in the cathedral of Fort Wayne, by Rt. Rev. Bishop Dwenger, June 29, 1888. Almost immediately afterward the bishop appointed the reverend father pastor of St. Patrick's church, Arcola, with Pierce- ton as a mission, where he labored in the interest of the flocks con- fided to his care till August 20, 1891, when he was appointed to the cathedral, Fort Wayne. Beside attending to his duties as first (14 :- )
wof Ruin low
INT:
ST. PAUL'S CHURCH, MARION, IND.
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
assistant, he was secretary to Very Rev. Father Brammer, vicar- general, during his administratorship, and on the death of Father Veniard, C. S. C., took temporary charge of Besancon, where he built a beautiful two-story brick parsonage and placed the congre- gation on a good financial basis. After this hard term of filling three positions at one time, Bishop Rademacher sent Father Quin- lan to Marion on January 8, 1894. In this new field his zeal and experience were immediately put to the test. Owing to a sudden influx of Catholics with the factories locating in the gas belt, the frame church became too small to accommodate the people for hearing mass on Sunday. The old building was enlarged to more than double its former size and fitted up for all the needs of a con- gregation, and on March 4, 1894, was dedicated by Very Rev. Father Brammer. After organizing his parish, establishing sodal- ities and societies, Father Quinlan turned his attention to a new church, and on September 30, 1895, he broke ground for new St. Paul's. The corner-stone was laid on May 17, 1896, and in spite of the panic and a long siege of sickness, the work was pushed on to completion, and on November 7, 1897, one of the prettiest churches in Indiana was solemnly dedicated. During the summer of 1897 the old parsonage was remodeled and enlarged. A new school in keeping with the surroundings and other public buildings will be begun in the spring, all arrangements being now made for that purpose.
A NTHONY RABEN, one of the oldest and most prominent busi- ness men of St. Wendel, Posey county, is a native of the village of Lichtenvoorde, in the province of Gelderland, Holland, and was born September 21, 1826, the fourth in a family of three sons and two daughters born to Lombartes Raben, who died when our subject was but three years of age, the latter being now the only survivor of the family.
Anthony Raben was educated in the schools of his native land and at the age of fifteen received his confirmation from the hands of Bishop Von Wykersloot, of Lichtenvoorde. At the age of nine- teen he set sail from Rotterdam, April 16, 1846, and landed in New
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
York city after a voyage of seven weeks. He next went to Cin- cinnati, worked at his trade, that of a cooper, for one and a half years, and thence to New Orleans, worked there five months; thence went back to Cincinnati on a visit; thence came to St. Wendel, April 1, 1847. He began life here with a capital of $250 and here continued at his trade until December, 1850, when he opened up a general store.
Mr. Raben has been married twice. His first wife was Miss Marie Tenbargar, to whom he was married by Father Weinzoepfel, July 3, 1850, and to this union were born four sons and six daughters, of whom five are still living, viz: Johanna, the eldest, is the wife of Fred Brokand, merchant-tailor of Evansville; she was confirmed at fourteen by Bishop de St. Palais. She was edu- cated at St. Joseph's college, at Teutopolis, Ill., under the Sisters of St. Francis. John resides in St. Wendel, was confirmed by Bishop de St. Palais at the age of fourteen and received an excel- lent education in St. Joseph's college, at Teutopolis. He married Mrs. Kate Schnieder, March 20, 1890, and is the father of four children. Joseph is a resident of Ridgeway, Ill., and is a farmer. He was also confirmed by Bishop de St. Palais. He was educated at the college of St. Meinrad. He is married to Miss Kate Sieb. Theodore is a business man of Mount Vernon, Ind. He received his education in St. Meinrad, Teutopolis and Evansville. He mar- ried Miss Rose Fuelling, a native of near St. Wendel. Mary is the wife of Frank A. Thuis, a manufacturer, of Vincennes.
Mrs. Marie Raben was a native of Holland and born Septem- ber 21, 1830. She was a devout Catholic all her life, died August 17, 1867, and is interred in St. Wendel's cemetery, where a beau- tiful monument marks her last resting place. Mr. Raben's second marriage was with Miss Sophia Schaefer, a native of Hesse Cassel, Germany. They were married by Father Kauffman, at St. Anthony, DuBois county, October 20, 1868, and to this marriage have been born four sons and two daughters, of whom the follow- ing four survive: Louise, wife of George Scheidel, a saddler, of Mount Vernon, Ind. Mrs. Scheidel was educated at Oldenburg, Ind., under the Franciscan Sisters, confirmed at the age of four- teen by Bishop Chatard. Henry is associated with his father in the (1440.
CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
mercantile business. He was confirmed at the age of thirteen by Bishop Chatard, and received an excellent education at St. Joseph's college at Teutopolis, Ill., and took the full business course at the Commercial college at Evansville, Ind. He is a member of the Knights of St. John at Mount Vernon, Ind., and was a first lieu- tenant. Politically he is a democrat, and was chosen delegate to the judicial and senatorial convention at New Harmony, Ind., May 17, 1897. He has spent most of his life in Mount Vernon as bookkeeper and accountant. Elizabeth T., who is still with her parents, was confirmed at the age of fourteen by Bishop Chatard. She was educated at St. Rose seminary, Vincennes, Ind., under the Sisters of Providence. She is a member of St. Rose Catholic soci- ety for young ladies in her church at St. Wendel. Charles N. is at home. He received his education at St. Wendel, and at the high school at Mount Vernon, Ind. He was confirmed at the age of fourteen by Bishop Chatard.
Anthony Raben has always supported the doctrines of the dem- ocratic party and he has thoroughly instilled the same political life and principles in his sons. He has the honor of being the oldest postmaster in the state of Indiana as well as the United States, continuously holding the office for almost one-half a century to the satisfaction of his people.
He has an extensive stock of general merchandise, consisting of dry goods, boots and shoes, hats and caps, clothing, queensware and a line of staple groceries in St. Wendel; beside, he is engaged in the milling business. In the support of his church he has always extended the hand of liberality, and any enterprise or charity wor- thy of his consideration has met with his hearty cooperation.
JOHN C. EISERT, one of the most successful contractors and builders of Logansport, Ind., but now retired, was born in Baden Baden, Germany, May 20, 1836, a son of Francis A. and Francisca (Bradgrove) Eisert, the former of whom was born October 10, 1805, and the latter February 14, 1811.
The Eisert family came to America in 1839 and first located in Seneca county, Ohio. The father, who had served six years in
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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,
the German army and was a wheelwright by trade, worked at the latter in Ohio until 1845, when he came to Indiana, purchased from the government 220 acres of land in Indian Creek township, Pulaski county-being the sixth settler and the third Catholic to make a.home in Indian Creek. He wrought out a good home from the wilds of the township, lived to pay for it and died in 1885, his widow surviving until 1892. Of their twelve children, six grew to maturity, viz: John C., whose name opens this biography; Mary, married to Gideon Fox, of Logansport; Andrew, who died in 1887, the father of six children; Catherine, wife of Adam Smith, of Logansport; Francis A., who died unmarried, and Magdalena, also of Logansport.
John C. Eisert was reared on his father's farm, but as schools were at a considerable distance from the homestead, his educa- tional advantages were but limited. At the age of nineteen years he started in life for himself, learned the carpenter's trade, at which he worked in Iowa, Indiana and Missouri four years, when, having saved a little money, he returned to Pulaski county, Ind., pur- chased forty acres of land, erected a log cabin, and in January, 1859, married Miss Eliza Meeker, a native of Licking county, Ohio. Mr. Eisert industriously cultivated his farm until 1864, when he enlisted in company G, One Hundred and Fifty-first Indiana vol- unteer infantry, which was assigned to the Fourteenth army corps. After serving until the war had closed, Mr. Eisert returned to his farm, where, in the early part of the year 1866, his wife died, and in the latter part of the same year he married Sophia (Gelsenger) Nice, a widow with two children, Lizzie and Mary. Joseph Gel- senger, father of Mrs. Eisert, brought his family from Laudersburg, Alsace, in 1851, and located in Seneca county, Ohio, where he lived until 1863, and then settled in Pulaski county, Ind. To the union of John C. and Sophia Eisert have been born six children, three of whom are still living-Philip. Francis and Emma.
In 1873 Mr. Eisert came to Logansport and for two years worked at his trade as a journeyman and then entered into con- tracting, in which he reached the summit of success. He secured contracts for the erection of many dwellings, and in 1885 erected St. Joseph's church and later the St. Joseph school-building, and
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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.
was the favorite house-builder of Logansport until his retirement in March, 1896. His residence is on a fifteen-acre tract just out- side the city limits and he also owns an improved farm of 140 acres in Bethlehem township.
The Eisert family belong to St. Joseph's congregation and are very liberal in their donations to the support of the church, of which they are so faithful and devoted members. Mr. Eisert is also a member of St. Joseph Benevolent society and of post No. 14. G. A. R. In politics he is a democrat and for two years served as city marshal of Logansport. The family is highly respected, and outside the Logansport branch there are only two paternal uncles of Mr. Eisert in America-Joseph and Andrew, of Kentucky.
JOHN F. LICHTENFELD, carpenter and cabinetmaker at J Evansville, is a son of Frank and Mary (Noltenmeyer) Lichten- fe'd, parents of eight children. The parents of our subject lived and died in their native land, Germany, where the father had fol- lowed farming for a livelihood. John F. Lichtenfeld first saw the light of day on January 17, 1834, in Germany, and came to the United States when but eighteen years of age. From the point of debarkation he went to Louisville, Ky., remained there for seven years, and worked at the cabinet trade, and thence came to Evans- ville, where he has continued his trade ever since.
Mr. Lichtenfeld was united in marriage first, May 12, 1856, to Miss Louise Harmann. This union was blessed with one child, Frank H. The wife being called to a better land on March 10, 1857, Mr. Lichtenfeld married Miss Mary Stemper, his present wife. This union has been blessed with eight children, of whom five survive, viz: Henry J., George, John A., Ben and Mary L. All of the above children are devout Catholics, and have the respect of their fellow-layman.
Mr. Lichtenfeld has made his own way through life, having always been an industrious and frugal man. He has won the respect of all who know him in Evansville, and is counted as among the most substantial and useful citizens of the place, in the welfare of which he takes a decided interest.
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H ENRY M. AHLERING (deceased), formerly a popular mer- chant, as well as a prominent saw-mill proprietor at Evans- ville, Ind., was born in Germany, November 21, 1844, and died in Evansville, November 19, 1885, a faithful member of the Cath- olic church.
Mr. Ahlering was united in marriage, in Evansville, January 18, 1866, with Miss May E. Venneman, daughter of George Ven- neman, a well-known resident of this city, but who was born in Germany. The union of Mr. and Mrs. Ahlering was blessed with two children, of whom Philomena died in infancy, and Henry G. is the proprietor of an extensive furniture store in Evansville.
Mrs. May E. Ahlering is now living in retirement in this city, in a very handsome cottage, derived from her deceased husband's estate, and enjoys an enviable standing in the esteem of her neigh- bors and many other warm personal friends. She is one of the leading female members of St. Mary's congregation, and is never behindhand in her contributions to the support of the church and in the advancement of its good work in all particulars.
H ENRY G. DESHLER, who is now leading a retired life at . Howell, Vanderburg county, is a native of Germany, was born December 8, 1838, and is a son of Adam and Catherine (Huffman) Deshler, who were the parents of two children only.
Adam Deshler, who was a farmer in the old country, brought his family to the United States in 1849, landed in New Orleans, where he remained a short time and then came to Indiana, lived in Evansville awhile and next engaged in farming in Spencer county until his death, in 1872, a sincere member of the Catholic church and a citizen highly respected by all who knew him.
Henry G. Deshler, as will be seen from the foregoing remarks, was little more than a child when he was brought to America by his parents. He was educated in an old-fashioned log school- house in Spencer county and walked some four or five miles, morn- ing and evening, each day, in order to receive instruction. Having received all the information that could be imparted in this prim- itive public school, he was apprenticed to the tinner's trade, in (1444)
CATH LA CHURCH OF INDIANA
Evansville, which he .adustriously followed until :$si. when he retired to enjoy in case the fruits of his early labor
Mr. Deshler was united in marriage April 2. : 866 with Miss Christine Floerschinger. daughter of Matthias Floerschinger a native of Germany, and this arion has been blessed with eight children, named as follows. Andrew John W Henry P . J.sept C . Elizabeth. Caroline A. Mary Elizabeth and Florence C. Mr Deshler and family are sincere Catholics. are members of St Agnes church. of which Mr Deshler is a trustee and are highly respected in the social circles : Howell
Mr Deshler is. moreover a true patriot as is well evidenced by the fact that he enlisted in Rockpor: July 16 riot. in the Twenty-Efth Indiana volunteer infantry, ander Col Veach and served through the entire Civil war cott honorably discharged in August. 1865. At the battle of Fort Donelson he was severely wounded in the thigh and at Shiloh received an zgiy wound in the face, and this experience has gamed fur h .. no little part of the esteem which his personal merits have won for him.
F RANK ENDRESS. one of the most popular grocers and gen- eral merchants of Evansville Ind. is a native of this city and was born January 3. 1854. a son of Juachim and Catherine Uing Endress-the father a native of Germany and the mother native of Pennsylvania-and the parents of nine children
On first coming to America the father Lived for a few years in Pennsylvania. where he followed his trade of shoemaker antil be came with his family to Evansville early in the cities and here passed away in the year 18$; his wife haring died in 18-3.
Frank Endress was educated in the parochial schools of his native city, and at the age of sixteen years began learning the car- penter's trade, at which he worked two years. He later followed hackstering for ten years or more and then formed a partnership with a brother for the purpose of doing a general merchandise business. under the Erm style of J. & F Endress. For ten years in addition to their general trade. the firm acted as agents for the Standard Oil company, and at the expiration of this period Frans
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