USA > Indiana > Allen County > Fort Wayne > Valley of the upper Maumee River, with historical account of Allen County and the city of Fort Wayne, Indiana, Volume II > Part 50
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Isaac DeGroff Nelson, a citizen of Fort Wayne, who has for many years rendered honorable and valuable service to the community, county and state, was born in Poughkeepsie, N. Y., July 2, 1810. His father, Leonard Nelson, was a farmer, the son of John Nelson, a revo- lutionary soldier who received 500 acres of land in Tompkins county, for his heroic services. Leonard Nelson was married to Mary, daugh- ter of Moses DeGroff, one of a family conspicuous for hazardous duty along the Hudson during the revolution. The DeGroffs were on duty between Pougkeepsie and Tarrytown at the time of the capture of Major Andre. When the subject of this mention was sixteen years of age his father died, leaving him, the only son, to care for a feeble mother and three young sisters, one of whom was an invalid, by labor upon a farm that was considerably encumbered. At twenty years of age he started a country store with the aid of an uncle, and by this enterprise, in connection with farming, he supported the family until 1836, when he and his sisters moved to Fort Wayne. Two years later, August 23, 1838, he was married to Elizabeth, daughter of William Rockhill, a dis- tinguished early settler of Fort Wayne. Mr. Nelson's father was a leader in political life and prominent in the democratic party, and the son, with similar inclinations, has in great part devoted his career to pub- lic affairs. He was elected a school commissioner at twenty-one years
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of age, and during his residence in the state of New York, held various other offices. At twenty-five years of age he represented his county as a delegate to a democratic state convention of 128 members, whose action led to the election of Martin VanBuren as president. At Fort Wayne, Mr. Nelson continued his public activity, and was elected as one of the committee on invitation and reception for the celebration of the opening of the Wabash & Erie canal, at which Gen. Cass declared that " our descendants will come to keep the day that we have come to mark." In June, IS40, he purchased the Sentinel, then a whig paper, and made it an influential democratic organ. In 1851 he was without · opposition elected a member of the first general assembly under the new constitution, as representative of Allen county. This session lasted six months, and during it Mr. Nelson did valuable service, particularly in passing the measure known as the " Nelson railroad bill," a law under which with some slight changes, all the railroad companies of the state have been organized. Subsequently, he assisted, at Logansport, in June, 1852, in the organization of the Wabash railroad company, under the general law referred to. Mr. Nelson has held office under the national government as receiver of public moneys at Fort Wayne, beginning in 1843, and as paymaster of annuities to the Miamis, in which latter func- tion he introduced the system of paying silver directly to the Indians. He was twice elected clerk of the Allen circuit court. In 1873 he was unanimously nominated by a convention of both parties for state sena- tor, an honor which he, however, declined. Of Purdue university he was one of the first trustees by appointment of Gov. Baker. In 1877 he was appointed by Gov. Williams one of the new state house commissioners, a trust which he worthily discharged. Mr. Nelson's home life also has been active in various channels. He has given much time to agricul- ture, stock-raising, horticulture and landscape gardening, having a very attractive rural home, Elm Park, four miles east of the city. In the sci- entific advancement of these departments of industry he was a pioneer and has continued to be an investigator and writer. He was one of the first twelve incorporators of Lindenwood cemetery, one of the finest and most noted in the country, and was the first and is the present president of the association. Mr. Nelson has been a member of Trinity Episco- pal church for many years.
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CATHOLIC HISTORY.
4II
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN ALLEN COUNTY.
BY REV. JOHN F. LANG, Chancellor of the Diocese of Fort Wayne.
The history of the Catholic church in Allen county is probably best recorded by tracing it from its earliest known sources here, as a unit, so to speak, until about the year 1848, when language and numbers be- came factors in the formation of additional congregations. Until the year just named, the sketch herewith presented runs along in one gen- eral statement, but after the year 1848, the subject assumes greater pro- portions and is consequently best treated by tracing the organization and continuance of each church or congregatian in the county. from the date of its origin to the present time.
The first evidences of Catholicity in Allen county seem to be the visit of the Jesuit missionary, Father Allouez, between the years 1665 and 1675. Statistics show that this pioneer priest labored among the Pottawotomies and Miami Indians, among whom we find him as early as October, 1665. Reliable tradition also tells of a white man coming at a very early day to this vicinity as " a missionary of the gospel of peace and offering the sacrifice of mass somewhere near the site of the present St. Joseph hospital."
The early French explorers who came over the Maumee and down the Wabash to the Ohio and Mississippi, learned of this route from the French priests, who, no doubt had come hither from their mission on the St. Joseph river of Lake Michigan, and after visiting the Indians here returned to Montreal, going down the Maumee to the head of Lake Erie. Circumstances show pretty conclusively that there is a reasona- ble certainty of the visits of the early missionaries to this historic spot. As we come to years within our own cycle we find the venerable Very Rev. Stephen Theodore Badin, the first priest ordained in the United States, visiting the early settlers of Allen county. Father Badin was vicar general of the diocese of Bardstown (now Louisville), Ky., and of the diocese of Cincinnati, to which latter this part of the country at that time was accredited. His first visit to Fort Wayne was in 1831, on which occasion he offered mass in the residence of Francis Comparet.
The first baptism of which there is any record was administered by this zealous missionary. Translated from the French, the record reads as follows:
At Fort Wayne, Diocese of Bardstown, I the undersigned, Priest and Missionary Apostolic, baptized Peter David, born the 5th of Octo- ber, 1830, of the civil marriage of Peter Gibaud and Mary Gibaud. The sponsors were John Baptist Becket and Theresa Duret his wife.
STEPH. THEOD. BADIN, V. G. of Bardst. and Cinc.
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The first marriage of record in our church annals is the following:
In the year 1831, the 13th February (the contracting parties herein- after named, for several years residents of Fort Wayne, in Indiana, of the diocese of Bardstown, residing far distant from a priest, the nearest being 130 miles, were for this reason obliged to contract civil marriage before William Ewing, Judge-probate of the county of Allen), I the undersigned, priest, having come to preach a mission at Fort Wayne, above named, have given the nuptial benediction to James Aveline, the eldest son of Francis Aveline and Genevieve Cardinal, and to Catharine Comparet, eldest daughter of Michael Comparet and Agnes Jeanne, who have signed the present Register, together with John Baptist God- froy, Francis Renaud, John B. Becquette and Peter Courveille, who have signed with us or affixed their mark.
JAMES AVELINE.
Her CATHARINE X COMPARET. mark. STEPH. THEOD. BADIN, Vic. Gen. of Bardst. and Cincinn.
JEAN B. GODFROY, His
FRANCIS X RENO,
mark. His JNO. B. X BECQUETTE, mark. His
Witnesses.
PIERRE X COURVEILLE, mark.
In 1832 Rev. L. Picoh, of Knox county, came on a brief visit, and ministered to the Catholics here. After him again came Rev. S. T. Badin in December, 1832, January, 1833, in October, 1833, and in Jan- uary, April, June and September, 1834. A study of the church records shows that on the 8th of June, 1834, and subsequently, Father Badin departed from his usual signature of S. T. Badin, Vicar General of Bardstown and Cincinnati, and wrote instead, S. T. Badin, Protopriest of Baltimore.
In May, 1835, S. P. Lalumiere served in Fort Wayne. In August of the same year the old church books show that Rev. Felix Matthew Ruff ministered for a short month, and after him came Rev. J. F. Ter- vooren. From January to August, 1836, we find the signature of Rev. Mr. Jeancoir, who was succeeded by the first resident pastor, Rev. Louis Mueller, who was here four years.
During the year 1835, a portion of the present cathedral square had been purchased. The partial payments made upon it had been gathered mostly from the canal diggers. Father Badin was instrumental in establish- ing the location. The property, it appears, was purchased in the name of Francis Comparet, and afterward by a universal demand of the members of the church, was deeded to a committee as follows: From Samuel Hanna and Eliza Hanna, to Francis Comparet, Francis D. Lasselle, John
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B. Bruno, Charles Hillsworth and Michael Hedekin. This, as the records show, was June 7th, 1837, and was signed in presence of Thomas John- son and J. B. Dubois. The property was afterward transferred to the ecclesiastical authorities in trust for the congregation.
The first house of worship, a frame building, known as St. Augus- tine's church, was constructed in 1837 upon the present cathedral block, and remained a long time without being plastered. It was poverty's offering of a weather-board shanty in keeping with the struggles of the early settlers. When preparations were made for the building of the present cathedral, the old frame church was moved to the east side of the square, facing Clinton street; but before many summers passed, the building was destroyed, as is supposed, by incendiarism.
The great bell, which hung in the building at the time of the fire, was ruined. It had been cast in 1814, and was presented to Father Benoit by friends in his native France, and shipped from that country. After the fire, portions of the metal were recast into two small bells, one of which is in daily service at the brothers' school and the other in St. Augustine's academy. Their silvery sounds ring out upon the air and call the urchins to books and desk these many, many years.
Almost the entire south half of the present cathedral square was used as a grave-yard. When the march of the future city began to encroach upon the cemetery, a great many of the remains were removed to sites more distant. When the new cathedral was begun, and later when ex- cavations were made for library hall, wagon loads of bones were carted to grave-yards less disturbed by the stride of advancing life. It may interest some people to know that the remains of John B. Richardville, the whilom Canadian who became the famed Indian chief, were, how- ever, not disinterred. They remained where they had been originally placed. The spot is just at the south edge of the cathedral, between the forward side door and the first buttress of the wall.
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In 1840 Rev. Father Shaw visited Fort Wayne and delivered lec- tures, principally on the doctrine of the church. He was an eloquent preacher and quite a few conversions to the faith were the reward of his zeal.
Some among the first Catholic settlers were J. Peltier, J. B. Bourie, L. P. Ferry, J. Godfroi, J. B. Becquette, Minnius, J. Trentman, P. Wag- ner, M. Forbing, F. D. Lasselle, F. Comparet, M. Hedekin, J. Urbine, Cath. Duval, W. Reed, J. Donahue, M. Cody, T. Lyons, Fuchstetter, J. B. Richardville, J. and H. Stier, B. Philips, George Baker, Jorgs, P. Fox, Lannon, and Bonfield.
Ground was broken on the canal toward the east in March, 1832, and to the west in 1837. Among the men who labored on these public works, was a large proportion of Catholics, and the Rev. Fathers Lalumiere, Ruff, Mueller, and Benoit, spared no efforts in giving them religious services, even though obliged to follow them for miles as they extended their line of work. When sickness broke out in its dangerous phases among these people, especially in Father Benoit's time, there
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were many sacrifices and hardships endured by the faithful minister of the gospel.
Father Benoit's missionary field extended over several counties, east, west, south and north. His labors multiplied upon him and the bishop sent him as an assistant the Rev. J. B. Hamion, who died here in 1842. He was succeeded by F. J. Rudolph, who remained three years. Next came in succession Revs. Alph. Munschina, A. Carins, L. Baroux, E. Faller, and Rev. Doctor Madden.
In 1844 the sisters' school was built by Contractor John Burt, who in exchange received three acres of land north of Fort Wayne from Rev. S. T. Badin, and in 1845 Father Benoit brought three sisters of Providence to Fort Wayne from St. Mary's, Vigo county, who opened the first Catholic school. The sisters of this religious order still con- tinue here in the same avocation, though where there were only three in 1845, there are now twenty-two engaged in the same work. Later on Father Benoit opened a separate school for boys, in a whilom car- penter shop, which was ere long supplanted by the present brick struc- ture on Jefferson and Clinton streets. After several " lay teachers " had taught some years, the Brothers of the Holy Cross were placed over these boys' schools, and they still continue in this successful work.
In 1852 Father Benoit transferred in trust for the Catholics of Fort Wayne, the remaining half of the cathedral square to Rt. Rev. Bishop de St. Palais, of Vincennes, to which diocese Fort Wayne then belonged. It may be stated here that as a rule all church property belonging to Catholics, in most of the states, is held in the name of the bishop of the diocese for all the congregations. Every bishop is obliged, within three months after taking his oath of office, to make his will, and bequeath the church properties to his successor in office, in trust for the Catholic congregations, to whom the properties belong, and to name two exec- utors of his will.
When Rev. J. Benoit went to New Orleans, Rev. A. Bessonies was appointed his successor in Fort Wayne. From January, 1853, till Feb- ruary, 1854, Father Bessonies labored perseveringly, both here and among the settlements surrounding Fort Wayne. At New Besancon he built a church, and started them at building one at Leo. In Fort Wayne he built a good brick pastoral residence, which stood on the corner of Lewis and Calhoun streets, until it gave way to library hall in 1880. Father Bessonies contributed $200 toward the cost of this resi- dence. The building committee was M. Cody, John Burt and Henry Baker. John Brown, brother-in-law of Hon. J. B. White, was the con- tractor.
In 1857 the diocese of Vincennes, which comprised the entire state of Indiana, was divided, and the north half was organized into the diocese of Fort Wayne, which city became the Episcopal See. Of Rt. Rev. J. H. Luers, the first bishop of Fort Wayne, we speak in a special sketch.
After the organization of St. Mary's congregation in 1848, St. Au- gustine's church continues in its history until merged into that of the
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Immaculate Conception, which is the name given to the new metropoli- tan church. In 1859 Bishop Luers and Father Benoit began the erec- tion of the new
CATHEDRAL.
The building committee was Henry Baker, Michael Hedekin, Mau- rice Cody and Jacob Kintz. The cost of the building, without its furniture, exclusive of $9,000 expended for the organ, pews, and other furniture, was $54,000. Fourteen thousand dollars were realized from subscriptions, and $2,600 were gathered by a bazaar. In 1860 Father Benoit visited New Orleans and solicited funds for this cathedral. It remains true that only $16,600 were gathered in Fort Wayne to build this church, yet it is nevertheless clear of debt, which is due to the gen- erosity of the venerable pastor that built it. The architect was Thomas Lau, who also had the contract for the carpenter work. The brick work was done by contractor James Silver. The present Episcopal res- idence was built by Rev. J. Benoit, at a cost of $16,000, of which amount the diocese paid $2,000, the remainder being expended by Father Benoit from his own resources.
Rt. Rev. Bishop Luers died in June, IS71. He was succeeded by Rt. Rev. Bishop Dwenger in April, 1872. Father Benoit remained pastor of the cathedral under the new bishop for some years, when, on account of his advanced age, he relinquished the charge, but he con- tinued to reside with the bishop to the end of his days. In 1867, Rev. E. P, Walters, who for several years had been with Father Benoit, was appointed pastor of St. Bernard's church, at Crawfordsville, and was succeeded at the cathedral by Rev. J. H. Brammer, who came in 1868. Among the other clergy who have been stationed at the cathe- dral were Rev. A. M. Meili, Rev. W. F. M. O'Rourke, Rev. J. M. Gra- ham, Rev. M. E. Campion, Rev. J. Grogan, Rev. P. M. Frawley, Rev. J. R. Dinnen, Rev. J. M. Hartnett, Rev. L. A. Moench, Rev. H. A. Bæckelman and Rev. P.F. Roach. At present the clergy of the cathe- dral are: Rt. Rev. Bishop Dwenger, D. D., Very Rev J. H. Brammer, Vicar General, Rev. J. F. Lang, Chancellor, Rev. T. M. O'Leary, Rev. J. F. Delaney and Rev. M. J. Byrne. A biographical sketch of Rt. Rev. Bishop Dwenger and of Very Rev. J. H. Brammer are elsewhere given.
Rev. J. F. Lang is secretary to the bishop, and chancellor of the diocese. He is a native of Delphos, Ohio, born February 15th, 1848. After his collegiate course at Mt. St. Mary's, Cincinnati, he studied logic at Montreal, and a three years' course of theology at Cleveland. He was ordained to the priesthood in the cathedral at Fort Wayne, Feb- ruary 22nd, 1875. After seven and a half years on the missions, he was appointed to his present position, in May, 1882.
Rev. T. M. O'Leary was born at Lafayette, Ind., June 8th, 1854. He graduated in his collegiate course at Notre Dame university, and completed his theological studies at St. Meinrad's, Ind. He was or-
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dained to the priesthood for the diocese of Fort Wayne by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Rademacher, D. D., in St. Mary's church, Fort Wayne, January 26th, 1885.
Rev. J. F. Delaney was born in Thompsonville, Conn., January 15, 1860. He made his collegiate course in the seminary of Our Lady of Angels at Niagara, N. Y. He completed his theological studies at St. Vincent's, Pennsylvania, and was ordained a priest by Rt. Rev. Bishop Dwenger, in the cathedral of Fort Wayne, June 29, 1887.
Rev. M. J. Byrne is a native of Butler county, Ohio, and was born October 18, 1859. He studied at Mt. St. Mary's seminary, Cincinnati, and at Niagara, and completed his theology at St. Vincent's, Pennsyl- vania. He was ordained to the priesthood in the cathedral of Fort Wayne, June 29, 1888.
In 1888 Bishop Dwenger purchased four lots fronting on Fairfield avenue to the west and to the south on Durier street, in the southwest portion of the city, at an outlay of $4,000. His intention is to begin, without unnecessary delay, the formation of a new congregation. A
school has already been organized and numbers nearly 150 children. . The new edifice will be called St. Patrick's church.
ST. MARY'S CHURCH.
In 1848 the thirty German families of Fort Wayne, who hitherto had attended St. Augustine's church, manifested a strong desire to build a house of worship wherein they could have the gospel preached in their own language. They accordingly purchased a few lots at the present intersection of Lafayette and Jefferson streets, for $1,700. To secure the payment of this money Bernard Meyer, Nicholas Jostvert, Henry and Lucas Hoevel, and Bernard Voors gave a mortgage on their farms. The first church council was Rev. E. Faller, Joseph Sommers, B. Rek- ers, Martin Noll, G. Fox and H. Engel. The building committee was Father Faller, B. Rekers, Lorentz Meyer, Ulrich Rehne, Herman Engel and Joseph Sommers. Lorentz Meyer dug the first earth for the foundation of the new brick church, which at present serves as a girls' school. The dimensions of the building were 32x64 feet. In August of the same year, the cholera interrupted the progress of the work, but the church was finally brought to completion in November, and on the 29th of the month these thirty families moved in procession from St. Augustine's church to take possession of the new building. Rev. F. X. Weninger, the zealous missionary, who has since gone to his reward, who had been preaching a mission for the German Catholics for a week previous, conducted the solemn entry into the church and dedicated it to the services of God under the tutelage of Mary, and named the edifice "The Mother of God Church." Revs. J. Benoit. and E. Faller, who became the pastor of the new church, took part in the dedicatory serv- ices. A small one-story frame house was erected to serve as a pastoral residence. The school-house that had served the Germans was moved
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Respectfully yours Henry Morning
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from Calhoun street one year after opening the new church, and placed in the rear of the pastoral residence.
In 1850 Bishop de Saint Palais, of Vincennes, visited St. Mary's, administered confirmation, and gave the church $500. The little edifice served its purpose from 1849 for ten years. In 1858 a subscription was started for the erection of a more commodious church. The plans were made by Thomas Lau. The contracts were let, for the brick work, to Thomas Lau; for the plastering, to N. Meyer and N. Alter; for the wood work, to Thomas Lau, except the inside wood finish which was done by Herman Wilkens, George Link and Henry Pranger. The brick were purchased from Samuel Lillie at $4 a 1,000. The sand was donated by Edward Smith. B. H. Schnieders who owned one horse, succeeded in borrowing another and placed the service of the team at the disposal of the building committee during the summer. Another team belonging to B. Trentman, another to Lorentz Meyer and another to Joseph Zimmerman were kept busy during the season. Struggle and sacrifice, good cheer and hard work, figured largely among the early church builders of Fort Wryne. The building committee of the new church was B. Trentman, H. Nierman, John Trentman, M. Noll and B. H. Schnieders. The foundation was begun under the adminis- tration of Rev. E. Faller, but he was shortly afterward transferred to New Albany. He was succeeded by Rev. Joseph Wentz, in 1857.
In 1857 the diocese of Fort Wayne was established as is elsewhere stated. Rt. Rev. J. H. Luers, the first bishop of Fort Wayne, arrived here in January, 1858. He laid the corner stone of this new church in the summer of the same year, and preached to the assembled multitude. Another sermon, in German, was preached by a Rev. Mr. Snyder, of Hesse Cassel. In 1859, on the second Sunday of November, Rt. Rev. Bishop Luers dedicated the new St. Mary's, under the same title given its predecessor in 1848. Mr. Henry Monning traveled over the country with Rev. J. Wentz, soliciting contributions to pay for the structure, which had been erected at a cost of $30,000, and upon which a heavy debt remained for many years. In 1871, during the absence of Rev. Mr. Wentz, who had gone to Europe on a visit, Rev. F. Van Schwedler had charge, and in the meantime completed the spire. The assistant priests to Father Wentz were in turn Revs. A. Heitman, A. Young and B. T. Borg.
In 1872 Rev. J. Wentz resigned the pastorate of this church, and Rt. Rev. Bishop Dwenger, who had succeeded to the See of Fort Wayne upon the death of Bishop Luers, appointed Rev. Joseph Rade- macher to take charge. Rev. Charles Steurer became his assistant. After some seven years in his pastorate of this church, Rev. J. Rade- macher was transferred to LaFayette, and a few years afterward be- came bishop of Nashville, Tenn. Rev. J. H. Oechtering was appointed to take charge of the Mother of God church, July 14, 1880. His as- sistants were successively Revs. C. Steurer, C. Ganser, L. A. Moench and C. M. Romer. The last baptism administered in this church was XXVII
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to an infant that was christened John B. Ahrens. The last marriage that was contracted in it was between Bernard Weber and Catharine Wuest. The last funeral was of the child, Joseph G. Rissing. The last Sunday services were by the pastor, Rev. J. H. Oechtering, and the last sermon was by Rev. C. M. Romer. His subject was "Christian Edu- cation."
January 13, 1886, will be memorable in the history of this church for many years to come. At half past one o'clock in the afternoon the boiler beneath the church, from which the steam heating was generated, exploded, and the great edifice was a disastrous scene of wreck and ruin, a scene of total destruction. The shock was felt in every part of the city. The fireman was killed and he carried with him the secret of the cause of this disaster. A little girl passing the church at the time of the accident, was struck by a door which was blown from its holdings, and instantly killed. The pastoral residence was also greatly damaged. An elegant new structure graces the scene of disaster, erected at a cost of about $75,000. S. M. Lane, of Cleveland, was the architect. The cor- ner stone was laid by Rt. Rev. Bishop Dwenger, on the 11th of July, IS86, amid an immense throng of people. The great structure finally became a finished monument to genius, an elaborate out-fit of church architecture, and a tribute to the liberality and almost unequalled gener- osity of the members of the congregation and of citizens generally, even non-Catholics of the city responding cheerfully.
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