USA > Minnesota > Douglas County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I > Part 25
USA > Minnesota > Grant County > History of Douglas and Grant counties, Minnesota : their people, industries, and institutions, Volume I > Part 25
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The Evangelical Lutheran Zion's congregation at Alexandria had its origin about thirty-five years ago in a small way, when a few German Lutheran families who had settled in and near Alexandria formed a congre- gation, which has grown into the present flourishing parish. The Rev. Hert- wig, then stationed at Effington, over the line of Ottertail county, who was one of the missionaries of that faith in the Northwest, served the little con- gregation at convenient seasons and after the arrival of a few more Ger- man Lutheran families the congregation was formally organized, December 27, 1886, with seven charter members, Andrew Roth, Matth. Haberer, Fred Fiebranz, Carl Beltz, Fred Kitzke, Carl Schuelke and Julius Stoppel. At first the small congregation held its services in private houses ; then it rented the Lutheran Norwegian church for its meetings. But in the year 1889 the little flock built a church building of its own, a small building, but the little congregation was delighted now to have its own spiritual home. As the Reverend Hertwig by this time had eleven places to serve, the congrega- tion at Alexandria, with four other small congregations, the ones at Villard, Carlos, English Grove and Oak Hill, in the next year called its own pastor, the Rev. A. Bartz, who is still serving. In the year 1899, the congrega- tion meantime having outgrown the building erected in 1888, a new and larger church edifice, the present church building, was erected, and great
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was the joy of the members when the Lutheran Zion's Congregation was permitted to enter this new house of worship. As the work for the pastor thenceforward increased, the parish was divided in 1902, Villard and two other places calling their own pastor. A few years later another division took place, Carlos and Oak Hill organizing as a parish and calling their own pastor. By that time a new congregation had been founded at Garfield, which asked to form a parish with the congregation at Alexandria and this mutually agreeable union still exists. In 1911 Zion's congregation celebrated the twenty-fifth anniversary, or silver jubilee, of its organization and in the next year another important step was taken by the congregation in calling a special teacher for its parochial school, the latter theretofore having been conducted by the pastor. Prof. W. Melchert, the teacher then called, is still serving in that capacity. In this school, besides religion, all the branches of the common school are taught in two languages, English and German. Besides this school training, there is a two-year course of special instruction of the upper classes in religion by the pastor, preparatory to confirmation. To attain this end the better, the congregation erected in 1914 a handsome two-room modern school building. The congregation at present has more than eighty voting members, three hundred communicants and five hundred baptized members, and the Word of God is preached in its midst in two languages, German and English.
THE CATHOLIC CHURCH IN DOUGLAS COUNTY.
There are several active parishes of the Catholic church in Douglas county, including St. Mary's at Alexandria, Immaculate Conception at Osakis, St. Ann's at Brandon, the Seven Dolors at Millerville, and the church in Belle River, the latter presided over by the Rev. Emil Steinach; while there are several parishes in adjoining counties, a part of whose mem- bership is gained from Douglas county.
The first religious services for the Catholics of Alexandria, the county seat, were held in a small apartment at the residence of Charles Sondag and among the first priests who administered to the spiritual needs of the people in those pioneer days was the Rev. Edward Guenther. In compliance with the request of a few Catholics in that community Bishop Seidenbusch granted permission for the erection of the little church, which stood until the present handsome church of St. Mary's was erected at Alexandria about fifteen years ago. It was on July 2, 1882, that the little frame building was dedicated, under the patronage of the Visitation of the Blessed Virgin, by
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the Rev. Father Othmar, who attended the parish from St. John's University at Collegeville. The Benedictine Fathers directed the congregation until 1895, when Rev. Father Tomazin was ordered to provide for it in connec- tion with his pastorate in Belle River. In February, 1899, the Benedictines were again intrusted with the charge, and following a mission conducted in June of that year by the Rev. Father Augustine, of Moorhead, the trustees secured the appointment of a priest to administer services regularly every Sunday instead of once or twice a month, as was done previously, and the charge was conferred upon Rev. Otto Weisser, who officiated from October of that year until October, 1910, it being during his pastorate that the parish was incorporated under the laws of the state, as set out in a previous paragraph. Father Weisser was succeeded by the Rev. L. J. Haupt, who became the first resident priest in Alexandria and he has been suc- ceeded in turn by the Rev. Henry Leuthner, Rev. James Walcher, Rev. Leo Gans, Rev. Peter Gans, Rev. Paul Kuich, Rev. Van Dinter and the Rev. Francis Welp, the present pastor. St. Mary's parish maintains a com- modious parish residence and the various organizations of the church display their activities by their works. These include the Confraternity of Chris- tian Mothers, the Ladies' Sewing Circle, the Young Ladies Sodality and St. Mary Court No. 1067, Catholic Order of Foresters, the latter of which was organized in February, 1900, with a membership of twenty-one.
Though the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Osakis did not come into being until the summer of 1899, the people of the Catholic faith in that vicinity had not been deprived of the comfort of divine service, in the earlier days the few scattered families attended service, under consid- erable sacrifice, at the church on the Benedictine farm about two miles north- west of West Union. But as Osakis grew and prospered, more Catholic families settled in the vicinity and the project of having a church of their own came to fulfillment. One of the circumstances which contributed to the establishment of a Catholic parish at Osakis was the fact that the Bene- dictine Fathers had resolved to dispose of their farming property near Union, which was soon followed by the decision to move the St. Alexis church into the town of West Union, thereby making the distance still farther for the Catholics in and around Osakis. In the beginning of April, 1899, the Rev. Ildephonse Molitor, pastor of the church of St. Alexius at West Union, called a meeting of Catholics of Osakis and vicinity for the purpose of organizing a congregation. At that meeting twenty-eight were present and the details of raising funds and providing for the erection of a church were entrusted to a committee. Eight lots were bought for four
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hundred dollars in C. P. Hanson's addition to Osakis and work on the edifice was begun without delay. One-half of the church furniture and five hundred dollars in cash was given the Osakis congregation when it separated from St. Alexius parish. At the beginning the congregation con- sisted of forty-five families and it was incorporated, August 11, 1899, under the name of The Church of the Immaculate Conception, as set out in a previous paragraph. The original plan was to build a brick-veneered church, but scarcity of funds precluded the idea of veneering it and hence it remained unfinished until the latter part of October, 1905. The church was dedi- cated on December 17, 1900, by the Rt. Rev. James Trobec, D. D., bishop of the diocese of St. Cloud. The foundation and the frame work of the church cost about three hundred dollars and the brick veneering was added at a cost of eight hundred and fifty dollars. From its inception until October, 1900, the congregation was attended to partly by Fathers from the Benedic- tine Abbey at Collegeville and partly from St. Alexius church. In October, 1900, it was made a permanent mission of St. Alexius church of West Union and on September 14, 1905, it became a parish having a resident priest. The following Benedictine Fathers have been pastors of the church of the Immaculate Conception or attended the same from the abbey: Rev. Ilde- phonse Molitor, Rev. Charles Cannon, Rev. Oswald Baran, Rev. Louis Traufler, Rev. Maurus Ferdinand, Rev. Ralph Knapp and Rev. Philip Bahner. On April 4, 1906, Rev. Philip Bahner called a meeting of the lay trustees to consider the feasibility of building a parish house. At that meet- ing it was decided to proceed at once with the erection of a parish house and to make a loan of one thousand dollars to cover the stipulated cost. In the spring and summer of 1906 the present parsonage was built, Father Bahner doing much of the carpenter work himself. Services were conducted every Sunday, as there was no mission connected with the parish. Father Bahner remained pastor until October, 1907, when the Benedictine Fathers were relieved of Osakis. The Rt. Rev. James Trobec then appointed Rev. Frederick Hinnenkamp, pastor, who took charge of the parish on October 12, 1907. Father Hinnenkamp was pastor until August 4, 1911, when he was transferred to the church of Our Lady of Angels at Sauk Center. During his pastorate substantial improvements were made in both the church and the house. The interior of the church was laid with steel sheeting and beautifully decorated. Two hot-air furnaces were installed in the basement of the church, these and the improvements in the house and on the premises being paid for in cash, the money for the same being raised by church fes- tivals, donations and subscriptions. Services were conducted every Sunday
معيدة لغط ١
CATHOLIC CHURCH. ALEXANDRIA,
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and Holy Day, except on the first Sunday of each month, when Father Hinnenkamp attended St. Ann's congregation at Brandon, which order co- tinues to the present time. After Father Hinnenkamp had been transferred to Sauk Center, Rev. John Fuss was pastor of the church of the Immacu- late Conception for three months. Then the spiritual wants of the people were ministered to for some time by the Rev. William Scheiner, pastor of St. Alexius church at West Union. After that the Benedictine Fathers of St. John's Abbey, Collegeville, conducted services at Osakis two Sundays a month until February 23, 1913, when the bishop appointed the Rev. Joseph Wessendorf, pastor. On account of ill health Father Wessendorf was compelled to leave the following June. Again the Benedictine Fathers were called upon for their kind assistance, until the bishop could send Rev. John Van der Boer, who had charge of the parish for nearly six months. Father Wessendorf resumed his pastorate on March 26, 1914, and has con- tinued the same to this day. Within the past few years the parish has increased considerably and at present numbers about seventy families, or three hundred and fifty members. Because of this increase in membership and on account of the general prosperity the parish was able to reduce its liabilities by two thousand nine hundred dollars in the past four years, leav- ing at present an incumbrance of only six hundred dollars on all its prop- erty. On December 24, 1902, the church corporation purchased two acres of land from Charles Anderson for a cemetery, for a consideration of two hun- dred dollars. The remains in the old cemetery near the Evergreen, or Rhinehart, cemetery, were then taken up and removed to the new site. The Christian Mothers Society of the Church of the Immaculate Conception was established on October 19, "1902, by the Rev. Maurus Ferdinand. This society, together with the Sewing Circle, or Ladies Aid Society, has, by means of festivals, suppers and energetic work, supplied the church with the necessary linens and vestments, has provided for the repair of cassocks and altar linen and the scrubbing of the church and has, moreover, provided the church with some beautiful statues, a marble votive stand, flowers and other furnishings for the sanctuary and has borne the expense of fencing in the cemetery, the society being a living monument to what union and effort can accomplish
The Church of the Seven Dolors at Millerville, of which the Rev. Ignatius Wippich has been the pastor since in April, 1910, is one of the twenty-five parishes of the diocese of St. Cloud which is in the possession of a parochial school, which was erected at a cost of something more than
(17)
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seventeen thousand dolars in 1913, after a very vigorous and effective cam- paign in that behalf directed by the pastor, Father Wippich, who wrote in Latin and placed in the cornerstone of the new school a document, of which the following is a free translation :
"To the greater glory of God and veneration of Mary, the sorrowful mother of our Redeemer, the patroness of our parish, and for the salvation of souls from generation to generation, souls redeemed by the blood of our Lord Jesus Christ, and for the welfare of our country; the cornerstone for the proposed new parochial school at Millerville, in the county of Douglas and state of Minnesota, was laid and blessed by the Rt. Rev. Bernard Richter, domestic prelate and pastor of the St. Boniface church of Melrose, on the feast of the glorious Apostles, Peter and Paul, on a Sunday, on the 29th of June, in the year of our Lord, nineteen hundred and thirteen, when Pius X, by Divine Providence, Pope, was gloriously reigning over the Catholic church, when James Trobec, by Divine Mercy and grace of the Holy Apos- tolic See, was bishop of the diocese of St. Cloud, when Ignatius Wippich, a priest born in the diocese of Emland, East Prussia, was pastor of the St. Mary's church, under the title of the Seven Dolors, at Millerville, and Chas. L. Julig was treasurer, and John Bitzan, secretary of the congregation, and also when to the board of consultation belonged John Kelly, Frank Kor- kowski, Frank Ledermann, Martin Pinkowski, Edward Schirber and Peter Wagner; when Eugene Korkowski was president of the St. Joseph ( Men's) Society ; Ferdinand Dobmeyer, chief ranger of the Catholic Order of For- esters; Conrad Abel of the St. Aloysius (Young Men's) Society; Widow Anna Maria Kotschevar, president of the Christian Mothers' Society, and Barbara Kotschevar, president of the Young Ladies' Sodality, under the patronage of St. Rosa of Lima; when Woodrow Wilson was President of the United States of America; Adolph Eberhart, governor of the state of Minnesota, and Jacob Thoennes, mayor of the village of Millerville, this festival took place on a beautiful day and a great multitude participating. The builder of the school is John Abel, a youth of Millerville. The archi- tect, Edward J. Donahue, of St. Paul. Of the visiting priests were Revs. John Sand of Effington, Paul Kuich of Alexandria, Emil Stemach of Belle River, and the newly ordained Victor Stiegler. And to Thee, O Sorrowful Mother, to whose honor this statue, which decorates the parochial school, is today blessed, again also this parish is dedicated, that through thy interces- sion, the Almighty God may reward all benefactors of this school with eternal goods, and that our pledge may be brought before the Throne of the
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Almighty-namely, benediction, and glory, and wisdom, and thanksgiving, honor and power and strength to our God for ever and ever. Amen."
The St. Mary's parochial school is situated in a healthful and pleasant locality, north of the church on a hill and is surrounded by a grove. It has a front elevation of fifty-nine feet and a side elevation of forty-one feet. The building is constructed of white brick on a concrete basement. In the basement are the boiler room, coal bunks, kitchen and dining room for the Ven. Sisters, play room and lavatories. The first story contains two spacious class-rooms with all sanitary and modern equipments. The second story is used exclusively as a residence for the Sisters of St. Benedict.
The Church of Our Lady of Seven Dolors at Millerville is familiar to all residents of Douglas county and its towering spire can be seen for miles, overtopping everything in the vicinity. The first church in Millerville was built in 1868, prior to which mass had been said at the homes of some of the early settlers, among whom were the Larsungs, the Weavers and John A. Miller, for the latter of whom Millerville was named. The old church, built of logs, was pulled down to give place to the present church building, which was erected in 1892. The first priest officiating at Miller was Father Pierce, in 1867, who was succeeded by Father Tomazin, who built the priest's house, which building, as well as the first church, has long since disappeared. Father Tomazin remained until 1873 and was succeeded by Father Holzer, Father Schneider, Father Hilbert, Father Cramer, Father Gunther, Father Ewen, Father Jerome, Father Brogerding, Father Weist, Father Kicken, Father Alois Rastor and the present pastor, Father Wippich. On account of his maserly eloquence and his excellent character, Father Otto Weist was held in very high regard throughout that community and in October, 1901, a beautiful and costly monument was erected over his final resting place.
The mission of St. Nicholas at Belle River, to which also belongs the Catholics of Carlos, four miles distant, was founded in 1870 by the Rev. Father Tomazin, a Slovenian missionary amongst the northern Indians of the Sioux and Chippewa tribes, a countryman of the renowned Indian mis- sionary, Father Pierz. Pioneer divine service was at first held in the home of Frank Quinn, the father of the late James Quinn, at one time county commissioner and nearly always, since the organization of the parish, treas- urer and trustee of the St. Nicholas church; Frank Quinn, his father, and John Clausen, pioneers, donating each ten acres of land to Bishop Thomas L. Grace, for the foundation of a church at Belle River. The first church was built of logs, on the present cemetery in 1871, and was dedicated by the late Archbishop Thomas S. Grace, of St. Paul. On the same occasion some
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children of the parish were confirmed. In September of the same year the renowned Jesuit missionary, P. Havier Weninger, held the first mission (revival). Rev. Ignatius Tomazin attended the parish until August, 1873, when he was succeeded by Rev. John Schenk, the Bohemian pastor of Long Prairie, whose life was so suddenly and sadly terminated in 1883, when he accidentally shot himself to death. The management of the St. Nicholas con- gregation was now conducted by the Benedictine Fathers, of Collegeville, Rev. Pater Placidus, the Greek scholar, who later on for a few years became rector of a Greek college in Rome, Italy, and who is now a celebrated pro- fessor at St. John's University, Minnesota; Rev. Peter Alfred, presently pastor of the Catholic church at Moorhead, Minnesota; Rev. Martinus, at present at Weire's Grover, Stearm county, Minnesota, and then for seven years, Rev. Pater Tldephons, who attended the parish from the Benedictine convent at West Union, now secularized and sold. In 1891 Rev. Ignatius Lager took charge of the congregation until the year 1893. In 1883 already, under the leadership of Pater Placidus, the second frame church had been built by the contractors, Christ Raiter and Spooner, of Alexandria, and one year later the little parsonage, by Messrs. William Maher, John Collins and Anton Schneiderhan, Sr. In 1890 Rev. Ignatius Lager had an addition built to the parsonage, destined for a parochial school, which however, was used for a winter chapel. During his term of office Rev. Peter Post, a saintly Jesuit Father, conducted a successful mission in his parish. In 1893 Father Lager was followed in office, again by the Rev. Father Tomazin, who in 1915 celebrated his golden jubilee of the priesthood in unison with his Lordship, the Rt. Rev. Thomas O'Gorman, bishop of Sioux Falls, South Dakota, with whom he had been ordained priest on the 5th of November, 1865, in the cathedral of St. Paul, Minnesota. The Reverend Jubilarian (who during his second term, incorporated the parish with Joseph Woltors, Sr., as secretary, and Charles Pasch, as treasurer, Bishop James Trobec, at that time ordinary of the St. Cloud diocese, as president and Rt. Rev. Mgr. Edward Nagl, vicar general, as vice-president, and himself as chairman of the incorporation of the church of St. Nicholas), remained as pastor in Belle River until 1907, when he was transferred to Padua, Minnesota, being succeeded by Rev. Herman Klein. He again provided a successful mission through the Dominican priest, Rev. Pater Thuente, of Minneapolis, and made many improvements in the church and priest's house. With the permis- sion of the Rt. Rev. Bishop James Trobec, Rev. H. Klein and Rev. Emil Joseph Steimach, of St. Mary's church, Rice, Benton county, Minnesota, exchanged their parishes on the 18th of October, 1908. Under the present
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pastor, Emil Joseph Steimach, the different parish societies were organized : St. Nicholas Sodality for single and married men; St. Ann's for Christian mothers; St. Agnes' for young ladies, and Childhood of Jesus' for the chil- dren. The purpose of these sodalities is the material as well as spiritual advancement of the parish in general and the spiritual growth and sanctifica- tion of the individuals in particular. In 1909 a hot air furnace system was installed in the church, the gallery enlarged and other improvements made on premises, in church and parsonage. Messrs. James Quinn and Peter Beheng were trustees under the present administration up to 1913, when the latter resigned as secretary, being succeeded in the office by Henry Wolters. In June, 1905, a well-attended mission was given by the Rev. Peter Bour. On the 8th of August, 1915, in the afternoon, around three o'clock, a fire broke . out in the sacristy of the church and in less than an hour the building was transformed into a heap of ashes. The cause of the conflagration could not be ascertained, but most likely started in the charcoal box on the sacristy table. The following Sunday service was conducted on the new porch of the parsonage, people having their provisional seats in the surrounding grove. A mass meeting for the following Sunday was announced ( for the 22d of August). At the latter, the following building committee was elected : E. H. Steimach, pastor, chairman ex-officio; August Kohlhaas, (acting) vice- chairman ; Peter Beheng, treasurer ; Henry Wolters, secretary; Albert Ritten, John Dunn, Anton Schneiderhan, Jr., and Thomas Quinn. After organiza- tion of committee, a plan for the new church was selected, Messrs. Alban and Lockhart, of St. Paul, chosen as architects; funds collected, with three thou- sand seven hundred dollars insurance, amounted to about twenty-two thou- sand dollars. On the 19th of October, the contract for the new church was let to the lowest bidder, William Schueller, contractor and builder, of Fergus Falls, who gave bonds and commenced work on the new church on the 27th of April, 1916. The laying of the cornerstone took place on the 30th of May, Decoration Day. His Lordship Rt. Rev. Joseph Busch, performed the ceremony, also blessed the two new bells of two thousand pounds and one thousand four hundred ninety pounds respectively, and preached the English sermon, whilst Rt. Rev. Mgr. B. Richter, of Melrose, preached in German. The following reverend priests were present besides the pastor: Rev. John Sand, Effington; Rev. Ignatius Wippich, Millerville; Rev. Francis Beitscher, Long Prairie; Rev. Math. Billmayr, Brownsville; Rev. Charles Gruenwald, St. Cloud; Rev. Joseph Wessendorf, Osakis; Rev. Eugene Scheirer, Hold- ingsford. The beautiful new church of Gothic style, seating some eight hun-
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dred people, was dedicated on the 15th of October, 1916. Previous to its dedication the premises around the church were beautiful and the interior of the sanctuary was furnished appropriately with nice altars, statuary and furniture of quality and beauty. The parishioners, about one hundred and six families, irrespective of German, Bohemian, Hollandish, Belgian, Irish and English extraction, are good, loyal fervent Americans and showed their unity, their civic pride and religious fervor by contributing most generously of money and labor, until their pious aspirations materialized in this beauti- ful temple of God, crowning their efforts and sacrifices and attesting their love of God and zeal of salvation.
EMMANUEL EPISCOPAL CHURCH AT ALEXANDRIA.
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