USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Catholicity in northern Ohio and in the diocese of Cleveland from 1749 to December 31, 1900, Volume I, pt2 > Part 14
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19 | Part 20 | Part 21 | Part 22 | Part 23 | Part 24 | Part 25 | Part 26 | Part 27 | Part 28 | Part 29 | Part 30 | Part 31 | Part 32 | Part 33 | Part 34 | Part 35
The parish is composed almost entirely of farmers, all of German birth or descent, with the exception of a few French, and numbers about 150 families. It is also the parent parish of Hamler, Holgate, Miller City and North Creek.
A Catholic "District School" is located within the parish limits, and is supported by public taxation, as almost all the tax- payers in that section are Catholics. Three teachers are in charge of the school. The present building is a handsome two-story structure. It was erected in 1900, and cost $4,000. The few non- Catholics living in the same school district have a separate school for their children. Thus the question of a denominational school, supported by the State, has been solved at New Bavaria, in a manner satisfactory to all concerned.
533
IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND.
NEW BERLIN, STARK COUNTY. ST. PAUL'S CHURCH.
New Berlin was attended from St. John's. Canton, as a Station, from 1845 to 1848. On May 20, 1845, the present church lot, of one and one-half acres, was bought. Two years later the present church, a plain brick building, was erected at a cost of $2,000. Its cornerstone was laid by the Rev. J. H. Luhr, of Canton, in August, 1845. The church was enlarged in 1872. its length being 54 feet, and its width 40 feet. Between 1848 and 1850, New Berlin was attended, monthly, from St. Vincent's, Akron, by the Rev. C. Mouret; from Harrisburg, between 1851 and 1854; from St. Peter's, Canton, 1854 to 1856 ; from St. John's. Canton, 1856 to 1875; again from St. Peter's, Canton, by the Rev. J. B. Bürkel, 1875 to 1876; from Alliance, 1876 to 1877; from Harrisburg, 1877 to 1882; and again from St. Peter's, Can- ton, by the Rev. J. B. Bürkel, from 1882 to November, 1896, when he was appointed resident pastor, which position he has held since that time ..
In 1894 Mr. W. Wackerly donated a 1,500 pound bell, which was blessed by the Rev. Chancellor Houck on March 7 of that year.
It has not been found possible to establish a parochial school, owing to the small number of children that could attend.
The parish numbers at present about 50 families.
NEW CLEVELAND, PUTNAM COUNTY. HOLY FAMILY CHURCH.
The congregation of the Holy Family, at New Cleveland, an outgrowth of St. John's, Glandorf, was organized in 1861, by the Rev. Sebastian Ganther, of the Sanguinist Society. He attended it from Glandorf as a Mission, from 1861 to 1868, when he was succeeded by the Revs. Engelbert Ruf and Jacob Marte, of the same Society. The former was in charge until 1872, and the latter until April, 1873.
In August, 1861, Mr. John Weis donated a two-acre tract of land to the Mission, to serve as the site for a church, pastoral
!
i
1
1
534
A HISTORY OF CATHOLICITY
residence and cemetery. The church, still in use, was built in the fall of the same year. It is a plain wooden structure, and cost about $1,700. Its original size was 45 by 60 feet, but it was enlarged, in 1881, by an addition of 25 feet.
The Rev. Charles Barbier (April, 1873, to March, 1874) was the first resident pastor. He built the priest's house,-also a wooden structure-in 1873; it cost about $1,000. The following priests were Father Barbier's successors in the pastorate of New Cleveland: The Revs. H. Kaempker, from October, 1874, to April, 1878; E. Hipelius, to June, 1880; J. Rosenberg, to April, 1888; J. Eyler, to January, 1889 ; J. Bertemes, to February, 1891; and the present pastor, the Rev. Amadeus Dambach, since September, 1891. During the several brief periods when New Cleveland had no resident pastor, the congregation was attended from Glandorf.
A frame parish school was built in 1876, opposite the church, on a lot bought in August, 1875. It was opened in September, 1876, and placed in charge of the Sisters of St. Francis, of Tiffin, who conducted it and the neighboring District School until June, 1889. Since that time all the children attend the Catholic Dis- trict School, which is taught by lay teachers, who are paid out of the public funds.
The congregation is composed of German farmers and at present numbers about 65 families.
NEW LONDON, HURON COUNTY. OUR LADY OF LOURDES' MISSION CHURCH.
The Rev. Michael Healy, the present pastor of St. Mary's. Tiffin, was the first priest to visit the Catholics residing at New London. This he did while resident pastor of Elyria, from 1853 to 1859. New London was attended from Elyria as a Station until 1863; then, as a monthly Mission, from Grafton, until 1870. The Rev. Thomas F. Halley, pastor of the Immaculate Concep- tion church, at Grafton, bought a house and lot in the village of New London, in 1865. He had the frame house fitted up as a place of worship. As the location of the property proved unsat- isfactory, it was sold by the Rev. J. B. Heiland, in 1872. Four
-
535
IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND.
lots were then secured on High street, in the outskirts of the vil- lage. The deed was not given however until March 22, 1878. when the lots were paid for in full; the purchase price was $1,600. The frame house on one of the lots was transformed into a chapel, so far as the interior was concerned, the exterior retaining the appearance of a private house. The building served its purpose for nearly twenty-three years.
The Rev. John B. Heiland attended New London from Shelby Settlement, from 1872 to 1876. In June, 1875, he bought the present cemetery; it covers two acres. New London was next attended from Shelby, between 1876 and 1878, and since July, 1878, it has been a Mission of Wellington.
Again the church property proved undesirable, because of its out-of-the-way location. Two of the vacant lots were conse- quently sold in 1881, and the other two in 1896. In July of the latter year, the Rev. John J. Powers, then in charge of the Mis- sion, bought the present church lot, at a cost of $250. It fronts on James street and is in a desirable location. He also built on the lot the present very neat frame church, 30 by 50 feet, at a cost of $1,600, exclusive of altar, pews, etc., and it was paid for when completed, in November, 1898. During the year 1900 the church was frescoed and furnished with electric lights.
The Mission of New London comprises but 18 families at present. Considering its small membership, the generosity of the people, which made the erection of the pretty little church a possibility, and that without any incumbrance, is worthy of special record.
NEW RIEGEL, SENECA COUNTY. ST. BONIFACE'S CHURCH.
The hamlet of New Riegel was formerly known as Wolf's Creek. It was so called on account of a creek of the same name nearby. About 1844 a number of Catholic families from the vil- lage of Riegel, in the Grand Duchy of Baden, Germany, settled at Wolf's Creek and renamed it New Riegel.
Catholics first settled at Wolf's Creek in 1833, then a dense, unbroken forest. Their names were Matthias Weisenberger.
536
A HISTORY OF CATHOLICITY
Anthony Sanders and John Houck, Sr. Two years later they were joined by the Wagner, Schindler, Dockweiler, Brösemer and Gase families. Sadly missing the consolations of religion which they had enjoyed in their distant Fatherland, they made every effort to have a priest visit them from time to time. The Redemptorist Father, F. X. Tschenhens, was the first priest to attend to their spiritual wants. He came from Peru, Huron county, for the first time, in 1833, and continued to visit these Catholic pioneers at long but regular intervals until 1839, and again from 1841 until 1842. Between 1839 and 1841, the Revs. J. McNamee and P. J. Machebeuf also came occasionally from Tiffin. Mass was said and the sacraments administered in various log cabins until 1839, when under the direction of Father Tschenhens a small log chapel was built in honor of St. Boniface, at the south-east corner of a six acre tract of land donated to the Mission by Valentine Brösemer and Anthony Schindler, who deeded it to Bishop Purcell in November, 1841. It is the same property now used by the parish, and includes the site for the church, school and cemetery. In 1840 the Revs. H. D. Juncker and M. Würz, both of Canton, attended the Mission .*
The Rev. Matthias Alig, another Redemptorist Father. stationed at Peru, had charge of Wolf's Creek as a Mission, until 1843, and the Rev. Matthias Würz again attended it for some months in 1844. In December of the same year Bishop Purcell commissioned the Very Rev. F. S. Brunner, first Provincial of the Sanguinist Society in this country, to take pastoral charge of New Riegel. Since that time the Fathers of that Society have continued the good work, begun by their Provincial, who at this time established a Mission House for the Sanguinist Fathers at New Riegel, whence they attended a number of neighboring congregations and Stations. He also founded there at the same time the present flourishing convent of Sanguinist Sisters, of whom a more detailed account will be given in a separate sketch.
Under the fostering care of the Sanguinist Fathers the con- gregation flourished and steadily increased. In 1845 it numbered 150 families, according to the parish records. The log chapel had become much too small and hence Father Brunner and his
*Catholic Telegraph, July 4, 1840; Church in Northern Ohio, 4th ed. p. 279.
537
IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND.
people resolved to build a larger and better church of brick. It was begun in 1848, and finished in 1849. Bishop Rappe dedi- cated it to St. Boniface in the summer of 1849; there is no record of the date. The church was then considered one of the better class in the diocese, and was used for nearly 30 years; it was 45 feet wide and 100 feet long, and cost about $6,000.
In 1856 a very neat Mortuary chapel and fourteen small chapels for the Stations were erected in the cemetery nearby --- the only cemetery in the diocese thus adorned. The Station chapels however had to be torn down in 1898, owing to their dilapidated condition.
About 1873 it was found that the church had become unsafe, owing to defective construction. Rather than attempt to repair the defect, with but little assurance that it would be remedied, it was thought more prudent to build a new church of larger dimen- sions and of more modern architecture than the old. The Rev. Alphonse Laux, then in charge, solicited subscriptions for that purpose and met with a generous response. The building was begun during the pastorate of Father Laux, in May, 1875, near the site of the old church. The Very Rev. Vicar General Boff laid the cornerstone on the following 27th of June. The church was rapidly pushed to completion during 1877; Bishop Gilmour dedicated it on Sunday, May 12, 1878. The edifice is built of brick, with a liberal ornamentation of stone trimmings, and cost about $30,000. Its dimensions are: Length, 130 feet; width, 50 feet; its architecture is Roman. The church ranks with the finest country churches in the diocese, and would be a credit to any of the larger and wealthier city congregations.
The parish school was organized about 1856. The boys were always in charge of a lay teacher, and the girls in charge of the Sanguinist Sisters. The present school house, a two-story brick structure, was built in 1861.
The parish now numbers about 150 German families, nearly all of the farming class.
The following Sanguinist Fathers have had pastoral charge. of St. Boniface's congregation since the time of Father Brunner: The Revs. John Wittmer, 1847-48; E. Ruff, 1848-53 ; A. Reichert, 1853-61; A. Kramer, 1861-64; A. Herbstritt, 1864-65; H. Drees,
-
538
A HISTORY OF CATHOLICITY
1865-66; F. X. Griessmayer, 1866-68: A. Laux, 1868-76; T. Eisenring, 1876-78; C. Roessner, 1878-80; B. Russ, 1880-91; E. Jakob, 1891-95; A. Malin, 1895-97; and the present pastor, the Rev. A. Voag, since February, 1897.
NEW WASHINGTON, CRAWFORD COUNTY. ST. BERNARD'S CHURCH.
In May, 1844, about twelve families, residing in and near the village of New Washington, were detached from St. Stephen's, Seneca county, and formed into a separate Mission. The Very Rev. F. Brunner, Provincial of the Sanguinists, was the first priest to visit them. For two years he said Mass for them in private houses. In May, 1846, a lot was secured and a small wooden church built on it in the same year .* New Washington was attended by the Sanguinist Fathers, at first from Peru, where they were stationed between 1844 and 1845; then from Thomp- son, until 1859. In December of 1859, the Rev. A. Dambach was appointed first resident pastor. He remained in charge until June, 1865. In the following month he was succeeded by the Rev. Michael Becker. Soon after his arrival in New Washington Father Becker took up a subscription for a new church, the old one having become much too small. He also found that the church site then in use was inconveniently located. It was there- fore sold by him and the present elegant property, comprising ten lots, fronting on Mansfield street, was bought in March, 1868, for $1,400. In April of the same year Father Becker began the foundation for a brick church, which was completed in the follow- ing year; it is the one now in use. The dimensions are: Length, 110 feet; width, 46 feet. Its architecture is Gothic, and its interior is beautifully stuccoed. It has neat altars, two of them being of marble; also stained glass windows, white oak pews and com- munion railing. Exclusive of its furnishings it cost about $25,000. The church was dedicated to St. Bernard by Bishop Gilmour, on October 9, 1879, although it had been in use for nearly ten years before.
In 1875 Father Becker built the present brick pastoral resi- dence, at a cost of about $4,000.
*The Catholic Telegraph, July 2, 1846. The Church in Northern Ohio, 4th ed. p. 302.
7
ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH AND SCHOOL, NILES.
539
. IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND.
The parish school was organized by Father Kreusch, in 1855, in a small frame building, but owing to lack of means the parish could not afford to have it open for more than a few months each year. When Father Becker took charge he induced the people to support the school more generously. Since 1866 it has con- tinued without intermission. It was taught by lay teachers, until 1889, but since then it has been in charge of two Sisters of St. Francis, of Tiffin. The second school house, a frame building, was erected by Father Becker, in 1867.
Father Becker was succeeded by the Rev. Lawrence Heiland, in July, 1881. During his pastorate, which ended in January, 1888, he reduced the parish debt from $7,000 to $750, besides making a number of improvements in the church and on the property to the amount of about $2,000.
The Rev. J. G. Vogt succeeded Father Heiland in January, 1888. In the following year the entire debt was cancelled. In 1895 Father Vogt built the present brick school, a well appointed and commodious two-story structure, at a cost of $6,000.
The present pastor, the Rev. J. P. Kunnert, succeeded Father Vogt in September, 1899.
The parish is now composed of about 75 German families.
NILES, TRUMBULL COUNTY.
ST. STEPHEN'S CHURCH.
Niles was attended from Dungannon as a Station, as early as 1853. The Rev. Francis Stroker was the first priest to minister to the. few Catholic families then residing there. He was trans- ferred to Summitville in 1855, but continued his pastoral visits to Niles until 1856, when he was succeeded in both places by the Rev. Michael Prendergast. In 1858 Niles was attached to St. Columba's, Youngstown, as a Station, and later (1864) as a Mis- sion, and thus remained until July, 1865.
In the spring of 1864, the Rev. E. M. O'Callaghan, of Youngstown, and at that time attending Niles, bought two lots at the corner of James (now Park avenue) and Mechanic streets. During the same year he built a frame church (38 by 70 feet) on the corner lot. It was a very plain structure which cost about
540
, A HISTORY OF CATHOLICITY
$3,000. Improvements were added to the church from time to time, thus making it fairly attractive.
The Rev. A. R. Sidley was appointed first resident pastor of Niles in July, 1865. He built the present pastoral residence, a frame house, shortly after his appointment to Niles. In February of the following year he also bought five acres of land for a ceme- tery, which is still in use. Father Sidley was succeeded in Jan- uary, 1868, by the Rev. E. J. Conway. His pastorate however was of short duration-until the following April, when the Rev. B. B. Kelley was appointed pastor of Niles. He organized the school in September, 1868, and in doing so met with considerable opposition, as his parishioners believed they could not afford to support the school. But that feeling soon passed away and the school was continued in charge of lay teachers without any further difficulty. Father Kelley was removed in May, 1871, and Niles was then attended from the Cathedral by the Rev. M. Ivers, until . August of the same year, when the Rev. T. M. Mahony was appointed resident pastor. He remained in charge until Novem- ber, 1873, when the Rev. M. A. Scanlon succeeded him. After Father Scanlon's removal, in July, 1870, the following priests had pastoral charge of Niles: The Revs. J. Monahan, from July. 1880, till his death, September 6, 1884; D. P. O'Brien, from September, 1884, to April, 1888; J. C. Desmond, to May, 1889; and the present pastor, the Rev. Felix M. Scullin, since May. 1889.
In August, 1872, Father Mahony bought two lots for a school site. They adjoin the church lots at the south end and front on Furnace street.
Between 1885 and 1888 there was a steady growth of the parish. It was brought about by the employment of a large number of men at good wages, offered by the iron mills at Niles, which are the main support of the town. Of those so employed the Catholic element received a fair share. In consequence of this increase the church then in use became much too small. Provision had therefore to be made for a larger church. Father O'Brien took up a subscription for that purpose in the summer of 1888, and received every encouragement from his generous parishioners. After Father O'Brien's departure, Father Desmond continued to solicit subscriptions, with the same success. Plans
541
IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND.
were then drawn by a competent architect, and approved by Bishop Gilmour, for a handsome brick church, of Romanesque architecture, to be built on the site of the old church. The foun- dation was commenced in the fall of 1888 by Father Desmond, and finished by Father Scullin in the summer of the following year. As Father Scullin did not wish to urge his people too much for subscriptions, he "made haste slowly," paying for the work as it was done. In consequence of this prudent delay, the cere- mony of blessing the cornerstone did not take place until Sunday, May 11, 1890; Bishop Gilmour performed the ceremony. During the same year the church was enclosed, and the interior was com- pleted in 1891. On Christmas day, 1891, Mass was said in the · new church for the first time. It was dedicated to St. Stephen, by Bishop Horstmann, on Sunday, May 8, 1892. Its total cost, including altars, pews, etc., was about $30,000, and it was fully paid for when dedicated. This is a very creditable record for both pastor and people. The church is the most conspicuous and attractive building in Niles, and deserves to be ranked with the grand galaxy of fine churches in the diocese of Cleveland. Its dimensions are: Length, 100 feet; width, 49 feet ; height of spire, 175 feet. It is built of clear red brick, trimmed with sandstone. It has elegant stained glass windows, all donated by parishioners and societies. The frescoing and the furnishings show excellent taste.
In 1893 the old church, which was moved to make room for the new edifice, was changed into two school rooms. It served its new purpose until the erection of the present splendid school, built in 1900, at a cost of $25,000. Until 1880 the parish school was taught by lay teachers, but since then it has been in charge of the Sisters of the Humility of Mary, who have conducted it most successfully. The same Sisters also conduct an academy, since 1898-separate from the parish school, and thus far have met with gratifying support. The school has an enrollment at present of about 200 pupils.
St. Stephen's parish property is in excellent condition, and without a dollar of debt.
According to the diocesan census, published for 1900, St. Stephen's numbers 210 families.
542
A HISTORY OF CATHOLICITY
NORTH AMHERST, LORAIN COUNTY. ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH.
The villagers of North Amherst depend for their support almost exclusively on the adjacent and well-known stone quarries. These were first opened about 1864 and the good wages paid by the owners attracted quite a number of quarrymen from the East. Among them was a fair proportion of Catholics who settled at North Amherst. Their spiritual interests were looked after from that time until 1871, by the Rev. Louis Molon, of Elyria, and then by the Rev. James Rouchy, of Vermilion, until July, 1875. Father Molon said Mass in the residence of J. Plato, Sr., at North . Amherst, until 1868, when he bought two lots, fronting on the north side of Fenney street. They were deeded to Bishop Gil- mour in May, 1872. On one of these lots he built a small wooden. church. It was ready for use in the early fall of 1868, and dedi- cated to St. Joseph. As Father Molon found it difficult to attend North Amherst, together with his home duties, he was relieved of that charge in March, 1871, by the appointment of the Rev. James Rouchy, pastor of Vermilion. About that time the Mission had outgrown its church, hence Father Rouchy built an addition in 1873, making its dimensions 30 by 75 feet, as they are at present. Father Rouchy was replaced in July, 1875, by the Rev. Joseph Romer, who was appointed first resident pastor of North Amherst, which charge he held until November, 1891. He built the pres- ent pastoral residence, in 1875. It is a plain wooden structure, and cost $1,300. He also secured three altars and had the interior of the church renovated. In February, 1880, he bought the present cemetery, which covers one and one-half acres. In 1883 he organized the parish school, which has been taught since that time by lay teachers. Its present enrollment is about 60 pupils.
Father Romer was succeeded in November, 1891, by the Rev. Henry D. Best, who built the spire and bought the two bells now in use. Father Romer was again appointed pastor of North Amherst in January, 1893, and remained in charge until June, 1899, when he was succeeded by the present pastor, the Rev. August H. Alten, a native of French Creek, Lorain county. He enlarged the frame school and cancelled the parish debt. During
IN. THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND. 543
the last few years the parish has lost quite a number of families. This is owing to the fact that only a few of the stone quarries are operated, and that at low wages. Thus the Catholic employes were compelled to seek more lucrative employment elsewhere. The parish now numbers only about 60 families, and its future is not very promising.
NORTH BALTIMORE, WOOD COUNTY. ST. AUGUSTINE'S CHURCH.
Although less than 15 years in existence, North Baltimore is quite a thriving little city. It owes its origin and rapid growth to the fact that it is located almost in the center of the natural gas and oil section in Wood county. About 1890 the few Cath- olics there resident made an effort to build a church, but failed for want of means. They were attended by the resident pastors of Bowling Green from January, 1891, to January, 1893, the Rev. M. Philippart being the first priest to visit them. He said Mass a few times in a small building formerly used as a school. Father Philippart's successor, in January, 1892, was the Rev. W. S. Kress who, after a few visits to North Baltimore, engaged the Opera House as a temporary place of worship, as the increasing number of attendants could no longer be accommodated in the abandoned school building. In July. 1892, Father Kress bought two lots with a frontage of 285 feet on Oak avenue, and extending from Second to Third streets; the purchase price was $700. On one of these lots he built the present frame church, 38 by 75 feet. It was commenced in July, 1892, finished by December of the same year, and dedicated to St. Augustine, by Bishop Horstmann, on May 23, 1893. With its furnishings the church cost about $3,000.
The Rev. I. J. Wonderly was appointed first resident pastor of North Baltimore, in January, 1893. During his pastorate the parish sustained a considerable loss of membership by the removal of one of the local glass factories, and the destruction by fire of another. In both of these many Catholics were employed, but were now obliged to seek a livelihood elsewhere. However, in spite of this loss, Father Wonderly succeeded in not only cancelling
a
-
544
A HISTORY OF CATHOLICITY
the parish debt of about $2,000, but at the time he left, in Decem- ber, 1895, there was also a fair sized balance in the church treas- ury. The Rev. J. B. Alten was Father Wonderly's successor. In 1897 he built the present frame pastoral residence, at a cost of about $1,500. It was paid for at the time he left North Balti- more. His successor is the present pastor, the Rev. J. P. Hau- pert. He was appointed to take charge in September, 1897, and at once had the church put in proper repair, which it greatly needed, owing to its defective construction. He had it covered with new siding and the roof repaired. In 1898 the debt, incurred by this very necessary renovation, was cancelled, and the church was also neatly frescoed. The structure is now in good condition and quite attractive in its appearance.
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.