History of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, Part 112

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Pierce, Eben Douglas
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago Winona : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1318

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On Nov. 16, 1912, the parish celebrated with great solemnity the fiftieth anniversary of its foundation. It is claimed that Sacred Heart and St.

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Wenzeslaus' Parish is the third oldest Polish parish in the United States, the oldest being in Texas, and the second oldest in Palonia, Wis. The total value of the Pine Creek church property amounts to $60,000.

The following societies have been established and are enjoying a large membership, namely: For men, the Sacred Heart Society, St. Joseph's Society and the Catholic Order of Foresters ; for boys, St. Stanislaus' Soci- ety ; for women, Holy Rosary and Lady Foresters ; for girls, the Children of May Sodality ; for school children, the Union of the Infant Jesus.

The list of pastors and time of their pastorate is as follows: Until 1866 neighboring priests attended to the spiritual wants of the early set- tlers ; Rev. Florintine Zadzioski, 1866-68 (He was the first resident pastor) ; Rev. Weglikowski, 1868-71; Rev. T. Musiclewiez, 1871-73; Rev. C. Brat- kiewiez, 1873-74 ; Rev. A. Singoski, 1874-78 (he erected the present church) ; Rev. D. Mayer, 1878-84 ; Rev. R. Tomaszewski, 1884-87 ; Rev. Roman Guzow- ski, 1887-89; Rev. R. Tomaszewski, 1889-90 (this was his second appoint- ment) ; Rev. Roman Guzowski, 1890-95 (this was also his second appoint- ment) ; Rev. T. Lugowski, 1895-1898; Rev. A. W. Gara, 1898-1901 (he was brother to the present pastor) ; Rev. J. M. Koresyk, 1901-1904; Rev. J. W. Gara, 1904.

Rev. J. W. Gara, the present pastor, was born March 3, 1875, at Jawis- jowice, Poland. He attended the following schools: Jawisjowice at his birthplace, normal school at Biala, Poland, classical school at Wadowice. In 1893 he came to America, and at once went to the Polish Seminary at Detroit, Mich. In 1894 he entered St. Francis Seminary near Milwaukee, where he was ordained to the priesthood Jan. 6, 1898. Before coming to Pine Creek he was stationed at Rosellville and Junction City, Wis. He has made many substantial improvements to the church property at Pine Creek, and put the parish on a good financial basis. He is a hard worker and enjoys the confidence of his people. The warm spot in their hearts he has well merited by his kind and self-sacrificing labors and clean life !

Our Lady of Perpetual Help Parish Arcadia

Running down the vista of time for almost two generations, we find amid the twilight of the early settlements the nucleus of "Our Lady of Per- petual Help" congregation in 1858-1863. In the year 1858 Nic and Casper Meiers came to Arcadia from Roxberry, Wis. Within a few weeks Frank and Carl Zeller followed. The trip from Roxberry to Arcadia was made with oxen. The land they bought from the Government. Within the next year Peter Meyers, - - Remlinger, John Bill, and Mike Rohn came to Arcadia from the State of New York. These settlers were a part of the "Bishop Settlement." They went to church in Glencoe, where a little log church stood near what is now the Martin Reible Farm. There was no bridge across the Trempealeau River and it was difficult and at times impossible to cross the water. Besides the log church being too small to accommodate them all the Catholic settlers east of the Trempealeau River obtained per- mission from Most Rev. Henni, of Milwaukee, to organize a parish in

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Meyer's Valley. At that time the pioneer priest, Rev. Joerger, residing at Fountain City, Wis., occasionally forded the Trempealeau River, down near the John and Con Gleason homestead, to administer to the spiritual wants of the early settlers scattered south of the present village of Arcadia. A church building was an unknown luxury in those days in Trempealeau County. Priests, carrying the necessary paraphernalia on their shoulders. were compelled to use the home of some good and willing member of their scattered flock. Nic Meiers, of sturdy Teutonic blood, gladly offered his homestead in this locality. Thus the august sacrifice of mass was offered up in his humble home from 1864-1867. This house is still standing as a landmark out in Meyer's Valley, owned now by Ed. Haines and family.

In 1867 an apology of a church, seen for many years on Meyer's Valley Cemetery, was built under the direction of the Rev. Florentine Zadzioski of Pine Creek. The lumber was hauled with oxen from Merrillan, the timber cut from the neighboring forests and sized by hand. Besides this some members donated as high as $100-certainly a larger sum in those days than $1,000 today. The names of Peter Meyers, of the brothers Nicolaus and Casper Meiers, of Frank Zeller and Jerome O'Brien will ever live in memory of that undertaking. From 1867-1884 this humble little church witnessed the prayers and devotions sent to heaven by the pious and thrifty settlers. It never had a resident pastor, but was attended to from neighboring parishes. As in all new places, the changes of pastors were frequent. It was served as follows: Rev. L. Lay from Waumandee, 1870-1876; Rev. P. Schmidt from Glencoe, 1876-1880. (This reverend gentleman left this community for that part of the vineyard of the Lord known as St. Paul diocese, and being a personal friend of Dr. G. N. Hiders- hide visited here quite frequently. We were all sorry to hear that he died in the spring of 1917) ; Rev. Flamming from Glencoe, 1880-1881; Rev. J. Bauer, at present pastor at Prescott, 1881-1882; Rev. W. Hackner from Fountain City and Rev. L. Lay from Waumandee attended from 1882-1883 at intervals ; Rev. B. Klein, who died at Racine 1916, resided at Glencoe and had charge of Meyer's Valley as mission from 1883-1885.

In the meantime the village of Arcadia had sprung up on the marsh of the Trempealeau River and developed into the metropolis of Trem- pealeau County. Naturally Catholics of the village could not be expected to walk to Meyer's Valley, a distance of one and a half miles. The farmers, having outgrown the primitive condition of early settlers, were all well supplied with vehicles. The congregation, too, overtaxed the capacity of the little country church. Hence the conclusion was imminent that a new church must be erected and this in the village. Here ensued a most stub- born contest, threatening to disrupt the small flock. The farmers held tenaciously to their rustic idea, that every second farm should have a church at its door, and the villagers defended the theory that a church should be in the village; that the farmers could drive to church just as well as to market. Had the farmers then foreseen that within thirty years every one would drive to church and market per automobile, as they do today, they would not have been so obstinate. The good sense and judg- ment of the villagers finally prevailed, and certainly the community is

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much to be congratulated thereon. The present site in the village was picked and the old site turned into a cemetery, now called Meyer's Valley Cemetery, wherein lie the hallowed ashes of the past generation of Catholic settlers. It is a most enchanted spot, dotted with stately monuments, and graced with fragrant and beautiful evergreens and variegated flowers.

After the decision to move the church location to the site in the village work was begun on the erection of a building. This structure now has been remodeled into a residence for the sisters. This church cost the parishioners $6,000. On the first of January, 1885, the first services were held therein by Rev. B. Klein. By successfully supervising this building Rev. B. Klein had established on a solid basis the future of "Our Lady of Perpetual Help" congregation, and must therefore be classed as the father of the present parish. Starting with this data the record shows the baptism of Emil Krumholz, the marriage of Mary Zeller to Charles Wasserburger and the burial of Anthony Zeller to be the first extraordinary function per- formed in the newly established parish. The parish having now a proper beginning, its growth was to be only a matter of time. Rev. J. H. Untraut pastorated from 1885 to 1893. Having received charge of the parish he at once realized that Arcadia had overtaken Glencoe, and that the future of the church must be in the former place, so that instead of Glencoe being the parish and Arcadia the mission, Arcadia should be the parish and Glencoe the mission. In virtue of this he, June 9, 1888, established his residence at Arcadia. The minutes of the parish of July 31, 1888, show that the parish was incorporated and that John B. Haines and Nic Meiers were chosen as first trustees according to the acts of incorporation. On Dec. 8, 1890, it was decided that the old title of the parish, which was that of the Meyer's Valley Church, namely, "St. Peter and Paul," should be changed to the title "Our Lady of Perpetual Help." This change was made because Rev. Untraut had procured from Rome a copy of the miraculous picture of Our Lady of Perpetual Help. This picture has now been placed in a splendid shrine in the new church, and on account of its symbolic meaning and artistic beauty is highly treasured. Rev. Untraut established, in September of 1889, a good parochial school, bringing all kinds of sacrifices both in time and money ; in fact he paid a part of the teachers' salary from his own penurious income. He is now pastor at Sacred Heart Church, Eau Claire, Wis. Rev. A. Birsner was pastor from 1894 to 1896. During his pastorate a new school house was built at a cost of $2,800. It is much to be regretted that his health failed and he was compelled to resign. He is now pastor at St. Henry's Church, Highland, Wis. 'On July 5, 1896, he was succeeded by Rev. J. B. Hauck, who remained until Aug. 4, 1907.

Even in the early nineties it began to be realized that the parish would outgrow the dimensions of the church building, and remarks, calling for an addition, began to be heard. In August, 1899, the pastor called a meet- ing to consider either an addition or a new church building. Here the motion for a new church prevailed with an overwhelming majority. The building business was shelved, however, for an entire year on account of the ill health of the pastor. The year 1901 was spent in making building preparations. On March 10, 1902, the contract was awarded for the present

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church, and on May 3, 1903, the church was dedicated by Rt. Rev. James Schwebach, D. D., Bishop of La Crosse. The files of the Arcadia papers of that week carry a detailed description of the solemnity. There were about ten priests present and a large gathering of people filled the church. It was estimated that there were 2,000 people present.

On Aug. 4, 1907, Rev. J. B. Hauck was transferred to Menomonie (at . present he is pastor of St. Mary's, Wausau, Wis.), and was succeeded by his brother, Rev. Joseph L. Hauck from Neillsville. The latter, during his pastorate, liquidated the remaining indebtedness on the new church, and in the summer of 1909 erected, at a cost of $8,000, the beautiful parsonage. In 1912 he had the interior of the church frescoed, bought a new pipe organ and a new scagliola high altar, which were a further improvement of $7,000. The parish has not had a cent of debt for the last six years. Dur- ing the coming year 1918 a new school house and auditorium will be erected at an estimated cost of $30,000. A fund of $10,000 has already been col- lected and all the plans and specifications are on hand.

To this historical sketch may well be added a brief description of the property.

The site is a most beautiful one. The grounds comprise two and one- half acres and were procured from the early pioneer, James Gaveney. It is located three blocks south from the principal business center of the village, hence sufficiently removed from the distractions and annoyance of busy city life, yet near enough to avoid isolation. The grounds are about ten feet higher than the level of the street and surrounding lots, this giving it a prominence of sight and a splendid frontage. The sides of the elevation are terraced and neatly sloped to the level of the street and the plain of the hill is laid out in cement walks, in an extensive lawn and beautiful shade trees.

The church is a structure of stone and brick. The style of architecture is modern Romanesque. The floor plan represents a Roman cross and has a seating capacity of 800. The facade is flanked by two massive towers, the one seventy-five and the other one hundred and thirty feet high. Enter- ing the church one is impressed by the mildness of its light, by the fresh- ness of its woodwork, by the magnificence of its vaulted ceiling, the beauty and boldness of its triumphal arch and the richness of its frescoing. The cost of the church was $25,000. Anton Dohman of Milwaukee was the architect, and Henry Roetiger of Fountain City was the contractor. The congregation at present numbers 150 families. The English language is used throughout in sermons and instructions.

The school is under the able tutorship of the school sisters of Notre Dame, and the services of these worthy ladies is certainly much esteemed. The school is well graded throughout, consisting of the full eight grades. There are besides the regular curriculum, courses in singing, music, needle- work and domestic science. For manual training the boys go to the public school, which is nearby. The school is frequented by 180 pupils, divided into four rooms. Soon, however, two more teachers will be added. The proposed school building will be modern and up-to-date in every way, special attention has been given to ventilation, heat, light and fire protection. The

CATHOLIC CRURON ARDACIA Yna

REV. JOSEPH L. HAUCK

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halls and class rooms will be spacious and arranged with individual ward- robes and lockers. The auditorium will have a seating capacity of 600 and the stage will be large enough so that all the pupils can appear at one and the same time.

The parsonage is a beautiful two-story brick building. The interior is well arranged into twelve rooms, vestibule, halls and wardrobes. The finish throughout is oak and maple, and the walls are stained to match the woodwork. 1

The sisters' home is the old church, which was remodeled into a resi- dence. While not fancy or showy, the apartments are commodious and cheery. The total value of the parish property is estimated at $70,000.

To the parish are affiliated strong societies, such as the Knights of Columbus, with a membership of 140; the Catholic Order of Foresters, with a membership of 85; the Catholic Order of Women Foresters, with a membership of 45; St. Anne's Society of women, with a membership of 90; the Young Ladies' Sodality, with a membership of 75, and the Holy Name Society, with a membership of 245. In the parish have grown up two priests and fourteen sisters.

Rev. J. L. Hauck, the present pastor, was born at Cresco, Iowa, in 1877. After completing the primary school at St. Lucas, at the age of fourteen he began his classical course at St. Lawrence College, at Mt. Calvary, Wis. Completing this course, he entered the philosophical course at Dubuque College, graduating in 1898. Thence he went to St. Francis into the theological course and was ordained to the priesthood June 16. 1901. He was assistant at the Sacred Heart Cathedral, Superior. Wis., for one year, and in 1902 took charge of St. Mary's Parish, Neillsville, Wis. On Aug. 4, 1907, he was transferred to Arcadia. He has made many friends and commands the respect of both Catholics and Protestants. Many a civic celebration he enhanced by his eloquent and interesting speeches. He is an enterprising and public-spirited man. (Note .- This brief biography is inserted in Father Hauck's article by the editors. Deference to his mod- esty prevents the editors from dwelling more fully on his many activities, and upon the great influence which his devoted work and sterling worth are having upon the life of the community. This article on the church in Trempealeau County is in itself a striking encomium to his scholarship and ability .- F. C-W.)

St. Bridget's Parish, Ettrick, Wisconsin.

The early Catholic settlers in the southeastern part of the county. were few and widely scattered. Some lived in the town of Ettrick, some in the town of Gale and some in the town of Trempealeau. Being widely scattered, they never formed strong centers, such as we find in the towns of Arcadia, Dodge and Burnside. Having no parochial schools, prospective Catholic families who might otherwise have located there hesitated to do so. Hence the growth of the church in these three townships was not very rapid. Up to this day none of their parishes has sufficient means and a membership large enough to support a resident pastor without the

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assistance of some outside mission. None of them conduct a parochial school. For thirty-five years the priests residing at Ettrick had Gales- ville, Trempealeau and Roaring Creek as missions. Considering the dis- tances from one church to another and the condition of the roads, one can easily imagine the hardships endured by the priests in administering to their scattered flock. More than one priest imperiled his life. At present the condition has been somewhat improved by the fact that Trempealeau has a resident pastor with Galesville as a mission, and that the pastor of St. Bridget's Parish is only obliged to attend to the mission at Roaring Creek. The early settlers in the sixties had no church, but mass was offered occasionally in the homes of some of the Catholics by pioneer priests from St. Mary's Church, La Crosse, Wis. Among these is espe- cially remembered Rev. M. Marcoe. St. Bridget's Parish was organized by Rev. C. A. Gerst in 1869 and the first church was erected at a cost of $2,000 in 1870. On account of hardships connected with the work at St. Bridget's and its remote missions the good spirits of the pastors were put to such a test, and their health so greatly impaired, that many had to request their bishop for a change after serving but a short time. Thus St. Bridget's was blest with frequent changes of pastors. The list of pas- tors is as follows: Rev. C. A. Gerst, 1869-1870; Rev. Herman Kamph- schroer, 1870-71; Rev. Martin Connolly, 1871-72; Rev. Twohy, 1872-73; Rev. Chas. Gunkel, 1873-75; Rev. N. Flammang, 1875-77; Rev. N. White, 1877-80; Rev. J. B. Conroy, 1880-82; Rev. J. H. Neubrand, S. J., 1882-83; Rev. J. Harrier, 1883-84; Rev. J. J. Briene, 1884-89; Rev. Aug. Biersner, 1889-92; Rev. Daniel McElhaney, 1892-95; Rev. Telise Bryne, 1896-99; Rev. M. P. O'Connor, 1899-1905; Rev. M. A. Keegan, 1905-06; Rev. B. A. Enis, 1906-07; Rev. Jos. Colling, January, 1907-April, 1907; Rev. J. F. McGinnity, 1907-08; Rev. M. Morris, 1908-1911; Rev. J. J. Carden, May, 1911-November, 1911; Rev. Jos. Buschelmann, 1911-14; Rev. Peter Briody, 1914-17 ; Rev. Henry Engelhardt, O. M. I., since March, 1917. Among these special mention must be given to Rev. White and Rev. Felix Bryne, who greatly improved and renovated the dilapidated condition into which, through age, the property had sunk. In 1904 Rev. M. Mark O'Connor built a church at Galesville, and, for a time, it was thought that the future of the church in this section of the county would be in Galesville. Hence three pastors who followed Rev. O'Connor established their residence at Galesville and St. Bridget's became a mission. This, however, did not please the people of Ettrick. Greatly chagrined they took a determined stand against such a move. In time it did prove to the ecclesiastical authorities that the move to Galesville was impracticable, and in 1907 the residence of the pastor was re-established at Ettrick. This served to reunite the people of St. Bridget's and filled them with new hope and courage. Since then, under the administration of Rev. Briody, they erected a beau- tiful new church at a cost of $9,000. This church was completed in June, 1917. Unfortunately Rev. Briody did not see the full completion of the new church. On Feb. 5, 1917, he was found dead in his home. On the previous day, which was bitter cold, he attended a sick call twenty miles in the country through large snowdrifts. This overtaxing of himself is sup-

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posed to have been directly responsible for his death. By boarding up the windows it was possible to conduct his funeral from the new church. His remains rest in the cemetery to the left of the church.

St. Bridget's now counts 75 families or 220 souls. Now that they have an inviting church and are united the parish will see a period of great pros- perity and healthy growth.

The present pastor, Rev. Henry Engelhardt, is a native of Germany. He was born on Oct. 5, 1886, and ordained on July 9, 1911. He belongs to the congregation of Oblate Missionaries and spent five years as missionary in India. At the outbreak of the war he was interned by the English, for no cause other than that he was a German in an English colony. Being confined for two years in a detention camp, he was released upon the con- dition that he would leave English soil. Coming to the United States, he was appointed pastor of St. Bridget's Church. He is a man of great experi- ences, well versed in many languages, of energetic and courageous disposi- tion, yet kind and winning in his ways. He has made many friends in a short time and already done much for St. Bridget's Parish.

St. Michael's Parish, North Creek, Wisconsin.

Five miles northeast of the village of Arcadia, and about 100 yards from the highway leading into North Creek Valley, on a seven-acre tract is located St. Michael's Parish. In the spring of 1875 the parish was organized. Prior to that date the Polish settlers attended church at Glencoe and Meyer's Valley. The land for a church site they bought from Anton Sabotta. Some names of the organizers are: Albert Bautch, Laurence Bautch, Peter Sura, Anton Sabotta and Con Wiever. The first church was dedicated Oct. 6, 1875, by Most Rev. Heiss, archbishop of Milwaukee. The lumber for the church was hauled from Arcadia, and in doing so Mr. Sabotta lost his life, being thrown from his wagon into the Kamla Mill pond. Considering the means of the early settlers and the condition of the times their first church, which still stands and is used, was a credit to its members.

For a time St. Michael's was a mission, attended by the pastors of Pine Creek. Rev. H. Klimecki was pastor from 1876-82. Rev. D. Meyer 1882-85. During the next thirty-two years more than thirty different priests had charge of the pastorate. Among them might be mentioned Rev. Tomaszewski, 1885-86; Rev. Guzoski, 1886-87; Rev. Dutkiewicz 1887-90 ; Rev. A. Kroll, 1890-92; Rev. Frydrychowycz, 1893-96; Rev. Siwiek, 1896-99; Rev. Rayski and the present pastor, Rev. Micisc.

In 1910 the parish had about 120 families, a good school and was in flourishing condition. But then came a crisis which greatly lessened the membership. After the destruction of their school house by fire in the spring of 1909 very many members were opposed to the erection of a school in North Creek, and in favor of changing the location of the church to the village of Arcadia. The families living in the valleys south and west of the church claimed that they had just as near, if not nearer, on

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the highway to Arcadia as to North Creek, and knowing the advantages of a church property in a village to retired farmers they were determined to have their plan carried out. The families in the immediate vicinity of St. Michael's opposed such a move. This led to a division of the parish. Some sixty farmers left St. Michael's and started the new St. Stanislaus Parish in Arcadia. Being greatly weakened in members the remnant did not abandon the future of St. Michael's, bringing great sacrifices, they sus- tained the parish. They erected a new school house in 1910, and have made since then great improvements on the church. The present church is the first one that was erected, but from time to time, as demands required, additions were made. In its renovated dress it makes a pleasing appearance.

The present pastor was born in Galicia in 1861. He was ordained in Leonberg, Galicia, in 1884. He spent much of his pastoral life in attending to city parishes, but finds it more congenial to his declining years in a rural district. He has done much good work at North Creek and is well- liked by his people.

St. Peter's and St. Paul's Parish, Independence, Wisconsin.

The most valuable church property in this section of Wisconsin is to be found one-fourth mile north of the village of Independence. and is that of St. Peter's and St. Paul's Congregation. In the beginning of the last half of the nineteenth century quite a number of Catholic families had arrived from Poland and formed two neighboring settlements, just as they, in the old country, had come out of two neighboring villages. One settlement was made in the territory that surrounds what is now known as North Creek, the other in the territory that is now known as the district surrounding Independence (at that time there was no village of Indepen- dence and no train service). One of the very first thoughts of a Catholic settler is, "what about church facilities ?" and therefore these settlers at once organized themselves into two parishes. For the site of St. Peter's and St. Paul's parish a ten-acre tract had been donated by Geo. H. Mark- ham. This was in the year 1875. Rev. Klimecki, then pastor of Pine Creek, administered to their spiritual wants and also assisted them in the building of the first church. At the same time Rev. Klimecki had charge of the erection of the church of St. Michael's at North Creek. The church at North Creek was dedicated Oct. 6, 1875, by Rt. Rev. M. Heiss, and on the following day, October 7, St. Peter's and Paul's Church was dedicated. Rev. Klimecki had told the members of these two settlements that as soon as a parsonage would be erected in either of these localities a resident pastor would be appointed. In the following year on March 8, 1876, Rev. Klimecki himself moved from Pine Creek to North Creek, that settlement being the first to erect a parsonage, and consequently St. Peter's and St. Paul's Parish became a mission attached to North Creek. This arrangement continued until March 19, 1883, when St. Peter's and St. Paul's had erected their own parsonage and Rev. A. Warnagiris became

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History of Trempealeau County, Wisconsin, Part 112

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Pierce, Eben Douglas Publication date: 1917 Publisher: Chicago Winona : H.C. Cooper Number of Pages: 1318

Author: Curtiss-Wedge, Franklyn; Pierce, Eben Douglas
Publication date: 1917
Publisher: Chicago Winona : H.C. Cooper
Number of Pages: 1318