Dubois County, Indiana - Chapter 16: Church History of Dubois County, 1910 (part 2 of 2)

The history of this church began in 1843, when the Rev. H. Koeneke and the Rev. C. Muth came to Dubois county as ministers. H. H. Fennemann, who lived about four miles from Huntingburg, was the first one to welcome them to his home. About the same time, they began to hold services at the house of H. W. Katterjohn, at Zoar, and a few German families who were living there joined the church. A congregation was organized and a church building erected in 1858, It was known as the Central Methodist Episcopal church and stood northeast of Holland. However, most of its members finally found homes in and around ' ' Kunz-town , ' ' now known as Holland. In 1880, a new church was erected at Holland, but in a few years it was destroyed by a tornado. The house was re-built. This congregation is in a very prosperous condition. It has a good Sunday school and an Epworth League. In 1907, a modern parsonage was erected at Holland. The Zoar Methodist Episcopal church and this church are served by the same pastors. The trustees include these well known citizens: Herman Hemmer, Henry Rothert, Wm. Blesch, John Fennemann, and Ernst Werremeyer. The church property is valued at $3,000. The membership is one hundred forty-three. These are among the members: The families of Kunz, Hemmer, Fennemann, Feldwisch, Wibbeler, Wellemeyer, Steinkamp, and others, all most excellent citizens.

The present German Evangelical Lutheran St. Jacobi's church was built during the years 1874 and 1875, and was dedicated in the year 1876. The edifice is a neat structure of brick and cost about $5,000. The corner stone was laid (the exact date is not known) in the year 1S74, by the pastor of the congregation, the Rev. D. J. Warns, assisted by the Rev. Wm. Bauermeister,

The congregation was organized about twenty years before in Pine Grove, Furnace, Ohio. The constitution was framed and adopted on the 4th of November, 1 85 1. Thefirst subscribers were: Henry Finke, Henry Meyer, Henry Schlottman, Christian Henke, and Henry I^ippoldt and after these men came to this new region, the few families soon followed them.

Their first pastor and founder was the Rev. Wm. Bauermeister, who served the congregation from 1852 to 1857. There was no church edifice. Services were held in a room on the farm of Herman Niehaus.

In the year 1853, Mr. Henry B. Kamman and some of the members built a church of logs, which cost $65.00. Holland was then a dense forest and these pioneers had to undergo many hardships, but their unswerving faith gave them strength, and to-day this congregation, which began with a rude log cabin, is in a flourishing condition. Besides the pretty brick church building, it has a parsonage and a parochial school building, each of which cost over a thousand dollars. From ten to twelve members it has grown to nearly three hundred. Much of this progress is due to the present pastor, the Rev. A. Popp. These seven pastors have served the congregation since its existence up to the present time: Rev. Wm. Bauermeister, from 1852 to 1857; Rev. Frederick Eppling, from 1857 to i860; Rev. F. A. Graetz, from 1861 to 1865; Rev. D. J. Warns, from 1865 to 1878; Rev. W. LFisher, from 1878 to 1882; Rev. G. Loewenstein, from 1882 to 1900; Rev. A. Popp, from 1900 to .

Evangelical Augustana Church At Holland

The Evangelical Augustana Congregation was organized with thirteen families on August 28, 1881, at Holland. J. H. Meyer, H. H. Eggers, G. H. Meyer, and H. J. Meyer were its first trustees. In 1882, the congregation erected a church and joined the "German Evangelical Synod of North America." In 1900, a parsonage was purchased. The property of the congregation is worth about $3,000. There are thirty members. This church founded St. Paul's church at Duff. The following ministers have served: Rev. Val. Ziemer, 1881-1889; Rev. H. Juergens, 1889-1897; Rev. G. Nussmann, 1897-1899; Rev. J. Varwig, 1899-1902; Rev. J. Wullschleger, 1902-1904; Rev. J. Bryse, 1904-1907; and Rev. Ph. Frohne, 1907,

This church is located about one mile north of Holland. It was organized December 26, 1845, and the first services were held in the new church building in 1 846. The first pastor was the Rev. Wm. Hunderdrosse. Among the organizers of this church were John Rothert, George Meyerholtz, Herman Weitkamp, John Steinkamp, and John Overbeck.

The corner-stone of the present church was laid April 4, 1869, and the dedication occurred, October 10, 1869. It was repaired in 1905. The seating capacity is three hundred fift3\ There is a parsonage, a private school house, and forty acres of land. The property is valued at $4,000. Fiftytwo families worship here.

The early services of this congregation were held at residences of its members, but about 1842 the congregation was organized. A "Sabbath Seminary" had been organized previous to 1845. A church building was erected in 1854. At present, the property is valued at $800, and in 1908 there were forty members.

Christ. Garman, Wm. Cooper, John M. Kemp, Green A. Kemp, James Meyers, Jacob Garman, and Jefferson Norris were early trustees. In 1908, the trustees were W. F. Kemp, N. J. Kemp, John Wibbeler, Milton Griffin, and Sylvester Ellis.

Among the ministers who have served this congregation may be mentioned the following, but not necessarily in the order named: Geo. W. Walker, James Corwine, Nisbet, Levi Gifford, Aaron Song, David Morten,

This is one of the oldest church organizations in Dubois county, dating from 1832. In the beginning members permitted the use of their residences for services. In 1875 the present church building, valued at $1,200, was erected. There were, in 1908, thirty-three members, with a Sunday school class of twenty-five. The trustees in 1908 were C. C. Stone, J. W. Kemp, and Robert Kemp.

Among some of the first ministers were Aaron Farmer, Lyman Chittenden, Jacob Schammerhorn, and Isaac Haskins. Henry Brooner, J. R. Stone, and Wm. Hendrickson were early trustees.

The list of men who have served this congregation as ministers is a long and honorable one. Among the names appear those of Silas Davis, Wm. L. Demumbrum, John Richardson, Jas. W. Fowler, James Demumbrum, Hiram Lashbrook, J. D. Current, Thomas Bell, Ed. Snyder, J. W. Gilley, A. A. Condo, John Winklepleck, Wm. Rosenberger, J. T. Hobson, Wm. Hobson, Morton Hobson, Wm. Grayhill, John Elliott, Isaac Heistand, James Jamison, Wm. Green, E. Thomas, M. C. Patterson, and Felix Demumbrum, though not in the order named.

Commenting upon the church history in the neighborhood of Mt. Zion and Mt. Vernon, John W. Kemp, a prominent citizen of the locality, says: "The preaching places when I was a boy were at the Enlow's, Hiram Cook's, Cup Creek; Henry Kemp's, Wm, Hendrickson' s. Pleasant Hill (Warrick county); Rockport, Grandview Dale, Air's settlement near Mariah Hill (Spencer county); and at Tunison's (Perry county). Ministers preached for the good of the souls of men and held protracted services during harvest. There was no church structure in the neighborhood. The log school house on the farm of Henry Kemp was used as a meeting house by both the United Brethren in Christ and the Methodists. Bishop Daniel Shuch was a noted pioneer minister of the Mt. Vernon class."

St. Henry S Catholic Church, St. Henry

The St. Henry congregation was organized in 1862 by Rev. Chrysostoma Foffa. At that time it consisted of twenty-five families, who after a strong effort completed the building of a neat stone church. From 1863 to 1871, Rev. Benedict Brunet, from St. Meinrad, visited the mission. From 1871 to 1878, the O. S. B. fathers either from St. Meinrad or Mariah Hill visited St. Henry regularly. From November, 1878, to August, 1879, Rev. B. H. Kintrup of Huntingburg had charge. Rev. Pius Boehm then attended until January, 1880, when he was appointed the first resident pastor of St. Henry's church. He was followed in 1885 by Rev, W. Wack and the following pastors in the order named: Rev. Unversagt, Rev. F. Segmuller, Rev. Koesters, Rev. J. Ziegenfuss, Rev. Hundt, Rev. Fichter, Rev. P. Hommes, and Rev. Joseph Schoeigman.

The congregation has good church property valued at $6,000 and its parochial schools have been in charge of Benedictine sisters, practically continuously since 1881. Eighty families, embracing four hundred fifty people, worship at St. Henry's. July 15th is patron day of the church.

St. Ferdinand'S Catholic Church, Ferdinand

This congregation was founded by the Rev. Joseph Kundeck, and more extended mention is made of its early history in the chapter devoted to the life and character of Father Kundeck. Divine services were first held at Ferdinand on April 22, 1S40, eleven families then forming the congregation. A log church was built in 1840, and a year later a larger log church was erected.

On May 30, 1847, Rev. Joseph Kundeck laid the cornerstone for a new stone church. The church was completed in 1848. From 1839 to 1853 secular priests attended at Ferdinand. In 1853, the Benedictine fathers took charge. Among the secular priests were Fathers Opperman, Meinkmann, Fischer, Doyle, Contin, Peters, and Stapp. Among the Benedictine fathers may be mentioned Fathers Christen, Hobi, Schlumpf, and Foffa. Perhaps the one best and longest known was the Rev. P. Eberhardt Stadler, O. S. B., who served from 1 87 1 until the day of his death, June 28, 1898.

Father Eberhardt was born February i, 1830, in Switzerland and there received his education. He was ordained in 1857 and came to America in 1869. From 1870 to 1 87 1 he served at St. Anthony.

In the death of Father Eberhardt his church lost an able, independent, influential, and honorable member, who by his labors endeared himself to his associates, and

The history of this church at Ferdinand is one of continued progress and improvement. Each year finds new improvements and enlargements. This church is well supplied with all the sacred vestments and vessels necessar\- for its use.

The handsome stone church, the brick parsonage, brick school houses, brick chapels, brick convents, fine farms and other properties, worth several hundred thousand dollars, are kept in the best of condition.

Since the death of Father Eberhardt, Father John B. Scharno has had charge. This congregation is one of the largest in Dubois county; practically all of Ferdinand township worship here. For many years Prof. John B. Muller was organist and teacher.

On June 19, 1870, St. Ferdinand's church was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Luers of Ft. Wayne. On June 3, 1876, the corner stone for the "Chapel-of-the-Seven-Dolors" was laid by Abbot Martin. The same was blessed by P. Prior Fintan on March 23, 1S77. Up to 1867 the Sisters of Providence had charge of the school. Since then the Benedictine sisters have had charge. Their chapel was blessed Jul)' ii, 1870, and on Januarj' 21, 1S71, their convent was blessed. The convent of the Immaculate Conception is one of the greatest Catholic institutions in Indiana and it is closelj' related to the St. Ferdinand's church - in fact it is a child of the church.

Perhaps the most deeply religious organization in the county outside of the churches proper is the "Convent of the Immaculate Conception" at Ferdinand. This convent, combined with the "Academic Institute," was founded by the Benedictine sisters of Covington, Kentucky, of which order, three sisters, under the guidance of Mother Benedicta, arrived near the site of the present edifice, August 20, 1867. They occupied the l5uilding previously erected as the dwelling for the sisters, but spared no efforts to improve the humble home so as to include a handsome chapel, and other aids. The chapel was blessed by the Rev. Bede O'Connor, O. S. B., July Ti, 1870.

Mother Benedicta was an able and energetic woman imbued with the spirit of fortitude, and it was by such that the sisters were enabled to begin the erection of their present home in 1883. This edifice built under the auspices of Mother Agatha is located on a hill just east of Ferdinand. Without its additions, the original building was one hundred sixty feet by one hundred eighty-six. The convent proper includes a court, which is partly occupied by the chapel. The original building was completed in 1887.

A short distance from the convent stood St. Joseph's Home, which has been discontinued. It was a charitable institution and received the aged and infirm.

Various missions have been opened by the Benedictine sisters, and a number of public and parochial schools are conducted by them. With the exception of Indianapolis, and a few other places their labor is confined to southern Indiana, the schools of which reap the benefits of these teachers. Standing on the steps of the Convent of the Immaculate Conception, at the proper hour, and looking over the broad expanse of farm land one can almost feel the spiritual significance of the great painting - "The Angelus. ' '