Daily Democrat, Volume 3, Number 165, Decatur, Adams County, 24 July 1905 — Page 2

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unknown in this section, but at the present time Catholics are among the foremost of its citizens, many of them occupying responsible and distinguished positions. Very few dwelling hom es could be found at the early date of the founding of the city, those of Jacob Huffer, S. L. Rugg, J. Reynolds, Veilerand James Niblick being among the first. _ The follow ing year I*>7 marked the arrival of some of its first H Catholics, namely: Henry Dierkes, Henry Minter, Anthony Kohne and Bernard Holthouse. In 1838 George Fettich, John Mueller, George Spoiler, Timothy Coffee, John Closs and Henry Will also came to settle in this almost uninhabited and uncultivated region. The little cJlony of Catholics by this time attracted the attention of pioneer missionary priests. Father Mueller, in the spring of 1838, celebrated the first mass in Decatur in the house of George Fettich. Two years later, in 1840, Henry Heideman and Henry Grutzkamp arrived and in 1841 the John Meiber family came. Father Hamion was the second Catholic priest that came to minister to the spiritual wants of the little flock. It was be who on January 10, 1844, solemnized the first Catholic marriage, viz: that of Timothy Coffee and Margareth Mueller. The first Catholics baptised at Decatur were Minnie Holthouse, who later became the wife of Conrad Brake: and Mary Closs the wife of Peter Holthouse. The third priest was Father Joseph Rudolph, who undertook the arduous task of collecting funds for the erection of a small house of worship. He was assisted in this by Timothy Coffee who collected $75.00; and by Anthony Kohne and John Closs who collected *200.00 at Cincinnati. In 1842 the Catholic cemetery in the southern part of the city was purchased. The fourth priest was Father Moncina, who after a very brief stay, was succeeded by Father E. M. Faller. In 1846 Father Faller began to erect the old frame church. The initiative steps towards the erection of this church were made by the Npullers. who hauled with oxen the heavy timbers through the deep mud. Vp to this time the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was celebrated in the Fettich house, in the Closs tvvern and in the old court house. About this time Father J. Benoit oc asionally visited Decatur to say mass, to preach in the English and French latguages, and to attend the sick. The first churchbell was purchased by Father Faller at a cost of 860.00. It was shipped by canal from Cincinnati to Ft. Wayne and from there transported overland to Decatur. Father Faller next purchased three more church lots which now made the congregation the possessor of half a block. The struggling little flock was making great efforts and bright prospects were in view for them in the future. Father B. H. Schulties, the sixth priest was the first pastor permanently located at Decatur. In 1852 he built the first parochial residence. Unfortunately, however, for the congregation, he was removed in the month of August 1856, to take up more important labor in other fields. From August 1856, until June 1857. Fathers Faller and Rudolph again paid visits to St. Mary’s congregation. From June 1857 to May 1858, Father Sebastian Gontez officiated. After him, in 1858, came Father M. Schneider, who remained only a few months, but was immediately succeeded by Father Jacob Greyer, who remained until September 1862. Previous to this time two missions were held. The first one was conducted by Father Andrew Kunkier, C. PP. 8., in 1857; and the second by Father F. X. Wenninger, S. J., in 1859. From September 1862 to January 1865, Father Meyer and Father Heikmann of St. Mary’s church, Ft. Wayne, came regularly to attend to Decatur. In January 1865, Father Julius Becks was appointed to De atur and remained only one year. After he left, the congregation was without a pastor for about eight months. In the fall of 1865, Father John Wemhoff came and remained until the month of September in 1872. Father Wemhoff contemplated the erection of a suitable house of God and for this reason his zeal prompted him to take up a subscription for a brick church. He was removed however, before he could realize the wishes of his heart shortly before he had the foundation of the present structure completed. Father F. Von Schwedler was appointed to succeed Father Wem. hoff. He continued the work begun by his predecessor and during his five years’ pastorate the present beautiful St. Mary’s church was reared. Father J. Nusbaum succeeded him as pastor and remained here until July 1880. The beginning of a greater future began to dawn upon St. Mary’s congregation. God in His Divine Providence had great things in store for His people in Decatur. Out of the little struggling flock a great congregation of Catholics was destined to arise. The instrument in the hands of Almighty God to accomplish these things was provided for by the arrival of Rev. H. Theodore Wilken on July 23, 1880, who now has completed twenty-five long years of hard and zealous labor in the vineyard of Christ at Decatur. During hie pastorate here he has not only been engaged in gently leading souls to God, but he has also been greatly interested in the temporal welfare of the people intrusted to his care. A debt of about 85,000 still rested upon the congregation, but this caused him no fears, for by his efforts it soon was liquidated. The characteristic, near and dear to the heart of every Catholic priest, Catholic education, emphatically and substantially asserted itself already in the first year of Father Wilken’s pastorate. He firmly believed that the mind of the child could not be educated without at the same time instilling religion into its heart. He was fully convinced that education without religion was no education at all, but simply a farce. He moreover was convinced in his mind that the child must have pleasant surroundings And healthy rooms wherein to study, if satisfactory results were to be expected. Acting upon his conviction, he at once began the erection of a building, thus substituting the old frame school house by the new and more modern brick structure which now

A- - twenty one miles south of Ft. Wayne, on the western banks of the meandering St. Mary’s river, is situated the quaint but beautiful city of Decatur. Its population at present numbers forty-five hundred. The little town, first platted in 1836 by Samuel L. Rugg, John Reynolds, and Joseph Johnson, has steadily advanced and now has grown to be one of the most prosperous and enterprising cities of Indiana. When the city was first founded, catholicity was practically

yig ■ p_! ' r — I Or AH •.. ■vja Ik St. MARY'S CHURCH occupies the corner of Fifth and Madison streets. Up to this time the schools were taught by lay teachers, but in 1881 Father Wilken procured, from Fon du Lac, Wis., the Sisters of St. Agnes, who have up to the present time successfully accomplished the tedious task of imparting a thorough and sound Catholic education to our Catholic children At first these good sisters resided in a small house on North Fourth street, but later on removed to the Wemhoff property at the corner of Fourth and Monroe streets. It became evident that it would be a saving to the congregation if a permanent residence for the sisters were established. Accordingly it was decided to erect a new parsonage and for the time being the sisters made their home in the house vacated by the pastor. Therefore, in 1885, Father Wilken began the erection of the new pastor’s residence which now faces West Fourth street. The building was erected at a coat of 87,000.00. The work, thus far so successfully accomplished, did not escape the cognizance of the ecclesiastical superiors of the diocese. A great honor was bestowed upon Father Wilken as well as upon St. Mary's parish, when in 1888 the Rt. Rev. Bishop Dwenger elevated this congregation to the rank of an irremovable rector)' and appointed Father Wilken its first irremovable rector. A few years afterwards it was obvious that more school-rooms were needed for the accomodation of our children. It was then concluded that it would be best to remove the unsightly residence occupied by the sisters and to erect instead a more modern structure. In 1893 Father Wilken began the erection of the present sister's house, comprising twelve rooms and thereto added two spacious school rooms. Here especially he displayed his deep interest in the advance ment of the congregation over which he had been placed. Day after day he could be seen mounting the scaffold to work side by side with the carpenters until the building was completed. Now that he saw ■F ■ ” St. JOSEPH’S SCHOOL. the sisters and children fully provided for, he turned his attention to the church. He was desirous to see the church adorned as becomes the house of God, for when he first came the interior of the church was devoid of all ornamentation. Consequently, in 1895. he had the interior of the church frescoed at a cost of §900.00. Later on the present altar of the Sorrowful Mother was purchased and gradually various artistic statues w-ere added. Whilst the entire congregation was deeply interested in its own

advancement, yet there was one who in a special manner subs: lv aided Father Wilken in his various undertakings. This man of such I none other than the departed Henry Dierkes, whoss I ■ - ■ ohe heart. Besides i maindoi efundf rths sisters' home and school, ... ... present- d I u <ongn-gatj-m With the beautiful chandelier now m the I , !,urci> the pedestal upon which the statue of the Immaculate Heart I of Mary rests, and various other gifts. In 1*94 it was deemed advisable to open a new < atholic cemetery, I for the citv had grown so rapidly that the old one was within the city I limits. Forty acres of ground were purchased west of the city it » | cost of fiftv dollars per acre Twenty acres of these were laid out f r bury ing lots and trees and shrubbery, planted so that today this con- II gregation may be proud of their beautiful < ity of the dead. M - Uh | Hart was the first woman laid to rest within the new cemetery, whilst n Mr. Peter Hess was the first man over whom a little mound of earth was first raised. The congregation bettan to assume such proportions that Father Wilken was no longer able to perform all the work required of him. Hence in 1*96 the first assistant priest, in the person of Father Blum, was appointed to assist him in bis parochial duties. The following year (1897 -a great event in the life of Father Wilken was celebrated. On the ninth of November, of that year, twen-tv-five years had elapsed since his elevation to the priesthood. This jubilee was made a day of joy and happiness for Father Wilken. The members of the congr a gation vied with each other to do honor to thesr pastor, and his brother priests from far and near came to show their respect and offer congratulations. In 1898 the new' pipe organ, which is doing service at the present time, was installed at a cost of 82.500.00. Two years ago, in 19u3. a new steam heating plant was installed for the church, school, parsonage and sisters' house at a cost of 85,400.00, and in 19V4 the electric lights were pnt into all the buildings at a cost of 8600.00. Today Nt. Mary's is one of the most complete parishes in the diocese of Ft Wayne. It standsan honor to God and a credit to the city; it is the pride of the Catholic population, and a monument that be»j>eak* the zeal and untiring labors of our beloved pastor, Father H. Theodore Wilken.

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