Page:History of Southeast Missouri 1912 Volume 1.djvu/510

 450 HISTORY OF SOUTHEAST MISSOURI Derbraak. The first church building was of logs, but it was soon replaced by a large frame building. The second Catholic church in Cape Gir- ardeau was the German church. It had been the desire of the German families in the town to have a separate organization and in 1858 J. Meyer and J. Goetz were appointed as a committee to consult with Archbishop Ken- rick as to the advisability of establishing a separate congregation for German speaking Catholics. All that was accomplished at the time was the purchase of a lot b.y ten men who were interested in the establishment of the new church. Nothing more was done toward the organization until after the close of the war. The delay probably would not have taken place, had it not been for the dif- ficulties that arose at that time, occasioned by the war itself. In 1867 Father Rainerius Diekneite began an agitation for building of the church. The priest of St. Vincent's at that time was Fa- ther L. C. Meyer. He gave to the subject of building all the weight of his influence, and a new building committee was appointed, composed of J. Lansman, Charles Fuerth. J. Schwepker, H. Sander and J. Goetz. This committee purchased a lot on Frederick street for $650, and the work of erecting the building was begun March 25, 1868. The building cost $14,000. A schoolhouse for the parochial school was l>uilt in 1882, and the priest's residence in 1885. The school has been conducted by Sisters of the Order of St. Francis. The pastors of this parish have been Rev. J. Herde, Rev. Gells, Rev. W. Hins- sen, Rev. J. Schmidt, Rev. S. Kleiser, Rev. W. Sonnonschein, Rev. Francis Willmer, and Rev. E. Pruente. Father Pruente has been in charge of the parish since December 30, 1881, and his labors have been unusually suc- cessful. The church now has a large member- ship. The church of St. Augustine was organ- ized at Kelso in 1878. The members of the organization had formerly belonged to the church at New Hamburg. Immediately after the organization, a frame building was erected and used for a number of years, then super- seded by the present brick structure. The St. John's church at Leopold has more than 600 communicants, and has maintained a school since 1872. In 1870 a church was built at Farmington and a congregation of about twenty families organized by Henry Milsepen, who was the German vicar-general. For a time there was no resident priest, the first one being Rev. John Daley. He had charge of the church at French Village also. For a period of about ten years Farmington and Iron Jloun- tain parishes were united under the care of the same priest. About 1885 the church at Farmington had grown so as to require the services of a priest for all the time. The church has a good brick building and a school building also. The first Catholic church at Bonne Terre was built by Father Daley, the land having been given by members of the Whilebon fam- ily. The church was not conveniently lo- cated, however, being at a distance from the town. In 1881 the Desloge Lead Company gave a lot, upon which a brick building was erected, at a cost of $3,000. Rev. E. J. Demp- sey was the first resident priest, and the prin- cipal work of establishing the churcli was performed by Father M. C. Walsh. Through his exertions a fine school building was erected in 1885, and a priest's residence a few years later. Father Walsh was a native of Ireland, but came with his parents to America in in- fancy. His parents determined to fit him for