Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1886-06-21

VI you are indebted for the opportunity o.
Yours Truly,
MOSES NJ. STRONG.
Geo. G. Hough, of New Richmond.
Wis, wrote as follows:
DEAR SR;-As l hauled the joists and other
heavy timber in st. Thomas Church from Hongh's
mill with fine yoke of oxen some of which "a .
Right Reverend Bishop Loras helped me 10 mn.
ioau. and the rest Peter COyle better known as
squire Coyle, helped me 10 unload. and as NV
IaIhliy were among the early pillars of the church.
assure you II would give me no little pleasure
TO be present with you and other old friends ON
that occasion, but as much as desire it, and the
great pleasure. it would give me to take my son
ASA lthe child of her who was Harriet Sweeney
ana snow hlmthe church where his father and
mother and friends worshipped circumstances
make II impossible. If | had time would like
70 write Few recollections of the early church
ana blshops Loras and Henni and Father Cause
and OF other people, and to see YOU, NV old
irlenQs Messrs. Seaton and Coons. and each MEM
Der or ST. Thomas Church. and indeed all the
good people of the place where a norton of INV
early life was spent would give me the greatest,
pleasure. aim, most respectfully,
GEO C. HoUeH..
From Mr.. Lords letter we extract
the following:
II have received your card of invitation 10 he
present with youan others at Potosi on the 17th
aay OF june, and take part in communicating
tne event OF the nftieth anniversary of the or
ganizatfon OF st. Thomas Roman Catholic church
at fotosa L thank you. gentlemen for vour
KIND remembrance of me on this occasion as
one OF your former neighbors and one of the
helgnoofs OF ST. Thomas Roman Catholic church
at Fotosh were it possible, should be with
you, ana esteem it great privilege. / was first
IN Potosl in the summer OF 1888, and moved there
and made it my home in May. 1912. remaining
tnere till May, 1853 With the citizens of Potosi,
n lnHf % M
church members. had many friends many Of
whom remain to this day. / regret that Il am
not able to meet and greet you on the nth"
Miss frankie NJ. Woods, of 713 Sny-
der Ave-, Philadelphia, wrote to Mr.. c.
kaltenbach as follows:
My DEAR GoDFArHER:-I received an invita-.
lion TO attend the fftieth anniversary of ST.
THOMAS Catholic Church, few DAYS ago, and
write you line of thanks. / should dearly love
TO attend, but the distance makes that an impos-
slolllty hope everything will go off nicely, and
managed by such committee have no doubt of
its success. The coming celebration would have
been gala day for our dear dead, my grand
mother, father and mother, and my good god
snare In your prayers, / remain,
Your affectionate granddaughter.
FRANcEsM. WOODS,
Mr. Seaton then delivered the following
AiAoIOhlCAL ADDhESSs
Fifty years have scarcely elapsed since
the first organization of St Thomas
Catholic church in Potosi. Already the
shadowy wing of Time is falling upon
its early events, and hurrying into OBJ
livion the very names of its founders
and first COMMITMENTS. ut is wisdom
in man to give voice to time" to estab-
fish milestones and epochs along its fast
frightening course. With this thought in
view, that the names and works of our
fathers may not be wholly forgotten, the
citizens OF Potosi, throwing aside all the
moldy heirlooms of bias and prejudice,
and the sectarian and-political animosi-
ties which ages of ignorance have handed
down to them as inestimable treasures.
they have resolved as people of one kim
dred and nation to gather up the frag-
ments' of their towns history, in cele-
brating one of its most noted and early
events, the organization of st. Thomas
Catholic church.
OF its early membership which met to
celebrate mass in the village of Van
Buren, (Potosi was then in embryo, un-
built and umamed) some time in the
year 1886, only Celestin Kaltenbach. the
venerable and honored president of the
day, survives at the age of rs years. All
the others have passed away. or if liv-
ing, are sojourning in other lands and
places, gray-haired men and women,
verging on the farthest limits of time.
Peter Coyle, John Tobin, Michael Law
Ter, men whom the present generation
will remember and respect, who were
active supporters of the church in its
early days, have finished their work and
are now reaping the reward of their
labors in another world
From 1886 to 1910 the church seems
to have had no resident priest and was
dependent upon the services of mission
aries who came or were sent from time
to time to celebrate mass and commune
with the people. Marriages and bap-
tisms were occasionally performed by
Father Matthias Loras, Bishop of Du-
buque. and Father Samuel Mazzuchelli.
InSi1apt ,,rina+ of q lana ,,vlo,.1 ~ ,,.,1x.,.,I