The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-15
Hist0ry0f st. Andrews Parish
The Church Has Had a Remarkable Growth and
Is Now One Of the Largest In Eastern Lndiana-
The Church Was Burned Down Few Years Ago

the city limits burials had to be sus-
pended about 1866. This plot is now
known as "Chatard Addition to the
City of Richmond
Father Scope left Richmond in Sep
TENDER. 1866, and died at Madison, In
diana, July Is, 1903. His memory is
still in benediction among the German
Catholics of Richmond, St. Joseph's
society especially revering him as it's
founder.
Father Scopes successor was the
Rev. Ferdinand Hundt During his
pastorate the spire was built and a peal
OF bells and a tower clock installed
at a cost of $11 900 and the interior Of
the church was also greatly enhanced.
Among other improvements made by
him was the identifying of the ceme-
terry, including the erection of cruel
fixion group in stone. designed and ex-
ecuted by Joseph Sibbel, of New York,
entailing an expense of $1,000. Father
Hundt was gentleman of rare culture
and refined tastes, gifted pulpit Or
ator and a prolific writer of both verse
and prose, mostly of a religious ma
ture and in the German tongue. He
died at st. Louis, December 3, 1897,
and was buried in st. Andrews ceme-
terry. being the first priest to be inter-
red there.
[ Owing to the stringent times of the
early seventies, the debt of the parish
had greatly increased and it was inn
perative that the pastor that was to
take Father Hundt's place in 1877 be
a good church man but at the same
time a man of affairs. These two
qualities were aptly combined in the
Rev. Henry J. Seibertz. His arrival
inspired the Pensioners with new
hope and soon several thousand dol
lars were raised to pay off the most
pressing debts. He was greatly aided
in his efforts by Bernard Pardieck and
the late Joseph Rainier, who advanced
large sums at various times. He also
inaugurated savings bank plan,
which not only greatly relieved the
church treasury, but also redounded to
the benefit of. the parishioners. Dur
ing the second year of his passionate
the school building was enlarged to its
present size, and the commodious par
sonage erected in 1885 at cost of
81 600. His next care was the beautify-
ing of the church, installing costly
pipe organ. beautiful main altar, new
pews, etc, and having the church
/! frescoed.
During the pastorate of Father Sci
bertz, which extended over twenty-one
years, it is estimated that sum in
excess of $4,000 was expended in the
payment of debt, interest and for i'm
provements. The Rev. Seibertz died
January %, 1898, sincerely mourned
by all his people, and his name is still
a household word in hundreds OF
homes, and his influence for good in
this community will be lasting.
His successor was the Rev. John j.
Macke, whose health, however, was
unequal to the demands of the large
parish and so, after stay of less than
a year. he resigned, and was succeed
ed by the present pastor, the Rev.
Frank A. Roell, who came to Rich
mond, April %, 1899.
i On the night Of August Is. 1900 a
great calamity befell the congregation
in the total destruction of it's beauti-
full church. During the Vesper ser
vices heavy thunderstorm was rag
/, ing and shortly after the last wor-
shippers had left the building it was
struck by lightning. and in little more
than an hour the massive pile was a
heap of ruins. The very next day,
however, a meeting was held by the
parish counselors in the shadow OF
the blackened walls, and the first
steps were taken toward rebuilding
the church. On September 5 plans
calling for building 60 by 165 feet
with a width of IS feet in the trans
cept. were adopted, and on October 2G
the contract for the same was award
ed. Ground for the new structure was
broken November 2. and the corner
stone laid by Bishop O'Donaghue on
December 3, 1900. The work pro
crossed so rapidly that the new house
of worship was ready for dedication
July Z, 1901. The building committee
consisted of the board of trustees. B
Pardieck, Jos. Rainier. Hy. Vosgroene
H ]. Pohlmeyer. Leo HI. Ffhe and Jos