The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1910-05-15

Catholicity in Richmond dates back
to the year 1885, when the Rev. Jo-
seph Ferneding, residing at New Al
SAGE, Dearborn county. celebrated mass
for the first time at the home Of Chas.
Boushie, % South Fifth street. Mr..
Boushie was perhaps the first Catholic
settler of Richmond, coming with his
wife to this country from Alsace,
France. in the year 1882. Among the
Catholic who were in Richmond in
1885 were Peter SCHNEIDER, Jos. Bro
kamp, JOS. Holett, Frederick Bowling
with his mother and two sisters, Ben
net Banner, Thomas, John and Daniel
OHara, John Ryan, Peter Essenmach-
er and John H. Norman. There be-
ing no church edifice. services were
held in the homes Of members, for
quite while in the house of Joseph
Brokamp on South Fourth street, near
d. This house Is still standing, being
the property of Mrs. Johanna Walter
man. Mr.. Brokamp's daughter.
After the departure of Father Ferne-
ding, the Rev. Michael O'Rourke, resid-
ing at Dover, Dearborn county, paid
occasional visits to the Catholics OF
Richmond, as did also the Rev. Vim.
cent BacQuelin. who came over from
Shelby county every two or three
months during 1876 and 1916.
1t was at this time that the site for
church was secured by the payment
of 800 to the Hon. Samuel e. Per-
kins, for the lot on which the present
st. Andrews church Is located, corner
Fifth and South C streets. 1t was now
decided to build church and COM
mittee consisting of J. HI. Norman.
Peter SCHNEIDER, Jos. Brokamp, Thos.
and John OHara, was appointed to
solicit funds. So successful were they
in their efforts that the corner stone
for brick structure to be known as
Saint Andrews church, was laid by
Rev. Bede OConnor, O. S. B., vicar
general of the diocese of Vincennes, in
the fall Of 1916. In August, 1896, the
Rev. John Ryan was sent to Richmond
as the first pastor remaining until
July 1S4S
A subscription taken up in 1S4s
shows such additional names as Theo
dore Heidelmann, b. Toschlag, H. Tor
beck, Herman Rottinghaus, II. Put
hoff. +. Macke. M. Averdick. f. Brueg
genkamp. H Pardieck, Christian
Schwegmann. A. Viewers, Jos. Engel
bert. Gerhard Bussen, G. Smithmeier
H. Linemnn, F. Besselmann, II. Her
mesch. H Pohlmeier.
In May, 1S49, St. Andrews received
its second resident pastor in the per
son Of the Rev. VIM. Doyle. who re
manned In charge until August, 1853.
The Rev. John B. Merl became pas
tor in 1853, remaining until 1859. Dur
ing his pastorate the site Of the pres
ent parsonage was acquired and res
idencc erected for the priest.
Al new era in the history of loca
Catholics began with the coming o.
the next pastor, the Rev. ]. B. H
Scope. who arrived at Christmas, 1859
The number of Catholics had great,
increased. the building Of the railroad
into Richmond attracting many Irisf
l&VVI0I0s 0uu 90 tuCIG u60 0kSo uCCh
great influ of Germans. some com
Ing directly from the Fatherland. bu
the larger number from Cincinnati
the original church was entirely tos
small to accommodate the congrega
tion, and 1t was decided to erect {
larger edifice without delay. Up K
this time both German and English
had been spoken in st. Andrews. bu
now that new church was to b,
built. the English speaking portion o
the congregation preferred to organ
Ire q separate parish. the result bein,
S.. Mary's church. The Germans un
der the leadership Of Father Scope, Sc
resolutely to work and in less than ;
year their substantial Gothic church
90 by 40 feet. was SO far completed
that services could be held In 1t, tn
cost being about $4,000. Rev. Seep
cout!nued 70 embellish the interior o
tkA church. built q substantial schoo
and acquired ten acres of ground OF
the Liberty pike for cemetery purposes
AZ early as 1S4S Chrstian Schwes
mann had given plaa 1T ground Of
South Fifth street AZ burial place 70
CasAclics," but. a this was taken int