Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1912-06-13
Golden Jubilee of st. nj ary's
Church, Pilot Knob.

Wednesday, June 9TH, 1912,
marked the Fiftieth Anniversary OF
St. Mary's Church at Pilot Knob,
and the Golden Jubilee was fitting
ly celebrated. In spite of a pour
ing rain a large audience was
present. At II o'clock a solemn
high mass was celebrated, Rev.L.
G. Wernert being celebrant. Rev.
John Merke of De Soto was dea-
con, and Rev. Thos. Dalton, sub
deacon. The choir at Pilot Knob,
assisted by the students from Ar
cadia College, sang very beauti-
fully the Holy Rosary Mass. Rev.
John Merke preached a very elo-
quent sermon, appropriate to the
jubilee celebration, which wasfol-
lowed by Benediction of the Most
Blessed Sacrament. Services in
church were closed by the power
full "Holy God, W. Praise Thy
Name!" A very tasty dinner was
prepared by the ladies of the par
ish, after which the audience was
entertained by the sweet strains o.
music, we'll rendered by the Yorl
i Orchestra, and instructive address
es by DR.. Cutler, Pure Food Com
missioner of Missouri, and John
H. Curran, of st. Louis.
A review of the history of the
Pilot Knob Parish of Our Lady OF
Help maria Hilf) will not be void
of interest.
In the year 1884, 10000 arpens
of land granted by the Spanish
government, including Pilot Knob
and Iron Mountain, were confirmed
by an Act of the Legislature to Jo-
seph Pratte. (Duprat.)
In 1886 the Missouri Mining Co,
was formed, but nothing was done
until 1916 when the Iron Mountain
Company began the manufacture
of pig iron. Small villages began
to spring up about Iron Mountain
and Pilot Knob. Among the min
ers there were always some Cath
olics, and those living about PHO
Knob in what is now Iron coun'
ty were visited by the Rev. Fathe-
Tucker, who came frequently OF
horseback from Fredericktown.
and said mass in Arcadia and in
log houses at Pilot Knob for g
number of years. AS there were
some German Catholics among thu
settlers and miners a Franciscan
Father came from st. Louis occa.
sionally, saying mass in the diff
ferent homes of the Catholics.
In 1861 Mrs. Christine Immel
went to Archbishop Kenrick ant
asked permission for the Catholics
to build a church at Pilot Knob
His Grace readily granted the per
missions and Mrs. Inner then ask
ed the Archbishop for the first sub.
scription, saying, in her own limo
cent and quaint way, "to be liber'
al as an encouragement to Others
His Grace consented, smilingly
saying, ''the church no doubt will
be built" and gave Mrs. Imme
lat that time) the very generous
donation Of $4,000 The Parish.
toner's worked together with 6
good will and in 1862 on the feas
day the first Mass was said in tn,
new chuch, and the church wa
dedicated to Jesus Christ our Goo
and Savior under the name ant
auspices of sour Lady of Help
maria Hilf). And let me say her
that a short time later, after a bel
had been purchased, the Angelu
Bell was rung three times a day
without interruption by oil
Grandmother Inner, winter an
summer, rain or sunshine, as Ion,
as she was able, and this wa
continued until the present day.
Sept. 81, 1864, at the Battle Q
Pilot Knob, the Church was in
iured by the explosion of the
powder magazine at the Fort.
Later on the Mission OF Pilo
Knob was attached to Potosi ant
attended by Rev Michael O'Reily
Pastor of Potosi.
In 1870, Rev. J. J. Hennessy
present Bishop of Wichita, wa
appointed the first pastor of Irol
Mountain to which Pilot Knol
|, was attached as a mission and wa
attended until 1879 by him an
his curates, Father Ryan deceased
land Rev. j. j. Head, pastor Of tn
Annunciation Church in st. Louis
From 1876 until 1880 Pilot KnoI
was attended by Rev. Il. O.. Wer
.art curata tn Rev. I. +. Henneasv