Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1920-12-08
St. Thomas Catholic Church

st, Thomas Catholic Ghurcn
Eighty-four years have passed
since the organization of st. Thomas
Catholic church in Potosi. OF its early
membership which met to celebrate
mass in the village of Van Buren,, Po-
tosi was then in embryo, unbuilt and
and unknown Among the founders
Of the church were Celestin Kalten-
Terrence and Peter Coyle, David Bull
man, John Dolan and Owen Nc
Laughlin, men whom the present gen
GRAFTON will remember and respect.
They were active supporters Of the
church in the early days and are now
reaping the reward OF their labors in
another world.
From 1886 to 1910 the church had
no resident priest and was dependent
upon the services of missionaries who
were sent here from time to time to
celebrate mass and commune with
the people.
Marriages and baptisms were oc-
casionally performed by Father Math-
las Loras, Bishop of Dubuque, and
Father MazzucheIli, resident priest of
Galena, where a record was kept OF
the church proceedings until its reg
ular organization. A copy OF the re-
cord was transmitted to Potosi in
June 1S41, and entered upon the re-
cords Of ST. Thomas church.
In 1888 a place of worship was erect
ed in what is now the village of Potosi
proper 1t consisted of a log building
and was located below the present
brick edifice. It cost $500. The
priests dwelling, also log building,
was erected on the opposite side Of
the street. 1t was the residence for
many years Of Squire" Raglan, the
long and faithful attendant of Father
James Cause, the priest who was the
first placed in charge of the little flock
of Catholics in Potosi. 1t afterwards
became the home and property Of
John Dolan who moved from log
house near where the present school
house now stands, and whose marriage
to Ann Mcmahon, Oct 27, 1910, is the
first entry made upon the parish re-
cords. The next was that Of Pierre
Moy to Elizabeth Station June 30,
1S41, and the third, Benjamin F.
Woods to Anne e. Hough, May %,
1843.
Weddings in the church those days
it SENS, were like angels visits, few
and far between"
The first burial was that of Edward
Nicholas, . boy of two years, who
died in the little city OF Paris, April
&c, 1841. FIR. Caussin performed the
burial service. The next was that OF
Nicholas Francois, aged 81 years, who
also died in the little city of Paris, on
Feb. %, 1S4f. Though the names OF
the above appear differently on the re-
cord they were father and son. The
third death was that of Anna
Katy, a colored woman, Jan16, 1843
She was taken to Galena for burial
The Angel of Death seems to have
been merciful in those days in making
few calls upon the settlers.
The first baptism took place on the
9TH Of September, 1910, and was that
of Mary Free, a colored woman Asa
Hough and wife, Mary, stood sponsors.
There were several christenings pre-
vious to this entered upon the records
at Galena, the first being that of
Pierre, born at Snake Hollow, Feb. 2,
1884, to Baptiste and Emile Guyon,
Peter and Elizabeth Coyle standing
sponsors, and FIR. Mazzuchelli per-
forming the service. The christenings
during the time Fir. Cause officiated
as priest, from 1910 to 1854, were ATS.
These are all recorded in the parish
record at Potosi The name date of
birth and parents being given There
were still others recorded in St. An
drews church in the German settle
ment The membership at the close
Of FIR. Causse's service in 1854 was
quite large probably over 600, al
though we are unable to give the
exact number.
The following comprises the names
of all the priests who have stately
or temporarily been in charge of the
church since it's organization in 1910:
Rev James Cause 1870 to 1854.
Rev. Perrecton temporary 1852.
Rev. Mart. Hobbs temporary 1852.
Rev. ]. M. Brogard 1854 to 1857.
Rev. NJ. w. Gibson 1857 to 1861.
Rev. Peter Voipem temp. in 1861.
Rev. G. H. Bresman temp. in 1861.
Rev. w. II. Verloef 1861 to 1865.
Rev. T. Albers 1865 to 1867.
Revs. Nuts and vivaldi temp. 1867
and part of 1868.
Rev. Thos. p. Hodnet 1867 to 1871.
Rev. JOS Kleiber 1871 to 1878
Rev. j. A. Mueller temp. 1872.