The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-17

OF religious nature. He died at. St
Louis, Dec. 8, 1897, and was buried in
st. Andrews cemetery. being the first
priest to be inferred 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, who was to
| take Father Hundt's place in 1877 be
| a good churchman, and at the same
time, man possessing business abil.
ity. These two qualities were aptly
combined in the Rev. Henry j. Sci
bertz. His arrival inspired the par
1shioners with new hope and soon
several thousand dollars were raised
to pay on the most pressing debts.
laymen Assist.
He was greatly aided in his efforts
In this direction by Bernard Pardieck
and the late Joseph Rainier, who ad-
vanced large sums at various times.
He also inaugurated a savings bank
plan, which not only greatly relieved
the church treasury, but also rebound
ed to the benefit of the parishioners.
During the second year of his pas
torate, the school building was en-
larged and the commodious parsonage
erected in 1885 at cost of $1,000.
His next care was the identifying of
| the church, installing a costly pipe
organ, a beautiful main altar, new
pews, ETC., and having the church
frescoed.
+ During the pastorate of Father Sic
bertz, which extended over 81 years,
it is estimated that a sum in excess
of $4,000 was expended in the pay.
ment of debt. interest and for improve
ments. The Rev. Seibertz died jan %,
1898, sincerely mourned by all his peo-
pie.
On the night of Aug. Is, 1900, a
great calamity befell the congregation
in the destruction of its beautiful
church During the vespers service a
heavy thunder storm was raging and
shortly after the last worshippers had
left the building it was struck by
lightning, and in little more than an
hour the structure was in ruins. The
very next day, however, meeting was
held by the parish leaders in the shad-
ow of the blackened walls, and the
first steps were taken toward rebuild
ing the church.
Dedicate New Structure
On Sept. 3 plans calling for a build
ing 60 by 165 feet, with a width of 70
feet in the transcept, were adopted,
and on Oct. 26, the contract for the
same was awarded. Ground for the
new structure was broken Nov. 2, 1900,
and the cornerstone laid by Bishop
O'Donaghue on Dec. 9, 1900. The work
progressed so rapidly that the new
house of worship was ready for dedi-
cation, July 7. 1901.
The building committee consisted of
the board of trustees, B. Pardieck, Jo-
seph Rainier. Henry Vosgroene, H. J.
Pohlmeyer, Leo H. Fihe and Joseph
Grapperhaus, to whom were added
John N. Zeyen, Edward Rainier, F. ].
Meyer, William II. Torbeck, John H.
Dickman, Herman Schnoing, J. H.
Macke, with the pastor as chairman.
Thirty-four sessions of the committee
were held, the last being on Feb. 7,
1902.
The new ST. Andrews church with
its splendid equipment, represented an
outlay of 100000, all but $4,000 of
which was paid in by 1902. The re-
naming $4,000 was paid before 1910
and substantial sum raised as fund
for the new school which was built in
1912 at a cost of 100000 1t is esti-
mated that at present prices the build
ing would cost 100000.
AS early as the year 1851 parochial
school had been opened with Gerhard
Budde as teacher. He was assisted by
Miss Johanna Brokamp. In 1852 a
brick school house 20 by 80 feet was
built on the south side of South G
street near Fifth, and lay teachers
were in charge until 1865, when the
Sisters of st. Francis came to teach
the lower grades and the upper girls
school. Formerly only the elementary
branches were taught, but some years
ago the curriculum was made more
comprehensive, so as to embrace gen.
eral history, higher mathematics. lit
erature and other high school work
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