The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-01-17
Coming Of Anniversary Brings
St. Andrew,s History to Front


AS plans for the celebration of the
18th anniversary OF the founding oil
st. Andrews Catholic church are ma
turing, the steps leading to the pres
ent organization are absorbing the in
terest of members and friends of the
church.
Although a definite date for the
celebration has not been fixed, the
Rev. F. A. Roell, rector, has announced
that it probably will be held in con
nection with st. Andrews day
Nov. 80.
Catholicy in Richmond dates back
to the year 1885, when the Rev. Jos
eph Ferneding, residing at Ned Alsace
Dearborn county. held mass for the
first time at the home of Charles Bou
SHE, 20 South Fifth street Mr. Bou
SHE probably was the first Catholic
settler of Richmond, coming with his
wife to this country from Alsace
France, in the year 1882.
AS there was no church edifice, ser
vices were held in the homes of mem
bers. for quite a while in the house
of Joseph Brokamp on South Fourth
street, near D.
Buy Lot for Church.
After the departure Of Father Fern
eding, the Rev. Michael O,Rourke, liv.
ing at Dover Deaborn county, paid
occasional visits to the Catholics OF
Richmond, as also did the Rev. Vim.
cent BacQuelin, who came over from
Shelby county every two or three
months during 1S45 and 1886. 1t was
during this time that the site for the
church was secured by payment OF
800 to Samuel e. Perkins, 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 a committee consisting of ]. H
Norman, Peter SCHNEIDER, Joseph
Brokamp, Thomas and John O,Hara
was appointed to solicit funds. So sue,
cessful were they that the corner
stone for brick structure, to be
known as st. Andrews church was
laid by Rev. Bede O'Conner, S. S. B.,
vicar general of the diocese of Vim
cennes, in the fall of 1S45. In August
1916, the Rev. John Ryan was sent
TO Richmond as the first resident pas.
tor, remaining until July, 1S48.
In May 1S49, st. Andrews received
it's second resident pastor in the per
son of the Rev. William Doyle, who re.
manned in charge till August, 1858
The Rev. John B. Merl became pas
tor in that year, remaining until 1859
During his pastorate the site of the
present parsonage was acquired and
Il residence erected for the priest.
A new era in the history of local
Cathliocs began with the coming OF
the next pastor. the Rev. J. B. H
Scope, who arrived at Christmas, 1859.
The number of Catholics had greatly
increased, the building of the railroad
into Richmond attracting many Irish
and German laborers, some of the lat
ter coming directly from the father
land, but the larger number from Gin
cinnati. The original church soon
was entirely too small to accommo-
date the congregation, and it was de,
cided to erect a larger edifice without
delay.
Up to this time both German and
English had been spoken in ST. An
drew's, but now that a new church was
to be built the English speaking por-
tion of the congregation preferred to
organize separate parish, the result
being st. Mary's church. The Ger
mans under the leadership of Father
Scope. set resolutely to work and in
less than a year their substantial
Gothic church, so by 12O feet, was so
far completed that services could be
held in it. the cost being about 500
Acquire Cemetery Site.
Rev. Scope continued to embellish
the interior of the church, built a sub
stantial school and acquired 10 acres
of ground on the Liberty pike for GEN.
etery purposes. AS early as 1S48,
Christian Schwegmann had given a
plat of ground on South Fifth street,
as burial place for Catholics" but
as this was taken into the city limits,
burials had to be suspended about
1866. This plot is now known as
"Chatard Addition to the City of Rich
mond."
Father Scope left Richmond in Sep
TENDER. 1866, and died at Madison,
July, 1908. His memory is still re-
vered among the Catholics of Rich
mond, ST. Joseph's society especially,
honoring him as it's founder.
Father Hundt's Service.
Rev. Ferdinand Hundt succeeded
Father Scope. During his pastorate
the spire to the church was built;
bells and tower clock were installed
at cost Of $1,000, and the interior
OF the church also was greatly en-
HANGED. Among other improvements
made by him was the beautifying of
the cemetery, including the erection
OF crucifixion group in stone, design
ed and executed by Joseph Sibbel, of
New York, entailing an expense of
$4,000. Father Hundt was a gentle
man of rare culture and refined tastes.
gifted pulpit orator, and a prolific
writer of both verse and prose, mostly