The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1922-03-02
SETTLEMENT OF ST. NAzIANz

The following story by Fred Holmes
of Madison of the settlement of St.
| Nazianz is taken from the Milwaukee
Sunday Sentinel.
Of all of the unique settlements in
early Wisconsin to the civil war, the
religious colony at St. Nazianz had an
unriyaled distinction. A few miles off
one of the trunk line highways west of
the city of Manitowoc one will find a
quiet little village where this story of
Catholic religious zeal and devotion
was started back in 1854.
Senator W. A. Titus of Fond du Lac
recently visited this locality to gather
the threads of this strange and inter
esting historical drama in Wisconsin.
Believing that there would be great
er opportunities for development in
foreign land, Father Ambrose Osch-
void, priest in the Black Forest re-
gion of Baden, Germany, induced his
congregation to immigrate to the new
world The group which left Baden
numbered ll3 persons. They settled
about twenty miles west of Manitowoc
at a place called ST. Nasianz.
"They left Starsburg in May, 1854,
and after voyage covering fifty-four
days, landed in New York" said SEN
ator Titus. Here they rested for a
time and then set out for Milwaukee,
where they arrived in August, and
where they were greeted by the pio-
neer missionary, Archbishop Henni
| While in Milwaukee the Rev. Oschwald
purchased 3,S40 acres of land in Man
itowoc county at $3.50 per acre, on
which he made a first payment of ST.
500. An advance party of six men
was sent to Manitowoc by boat and
from there started westward on foot
through the forests to the newly pur-
chased land that was to be their flu
ture home"
1t was on a rainy Sunday that the
advance party reached the site of the
future settlement and it was recorded
that the first duty they performed was
to fell a tree, fashion it into a cross
and set 1t up as rallying place for
their devotions. Next they cut trees
from which to build a log hut, sleeping
on the ground in the meantime and
subslstng on boiled potatoes without
salt. As they were putting the roof
on the first log house, Father Osch-
waId arrived with another group of
colonists and, cheered by the presence
OF their leader, they set about their
tasks with renewed energy.
The summer was cold and wet, and
hardship and exposure brought on an
epidemic of malaria, from which seven
died and many Others were greatly
weakened. In spite of these handicaps
they cleared seventy acres and sowed
them to rye during the first summer
and fall. However, they were unable
to raise any food during the summer
to carry them through the succeeding
winter. They lived for the most part
on the thick potato soup; but with the
utmost economy, the cost of food
amounted to $4,000 before they were
able to harvest their first crop. Father
Oschwald went to Milwaukee, where he
was able to secure loan of 1900
During the first summer they erected
the old church, which still stands, al
though it Is no longer used for divine
services. This church, which meant so
much to the little community, was "a
32 feet and all the logs that entered
into its construction were carried on
the backs of the men. The records
state that as many as sixteen men were
required to carry single log, and that
twenty logs were thus brought together
in a single day. Their devoted leader
was always with his men, doing his
share of the labor and encouraging his
followers with cheerful conversation
At night they gathered around him
while he told them stories and read to
them from his scanty supply of books
and papers, The primitive church was
completed and the first services held in
October, 1854. BY Christmas day fol
lowing the coloniSts had completed four
houses, a community kitchen, a stable
and u blacksmith shop.
The winter of 1855 was severe one
with much snow Very little clearing
could be done. aud the spring came so
late that no grain could be sown.
| Twenty-Five acres of corn and con-
siderable acreage of potatoes were
planted, both of which crops yielded
bountifully. During this summer a
saw mill and several additional houses
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