History of St. Joseph Catholic Church
Farmington, MO.
Kept and Preserved by Genevieve Antoine Carrow
Mother of Francis H. Carrow
Early History of the Catholic Church in Farmington
There was a time not far back when the Catholic Church had
no history in Farmington and it probably hoped for little; but
being Catholic, the Church penetrated even to Farmington.
It was not a priest or an angel that brought the faith to
Farmington, but an individual, who came from a Catholic
atmosphere, and found it lonely living without the Church.
So, appreciating the misfortune that perhaps might seem a
blessing to some who knew not the beauty of the Church and the
Truth taught by her, he made it his duty to secure the services
of the neighboring pastor, Father Lewis Tucker of Fredericktown,
to minister to the two or three Catholic families.
The first mass was celebrated at the home of Mr. & Mrs.
Thomas Lang in 1862.
This house still stands at 223 E. Columbia.
When Mr. & Mrs. Lang, who lived in Canada, planned to move
to Farmington Mrs. Lang’s cousin, Father O’ Donohue, provided
them with a chalice, crucifix, brass candlesticks, altar stones,
cruets, linens and a complete set of vestments for the
celebration of Mass.
Mass was later celebrated at the Lang home at 225 E.
Columbia.
In preparation for Mass a table (reflectory) was placed on
four wagon hubs in order to make the table high enough to say
Mass more conveniently.
All of the parishioners took advantage of the opportunity
to go to confession and receive Holy Communion.
Mr. & Mrs. Patrick Rafferty walked to Mass from Sprott,
Missouri.
Needless to say, all were served breakfast by Mrs. Lang
before they returned home.
From the time of the first Mass each month pastors from
adjoining counties, and occasionally a pastor from St. Louis,
came to celebrate Mass in this home. As the time of the month
for Mass approached Mr. Lang would ride his horse out into the
surrounding country notifying the people.
Marriages were performed, many were baptized, sometime
whole families who had been instructed by Mr. Lang.
In the year 1869 the revered and beloved Monsignor
Mulsiepen authorized the congregation, represented by Mr. Lang,
to accept the present site of the church, a gift from Mr. & Mrs.
Bush who were not Catholics.
The construction of the edifice was begun under the
direction of Father Daly, Pastor of French Village, whence came
the main altar which is now in use.
In the Spring of 1890 a committee consisting of Messrs
Thomas Lang, John Isenman, John B. Highley, Henry Herman,
Patrick McMahon and Miss Clara Parkhurst (now Mrs. A. J. Zwart)
was appointed to receive donations for a parish rectory which
was immediately constructed under the direction of the committee
and Father Shaw, the first resident pastor.
Among those who attended Farmington before the residence
was provided were Father Hennessey, afterwards Bishop of
Wichita, Kansas, Father Wernest of Arcadia, Fathers Huettler,
Luke Kernan, Hugh O’ Reilly, Head, Cooney and Edward Dempsey.
A mission was given during the pastorate of Father Shaw by
Father Michael of the Passionest Order. After this mission the
Sodality of the Blessed Virgin Mary was organized. Some of the
members were: Mrs. Peter Traffe, Mrs. John Isenman, Mrs. Newman,
Mrs. Bressie, Mrs. Pauline Reinhardt, Miss Annie Duffey, Miss
Eliza Dunn, Miss Mary Lang and Miss Emma Lang.
From the early days Miss Mary Lang made the altar bread.
In October of 1908 Father Randall and Father Crane of the
Diocesan Missionary Band conducted a mission of two weeks
duration.
We take occasion also to make mention of the splendid and
successful mission given by the Jesuit Missionaries, Fathers
Rosswinkle and O’Malley in November ___, closing with a record
of two hundred and fifty Holy Communions.
Returning to the point of pastoral history, Father Shaw was
succeeded in 1892 by Father John N. Kern. Then came Father
Arthur O’Reilly in 1894. On August 14th, 1897, Father James J.
Toomey was appointed pastor, and to his untiring energy and zest
the parish owes what it is today. With a very small and
scattered congregation he laid firm foundation for the future
growth.
Being a teacher by training and nature and realizing that a
loyal Catholic laity is the result of Catholic training, his
devoted heart reached out to the little ones of his flock.
In September 1897 he established a school in the sacristy
of the Church, taught it himself when the congregation was
unable to compensate teachers.
He purchased all the surrounding ground obtainable, and in
time erected the present convent which is the pride of our
parish. Many of our non-Catholic friends gave substantial
donations to the new building.
The first nuns to teach at St. Josephs were the Dominicans
from New York in 1903.
After two years, failing to secure the nuns for the third
year, Father Toomey again took up teaching (pupils now numbering
100) and after many years of ardorous labor, toiling when he was
physically unable to endure the burden, a martyr to duty, he
passed to his reward April 21st, 1906.
It has been said you could always tell a man who had been a
pupil of Father Toomey because he never failed to take off his
hat when passing a church or meeting a priest on the street,
offering to carry his suitcase or be of some service, always
using the name of Father when speaking of a priest never saying
White, Brown, etc. without the word Father.
Father Toomey was succeeded by Father Bernard Stolte, whose
stay was very brief. He removed the debt which had burdened the
parish for many years, reorganized the Sodality, caused to be
instituted the J.J. Toomey Council of Knights of Columbus and
did much to place the parish in a secure way, spiritually and
materially. He secured the services of Miss Augusta Singer and
Miss Catherine Stanners of St. Louis to teach the school.
After fifteen months Archbishop Glennon transferred him to
St. Louis to establish a new parish in the southwest city
limits. Since then Father Stolte has been made a Monsignor.
Father Joseph A. Collins procured the Ursuline Sisters to
teach. The members of the congregation had become enthused to
the point of building a new church and when the pastor was
transferred to Ferguson, Mr. John Harter and Mr. Thomas Lang
went to St. Louis and asked Archbishop to leave Father Collins
in Farmington to build a new church to cost less than $15,000.
The request was granted.
A meeting of the congregation was called May 28th, 1911 when
it was announced that voluntary subscriptions amounting to
$9,000. had been secured. At the meeting the following building
committee was chosen by unanimous vote: Messrs J.A. Lawrence,
Henry Bieser, Edward Rozier, John A. Mueller and Francis Dunn.
These, with the regular board members, Henry Herman, Herman
Kraenzle, Albert Zwart, Same Isenman, Thomas Lang and Father
Collins constituted the building committee.
The election of officers June 4th resulted as follows:
Thomas Lang, President, John Harter, Vice-President and Father
Collins, Secretary and Treasurer.
On June 24th, 1911 a letter announced we were prepared to
consider drawings of a Romanesque Church to cost $15,000.
Specifying design and materials to be used was sent to several
architects. On August 24th the building committee decided to
accept the sketch of Pruess and Imbs. The contract was signed
Sept. 13, 1911. At this meeting a letter from Mr. A. J. Zwart,
whose business kept him away from town, stated that he wished
Mr. Thomas Masterson to represent him. Mr. Masterson on motion
was made a regular member of the building committee.
At this meeting a committee was present on invitation from
the Secretary asking the opening of a street through the church
property, offering a nominal fee for the priviledge. The matter
was considered at various times even until the building
operation had begun but it was finally dropped.
On November 14th the contract with McCarthy Construction
Company was signed, the cost to be $16,524.00.
Groundbreaking ceremony took place March 17, 1912;
excavation began March 18th; the cornerstone was laid April 28th
on the Feast of the patronage of St. Joseph.
The old church was moved and services were held there until
dedication of the new church. Mr. Frank Dunn later bought the
old church.
The cornerstone was the generous gift of Mrs. E. L. Spaugh
and her son, Milton, who are not members of the church.
The clergy present at the laying of the cornerstone were:
Rt. Rev. Monsignor J.A. Connolly, Rev. C. L. Van Tourenhout P.R.
Ste. Genevieve, Rev. M.T. Seosick, Bonne Terre, Rev. Joseph
Casey, Desloge, Rev. V. J. McCartney, Fredericktown, Rev. R. J.
Walsh, St. Louis, Rev. P.O. Crane, St. Louis. Rev. Crane
preached the sermon. The Rev. Joseph Collins, while reading the
history of the parish establishment and vicissitudes, had as a
listener Mr. Thomas Lang, 76 years old, the pioneer Catholic of
the locality to whom much is due in spiritual and material way
for the continuous life of the parish. The great day closed
with Benediction of the Blessed Sacrament with music by the girl
pupils of the school under the direction of the Ursuline
Sisters.
A banquet prepared by the ladies of the parish was served
by Father Collins’ friend Mistah Jim Robinson.
The church when finished will cost close to $20,000.
On October 12th, 1912, the Archbishop celebrated Mass in the
old church building the last service to be held there. Nearly
all of the members received Holy Communion.
Promptly at 10 o’clock the subdeacon and cross bearer Rev.
B.S.A. Stolte of Our Lady of Sorrows parish of St. Louis,
accomplanied by a long rank of altar boys, emerged from the old
church, followed by his Grace Archbishop Glennon, with Fathers
P.P. Crane, J.T. Coffey, A. V. Garthahuffner, L.C. Wernert, J.F.
Adrian, C.L. Van Tourenhout, Joseph Casey and Joseph A. Collins,
the pastor of Farmington.
After the prayer of dedication the people were admitted,
filling the isle up to the sanctuary. During the Solemn High
Mass, celebrated by Rev. T. J. Walsh of St. Ann’s church of St.
Louis, Father Coffey was deacon, Father Stolte subdeacon. A
group of Knights of Columbus from Fredericktown were also
present. The mens Catholic Choral Club’s perennial effort in
Werners Mass in C, was a marked success. Sister Lucina of the
Ursuline Order was organist. The choir was trained by Father
Collins. The mellow notes of the organ enhanced in a marked
degree the magnificence of the ceremonial. The beautiful
blending of the harmonious male voices was remarked by many and
a double quartet, aided by the perfect acoustics of the church,
sounded like a choir of much larger proportions.
Mr. Hugh Porter rendered Handels Largo.
The main altar was donated by Mrs. A. J. Zwart (Clara
Parkhurst). The St. Joseph’s altar was donated by Miss Mary and
Miss Emma Long in memory of their father who died a month before
the Church was finished. The Blessed Virgin altar was donated
by Miss Marie and Miss Genevieve Huss in Memory of their sister
Miss Elizabeth Huss.
The Angels of the Sanctuary, the first gift to the Church,
by Father Collins’ mother. These held the sanctuary lamp.
The brass altar railing was given by Miss Annie Duffy.
Memorial windows were erected:
To Philip and Amelia Shaw
To Father W. J. Shaw by Miss Emma Herman
To Mrs. Catherine Lang by the Lang family
To Mathew and Julia Dunn – Miss Mary Dunn
To Mary Teresa Isenman – The Isenman family
To H. Marie Reese – Albert J. Zwart
To Cora Highley – Jeff Highley
To Papin family – Frank Papin
To Father Tucker – Michael Box
Stations of the Cross were donated by:
I
Rt. Rev. Monsignor Connolly
II
Memory of Edgar Lang – Irene C. Lang
III
Patrick & Catherine McMahon – Mr. & Mrs. Wm.
IV
Francis Gierse – Chas. Gierse
V
Gift of Francis and Jennie Dunn
VI
Gift of Annie and Eleanor Puttman
VII
Memorial to Father J.J. Toomey
IX
Gift of Wm. Ryan family
X
Memory of Jessie Murray Gilligan
XI
Gift of Thomas Kennedy
XII
The Reinhardt family
McMahon
XIII Memory of Bessie Rozier
XIV
Memory of Thomas Albert Masterson
The Rose Window over the choir with pictures of
children who had died in the parish, with the exception of
Thomas Burks, Willa Meyer, a Masterson boy and a Hersman boy and
Ellis Lawrence.
Father Collins was succeeded by Father John R. Morgan in
1914. He initiated the envelope system of Sunday collections.
A church calendar brought in quite a sum of money two years.
Miss Genevieve Huss taught the school one year. There were
so few children in the parish the school was closed the
following year.
Miss Willa Ryan (now Mrs. Wm. Meyer), Miss Effie Lawrence
and Miss Genevieve Huss gave the children instructions for Holy
Communion and trained them for Holy Thursday and Forty Hour
Devotions
As this was during World War I, Father Morgan who was quite
an orator, was called upon to speak at many civic affairs.
A three day pageant was held in Farmington as this time
under the direction of Mrs. F. S. Weber, Father Morgan being the
narrator. This was held at the old fair grounds, part of which
is now Dewey Street.
Father Morgan resigned in 1918 to join the army. He was
made a captain and sent to the Presideo in California where he
did much to help the morale of the boys.
Father John P. Ryan was our next pastor. He reopened the
school, secured the services of the Loretto Sisters and payed
off the debt on the church property.
Rev. John S. Kelley came to Farmington in 1922. A new
furnace was put in the school and the church redecorated. St.
Joseph Choral Club was organized and some very good plays were
given, not only in Farmington, but in neighboring towns and in
St. Louis. Starring in the plays were Cecelia Gentges, Lillian
Ryan, Emma Effrein and Velma Miles.
During this time Father Joseph Collins celebrated his
Silver Jubilee at Richmond Heights. A delegation headed by
Father Kelley attended the celebration, presenting Father
Collins twenty-five American Beauty Roses with a dollar bill
tied to each rose with a silver ribbon as a rememberance from
the Farmington parish.
In Father Kelley’s time we had may beautiful church
services including the “Tre Ore” with a choir from St. Louis
furnishing the music.
Father Francis Skaer succeeded Father Kelley in 1924.
The name of the Blessed Virgin Mary Sodality was changed to
The Children of Mary. We joined the Council of Catholic Women
and sent delegates to the meeting two years and then dropped
out.
Our first bridge and pinochle parties were held in the
Convent.
A Study Club was organized with Miss Cecelia Gentges as
president.
A committee composed of Father Skaer, B.T. Gentges, Thomas
Burks and Edward Effrein drove to Wicks, Illinois and purchased
our pipe organ.
Father Skaer went to Europe to the Eucharistic Congress
with Father Collins and Father Ponet, a Vincentian from Cape
Girardeau, took care of the parish.
Father Edward O’Toole came to us in 1934 and endeared
himself not only to the parishioners but to the community at
large. Then Father O’Toole organized the altar society with
dues of one dollar a year. A mass was to be said on the First
Friday of each month for living members and in case of death,
three Masses were offered for the soul of the member. This
money took care of the flowers for the altar.
A cemetery fund was organized; each family to pay two
dollars a year for the care of the old and the new cemeteries.
During Father O’Toole’s time the new cemetery was bought. Plans
were made but not completed to buy lots on Ste. Genevieve Avenue
to add to our church property. A young ladies sodality was
organized. This group bought the new communion rail.
Father O’Toole had started to draw plans for a new school
and rectory when he was transferred.
Father William Glynn was our next pastor. His stay of six
months was all too short. He, too, planned to build but was
transferred.
Father O’Toole had worked to get an assistant priest for
Farmington so when Father Robert McKeon was appointed pastor in
1939, Father Louis P. Dierker was made our first assistant
pastor in 1940.
Through the efforts of Father McKeon we bought and
remodeled the Carleton College building and on June 1, 1952 had
our first High School graduation class with Notre Dame Sisters
in charge.
Our Council of Catholic women was reorganized, having our
own parish council which was very active. Our delegates were
present at the annual meetings in St. Louis and the meetings in
the Ste. Genevieve deanery.
Father Dierker organized the Legion of Mary which has been
doing much good work in the parish. This is composed of young
men and women of the parish.
A Catholic High School Club was organized. After Father
Dierker, Father Rowland Gammon succeeded in interesting the
young people in athletics.
Father Reagan was next and carried on the work with the
young people.
In 1949 in October Father Joseph Gottwald came to St.
Joseph’s parish and with the help of Father Hrdlicka is working
hard with the school and redecorating and repairing the church.
From the beginning the Farmington parish has had annual
Festivals in August which was attended by people from all over
the county. Since we now need a new grade school (our High
School being a District High School) it was decided at a meeting
to do away with all festivals, bingoes, bake sales, etc. and put
all of our efforts in the interest of a new grade school in the
form of Sunday envelope collections
After Father Hrdlicka, Father Richard J. Suren, Father
Kenneth R. Jaas, Father Robert Ottoline, Father John B. McEntee,
Father Albert Rehme, and Father John J. Johnson were our
assistants.
Father Gottwald built our new grade school. It was
dedicated Oct. 2, 1960. After this he was transferred to Holy
Redeemer parish in Webster Groves.
Father William Burke then became our pastor. He reorganized the Calvary Cemetery Association in May, 1966. Dues
were five dollars a year, perpetual care, $100.00.
He built
new steps in front of the church and a sidewalk.
In April of
1967 Father Burke was transferred to St. Cronan’s Parish in St.
Louis.
Father Jerome Buchheit was appointed pastor of St. Josephs
April 1, 1967.
Three of our pastors celebrated their Silver Jubilee while
in Farmington:
Father Edward O’Toole..................June 10, 1935
Father Robert McKeon………………..June 27, 1945
Father Joseph Gottwald………………June 12, 1955
For several years the Knights of Columbus have sponsored a
fish fry on all Fridays of Lent with the exception of Good
Friday.