Church: Dorchester, Wis., New St. Louis Church Cornerstone

Contact: janet@wiclarkcountyhistory.org

Surnames: Hauck, Glaser, Birsner, Neises, Arentz, Riegelsperger, Orlowski, Beyer, Kastigar, Stuhlmann, Pitzenberger, Skerbeck, Heibsch, Goessl, Younker, Erlei, Krajonek, Staab, Renner, Jantsch, Schmidt, Miller, Fritsch, Griedl, Hollmann, Kraniak, Kronschnabl, Pinter, Stelzel, Beck, Decker, Hopfensperger, Feldbruegge, Umlauft, Miller, Wittmann, Heindl, Boxrucker, Hrunek Geiger, Poznanski, Stoiber, Dessl, Meyer, Renner, Schumacher, Hollman, Weber, Leonard, Reynolds, Premeau, Jantsch, Schober

Source: Dorchester, Wis. Public Library

NEW ST. LOUIS CHURCH CORNERSTONE

Source: Weekly Clarion (Dorchester, Clark Co., Wis.) 06/13/1930

On June 15^th, 1930, at 2:30 in the afternoon the corner stone of the new church for St. Louis Congregation will be officially place.  This ceremony will be conducted by Rev. J.B. Hauck, rector of St. Mary’s Congregation, Wausau. Wis.  The Rt. Rev. Bishop of the diocese finds it impossible to grace the occasion and has delegated Father Hauck in his place.

The new building proves the performance of the congregation, their loyalty to their faith, their devotion and generosity, and their gratitude for divine blessings.  Part of the congregation’s history is dim and nebulous, owing to the fire of 1897 which destroyed all records to the onslaughts by irresponsible personages which thinned the ranks, and the death of many who would remember.  The congregation though suffering greatly by adverse conditions has simmered down to pure gold to remain entire, to place a new building to stand a century and more in their memory and credit.

In the early years of the parish which began somewhere in the late 1870’s it was served by priests of neighboring parishes as a mission.  Only in the very late 1880’s did this parish receive its first resident pastor.  The old wooden church was replace in 1898 by the present brick veneer church on the southwest corner of the property and served the parish for 32 years.  Father G.H. Glaser was the resident priest when this was built.  Hard luck followed the parish church during its building, which was hit by a cyclone and twisted.  It was straightened under great difficulty, but was never to be substantial.  During the time of Father Birsner the walls began to give way and needed to be tied.  It was as good a building considering the poor times, as could be erected.  However, it was known that the time would soon come when it was to be replaced.

In 1899, Rev. Victor Bally became pastor; in 1906 Rev. August A. Birsner; in 1908 Rev. John Neises, who built the present rectory; in 1912 Rev. A.M. Arentz, who built the parochial school; in 1915 Rev. C.B. Riegelsperger, M.S.C. and Rev. J. Orlowski, M.S.C, served; in 1916 Rev. E. A. Beyer; in 1917 Rev. A. Kastigar; in 1918 Rev. A.C. Stuhlmann and since 1921, Rev. Paul Pitzenberger has been the resident priest.

Some of the very old names are still alive in the parish such as Skerbeck, Hiebsch, Goessl, Younker, Erlei, Krajonek, Staab, Renner, Jantsch, Schmidt, Miller, Fritsch, Griedl, Hollmann, Kraniak, Kronschnabl, Pinter, Stelzel and other names which must be omitted with regrets.  These are some of the names of families which date to the beginning of the parish, and assisted the newer families in construction of the old church whose timer was grown in this community.

Most of the names of those assisting in construction of the parochial school are with us still, excepting a few who made the building of the same their excuse for withdrawing from the font of this administration.

The school children of St. Louis Congregation broke ground for the new structure on May 2, 1930.  At once the parish began excavating.  Those who donated their time and teams in this work are F.W. Leonhard, H. Krainak, Jos. Geiger, Jr., H.M. Heindl, Jos. Miller, John Miller, Tony Younker, A.A. Beck, Jos. Younker, Len Staab, Nick Decker, Ansel Schmidt, F. Hopfensperger, F. Feldbruegge, Len Bischoff, R. Umlauft, Peter Miller, Urban Decker, A. Wittmann, Nick Heindl, John Boxrucker, Joe and Jim Hrunek, F. Geiger, Jr., Jos. Geiger, Sr., I. Poznanski, John Stoiber, Jos. Dessl, Ray Meyer, A. Renner, F. Stoiber, Nick and Peter Schumacher, F. Hollmann and Jos. Weber.

The contract for $21, 760.00 was awarded to Lund & Tandberg of Eau Claire, April 25^th, 1930, which firm is at present working hard on the edifice.  The architect is B.J. Knowles, A.I.A., Winona, Minn.  The National Heating and Ventilating Co. of Wausau have the heating contract, while M.F. Hodge, Medford, has the electrical contract.

The Building Committee is composed of F.W. Leonard, F.H. Reynolds, F. Geiger, A.L. Premeau, A.A. Beck, J.E. Allar, Frank Stoiber, H.M. Hendl and Nick Heindl.  The Trustees are: F.V. Hiebsch and W.P. Jantsch.  Building Superintendent is Jos. F. Schober.  Some of the above had past experience in serving in the same capacity where the parochial school was built.

The congregation is very happy to put up a beautiful, substantial and fire-proof building for its own service and comfort as well as a gift to the Blessed Sacrament, really present on the main alter and to adorn this market center.