A number of families that attend St. Mary’s today can trace their roots back to the settlement days.

An inspiring story of Faith involves one of the earliest marriages at St Mary’s, George and Catherine (Etta) Prock in 1884. Their first six children died as infants, except for one who died at 4 ½ years.

Their seventh child was born, at a house across the street from the St. Mary’s rectory, in 1892. He survived. The family decided to move to Rice Lake in 1893 and had additional surviving children. But that first surviving child became a priest, Monsignor Michael Prock, ordained for the Superior diocese in 1919. He was the only child born in Neillsville to enter the priesthood. George and Etta Prock, their infants who died, and their son, Msgr. Prock who died in 1982, are interred in St. Mary’s cemetery. Msgr. Prock was invited to the Centennial celebration in 1978, but infirmity prevented him from coming, although he did send his congratulations.

Another Michael Prock, cousin of the Monsignor, was cited in the 1890 publication "Clark County Illustrated, as an example of a success story. He moved to the Town of Weston in 1878 and purchased 80 acres with $5 down, the only capital he had. Twelve years later he farmed 160 acres, "well-stocked and paid for."

Prock relatives continue to attend St. Mary’s. Linus Prock, the father-in-law of current parishioner Pearl Prock, was a first cousin of Msgr. Prock

Another early family was the Fosters. A current parishioner, John Foster’s grandparents, John and Barbara Foster, had three children baptized at St. Mary’s in the 1880’s and his grandmother Barbara was a church organist. John began managing the Neillsville Brewery in 1882. "John is a good brewer and will give satisfaction to the patrons of the establishment," declared the "Neillsville Times."

The family moved to La Crosse before his father Leo was born, in 1893. Leo returned to Neillsville with his wife and son John in 1938. Now, John himself has grandchildren who were baptized in the parish. John’s son Gregory and wife Linda are current parishioners. Thus, five generations of Fosters have been Parish members at one time or another.

Long-time members include Ed Hainz, born in 1910. His father, David Hainz, was a member at that time.

Ed, a farm boy, attended the country school. But he remembers lines of people standing outside during Mass because space was tight while the old school served as a church after the 1923 fire. His mother Katherine made a substantial donation for the new school in 1939.

Henry Langreck moved here from Iowa and was recorded in the parish membership as of 1917.

His son Harold is a current member. Henry’s daughters include two nuns, Florence (Sr. Niva) and Catherine (Sr. Lillia). Sr. Lillia remembers her parents as wanting a Catholic school very badly. They visited Fr. Weber when he was dying at Sacred Heart, and he promised the school would be built.

John Resong, who died June 17, 2004, was the last surviving parishioner who attended the original school, the one that closed in 1923. His father, Mathias, was a parish trustee in the 1902-1910 periods. John’s son, Ronald, is our organist today.