Father Ulrich Frey, 1911

FREY

Posted By: David Reineke (email)
Date: 9/9/2004 at 01:28:07

I translated the following obituary from Der Carroll Demokrat, a German-language newspaper published in Carroll, Iowa, between about 1874 and 1920. The obituary was originally published on Friday, 5 May 1911. I have not changed the name or place spellings. Any information in brackets and notes at the end are my own explanations. It reads as follows:

Roselle

Rev. Ulrich Frey

“Deceased but not forgotten.”

The Reverend priest Ulrich Frey died almost unexpectedly of a heart attack on 26 April 1911, after receiving the holy Last Rights of the Roman Catholic Church, whose true servant he had been. He had suffered from asthma for several years. Last year, he sought relief, but without success. He experienced a severe attack of this illness on the night of 21-22 April. He allowed the Rev. Father Schulte to be called from Templeton, and allowed the Last Rights to be administered as the Church ordains as necessary to walk the path of the Lord.

Dr. Annenberg was called from Templeton and administered medical assistance. There was a recovery. Dr. Annenberg visited him daily. On Tuesday morning, though still weak, he read Holy Mass, and also did so on Wednesday when he was feeling significantly better. After Mass, he took a hearty breakfast. In the course of the morning, Dr. Annenberg visited him once again, and the Reverend expressed to him that he was feeling quite well that day. He lit himself a cigar and conversed with the doctor. Suddenly, he took off his glasses and sank silently back into his chair. The doctor propped him up, but he sank lifeless into his arms. All means were employed to keep him alive, but all to no avail. He probably died of a heart attack. Morning and evening, prayers were said for the rest of his soul. The body was carried to the church on Friday afternoon at 1:30.

Fellow members of the Roman Catholic Mutual Assistance Society of Iowa, of which he was a member, carried him to the church. The Reverend Fathers John Baumler of Halbur, Lambert Schenkelberg of Charter Oak, and John Neppl of LeMars, escorted the body, followed by the grieving members of the community. The body lay in state in the church, where the community took turns keeping vigil until the morning of the burial.

The news that Rev. Ulrich Frey was struck down and died hit us like a bolt from the blue. The sad news was sent in all directions by telegraph. Many priests would have participated in the beloved pastor’s last escort to the grave if the burial did not have to be held on a Saturday, but many priests were not able to come because they would not have been able to return to their own communities by Sunday. Still, a considerable number of the Reverend’s fellow brethren came to his burial. In addition, the Most Reverend Bishop P. J. Carrigan was in attendance and celebrated the requiem, assisted by the Rev. John Gerlemann as deacon, and the Rev. Geo. Messling as sub-deacon. Rev. F. Huesman was presbyter assistant, and the Rev. Fathers John Neppl and L. Schenkelberg assisted as masters of ceremony. After the requiem, the Most Reverend Bishop gave a short moving address to the parish, wherein he expressed his sympathy for the community’s loss. The Rev. Father Schulte from Templeton gave the eulogy. The following priests were in the sanctuary:

Rev. H. Luehrsmann, Breda
Rev. B. Schulte, Templeton
Rev. Joseph Kuemper, Carroll
Rev. John Gerlemann, Granville
Rev. F. Huesmann, Mt. Carmel
Rev. J. P. Farrelley, Carroll
Rev. F. J. Brune, Alton
Rev. Father Castello, Lohrville
Rev. John Neppl, LeMars
Rev. Edw. Meyers, Milford
Rev. Geo. Wessling, Carroll
Rev. H. Drees, Dedham
Rev. John Baumler, Halbur
Rev. P. Lynch, Manilla
Rev. Schleyer, Breda
Rev. Paul Warzawa, Maple River
Rev. John Wienike, New Hampton
Rev. Joseph Schulte, Arcadia
Rev. L. Schenkelberg, Charter Oak
Rev. M. Stork, Carroll
Rev. Aug. Meyer, Ogden
Rev. John Gehling, Hospers
And the Reverend Fathers from Willey and Coon Rapids, whose names we were not able to obtain.

Afterwards, the earthly remains, which were carried by priests, were conducted to the cemetery. The Schutzverein [Rifle Club], as a group, provided the final honor guard, and then people came from every direction to pay their final respects to the deceased. Father Schulte conducted the burial.

The Rev. Father Ulrich Frey was born on 17 July 1847 in the diocese of Rottenburg, Wuertenberg, Germany, and spent his youth there. After he completed primary school in Biberach, and seminary school in Ellwangen, he came to America and completed his studies at St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee. He was ordained a priest in 1871, and celebrated his first mass in St. Lucas. He remained there as a priest for 11 years. From there, he was called to Alton, Iowa, and then to St. Donatus. He came to Holy Angels parish in Roselle in 1887, where he remained until his recent death. He quickly built a beautiful, spacious parochial school here, and a year later he built a splendid rectory, and the corner stone for the new church was laid in 1903, for which he immediately pledged $1000. He likewise donated the tower clock, two windows in the sanctuary, and various other things. Thanks to the Rev. Father, we have the most beautiful church in the county.

On 26 December 1896, he celebrated his silver anniversary as a priest, and in September of the next year, he celebrated his 25th anniversary as priest of Holy Angels Church here. It was the preference of God Almighty to call him away after he had labored tirelessly for 40 years in the vineyards of the Lord. He was a good priest of God, and a leader to his parish. He is dead but not forgotten. May he rest in peace.

NOTES: Father Frey was priest in Roselle after Father Wegmann, who died in 1887.