Carroll County IAGenWeb

HISTORY OF CARROLL COUNTY IOWA

A Record of Settlement, Organization, Progress and Achievement

VOLUME II ILLUSTRATED

CHICAGO THE S. J. CLARKE PUBLISHING COMPANY 1912

Transcribed by Sharon Elijah June 26, 2020

Rev. Joseph Kuemper

The province of Westphalia, Prussia, Germany, has contributed many promising sons to America, and in the number should be named Rev. Joseph Kuemper, pastor of SS. Peter and Paul’s Catholic church. He was born March 22, 1855, son of Herman and Mary Ann (Wassels) Kuemper, both natives of Westphalia. The father was a farmer and died in 1874 at the age of forty-eight, the mother passing away in 1869 at the age of forty-four years. Both were consistent members of the Catholic church. There were six children in the family, namely: Lizzie, now the wife of Anthony Welchers of Oklahoma; Herman, who is now living in Minnesota; Gernard, of Canada; Mary, who is housekeeper for her brother Joseph; Clement, of Canada, who served ten years in the American navy and was at the battle of Manila under Admiral Dewey; and Joseph of this review.

Joseph Kuemper received his early education in the parochial schools of his native land and after finishing the classical course in college attended the University of Louvain, Belgium, one year. He then came to America and studied at Montreal, Canada, and in Milwaukee, graduating from St. Francis Seminary in the latter city in 1879. He was ordained to the priesthood of the Catholic church in the same year and then accepted a professorship in the College of Dubuque, which position he occupied one year. After serving as pastor pro tem in Saint Mary’s in Dubuque for a year he was again called to the college as professor. In September, 1883, he took charge of the pastorate at Centralia, Iowa, and in September, 1887, was transferred to Sherrell, Iowa. In September, 1901, he came to Carroll and has ever since filled most acceptably the position of pastor of SS. Peter and Paul’s church. The church has a membership of more than three hundred families and is in a highly flourishing condition. The school and church buildings compare favorably with those in any other city in the state and the congregation is steadily increasing in number and strength under the capable leadership of the pastor.

A highly successful teacher and a minister greatly beloved by the members of his flock and respected by the entire community, Father Kuemper is performing a noble work in behalf of the upbuilding of the community and the peace and happiness of men. He is justly accorded a position in the estimation of his friends and all who know him as one of the most able and efficient ministers of the gospel in central Iowa.

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