St. Joe - St. Joseph

ST. JOE - Bishop Daniel N. DiNardo was the main celebrant and homilist at a liturgy last July 15 celebrating the 125th anniversary of a resident pastor at St. Joseph Parish, St. Joe.

The parish's origins date back to 1871 when Father Thomas M. Lenihan, pastor of Corpus Christi Parish in Fort Dodge, was given the mission comprising Webster, Hamilton, Wright, Kossuth, Emmet, Humboldt, Pocahontas, and Palo Alto counties. In 1871, Gregory Hollenbeck and Margaret Schreiber Hollenbeck donated land on which to build a church in Hale, the name of the village at that time. During the one-year pastorate of Father Lenihan, the first church was built. It cost about $1,800.

Father Theodore Wegmann, the first resident pastor, came to parish on the last day of August, 1876. He served the parish of German and Luxembourg settlers for only one year. The second resident pastor was Father J. B. Zigrang. He served St. Joe from 1877 until 1889. The one-room school was attached to the church in 1886. The third pastor was Father John Anler. During his pastorate the first school was built in St. Joe.

The Sisters of St. Francis, Dubuque, arrived to staff the school in January, 1890. In that same year, the second school was built.

The present brick church was built during the pastorate of Father Charles Lechtenberg in 1894-1895. He was pastor from 1892 until 1901. The fifth pastor was Father E. J. Jungblut. During his two years at St. Joe, the second rectory was built. In 1903, Father Mathew Ruemmele came to St. Joe.

Father Matthias Stork became the seventh pastor in 1916. He remained in St. Joe until 1929. The eighth pastor, Father John Berger resigned in 1930, due to ill health.

The ninth pastor, Father George Theobald, arrived in 1930. The present rectory and the present school were built in 1938. The brick school cost $50,000 and had 140 students in 10 grades when it opened. This school building was a grade 1-12 school until Garrigan High School opened in Algona in 1959.

The present convent was built in 1954-1955 during the pastorate of Father Leo Schumacher, the tenth pastor. He was pastor from 1951 until 1970. The eleventh pastor, Father David Hogan, served from 1970 until 1979. Father William Wingert served the parish from 1979 until 1981. The 13th pastor Father John Thomas, served from 1981 until 1986. Father Leo Riesberg served St. Joe from 1986 until 1993.Father Paul Eisele, the current pastor, has been pastor of St. Joe since 1993.

Two men from the St. Joe Parish became religious brothers: Brother Matthias Berte, SVD, and Brother Nicholas Thilges, SVD.

Twenty-five young women from the parish became religious sisters. Twenty-one were members of the Franciscan Sisters of Dubuque: Sisters Blondina Erpelding, Olympia Schreiber, Isabella Zeller, Augusta Stattelman, Ursuline VonBank, Amalia Kayser, Bonavita Berte, Deotilla Berte, Benvenuta Berte, Gervase Freilinger, Sienna Freilinger, Phyllis Reding, Clare Becker, Marcellita Gisch, Alda Thilges, Virginia Freilinger, Imogene Klein, Carol Ann Berte, Marcine Kellner, Dorothy Kramer and Lois Erpelding. Four others were members of Order of the Missionary Sisters, Servants of the Holy Spirit: Sisters Charlotte Thilges, Marguerite Gales, Engratia Rose Gales, and Carla Gales.

Seven young men from St. Joe were ordained to the priesthood: Fathers Charles Ernst, John Thilges, SVD; Henry Ernst, Luke Becker, OSB; Francis Illg, Nicholas Becker, and William Devine.