NOTE: A special thank you to Gloria Barnes for providing the following history which was taken from a pamphlet printed for the dedication of a Memorial on May 26, 1991.
1875 - At this time, the nearest German Church was St. Mary’s in Stearns’ or Grand Prairie.
1876 - The Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska, Rt. Rev. J.O’Connor, invited the Franciscans to his diocese and offered them four counties: Platte, Madison, Butler, and Polk, with headquarters at Columbus, Platte County.
1877 - This offer was accepted by the Provincial Chapter under the direction of Very Rev. Fr. Gregory Janknecht, Provincial of the Holy Cross Province.
As Superior for this large mission was appointed Rev. Fr. Ambrose Jansen O.F.M., and as his assistants, Fr. Anselm Puetz and Fr. Sebastian Zebulla.
At this time, Platte County already had parishes in Columbus, upper and lower Shell Creek, St. Mary’s (Stearns Prairie) and St. Anthony.
Towards the end of 1877, the Burlington and Missouri River Railroad Company reserved a large tract of land, 30,000 acres, located in both Platte and Madison counties, to Fr. Ambrose Jansen and Bernard Schroeder for the purpose of founding a Catholic German Colony. The two men, both well qualified in their work, advertised the colony widely, both in the United States and in the Old World.
The railroad company had planned building through there and it was to its advantage to have settlers all along the route. It was stipulated that this land was to be sold within two years. This land was portioned into farms and sold from $2.48 to $4.80 per acre, at an average price of $2.75. Payment was to be made in ten yearly installments without interest. Bernard Schroeder received 50 cents per acre for the land he sold, one-fourth of which was given to Father Ambrose for the Franciscan Fathers, which organization did all in its power to bring immigrants from wherever the Order had parishes and elsewhere. To encourage the Franciscans, the Railroad Company donated 160 acres of land for Church purposes and Father Ambrose promised to build a church, school and monastery as soon as a sufficient number of settlers would warrant this. This gave a mighty impulse to the growth of the colony and settlers came from the Old Country, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Wisconsin, Missouri, etc.
The account book of Father Ambrose stated that Godfrey Frischolz was the first person that applied for land in the great railroad tract and Joseph Heiman of Fort Madison, Iowa, claims the honor of having paid the first cash for his farm near St. Bernard. Other early pioneers to arrive in 1877 were: Bernard Schroeder, Frank Wiebler, Victor Jung, Michael Jonas, John Sand, Clemens Niebur, John Dohmen, Jos. Jansen, Jos. Albracht, Fred and Anton Loeffler, Math. Gilsdorf, Andrew Boesch, Killian Ottis, Bernard Hauck, Henry and Herman Heiman, Michael Schaefer, Andrew Batliner, and others. Father Ambrose and Bernard Schroeder agreed that every Catholic settler who purchased land from the railroad tract, had to pay 50 cents per acre extra which would be used for building the church and school.
1878 - Until the erection of a church at St. Bernard, the settlers had to attend divine services at some private home or at St. Mary’s in Stearns’ Prairie Township. Great hardships were entailed. The roads, poor to begin with, were very often extremely bad.
The distance was from ten to twenty miles. Often the settlers had to go for weeks without the consolations of their religion. The first Mass was at the Michael Jonas home on August 15, 1878, and later at the homes of John Dieter, Bernard Schroeder, Victor Jung, Michael Jonas, and Frank Wiebler.
It was decided to build a church, school, and Sisters’ residence in the northeast corner of Section 11, Township 20, Range 3 West, of Platte County. This settlement was named "St. Bernard" in honor of the patron saint of Bernard Schroeder. The church was accordingly called St. Bernard.
At the beginning of 1878, the colonists commenced hauling lumber from Columbus a distance of 35 miles. Father Ambrose directed the building operations, making many trips for that purpose. Brother Damian Bueschgens, O.F.M. helped in the construction aided by Hy. or Wm. Duesman, John Hinrichs, Nick Thill, P. Beier and Frank Gore? of Columbus, and others. These men labored with such zeal that the building was ready in November of 1878. At the cost of $6,000, the completed building consisted of the first floor serving as a school and the Sisters’ residence, and the second floor was the church. The dedication day, November 21, 1878, was a day of rejoicing for the pioneers, and it caused them to forget for a time the trials they endured to obtain this objective. It was also a red letter day for Father Ambrose, for he had worked exceedingly hard to sell the land to make possible the first Catholic settlement and parish. The Rt. Rev. Bishop O’Connor blessed the building and preached the sermon in English, and for this occasion, Rev. Groenebaum of Omaha preached the sermon in German. The first bell was bought and blessed.
Shortly after the blessing of the building, Fr. Cyprian Banscheid, O.F.M. was appointed by his Superior as the first pastor of St. Bernard. He had to come all way from Columbus to St. Bernard and he stayed about three days saying Mass on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Divine Service was made as impressive as possible under the circumstances. During the first years, the parish had no organ though there was a Sister that could play. Brother Damian Bueschgens, O.F.M., the carpenter, directed the first choir consisting of Henry Gilsdorf, William Duesman, Math. Diederich, Nick Thill ... [text missing from copy]
Sr. Clementina, O.F.M., drilled some school boys, who alternately sang the psalms. The names of the boy leaders were Tony Schmitt and Joseph Lehnertz. It was edifying. Mr. Bernard Schroeder also donated the Gothic monstrance and after this, Sacramental Benediction was imported every Sunday afternoon. He also donated a painting of their patron, Saint Bernard.
St. Bernard was platted in June, 1878, by R. L. Rossiter, county surveyor, and a hotel, store, blacksmith shop, and a post office were opened. The post office was later discontinued due to free rural delivery. The expected railroad, however, never came through St. Bernard and all dreams of a prosperous town vanished.
1879 - Father Cyprian lodged at B. Schroeders and took his meals at Jos. Jansen’s for about a year. As this was very inconvenient trying to serve a colony that had increased to 75 families, the matter of building the promised monastery was now a necessity. In June, a meeting was held with Fr. Cyprian explaining to the people of the situation. Almost all present were ready to pledge a certain sum in spite of their own poverty.
The first settlers had hard times. The land was poor, farm implements were scarce, a market place too far off and prices for farm products cheap. For a heavy load of farm products hauled to Columbus, a distance of 36 miles, the farmers brought home a few sacks of flour, a few pounds of coffee or sugar. Eggs were sold at times as low as 5 cents ... [text missing from copy] ... per bushel, the farmers said, "If it remains this high, we shall be able to make money."
Cornbread and Speck were the usual meals of the settler; buffalo chips, slough grass and corncobs served for fuel in the dugout, sod-house or log cabin; and prairie grass was fodder for their cattle.
Despite the poverty, money was collected and the building of the priest house began. It was completed before winter. It was blessed, and Fr. Cyprian and Brother A. Steckling moved in.
1880 - On August 16th, the small Friary was canonically erected as a Franciscan residence and Fr. Cyprian was instituted as First Superior.
The Cemetery, comprising 12 acres, was a gift of Bernard Schroeder. The deed was dated October 6, 1880. The road (20 ft. wide and 2,026 ft. long) leading to the cemetery was also a gift of Mr. Schroeder. An addition to this road (10 x 1,922 ft.) was purchased later from M. Backes and John and Frances Pinger for $100.
The following is a list of parishioners found in the oldest Baptismal Record, that of 1881:
|
Albracht, John Albracht, Joseph Batliner, Andrew Bellartz, Peter Beller, Ignatius Bellinghausen, Wm. Birkenfeld, Silvester Bockwinkel, Joseph Boesch, Andrew Borer, Joseph Braun, Simon Buettner, Joseph Coleman, Patrick Cremer, Christian Delissen, Peter Denner, Jacob Diederich, Mathias Dieter, John Dohmen, Anton Dohmen, Christian Dreifuerst, Mathias Engelbertz, Henry Fangmann, Anton Fellhoelter, Henry Frisch, John Frisch, Joseph |
Gilsdorf, Joseph Gilsdorf, Mathias Gruenther, Henry Hasmann, Bernard Hauck, Bernard Havercamp, An? Heiman, Joseph Hemmer, Jacob Hemmer, Nicolaus Hoescher, Frank Humpert, Gerard Huseman, Joseph Hutmacher, Geo. Janssen, Joseph Jasper, Mathias Jonas, Michael Kaus, John Jr. Kaus, John Sr. Kaus, Peter Klassen, Thomas Klocke, Francis Koehnen, Jacob Kroeger, Godfrey Kuhl, Engelbert Kuhl, John Lehnertz, Michael Loeffler, Fred Lousberg, Peter |
Marrek, Edw. Melcher, John Melcher, Martin Moseke, Henry Mueting, John Niebur, Clement Niebur, Henry Niemeyer, Christina Ostmeier, Fred Ottis, Illian Ottis, Joseph Ottis, Thomas Pauly, Mathias Pauly, Nich Pimpel, Mauritius Pimpel, Wendell Raemaeker, Godfrey Reichert, John Retherath, Peter Ruffing, Peter Sand, John Scaefer, John Schaecher, Henry Schaefer, Maternus Schaefer, Mathias Schaefer, Michael |
Schmitt, John Jr. Schmitt, John Sr. Schmitz, Math. Joseph Schneider, John Schoennoehl, Joseph Schroeder, Bernard Schulte, Sm. Schwartz, Peter Smith, Fred Smith, Jacob Steibling, Joseph Sueper, August Sueper, Frank Sueper, Fred Sueper, John Sueper, Joseph Thome, Theodore Wagner, Martin Wegener, Henry Wegener, Herman Weidner, Jacob Weidner, John Wessel, Frank Wieser, Joseph Wilhelm, John |
1881-1882 - But the parish also had to experience hard times. All, even Priest and Sisters, had to burn slough grass for fuel. Then came the wintry blizzards which numbered 26 from 1881 to 1882. The fuel gave out and people had to burn straw. They would go to the fields with a corn knife and a rope and cut cornstalks or rather the tops because the snow was half as high as the stalks. The church was without a stove and the Priests fingers almost froze to the chalice.
1881 - Fr. Cyprian was assigned to Quincy, Illinois July 14, 1881, and was replaced by Fr. Pancratius Shulte, O.F.M., who found a larger church a necessity.
[one line of text missing on copy] petition as follows: "We, the undersigned for the greater honor of God, promise for the new church every 25th bushel of our crop this year." This petition received the signatures of Joseph Heimann, Bernard Schroeder, Joseph Janssen, J. Melcher, Mathias Diederich, Henry Wegener, M. Schaefer, Joseph Schmitz, Fred Loeffler, Godfrey Krewel, and many others. Each obliged faithfully. The 160 acre farm in Madison county was sold to Jos. Huseman for $1160.00, with the intention of also using this money in the erection of the new church.
1883 - On September 9th, the cornerstone of the new church was laid by Fr. Pancratius, Fr. Theo. Arentz, O.F.M., and Fr. Max Klein, O.F.M. in the presence of a large concourse of people. The plans had been drawn by Ven. Brother Adrian Werner, O.F.M.
Mr. Bernard Hauck of St. Bernard, laid the solid foundation of cut stone. Later, he also laid the foundation for the steeple. The church had a wooden framework and veneered with brick. Brother Damian, assisted by several carpenters from the neighborhood, did the building. Before winter set in, the building was under roof. During the winter and spring, the work continued in the interior. Whatever could be done by the parishioners, such as hauling the material, excavating, etc., was done gratis to reduce expenses.
1884 - On June 29, the feast of St Peter and Paul, Rt. Rev. Bishop James O’Connor of Omaha, dedicated the second structure erected for worship by the people of St. Bernard at 8 o’clock a.m. At 10 o’clock, a Solemn High Mass was celebrated and a class of 34 confirmed. At 3 o’clock, the second bell was blessed.
At this time, the church was one of the most beautiful in the country. It was a solid, three aisle, strict Roman style, 45 ft. in width and 102 ft. long, with a fine pentagonal sanctuary and apse.
On August 10th, Fr. Pancratius blessed the fine Stations of the Cross, which adorned the church to the end. A pulpit and two fine confessionals were the work of Brother Damian.
...
1961 - The school, which had been the pride of the community for so many years was closed in 1961 after the nuns who had been teaching there were assigned to other parishes where they felt that they were needed more. Also, there was a transition in the Sister’s community as the enrollment had declined, thereby creating a shortage of available teachers. Most of St. Bernard students went to Holy Family in Lindsay.
Also at this time, the farm owned by St. Bernard parish was no longer rented, but was farmed by the parish to provide the necessary tuition for the students attending Holy Family.
Then the inevitable happened. Also due to a shortage of priests, the Franciscan Order turned the church property over to the Archdiocese of Omaha and the Archbishop ordered the church and monastery closed.
1971 - On July 11, 1971, the last Mass was said and the people departed with very heavy hearts as the bells tolled for the last time. It was the parting of closeness for this "family" of many generations who together endured the ravages of time for the Grace of God. The Mass was concelebrated by Fr. Nelson Newman, Fr. Jerome Spenner, Fr. Duane Lukas, and Fr. Ed Albers. Servers were Alan Zach and Terry Korth.
Choir members in 1971 were organist, Mrs. Phyllis McPhillips, Win. Biermann, Charles Dohmen, Floyd Hemmer, Lee Hemmer, Alvin Korth, Art Korth, Jerome Korth, Ray Korth, Vernell Korth, Tony Pfeifer, Edward Schock and Lee Pfeifer.
On July 18, 1971, a sale was held to dispose of the church property. The sale was well attended by people wanting mementos of the parish.
1972- A land auction of 143.35 acres was held on January 11, 1972 at 1:30 p.m. in the Holy Family Gym in Lindsay. The assets of the parish were divided on a per family basis and distributed to parishes at Lindsay, Humphrey, and Madison depending upon where individual families decided to continue attending services. Only a small portion of the funds were retained for the care of the cemetery.
For a brief time in the 1970’s, the monastery was used as a half-way house for people being treated for alcoholism, but due to the lack of occupants for three or four years, it was also torn down. The old church was the first building to be dismantled, with the monastery following and finally, the school was taken down in the 1980’s.
Evergreens, planted many years ago, outline a beautiful ball field on the grounds. It has been used over the years for softball games and had been used by Holy Family school for football games as their field had been flooded out consistently.
Over a century of history has passed by and many of the dreams of the original parishioners have been realized and many are still to be fulfilled. In order to preserve the memory of the determined people who worked so hard in establishing this community, a Memorial was dedicated on May 26, 1991 at a noon Mass with Father Alban Sueper officiating.