PLATTE COUNTY, NEBRASKA
ST. STANISLAUS CHURCH HISTORY
[Transcribed from The Columbus Telegram, December 30, 1910]Having had occasion to note the remarkable development of material things recently In the enterprising village of Duncan, it occurred to The Telegram that a brief history of the Stanislaus parish might be very interesting to our readers. In endeavor to get the most reliable data we called upon Father Mitera, the devoted parish priest, and he courteously gave us the following facts and figures regarding the formation, growth, and present status of the church and school work under his charge:
"In 1869 six Polish families arrived from Europe and settled on land between Coiumbus and the present town of Duncan. The heads of those families were Valentine Lassek, Valentine Jareski, John and Joseph Rosno, Antony Nickolajczyk and Lawrence Kujawa. These formed the nucleus of the Catholic parish west of Columbus, called later Duncan. They were spiritually provided at first, by Rev. Father Ryan (afterward surnamed "Captain Ryan"), of Columbus. However, as he did not speak their languages, Polish and German, he from time to time invited competent priests to minister to them. Thus, at first a German priest from West Point, Nebraska, subsequently the Polish Jesuit, Father Szulak, the pioneer missionary, master of several languages, served them with the consolations of holy religion, visiting them at least once a year for several years.
"With the arrival of the Franciscan fathers in Columbus these pioneer families fell to their charge, Father Sebastian Cebulla, of their nationality, being their pastor for three years. They attended, of course, at Columbus.
"Other families came into this vicinity: Borowiak, Krzycki, Podraza, Skorupa, and others. Gathering their scanty forces (for they were very poor—-especially those now arrived), they nobly decided to build a church in their midst. The Father Superior Dominic favored their plan; in fact, he inspired it. They began in 1881 with a small frame structure, 26x40, on the site of the present building, of which it forms a part, in the town of Duncan, then called Jackson. In the meantime Father Cyril Augustynski, O.F.M., had succeeded Father Sebastian. He had not finished the little church when he was transferred. Fr. Anastasius Czech, O.F.M., succeeded him in 1882, completed the structure, and celebrated the first holy mass therein on Christmas day, 1882. The joy was great.
"The want of a school was supplied in 1883 by Saturday instructions in district school buildings in two places, south and north, Mr. John Krzycki helping on "the Island," and Mrs. Stan. Borowiak northeast of Duncan. A little school house near the church was soon the fond realization of Fr. Anastasius' efforts. After a layman had taught the children for several years an important step was taken forward by giving the school into the charge of the school sisters in 1889. At this time the boundaries extended far into Polk county, on the south, and Nance county, on the west. In 1890 and 1893 two new parishes were organized within the limits of the original parish by Fr. Anastasius. The new parishes were named "Pilzno" and "Krakow."
"When Fr. Anastasius died, 1895, Fr. Remigius Berent, O.F.M., became his successor. He enlarged the church, giving it the transept (or cross) form, with a large sanctuary and sacristy. Before its full completion he was called away to another parish, in 1898.
"Fr. Rembort Stanowski, O.F.M., now became the pastor, remaining with the parish for more than eight years. The parish school owes him a great debt of thanks. He labored, strenuously for its advancement, proficiency and enlargement.
"At the present, time one hundred and forty children are attending the [missing text] braces the full eight elementary grades. Besides the usual branches taught in English, the Polish langauge is also taught and fostered, for it is used extensively in this district. The double language prepares the youth for commercial life, while it tends to support natural family ties and home traditions so necessary unto filial affection and esteem for parents and ancestors. To disregard these claims and ties by positively throwing off the mother tongue and good home customs, far from profiting the individual, would impair his character. Knowing this, the Poles who immigrated here from Europe feel grateful for the liberty enjoyed in this great republic while resenting the violent racial oppression which forced them to leave their own native Russia or Germany.
"If it be of interest to learn something of this people's customs and progress then let the following serve: The Polish people generally are thrifty, laborious, economical, hospitable, honest, deeply religious. They love social enjoyments. Their baptism and marriage, solemn ceremonies in the church, are followed by an elaborate home celebration, to which all neighbors are invited and amply supplied-—a sort of family, or rather district, reunion—-at which all feel equal and sociable. On account of frequent abuses, however, especially by the uninvited, who often intrude at such occasions, the Poles are reducing these celebrations. The dress of the Poles, especially of the ladies, differs somewhat from the American dress. It is simpler, but more comformable to hygiene and natural development. The simple shawl or cloth head-covering of the women as they come from Europe, is surely better for practical use than the wagon-wheel tub size hats now in use. The foreign customs are, however, gradually yielding to the native modern fashions.
"Great change is noticed in this district by virtue of the general progress and development of land and industry. Thirty years ago the farmer's team was a yoke of oxen, his heavy wagon his only conveyance. Now he owns many fine horses, buggies, and carriages and some of our progressive farmers are driving automobiles. They have telephones in their homes ,and they receive their mail daily from the hands of the rural carrier. Their opportunity to live a quiet, happy and healthy life is far greater than in the cities. The farmer, in general, and the Duncan farmer not excepted, is becoming more and more respected and important citizen of our country. The school and church of Duncan help in no small portion its clients in this advancement, while these institutions themselves bear marks of due progress. The church and school buildings are now taxed to their full capacity by worshipers and students. Already the parishioners are making remote preparation for new, more substantial and spacious buildings. While the present frame church seats two hundred and eighty to three hundred persons, the future brick or stone structure should have double this capacity. But the tender love that attaches to the present cosy old church can scarcely be greater for the new and grander structure which must some day take its place. Many noble sacrifices and sufferings are embodied in its history. Nor shall the name of one who contributed so much to the welfare of the parish, its people and its church—-the Rev. Fr. Anastasius Czech—-ever be forgotten by the grateful people of Duncan."
St. Stanislaus Church is located in Duncan, Nebraska, a small town which lies between the Platte and Loup rivers, eight miles west of Columbus on Highway 30.Around 1860 the first pioneers began to arrive and settle around the Duncan area. Among them were the Swiss settlers, John Ernst and George Berney, and settlers from new England like Guy Barnum who settled about a mile south of Columbus. Attracted by cheap homesteads, the families of Walenty Jarecki, Joseph and John Rosno, Lawrence Kujawa and Anton Micolajczek arrived in either March or April, 1868, and settled some six or seven miles west of Columbus.
Many Polish immigrants came to Nebraska as a result of the efforts of the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America, a society which was organized in 1873 to assist Poles in establishing themselves in the United States. In 1876, Father Ladislaus Sebastyanski, S.J., a missionary working among the Slavs in the Midwest, suggested that the Polish people be encouraged to settle in middle Nebraska where the Government and the Burlington and Union Pacific Railroads had extensive tracts of land at low prices.
The following are families who took advantage of this opportunity: Banachs, Borowiaks, Boruchs, Czaplas, Czubas, Grevas, Iwans, Jareckis, Kampowiczs, Koczors, Koziols, Krzyckis, Kulas, Liskos, Miceks, Podrazas, Shemeks, Skorupas, Stachuras, Stanczyks, Swianteks, Tribas, Tworeks and the Zelasneys. Many of these families settled just south of the Platte River on the Island. They named the region "Pilzno" after their home town in Poland.
As more immigrants of various nationalities continued to settle in the region around Columbus, it became increasingly difficult for Fr. Ryan (of Columbus) to minister to their needs. Father Ambrose Janssen and Anselm Puetz were entrusted with all of Platte County, the neighboring counties of Madison, Polk and Butler, to found parishes where they deemed advisable. Father Ambrose Janssen arrived in Columbus early in February, 1877, and began to make plans for a monastery. Several brothers soon arrived to help, and Father Sebastian Cebulla, a Polish priest, came some time later to care for the Polish Catholics in the area.
Father Cyril Augustinsky arrived in Columbus in 1879 and continued the work of Father Cebulla among the Polish people in the Duncan area. Aware of the difficulties the people endured in making the long journey by horse and wagon to Columbus to attend church services, on March 4, 1882, a request was made to obtain from the railroad company a site for a church as a donation. The railroad company would benefit from this donation, for this would induce the Polish people to settle and buy up the rest of the land which the railroad company still had for sale.
The Bishop returned the letter to Fr. Augustinsky with a marginal note which stated that forty acres could be purchased at $10.00 per acre.
Mr. Michael Wleczek donated the land and a committee was established to solicit funds for the building. John B. Kyle, an Irish Catholic, was the first to contribute $100 to this fund. Work began on the church in the summer of 1882.
Before the church was completed, Father Cyril was transferred to Radom, Illinois. His successor was Father Anastase Czech. He dedicated the primitive church which consisted of unfinished walls covered with a roof on Christmas Eve, 1882, and celebrated the first Mass in it on Christmas Day. By October 21, 1883, he completed the structure, adding a sanctuary and two sacristies, one to be used as a sleeping room. The dimensions of this church were 26 x 40 feet. Prior to this time, Mass had sometimes been celebrated at the Jarecki home, or in the district school on the Island.
During the winter of 1885-86, the church was enlarged to double its size and a steeple was added. Father Anastase also purchased three bells on March 7th.
Shortly after his arrival in 1883, Father Anastase sought to establish a parochial school For a time John Mrozynsky taught boys and girls to read and write in Polish, using the public school building. Finally, on March 16, 1887, arrangements were made to build a small frame school building which was opened later that year. Mr. Peter Kozlowski was hired as teacher for a salary of $200 per year with an additional $50 for serving as parish organist, cleaning the chapel, fixing and cleaning the pastoral residence and washing the linens of the church and pastoral residences.
More land was needed for parish expansion and so on October 30, 1887, it was concluded that the parish should buy two acres of land from anyone near the church for a cemetery. A small plot of ground was purchased in February, 1888. At the December 8, 1887 meeting, the parish corporation also decided to buy 40 acres from Howard Kennedy of Omaha for $389.70. The land was finally paid for in February, 1893, and deeded over the parish. Part of this land was fenced in for a cemetery.
A dream of Father Anastase was finally realized with the arrival of the Sisters of St. Francis from their Motherhouse at Lafayette, Indiana, to take charge of the parish school. The first Sisters to arrive on October 28, 1889, were Sisters Dorothea, who taught the primary grades and served as organist, and Sister Theodora, who taught the upper levels. Sister Hilaria came somewhat later to keep house for the Sisters and was their first Superioress.
In 1889, fifty families in the Pilzno vicinity formed St. Mary’s Parish which, since 1887, belonged to the Lincoln Diocese. Anton Iwan, Sr., John Lisko, Sr., Philip Micek, Sr., and George Shemek were elected to serve on a committee to build a church and requested Bishop Thomas A. Bonacum to send a priest to St. Mary’s. A Polish priest, Father Ladislaus Bobkiewicz, arrived in Pilzno on December 18, 1891, just a few days after his ordination. He resided in the sacristy and took his meals with the family of Anton Iwan. In July, 1892, he was recalled to his own Diocese of Peoria.
After his departure, Father Anastase from Duncan again cared for the people of Pilzno. It was not until March, 22, 1893, that Father John Moneta was given charge of the parish. He was a native of Poland who was ordained in Detroit on March 11, 1893, for the Diocese of Lincoln. During his first year as Pastor, he supervised the construction of a rectory.
Along with the building program and the acquisition of land, plus the difficulties of collecting money from the people, the parish suffered the loss of 50 families to the new parish of St. Mary’s, Pilzno in 1891. On July 4, 1893, Father Anastase met with 59 family heads at Vatelis Borowiak’s farm to establish Ss. Peter and Paul Parish in Krakow. A site for the church was chosen on the farm of John Szatkowsky (Shotkoski) and two acres from the Simon Czarnik farm for a cemetery.
Although several of the families who had settled in this vicinity had come from Krakow, Poland, a great number, according to reports, had come from Tarnow; but, because there already was a place in Nebraska called Tarnov, the new settlers of this territory decided to call the place Krakow after the very large city of Krakow in Poland.
The people of Duncan had no ill will toward the people of Krakow for breaking away from St. Stanislaus Parish. In fact, they tried to assist them in their efforts. At a meeting on July 10, 1893, a motion was made to give over to the new parish all those funds which the people from that area had been obliged to give. Only the money due to the Pastor for his services was held back.
After the death of Father Anastase on March 13, 1896, Father Sebastia Cebula took over temporarily until August, 1896, when Father Remigius Berendt came to assume duties as pastor. He was transferred in 1898, and on June 2, 1898, Father Rembert Stanowski became Pastor.
The Silver Jubilee was celebrated in the spring of 1907. Three of the very first pioneers were still among the living: Mrs. Walenty (Frances) Jareciki, Mrs. Walenty (Rosalia) Lassek and Mrs. Michael (Frances) Wleczek.
A dream of the parishioners of St. Stanislaus, which was already considered as early as 1906, was to build a new church. In retrospect, it probably was a blessing that the parish did not proceed with its plans to build a $75,000 church. With only half the necessary funds raised, or pledged, by 1928, the Great Depression and the Dirty Thirties would truly have been a disastrous time for the parish. Furthermore, a beautiful church and rectory were built in 1939 for much less under Father George Mikulski.
It seems there is something special about being the first person to be baptized in a new church or to be the last couple married in the old. There are a few facts about who was first and who was last with regard to the old and new church.
The last person to be baptized in the old church was Robert S. Dush, son of Steve and Teofilia (Kuta) Dush. Born on September 12, 1939, he was baptized on September 17th by Father George.
Otto Mueller had the privilege of being the first to be baptized in the new church. Born on May 29, 1910, he converted to Catholicism and was baptized on November 4th by Father George. Otto and Dorothy (Micek) were the second couple to be married in the new chruch; they were married on November 21, 1939.
The last couple to be married in the old church was Joseph Dush, son of John and Victoria (Starostka) Dush, and Mary Borys, daughter of Charles and Catherine (Gembica) Borys. They were married on September 27, 1939.
Joseph S. Liss, son of George and Maria (Torczon) Liss, and Theodora (Dorothy) Swantek, daughter of Carol and Felicia (Jarecki) Swantek, were the first couple to be married in the new church. They were married on November 6th.
The last person to be buried from the old church was Mrs. Martin (Cecilia) Karges. She died on September 19th and was buried on September 22nd. Although she was buried from the old church, the bells tolled from the new church tower in which they had already been installed.
Catherine Czarnik was the first person to be buried from the new church. She died at the age of 93 on December 8, 1939, and was buried on December 11th.