Brief Church History
of
St. John the Baptist Church
Johnsburg, [Mower County] Minnesota
St. John the Baptist Church remains active in 2006. A brief summary of religious activities follows.
Prior to the establishment of a church in Johnsburg, the Catholic families atended church in nearby Stacyville, Meyer, and Wapsi
in Iowa and Rose Creek, Adams and LeRoy in Minnesota.

In the early days, the parish was referred to as St. John's of Adams. The first religious services at Johnsburg
were in 1858 with Father George Keller officiating (at the home of John Fagan).

The first church was built under Father Keller's direction in 1859 - a 16 X 20' oak log church with hand split shingles.
A 12 X14' addition was made in 1860. This was the first Catholic church built in Mower Co., MN.
Land for the church was donated by John and Gertrude Heimer. The second church built in Johnsburg (1868)
 measured 30 X 60' and cost $4000 according to the church history book.

Early Religious Activities

Early Religious Activities Around Johnsburg, MN

Information derived from the Johnsburg Church book: 1859-1984:

The first settlers came to the Johnsburg area in May of 1855. Many came from the German community of Johnsburg, in McHenry County, IL. Later groups came from Wisconsin (especially FonDulLc County), Germans from other areas of Illinois and Irish families from New York state and other eastern states. In the early years of settlement, Johnsburg was known as Germania. During the time the name Germania was used, (up to around 1880) the parish was also referred to as St. John's of Adams. Since Johnsburg itself lies less than a half mile north of the Iowa border, many of the early members of the parish were residents of Mitchell County, IA. The early church attracted Catholic families from the present areas of Stacyville, Meyer and Wapsi in Iowa, plus Rose Creek, Adams, and LeRoy in Minnesota.

 

It was noted that on November 1, 1857, the first priest (Father Michael Prendergast from St. Thomas Church in Winona, MN) visited the Catholic families in Austin, MN. The following day he said the first Mass in Mower County. He also visited Catholic Families in Grand Meadow, but no records document a visit to Johnburg. The first religious services at Johnsburg were held by Father George Keller in 1858, at the home of John Fagan who lived in Section 28 of Adams Township. He was the first missionary priest to serve the Johsburg area Catholics through his appointment as the first pastor of Immaculate Conception Church in Faribault, MN. His visits ranges from monthly to every six months.

 

Under Father Keller's direction, a log cjirch of oak timbers was constructed in 1859 16X20 feet. In 1860, an addition was built 12X14 feet. This was the first Catholic church built in the county and was named in honor of St. John the Baptist. It was built on the farm owned by John and Gertrude Heimer, who donated the use of their land.

1860 Catholic Parishioners of Johnsburg, MN

By 1860, the first Catholic families in the Stacyville area were Nicholas & Anna Huemann, Johan Adam & Christina Blake,
Nicholas & Mary Schumacher and Theodore & Catherine Blonigan.
Among the earliest Catholic families in the Johnsburg area, in Minnesota,
who appeared in the 1860 census of the first county history were:

Michael & Mary Boland

 John & Catherine Fagan

John & Susan Freund

 John & Bridget Gallagher

 Patrick & Mary Gilligan

John & Gertrude Heimer

  Mathias & Christina Huemann

  Matthew & Ann Kehrig

  Christian & Eva Krebsbach

 Matthias & Susanna Krebsbach

 John & Catherine Leisenfeld

Peter & Gertrude Leisenfeld

William & Bridget Madden

Lawrence & Margaret Rooney

Matthew & Catherine Rooney

Patrick F. & Margaret Rooney

Patrick M. & Margaret Rooney

 Thomas & Mary Rooney

 Franz Xavier & Theresia Schmid

 Michael & Anna Schmitt

 John & Mary Webber

Priests Serving Johnsburg, MN
Rev. George Keller (1823-1897)
Parish founder: 1859
Rev. John McDermott (1816-1887)
Served as missionary to St. John's 1866-1872
Rev. Claude Genis (1838-1910)
Served as missionary to St. John's 1869-1874
Rev. John Pavlin (1848-1896)
Served as missionary to St. John's 1874-1875
Rev. Bernard Bauman (1842-1898)
Served as missionary to St. John's 1869-1875
First resident priest at St. John's 1875-1881

Rev. Alois Stecher (1845 -?)
Second Resident priest at St. John's 1881-1883

Rev. Nicholas Schmitz (1857-?)
Served St. John's 1883-1890

Rev. Joseph Goergen (1857-1907)
Served St. John's 1890-1892
Rev. Johann Gratz
Served St. John's 1892-1894
Rev. Victor Schir (1848-1908)
Served St. John's 1894-1908

Rev. John Dolle (1876-1954)
Served St. John's 1908-1914
Rev. Frederick B. Reichl (1857-1923)
Served St. John's 1914-1917
Rev. Mathias Graeve (1876-1938)
Served St. John's 1917-1920
Rev. Joseph Koch (1881-1961)
Served St. John's 1921-1930
Rev. Francis Schimek (1893-aft. 1962)
Served St. John's 1930-1939
Rev. Richard Speltz (1908- )
1939-1943
Rev. Herman Boecker (1891-1973
Served St. John's 1943-1947
Rev. James P. Fasnacht(1910- )
Served St. John's 1947-1952
Rev. George H. Smith (1908-1975)
Served St. John's 1952-1966
Rev. Stephan N. Majerus (1897-)
Served St. John's 1966-1967
Rev. John Mountain (1924 - )
Last permanent priest at St. John's 1967-1976
Rev. William Bertrand (1933 - )
First priest to serve both Adams and Johnsburg parishes 1975-1981

Rev. Robert Herman (1934- )
Served 1981 -?
Was serving St. John's at the time of their 125th celebration in 1984.



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This page last updated: 2/18/06