The People of the Parish

Since the church was dedicated there have been more than 2000 baptisms and more than 700 marriages in the church. Almost 50 members of the parish have become priests, brothers, or sisters. On Dec. 17, 1949, Father Wilfred Fangman, O.S.B., a native son, was ordained a priest here. Fr. Leander Scheier, O.S.B., Pastor wrote: "This was the first time that the sacrament of Holy Orders had been conferred here in St. Mary's Church, and the wonderful ceremonies of the ordination were thoroughly appreciated and enjoyed by all. The Lord blessed both the day of the ordination and the following day, the day of the First Holy Mass, with ideally beautiful weather."

St. Mary's had 60 families in 1880, 109 in 1889, 120 in 1894, and 150 by 1905. Forty families were cut off and assigned to the new Sacred Heart Parish in Baileyville when it was established in 1912. Since then the number of households has fluctuated at around 120, ranging from 115 in 1932 to 134 in 1951. In 2007, there were 140 households. In 2020, there are 140 households.

Although the congregation is small, the people are dedicated to the preservation of this church. The church is known regionally and is an apostolate to tourists.

The last word is, the people make the church.

Settlers arriving in 1858 were John and Joseph Koelzer, John Dick, Barney Blenker, Matthias Stein, William Bernstein, and Peter Blumer. Peter Blumer donated the 20 acres of church property.

Other arrivals soon after that were Michael Rogers (who named the church), Martin Stallbaumer, Margaret Draney, Martin, Jacob and Joe Rellinger, Martin Bedeau, Justus Aziere, Patrick McCaffrey and James Graney.

Other family names beyond those on the current roster that were once known at St. Mary's Church are: Arnold, Assenmacher, Attins, Austing, Bacher, Baker, Bedo, Bendon, Berger, Bernajeck, Bernarschek, Bertsen, Block, Blocker, Boekenstette, Bokern, Borchers, Brandt, Brokamp, Broxterman, Brucken, Bueltel, Buessing, Burdieck, Buser, Byrne, Carlin, Casey, Cheray, Cohorst, Conlin, Conrad, Coughlin, Dahlinghaus, Damase, DeVillier, Dignan, Draney, Dress, Drier, Droge, Echel, Eigenman, Eisenbarth, Enneking, Fienhage, Fischer, Fuesche, Funke, Gannan, Gellhaus, Gerkens, Gockel, Gormley, Gutendkauf, Halfen, Hammes, Harpenau, Hartmann, Hasenkamp, Heiman, Hencel, Hoefler, Holan, Huerter, Huls, Hunninghake, Hurley, Jacobs, Jordan, Jueshke, Karnowski, Kebria, Keegan, Kelly, Kempf, Klunenberg, Knipper, Kokenge, Kings, Krote, Kotte, Krapp, Kreilich, Kroll, Kruse, Kuhlman, Lackey, Lamping, Larkin, Latus, Laughlin, Liening, Lightheart, Lighthaus, Lynn, Lueb, Macke, Maden, Manowski, Marick, McGinty, McGrath, McQuaid, Melcher, Meyer, Mohlman, Montgomery, Morton, Moynagh, Mulligan, Mulryan, Niehues, Niekamp, Novak, Oenbring, Osterhaus, Otting, Palmer, Pavlick, Pille, Priott, Poggeman, Quirk, Reninger, Rettele, Rhonspie, Rindspitz, Roenspiess, Rohenkohl, Rohr, Rosengarten, Ruske, Salenski, Sauvago, Schaefer, Schmidt, Schneider, Schonnhoff, Schottel, Schraad, Schroeder, Schulte, Schump, Selback, Sextro, Skoch, Sperfslage, Stegeman, Stockhoff, Stueve, Stuke, Tecklenburg, Terluter, Trapp, Vote, Vondemkamp, Wachendorfer, Walk, Waller, Weber, Welp, Wessel, Wietharn, Wilhelm, Willembring, Winkler and Wissler.

God bless them all for the good that they have done.