HISTORY OF WOOD COUNTY



of La Crosse organized St. Philomena's Parish and annexed it, as a mission,
to
Wisconsin Rapids. Rev. P. Pernin was given charge of it and had a church
erected
the same year. His successor at the Rapids, Rev. Charles Beyerle, attended
it
till the summer of 1884. In the last mentioned year Father Aug. Van Sever
was
appointed resident pastor of Rudolph. In 1885 he opened the parochial school
with the Sisters of Notre Dame in charge. Father Van Sever attended Pittsville
from 1887 to 1907, Babcock from 1886 to 1901, Altdorf from 1900 to December,
1907, Nekoosa from 1900 to August, 1901, and Sigel from 1888 until the summer
of 1889. After 33 years of duty faithfully fulfilled he resigned to accept
a position
as professor at St. John's Atonement College, Graymour, N. Y. He was succeeded
at Rudolph by the present pastor, the Rev. Philip Wagner. The old buildings
erected in 1878 had later become inadequate and a new location was selected
on
an elevation near the village. One group of parish buildings was completed
in
1821. It is a massive brick structure, serving at present not only as school
and
Sisters' residence, for which it is intended, but, also as a church. Services
are held
for the present in the basement. The parish is composed of 130 families.
The
school has an enrollment of 140 children.
   St. John's Parish, Marshfield.-St. John's is the largest and second oldest
parish
in the county. As early as 1874 Rev. Wm. De Kelver of Wisconsin Rapids said
Mass in the home of Mr. Louis Rivers at "Marshfield Settlement,"
three miles
southwest of Marshfield. The following year Rev. P. Pernin, also of Wisconsin
Rapids, said Mass in the District School. Late in the fall of 1875 Rev. A.
Seubert,
of Menasha, had services there and baptized five children. The next two years
it was attended from Stevens Point by Rev. N. July and his assistant, Rev.
J.
Abb. In January, 1878, Rev. A. Th. Schuettelhofer, pastor of Medford, took
charge of Marshfield, and was appointed resident pastor of St. John's parish
in
1880. Up to that time the district school had served as church. The same
year,
however, a church was erected. In the summer of 1881 Rev. Ig. Schaller suc-
ceeded Father Schuettelhofer at Marshfield. In the fall a residence was built.
The following year the parochial school was opened with an attendance of
86. It
was in charge of the Sisters of Notre Dame, of Milwaukee. The constant growth
in attendance necessitated the erection of a new school and the old building
was
remodeled and used for a Sisters' home. As assistants to Father Schaller
there
served successively the Revs. D. Reddin, Ig. Lager, H. Yuetter, A. Gara,
Joch C.
Nau, and Geo. Kiefner. In 1889 Father Schaller was transferred to Tilden,
and
Rev. Paul Geyer succeeded -him at Marshfield. The assistants to Father Geyer
were the Revs. Geo. Kiefner, Aug. Birsner, A. Douven, W. Daniels, P. Dickopf
and P. Schnitzler. The Rt. Rev. Bishop Schwebach, D. D., appointed Father
Geyer Vicar General in the spring of 1892 and transferred him to La Crosse.
Rev.
John Eisen was appointed his successor. A splendid church was erected in
1893
and dedicated January 7, 1894. The school accon.modation were inadequate
and the need of a larger and more up to date building was felt. Work was
begun
in the spring of 1897 and a fine brick building was ready for use in the
fall. The
school enrollment last year was 487. A beautiful residence was erected in
1903.
Father Eisen died in May, 1907, mourned by all irrespective of creed or nationality.
As assistants to Father Eisen served Revs. A. Muehlenkamp, J. L. Kaiser,
Joseph
Durch, J. Neises, and F. X. Orthen. During Father Eisen's last illness Rev.
P.



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