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parish, village celebrate 150th anniversary

Bishop Edward K. Braxton celebrated a special liturgy Aug. 23 at St. Damian Parish in Damiansville as the parish marked its 150th anniversary.

The history of the village of Damiansville must, of necessity, begin with the history of the parish of St. Damian. The Catholic Church was the first building erected and the village was built around it.

For almost 20 years Germantown had provided the only established place for religious services for the German inhabitants who were primarily members of the Roman Catholic religion.

As the need for additional parishes became evident, they were rapidly established. Six parishes were organized in less than 15 years: St. Dominic in Breese, St. Mary in Trenton, St. Mary in Carlyle, St. Damian in Damiansville, St. Francis in Aviston and St. Rose in St. Rose.

On Sept. 27, 1860, Father Frohboese, pastor of Germantown, laid the cornerstone for the new church which was to stand on part of 20 acres purchased by Bishop Junker of Alton from Gerard Huegen. At that time all of southern Illinois was part of the Diocese of Alton.

The first pastor, Father Augustine Berger, said the first Mass in the new house of God, on Feb. 10, 1861, even though the inside of it was not finished until June. The size of this first church, a solid brick structure of Roman style without a steeple, was 46 by 70 feet.

Who were the parishioners who built this first church? The complete list is not available but the souvenir booklet issued in 1911 by the parish mentions that some of the early builders were still around at that time. These pioneers included G. Hy. Hoffman, John B. and Maria Heimann, Bernard Imming, Ben Middendorf, Theodore Fuehne, Herman Brandmeyer, Frau Catherine Rensing, Frau Herm. Kalmer, Herman Billhartz and Bernard Wuebbels. With the establishment of this new parish the village got its present name. Damiansville was not always known as Damiansville. In Holland there was a town named Dempter and first the people called their village by this name.

However, since the parish was placed under the care and patronage of St. Damian in remembrance of its founder, Bishop Damian Junker, the name of the village was changed from Dempter to Damiansville.

A one-room frame school house was also built in 1861. It stood north of the present school building. This same year the cemetery was established on the northwest corner of the church property.

The year 1863 was a momentous one, for in September, Bishop Junker of Alton, journeyed to this new parish and village and dedicated the new church. Appropriately, he blessed the new church on the feast of Sts. Cosmas and Damian, Sept. 27.

The pastor of St. Peter in Belleville, Father Peter Joseph Baltes, preached the sermon; later Father Baltes was to become the Bishop of Alton.

The same year, 1863, a small brick rectory was built and the cemetery was moved to the southwest corner of the church property where it has remained. The large crucifixion group was erected on the cemetery in 1890.

In the spring of 1864 the initial pastor of St. Damian, Father Berger, left and for some months the parishioners had to travel to St. Boniface in Germantown for religious services.

Father Berger died in Germantown of malaria in 1865 and is buried there. His successor in Damiansville was Father Chmelicek who labored in this young parish for four years.

During these four years the church was freed of debt and the Catholic school district was opened. The first teacher was Stephen Ackerman. Father Chmelicek built a frame house for the teacher and the sacristan at a cost of $1,300. He also was responsible for acquiring the life-size figures for the Christmas crib; these statues are still used each year by the parish.

The next pastor was Father Francis Lohmann who directed the construction of an addition to the church and the erection of a tall spire. The church was lengthened by 47 feet and the steeple reached a height of 130 feet. The cornerstone was laid in 1877 and in 1879 Bishop Baltes came and solemnly blessed the new parts of the church.

In 1881 the congregation under Father Lohmann consisted of 120 families. He died in 1903 and his successor was Father Otto Meier who was to remain pastor for 20 years.

By 1904 the growth of the community made it necessary to build a new school so a brick, two-story school house was built.

There was also a need for a convent so a two-story frame house was built for the nuns. The sisters had been in charge of the school since 1889. That year the Adorers of the Most Precious Blood sent sisters to Damiansville and from that day to this the sisters have taught the boys and girls of St. Damian Parish.

The formation of two new parishes, one at Albers and one at New Baden, reduced the size of St. Damian so that in 1911, the Golden Jubilee Year, the number of families totaled 80. At that time there were 84 children in school with three teachers: two nuns and one lay teacher. Frank Rensing held the latter position for ten years.

From 1923 to 1932 Father John B. Henken served as pastor at St. Damian. Father Henken was active, imaginative, capable, respected and highly regarded by his parishioners. He was moved to St. Libory after almost ten years in Damiansville.

In February 1932 Father Kiefer was assigned to St. Damian and he served the congregation until his health forced him to resign in April 1961. Father Kiefer was a capable and beloved shepherd of his flock for 29 years.

Father Kiefer saw the parish through its greatest loss. On Feb. 22, 1940, St. Damian grade school was completely destroyed by fire which began by instantaneous combustion of coal dust in the school basement.

The fire began at 10:15 a.m., and firefighting companies from the towns of Mascoutah, New Baden, Germantown and Breese answered the alarm. The conflagration was not completely extinguished until 6:30 p.m. All that remained were the bare brick walls of what had been a two-story brick school.

Sparks from this fire carried to the 130-foot steeple of the church and consumed the spire. Anxious moments followed but fortunately the body of the church was not destroyed although the entire church was discolored by smoke.
The steeple fire did ruin the organ, and the uprights supporting the bells were burned causing the three bells to fall to the floor of the church entry. The bells were cracked necessitating their recasting.

Despite the loss of the school building, school continued. Classes were held from February until summer in the parlor of the convent and in the church sacristry. Meanwhile, the new school was being built and was ready for classes by September 1940.

In 1959 increased enrollment made it necessary to add another classroom to the school. St. Damian School is now usually referred to as Damiansville Elementary School, District 62.

The school is presently undergoing major renovations, and while the building is still owned by the parish, taxes will pay for the expansion.

High school students attend either Mater Dei Catholic High School in Breese or Central High School, located west of Breese on U.S. Route 50.