Changes between Version 3 and Version 4 of History/BohemianSettlement

Author:

KevinVap (IP: 64.126.61.229)

Timestamp:

07/23/09 18:10:55 (15 years ago)

Comment:

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History/BohemianSettlement

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-A new furnace in 1918 cost $844, which was then replaced by an oil-burning furnace for $1,301.  In 1920, a new iron fence was placed around the church and also around the cemetery for $2,880.  In 1936, the parish numbered 39 families.  Then in the years of 1937 to 1939, the interior of the church was variously remodeled and improved with new wood and the altars were painted at a cost of $1,250.  Light fixtures were obtained from St. Fidelis parish in Victoria, Kansas when they bought new fixtures.  They were installed in SS. Cyril and Methodius when REA came out and the church was wired for electricity.  In 1951, a new electric organ was installed for $2,012 and a new garage was added in 1952 for $305.  On December 6, 1964, the new altar, made by Joe Prochazka and Clarence Heble was put into use.
-
+The first priest who attended to SS. Cyril and Methodius parish were the Fathers of the Precious Blood from New Almelo, Fr. Charles Dragoun, having said the first Mass in the Horinek sod house.  This 200 mile trip by horseback was first made by Fr. Reichert from 1882 to 1886 when he served the Studer Settlement of which some people from this area attended before having their own Masses.  In 1886, Father Fleisch became the first resident priest of the so-called western church near Herndon.  Fathers Fleisch, Kunkler, Pickler and Schalk tended to the parish until 1891.  In 1887 the railroad was laid out to Bearldley, which made it possible for the priests to take the train to Beardsley.  If they were not met by one of the parishioners with a horse and buggy, it meant a walk of five miles to the church of Immaculate Conception, and SS. Cyril and Methodius was about eight miles northwest yet of there.
+
+From 1891 to 1909, the church was served by Fathers Henderson, Bitter, Heiman, Wenzel and Spoorenberg from Herndon.  Because of the distance from Herndon, 21 miles, and because of conditions of travel, Mass was celebrated only occasionally.  Father Joseph Glynn resided in Atwood as of 1901 and helped to serve the parish from there.  Father Glynn was followed by Fathers Stepan, Macha and Gryz.
+
+In 1909, the Capuchin chapter took charge of the Catholic missions in Ralins and Cheyenne counties.  On October 25, 1909, the first Capuchins arrived in Herndon, the headquarters for their new mission labor in this area.  Newly ordained Capuchin priest, Father Placid Wolker, arrived in August, 1910, to become the first Capuchin paster of SS. Cyril and Methodius and Immaculate Conception.  Father Placid had studied the Bohemian language in Chicago with the Bohemian Benedictines, in order to meet the spiritual needs of his new flock.  Subsequent Capuchin priests that have served this parish until its closing were:  Fathers Debef, Leiker, Horning, Meis, Kuhn, Yoest, Engel, Warner, Crowley, Hammel, Meis, Brookman, Schmitt, Bower, Fischer and Dunn.  Father Didacus Dunn was the last priest to serve SS. Cyril and Methodius, a community which had been almost exclusively of Bohemian extraction.
+
+Never was there a resident pastor, a convent or school.  The first regular Vacation Religion School was conducted in 1934 in conjunction with the neighboring St. John's parish.  These Vacation Schools lasted for two, and sometimes three, weeks.  Prior to this date the pastors used to gather the children together for a week or two weeks of instruction during the summer months.
+
+SS. Cyril and Methodius had a Holy Name Society that was organized in the parish in 1934, and an Altar Society that was organized in 1902.  A Catholic Workman chapter was formed in 1903.
+
+Prior to September 1910, the records of Baptisms, Marriages and Deaths were enetered into the parish registers of Herndon or Atwood.  Since September 1910, the parish had its own parish register into which these records were entered.  The earliest Day-book record on hand begins January 1, 1923.  The earliest Annual Financial Record on hand begins in 1910.
+
+Transcript of the First Baptism in this territory reads that Johannum B. Rummel was baptised on September 7, 1886, and is signed by Rev. Geo. Fleisch.  The first baptism in the church was that of Mary Ann Kopriva on August 26, 1906.  The first confirmation is thought to have taken place in the old church by Bishop Cunningham on May 15, 1902.  The first marriage performed in the first church was that of Johannem Ruda and Clementine Chvatal on January 16, 1899, this record is found in the Herndon Matrimonial Register and signed by Rev. Charles Dragoun.  Mrs. Charles (Anna) Bartosovsky was the first death recorded in the territory in January 1886.  She was buried in Immaculate Conception cemetery, then later removed to SS. Cyril and Methodius.  The first burial in the cemetery was that of Elijah Vap, born May 29, 1899 and died September 29, 1899.
+
+The last baptism in the SS. Cyril and Methodius church was that of Matthew Micek on January 21, 1979 (two weeks before the church was closed).  Matthew is the son of Kenny and Pauline Micek, current members of St. John's parish.  The last confirmation class was that of Dawna Heble, Rena Vap, Karen J. Horinek, Anthony Heble and Janet Hrnchir on March 27, 1976.  The last marriage was performed on September 10, 1977 and was that of Jerry Lee Schnee and Zanetta Sue Hrnchir.
+
+The site of the cemetery belonging to this parish has never been changed, but when the new church was built across the road to the north in 1905, the old church site was automatically included in the cemetery.  It has been impossible to find out whether the cemetery was ever blessed.
+
+The parish was officially and canonically closed as a parish on Sunday, February 18, 1979.  Monsignor Armand Girard, Vicar General of the Diocese of Salina, represented Bishop Cyril J. Vogel at the service.  Fr. Didacus was concelebrant at this closing Mass with the Rev. Rene Bower.  Lack of sufficient and able-bodied priests now and in the foreseeable future, both in the Capuchin order and in the Diocese of Salina, was the reason for the closure.  The parishioners were asked to avail themselves of the option of attending the St. John's church, also built in the country, or the Sacred Heart Church in Atwood.  At the time of the church's closing in 1979, there were thirty-one families and a total of ninety-seven parishioners attending SS. Cyril and Methodius Parish.
+
+References:
+ * Rawlins County History Book
+ * Parish records in Atwood
+ * Chronicle of the Herndon Hospice
+ * Some Early History of the Pioneer Catholic Settlers and Parishes of Northwestern Kansas - Souvenir Booklet C 1913
+ * Parochial History of SS. Cyril and Methodius Church as remembered by Joseph Dozbaba, and Mrs. Mary (Skalka) Heble and written in 1936
+ * The Last Mass Souvenir Booklet
+
+Pictures available:
+ * The Dove emblem that used to hand in the pulpit
+
-
-(to be continued)