ST. JOHN CHURCH HISTORY

 1837

            On April 9, 1837, the first church in St. John was blessed by Father Bartels of Stallowstown (Minster) as St. John the Baptist (Saan Jaan de Dopfer). 

            Earlier, in 1833, three German settlers and families, namely, Leistenschneider, Stelzer and Thomas set in Marion Township, Mercer County and named their community St. John.  Each of the three men was called John. 

            On June 24, 1836, Father Henry Damian  Junker, the resident pastor at Minster, came to St. John and offered mass at the home of John Leistenschneider (or Gast).  This was the first mass in St. John Parish and the occasion for the Sesquicentennial celebration in 1986. 

            There were 45 people at this mass as recorded by Elizabeth Boeke, who also sketched the first church.  She and her husband had arrived in St. John in 1835.  In the fall of 1836 the parishioners started to build their own church, which was completed in the early spring of 1837. 

1850

             As early as 1847 it became apparent that a larger church was needed.  Actual construction did not start until 1849 and was completed by the fall of 1850. 

            Dedication took place on October 13, 1850, with Most Reverend John Baptist Purcell, Archbishop of Cincinnati presiding.  Father Andrew Kunkler was pastor of St. John during the construction of the church. 

            Master Builder Johann Anton Goehr of Minster was the builder and architect of the church.  It was 40 feet wide, 60 feet long and stood east and west about where our present church stands with the main door to the west.  The total cost was $4,015 and was finished without borrowing any money. 

            In 1857 an addition was added to the east end making it a T shaped building.  Cletus Heitbrink depicting how the church looked at that time made a drawing.           

1891 

            On August 15, 1887, the congregation voted to build a new and larger church.  On May 5, 1889, Rt. Reverend Joseph Dwenger, Bishop of Ft. Wayne, Indiana and native son of St. John blessed the cornerstone.  Anthony DeCurtins of Carthagena, Ohio (builder of many fine local churches) was the contractor. 

            Archbishop Elder of Cincinnati dedicated the new church on November 11,1891. 

            The present church is of the Roman style of architecture and built of brick with sandstone trim.  It is almost 140 feet long and 60 feet across the transept.  According to the figures of the Building Committee, the church cost $40,135. 

            St. John’s pastors lived at the Maria Stein Convent until 1906.  In April of that year work was begun on the present rectory and Father Otto Missler moved into his new residence on September 14, 1906.

  HISTORICAL HIGHLIGHTS 

1829    -    Miami & Erie Canal opened from Cincinnati to Dayton

1832    -    Stallowstown founded (Minster)

1833    -    St. John founded and named by first three settlers

1836    -    June 24 – First Mass at St. John    

1837    -    April 1 – Father Bartels blesses first log church

1840    -    First visit by Bishop Purcell of Cincinnati

1845    -    Miami-Erie Canal opened from Cincinnati to Toledo

1845    -    Precious Blood Community established at Maria Stein under Father Francis Brunner              

1845    -    November 2 – Precious Blood Fathers assume care of the parish

1847    -    Precious Blood Sisters start teaching in St. John

1849    -    July – Cholera strikes St. John Parish

1850    -    October 13 – New brick church dedicated by Bishop Purcell

1859    -    Joseph Dwenger, first native son of parish ordained by Archbishop Purcell on September 4.

1861    -    Father Bernard Austerman, C.PP.S. begins 19 year pastorate

1875    -    Relics arrive at Convent and St. John Parish defrays the expense of furnishing the first Shrine.

1880    -    Parish divided over school issue and church temporarily closed

1881    -    Toledo, Delphos and Burlington railroad extended through Maria Stein Station

1891    -    November 11 – third and present church dedicated

1897    -    Knights of St. John, St. Rochus Commandery 313, formed in parish

1898    -    Marion Telephone Co. organized by John Kramer

1898    -    First “New Idea Spreader” built and sold in Maria Stein by former teacher,  Joseph Oppenheim

1898    -    Father Otto Missler becomes pastor for 34 years

1906    -    St. John’s rectory completed

1922    -    Community Club Hall built in Maria Stein Station

1922    -    Frank Moorman hired as teacher to establish two-year High School

1930    -    September 1 – Dedication of St. John’s School Building

1937    -    St. John Parish celebrates 100^th Anniversary of the completion of the first church

1946    -    Maria Stein American Legion Post 571 organized

1955    -    St. John Schools become part of Marion Local School District

1963    -    Maria Stein Retreat House established

1966    -    First Parish Council chosen

1968    -    New Knights of St. John hall dedicated

1970    -    First Lay Communion Ministers appointed

1985    -    “For the Harvest” program inaugurated to deal with shortage of priests

1986    -    June 22 – 150^th Anniversary of first Mass at St. John

1995    -    St. John’s Parish purchases property West of church for expanded parking lot