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In the year 1868, St. Joseph Congregation was established by Archbishop
Henni with a membership of 35 families.
St. Joseph Church is Built
During the year 1869, a brick church measuring 50x35 feet was erected
on what is believed to have been the site of old Indian mounds, topped
with a bell cupola and fronted by a wooden board fence and plank walk.
Significant for the times were:
- Helen O'Hearn was the first baby to be baptized
- Edward Torpy and Emily Lobke were the first couple to be married
- Barbara Janisch was the first to be buried
The First Pastor Arrives
A resident pastor was assigned for the first time in 1874, the Rev. Joseph
Huber, who remained until September 1878, when he resigned due to failing
health. He died soon after and was buried in St. Joseph Cemetery.
Rev. Huber was succeeded by:
- Rev. H. Victor
- Rev. August Durst
- Rev. J. Stehle
- Rev. Charles Raphael
- Rev. L. Barth
- Rev. J.H. Koetting
- Rev. J.H. Kessler
- Rev. H. Victor (returning for a second time)
In 1887, Rev. H. Victor found that the church was too small to accommodate
the growing congregation. He started a building fund and laid the foundation
for an addition to the church. The completion of this work was left to
his successor, The Rev. Henry Dreis. Under his care the church property
was improved to the amount of nearly $4,000. The church was enlarged
with sacristy and steeple added.
Reverend F.X. Hess
In September 1891, Rev. Francis Xavier Hess was appointed pastor of St.
Joseph Parish. He would forever change the history of Waterloo. His
legacy is documented in the section appropriately titled in his name.
 St.
Joseph School: An Auspicious Beginning
St. Joseph School was conducted by the School
Sisters of Notre Dame for well over seventy years. Three sisters opened
a newly constructed school on January 9, 1905. Despite flooding caused
by a broken water pipe, a day after they arrived, and a fire caused by
an overheated furnace the following morning, the sisters happily occupied
roughly half the school building until the early 1920s. Click
to read more School history.
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