Millerville History
Millerville Township, Douglas County, Minnesota, USA
The History of the Founding of the Millerville Church
from
"Douglas County:
Album of the Ages"
©1979?
Printed by Taylor Publishing Co.
Pages 361-362
The Parish of Our Lady of Seven Dolors is in the center of four
townships, Millerville, Brandon, Leaf Valley and Leaf Mountain
in Otter Tail County. The Church of Our Lady of Seven Dolors is
the mother church of this large community.
Settlers came to Millerville as early as 1860, during the Indian
scare most of them fled for their lives never to return. After the
close of the Civil War immigrants came to Millerville from Europe
in great numbers.
In October of 1866 the following came from various parts of Germany.
They were John A. Miller and his mother. He was the leader of this
group. For him the township was named the city of Millerville.
Miller was accompanied by John Lorsung, soon after Peter and Joseph
Lorsung joined them.
Two weeks after this Constance Cichy arrived, then came Frank Weber
Johann Engeler, Bernuss,
Joseph Wagner,
Charley Debilzan and so on until all the choice land was taken
up, Lorenz Paffer came with a family of adult children, whose
sons were eligible to file for homesteads.
Since all of these were German catholics, they soon decided that
religious services must some how be conducted, whereupon they
notified Father Franz Fierz, who was doing missionary work among
the Indian peoples over a large territory reaching from Moorhead,
Otter Tail City, Mille Lacs, Elizabeth, Marion Lake (Rush Lake),
Reno, Alexandria, Belle River, Pelican Lake, White Earth and many
others.
Father Pierz came the following spring for the first time, to
celebrate the Feast of Pentecost and a mass in the home of John
A. Miller, this log cabin was the most spacious for the large
number who came, there were as many of the Indian race as there
were white German settlers.
At this mass the congregation was formed but not much else was
done. Father Fierz came at intervals thereafter to administer the
sacraments and offer the sacrifice of the holy mass. Records
indicate that he came to Frank Webers home, Peter Lorsungs, several
times to John Millers home, and at least once a large crowd
gathered in the yard of Constance Cichy's homestead where services
were conducted outdoors.
In 1868 a beginning was made to construct a church. John Miller's
mother donated forty acres for a church site. This was a magnificent
gift to the struggling newcomers in this wild region. Oak logs were
cut, hewn and hauled from what later became the Brooks farm. Boards,
shingles, a door and windows were brought from St. Cloud with ox
teams. Work continued so that of August 15th 1868 the first services
were conducted in this new church. A small hand made table served as
altar and wood block served as seats, not even boards for seats were
available as yet. The feast was the Immaculate Conception.
This crude structure was enlarged twice, the first time the length
was extended by several feet, later an annex was added and a cross
placed at the front of this addition. Music was furnished by Joseph
Goetz on his violin. In 1880 a belfry with a fine double-blow hammer
was added. This was truly a fine bell as it serves the needs of this
parish today as it has since 1880.
When the parish was in its primitive stages. At this time the
inside wall behind the altar was decorated with colorful wall
paper. This was a pleasing background for the tabernacle, hand
made wax candles and quantities of flowers. Fathers Pierz and Buh
served this parish on their mission routes the Renedictine Fathers
took charge, altho' there is no record, seemingly it was in 1871
that Father Tomazin came as resident pastor. During his tenure a
parish house was constructed of hewn oak logs.
The Benedictines came in 1881. in 1882 Father Fdward Ginter OSB
came and remained until 1885. In 1881 Bishop Seidenbush of St.
Cloud had granted permission to build a frame church. At this
point the Benedictine Nuns came to the parish to teach school.
It was in August 1882. Three Nuns came who were housed in the
loft of the church. The parish house was used as the school.
During the summer of 1883 an agreement was made with the authorities
of District 34 that the Sisters would teach six months for the
district. They were to receive $50.00 for each month, this
magnificent sum paid three teachers. During the remaining months
parochial school was taught, the pupils of district 34 were not
charged tuition. The teachers names were Sr. Humilitas, OSB, Sr.
Vincent OSB, and Sr. Walburga OSB. They left in the spring of
1893. This was the first school in Millerville which was officially
conducted.
The Leaf Valley section of our parish contributed generously toward
the Church of Our Lady of Seven Dolors. These early settlers were
the sons and daughters of Ireland, the following came as early as
1867--Thomas Lanigan, Dennis Maloney, Michael Kelly, Patric Shea,
Richard Shea, Pat Finn, John Commerford, Michael Murray, John Lehan,
Sam Thompson, Christopher McCabe, James Faulkner, and Hubert Kelly.
Toward the northwest of our parish lies the Polish section which
extends into Otter Tail County. Since these immigrants arrived
after 1880 they were destined to settle in the beautifully scenic
Leaf Hills. Homesteads had by then all been claimed therefore some
of these purchased their lands of the Railroad Companies. All this
land was heavily timbered oaks, ash, ironwoods along with willows,
poplars and such lighter woods along the low spots. The land was
also burdened with boulders and rocks of enormous sizes and
quantities. Untold physical labor was required of the settlers
before their acres were ready for planting.
Of necessity their contnbutions were light and slow in coming to
the church treasury. Some never learned to speak in the English
language, their strong faith in God and in the promise of all
this abundance in their adopted and carried them thru their
difficulties.
Practically all of the fuel used to heat the church thruout the
long bitter winter came from the labor of these settlers, from
their wood lands. While others deemed it a rare privilege to
supply the Pastor's horse with their finest hay and bags of oats,
as well as sausages for his breakfast table.
by Helen J. Cichy
E-mail: dwagner2@isd.net
©2003 DJW
Last Modified:
December 6, 2003