"Father Thomas J. Murtagh came from Masonville and Father Patrick S. O’Connor from Oelwein to celebrate mass for the Catholics of the area in the 1890s. They were of Czech, German, and Irish ancestry. In 1895 Father O’Connor brought together the Catholics of the Aurora, Lamont, and Dundee area to build a church. Lots were bought in Lamont, and the frame church was ready for use by the fall of 1896. It was dedicated to the Blessed Virgin Mary under the title of her Immaculate Conception. Within a few years the Hazleton parish grew in numbers sufficient to support their own pastor, and Father M. M. Grady was appointed in November 1898 to reside in the Hazelton parish and also care for the Lamont area Catholics. He remained until the end of 1902." -Rev. Msgr. Kurt, Parish Profile #123, The Witness, May 7, 1989.
The Archdiocese of Dubuque. The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.
Loras College Kucera Center for Catholic Thought Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"
Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.
1895- History of the parish over the span of 123 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
"From 1872 to 1875 Father Michael Quirk, pastor of Elkport served the needs of the Littleport parish and the earliest records go back to his time.Father Edward L. Dullard next served as pastor from 1893 to 1898.In the fall of 1898 Father Daniel T. Minogue came as pastor of the two parishes. The 1902 flood waters entered the church and destroyed the vestments. Worse tragedy struck on the night of July 16, 1908, when the church burned to the ground. In the midst of storm and flood, the adjoining lumber yard caught fire, which spread to the church and could not be fought because of the high water. The congregation worked immediately to replace the church. The foundation and cornerstone were laid in the fall of 1908. The building was finished in May 1909, with Henry Benschneider as contractor. The church was dedicated by Father John F. Reilly of Elkader." -Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #84, The Witness, July 31, 1988.
1870-11 July 1989 History of the parish over the span of 119 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
"Landolm Haas, a veteran of the Mexican War, was the first settler in Saint Mary Parish, arriving in 1851 to take advantage of choice land at a low price. Father David Slattery was the first resident pastor and began the parish records. He came in December of 1875 and stayed until May of 1882. His successor, Father M. J. Gaffney, was the first of four pastors who stayed for short terms, until the advent of Father Michael K. Norton in December 1887. Father Norton stayed until September 1905. A parish hall was built and a wing added to the rectory, which was probably built for the first pastor in the 1870s. During his pastorate the locality’s name changed from Lansing Ridge to Lycurgus, the name of a classical Greek statesman." -Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #65, The Witness, March 13, 1988.
1860-2006 History of the parish over the span of 146 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
"On April 8, 1928, Father Joseph F. Wiehl and three members of his parish in Chester drove through muddy roads to nearby McIntire in the northeast corner of Mitchell County. There he celebrated the Easter Mass with more than one hundred faithful of the area. The few Catholic families living in or near McIntire had purchased the small church from the Congregationalists and named it for Saint Mel, a companion of Saint Patrick. The parish never received a resident pastor." - Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #176, The Witness, May 27, 1990.
1928- History of the parish over the span of 90 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
"Sacred Heart Parish began as a branch school of the Stacyville parish for the Meyer area pioneers. Both communities are in Mitchell County. Toward the close of the 1880s, the Stacyville parish had grown so large as to need a larger school. The Meyer settlers suggested they be permitted to build a school in their area. Father John Anler, the pastor granted permission. The frame school, named Saint Mary’s, opened in 1889 to sixteen children taught by Miss Anna Kloth of Galena, Illinois. In 1901 Father Peter John Naebors, pastor of Stacyville, and his Meyer parishioners planned a combination building. Two classrooms and the Sisters’ quarters occupied the first floor, and a church the second floor." -Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #116, The Witness, March 19, 1989.
1889-2005 History of the parish over the span of 116 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
"As early as 1891 Father James Mulligan, pastor of West Union, visited the Hawkeye area Catholics and celebrated Mass in the home of Michael Riley, the railroad section foreman. In 1893 under Father Mulligan’s direction, they built a small frame church. There were only seven Catholic families, but funds were given by all citizens irrespective of creed." -Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #214, The Witness, March 3, 1991.
1893- History of the parish over the span of 125 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
"The cornerstone for Saint Aloysius Church was laid in November 1892. The frame building was blessed in June 1893. A few years later an interior balcony and a sacristy were added. Bishop Hennessy designated about fifty families as the nucleus, almost all of Irish ancestry. Most of them had belonged either to Saint Patrick Parish, Garryowen, or Saint Lawrence Parish, Otter Creek. The sacramental records begin with 1893." -Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #225, The Witness, May 19, 1991.
1892- 11 July, 1989 History of the parish over the span of 97 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
"Saint Wenceslaus Church was built in the Winneshiek County town of Spillville in 1860, but the parish’s double beginning was earlier. First, nearby Saint Clement Parish was established by German settlers about 1853 on the banks of Spielman’s Creek, a mile south of Spillville. It continued for many years but never had a resident pastor. Its members eventually joined a Czech parish at Spillville and Saint Clement’s was discontinued in the 1940s. On the banks of the Turkey River in 1850, they built a church in Spillville dedicated to the Slavic patron Saint Wenceslaus. Soon a succession of pastors served the parish. When a bell tower and transcept were added to the church in 1869, it took a cruciform shape. In 1882 the church was tuckpointed and the ancient construction was found to be sound. In 1876 there was installed a Pfeffer tracker organ, pictured in “Seed/Harvest,” the archdiocesan History, on page 100. The Czech composer Antonin Dvorak played this organ during his stay in the summer of 1893. A german tour group interested in pipe organs hopes to visit Spillville in 1988." -Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #36, The Witness, August 16, 1987.
1901-27 April, 1994 History of the parish over the span of 93 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.
History of the St. Nicholas church and parish of Spruce Creek, Iowa
History of the parish including information about its priests and parishioners.
History of the St. Joseph church and parish in Prairie, Iowa.
1846-2011 History of the parish over the span of 165 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.