“The Catholic Church in Benton County began with the deeding of two sections of prairie near Keystone, Iowa, to the University of Notre Dame in Indiana in January 1863. Francis Murphy, a Benton county pioneer, gave those 1,280 acres in return for education of his two sons. In the spring of 1866, the provincial of the Holy Cross Fathers sent Father Paul E. Gillen together with Brothers Matthew, Cesaire, and Aloysius, to take possession of the tract of land and to care for the spiritual needs of settlers in the area, and eventually to open a college there if it is found advisable. Father Paul, a Civil War chaplain, drove his old war horse “Sarsfield” all the way from Indiana with his Mass kit and other needs in a buggy. The Brothers drove two yokes of oxen with wagons loaded with implements to break up the fertile prairie and raise potatoes to supply the community and students at Notre Dame.”

- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #93: Immaculate Conception, Van Horne,” Dubuque: The Witness, 2 October 1988.

]]> Annual Financial Statement 1925, 1929, 1930, 1932, 1936 (5 booklets)

Annual History Report 1990-1991 (3 documents)

Holy Card for Frater Leland M. Barry, S.S.J., 1940 (1 document)

Holy Cross Cemetery in Keystone, Iowa (2 documents)

Historical Data, Reid 4/1/88 (1 packet)

Letter regarding Baptismal Book Record Request 1947 J. Remair Jones

Letter regarding Christmas and welcome letter 14 December 1970 (1 document)

Letter regarding grave of Ellen Crothy 10 August 1945 (1 document)

Letter regarding Archdiocese History Rev. Churchhill to Rev. Byrne (2 documents)

Pastor List (2 documents)

Cullen, Brother Franklin, C.S.C. “Holy Cross in Iowa, Five Apostolates – 1944-1977.” Brothers of Holy Cross, Mountain View, California, 1989.

Martin, Mrs. John. “History of Immaculate Conception Church.” A.C.C.W. Parish History Project, ca. 1960. (2 copies)

“Started by Notre Dame: Early Iowa Church Just a Memory.” Dubuque: The Witness, 10 May 1956.]]> The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.]]> Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"]]> History of the parish over the span of 152 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.]]> “Immaculate Conception Parish owes its origin to Father Thomas Hore, a native of the parish of Our Lady’s Island in County Wexford, Ireland. His life would be good material for an interesting saga. Father Hore, born in 1796, completed his theological studies in 1820 and came to the United States with the newly appointed Bishop of Richmond, who ordained him on their arrival there. After six years of pastoral work in Virginia, Father Hore returned to his native diocese. In 1850 Father Hore prepared to lead more than 450 fellow Irishmen to Arkansas because the Bishop of Little Rock had frequently returned to Ireland seeking priests and Sisters. Arriving there the group met its first great disappointment. Most of the land was already occupied, and they could not find a suitable place to settle. In late January of 1851, Father Hore came to Dubuque, visited Bishop Loras and New Melleray Abbey.”

- Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, “Parish Profile #15: Immaculate Conception Parish, Wexford.” Dubuque: The Witness, 15 March 1987.

]]> History to 1937 (1 packet)

History and Letter 1937-1961 (3 documents)

Pastor/Priest Cards (1 set)

Wexford and its founders (1 packet)

Wexford and Other County Parishes (1 packet)

Byrne, John P., “Wexford Church Observes Centennial.” Des Moines: Iowa Press Clipping Bureau, 21 July 1948.

“Church at Wexford is 100 Years Old Sunday.” Des Moines: Iowa Press Clipping Bureau, 15 July 1948.

“Iowa Church Will Observe Century Date: Irish Families Came Direct to Homes in State.” Des Moines: Iowa Press Clipping Bureau, 17 July 1948.

“Iowa’s Churches – Wexford Catholic.” Cedar Rapids: The Gazette, n.d.

Schmitz, Kenneth P., B.A., “Wexford Iowa, 1851-1876,” A Dissertation Submitted to Saint Paul Seminary in Saint Paul, Minnesota, 1959.

The Past: The Organ of the Uí Cinsealaigh Historical Society, Iris Chumann Seanchais Uí Cinsealaigh, edited by Séamus S. de Vál, No. II, 1975-1976.

"The First Church in Allamakee County." Waukon: Unknown publisher, 3 Decmeber 1930.

“Wexford Church is the Oldest West of the Mississippi River.” Dubuque: Herald, 30 June 1935.

“Wexford Plans Jubilee Social.” Des Moines: Iowa Press Clipping Bureau, 31 July 1940.

]]> The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.]]> Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"]]> History of the parish over the span of 171 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.]]>