Ellendale - St. Joseph

ELLENDALE - St. Joseph Church lies in the western part of Plymouth County. The foundation of the parish was laid in the 1860s or 1870s when the early Catholic settlers pushed their way up the Big Sioux River and its feeder streams in search of new lands and homes.

Those first settlers had their spiritual needs cared for, it is believed, by Father Jeremiah Tracy of St. John's, now known as Jackson, Neb., who had brought a group of Irish Catholics with him in June, 1865.

In 1870, Father P. Gunn was sent to Sioux City. As more and more settlers poured into the territory, Father B.C. Lenihan was appointed pastor of Sioux Center in 1872 and his parish or mission field included all of Iowa between the Big and Little Sioux Rivers. He celebrated Mass in the homes of people in the Ellendale area.

The first definite record in the parish is that of the burial of two early pioneers who came to the community from Illinois. Patrick Jordan and his son, Joseph, had left their homes to go to the Big Sioux River to cut timber when an 1872 blizzard caught them on their return home. They froze to death a short distance from home. They were the first to be buried in St. Joseph Cemetery. Though not Catholic, John Arndt gave the land for the cemetery.

In the mid-1870s, the parish was served by Father Herman Meis who was the first pastor in Le Mars. Priests from Hawarden and Sioux City also ministered to the people of Ellendale. There were about 20 families in the area at that time.

The first parish church was erected at the sight of the cemetery shortly after 1880, most likely by Father Joseph Meis of Le Mars. It was destroyed in a windstorm in 1885.

The parishioners immediately built another church on the same site. It, too, was destroyed in 1887 in a storm.

Work on another church did not start for another five years. In the meantime, Father John Gerleman rode horseback from his parish, St. Boniface in Sioux City, to care for the spiritual needs of the people of Ellendale. Services were held in homes and a school.

Construction of a third church began in 1891 at a new site about two miles from the other location. It is believed that Father Donohue from Hawarden directed the building, however, Father Gerleman may have assisted. There were about 30 families in the parish at the time.

Another new church building was built in 1925, the structure was 92-feet by 37-feet with an impressive bell tower. It cost $21,900. Bishop Edmond Heelan formally dedicated the church on April 28, 1926. Some 40 priests took part in the celebration.

Other improvements were made in 1928 by Father Foerster such as the addition of a new main altar and side altars. During Father Thomas McKenna's time in 1932, the interior of the church was painted for the first time. The year 1941 saw a major accomplishment as the debt of the church was paid.

More improvements were made in 1942 during the pastorate of Father Zeno Reising with new oak pews and a Communion railing. A new roof was added in 1949 and the interior of the church was once again refinished in 1950.

Father William Carel was appointed pastor in 1950 and it was during his time that the parishes of Merrill and Ellendale became part of the Gehlen School Organization.

A harsh hailstorm in 1957 knocked out the windows of St. Joseph Church to the north and the basement was flooded.

The parish nurtured two vocations to the priesthood: Father Richard Sweeney and Father Ed Hoffmann.

The parish recently celebrated the 75th anniversary of its church building.