Duncombe - St. Joseph

DUNCOMBE - The history of St. Joseph Parish in Duncombe dates back prior to 1880. Four of the original members of the parish - Katie Bailey Wagner, John and Margaret Bailey Carroll and John J. Mahoney - often told how they would drive a team and wagon or bobsled filled with straw and a supply of hot bricks all the way to Fort Dodge to attend Mass at Corpus Christi Church. Sometimes one of them would walk the 10 miles because no transportation was available.

Sometime prior to 1880, Father Peter O'Dowd from Ackley came to Duncombe to say Mass in the John Geary home. He was followed by Father James Brennan, who came to Webster City as pastor in August of 1881, and Father J. J. Garland who came as pastor to Eagle Grove in 1890 as the first resident pastor of that community. Mass was still being offered in the Geary home so regularly that the vestments were kept tucked away in a dresser drawer awaiting the next appearance of the priest.

The early settlers soon decided that there was a need for a church. A group of men got together with the priest, who set out to buy land for their building project. The older members wished to buy land for only the church, but one of the members held out for the purchase of the entire block because it was so reasonable in price and because in the future they might wish to build a rectory for the priest.

They bought the ground on May 14, 1889, from the Iowa Railroad Land Company and recorded it in the name of Bishop John Hennessey of Dubuque. The actual construction of the church must have started soon after the purchase of the land, not later than 1890 and perhaps even 1889. Projects were used in raising money for the new church. Tom Powers donated a horse, parishioners sold chances and it was won by Francis Henneberry.

The first appointed resident pastor was Father Thomas J. O'Brien. People who had been attending Mass whenever and wherever they could came to Duncombe to become a part of St. Joseph Parish.

While living with Margaret and Walter Smith, Father O'Brien lost all his personal effects and church records by fire. He then lived with another family until a church rectory was built in 1893. In that same year, the sacrament of confirmation was administered for the first time.

The early settlers were either buried in the Fort Dodge or Webster City Catholic cemeteries until the early months of 1902, when ground for a cemetery was purchased.

The present church, built in 1909, at a cost of $18,000, was dedicated by Bishop Garrigan in 1910. The present rectory was built in 1922 at a cost of $12,000. In 1946, a recreation center was erected on church property at a cost of $21,000.

In 1957, a fire of undetermined origin caused considerable damage to the interior of the church. Approximately $10,000 worth of damage occurred as a result of the fire. Mass was held in the parish hall while the interior of the church was repaired.

The following priests served St. Joseph's Parish over the years: Father Thomas O'Brien (1890-1899), Father V. Leahy (1899-1900), Father J. W. Ryan (1900-1908), Father D. J. Kelly (1908-1915), Father Frances Wren (1915-1920), Father J. J. Sullivan (1920-1922), Father A. A. Cavanaugh (1922-1931), Father Edward J. Hays (1931-1966), Father Louis Kollasch (1966-1972), Father Jerome Cosgrove (1972-1974), Father Joseph Steib (1974-1982), Father Eugene Ulses (1982-1983), Father Clem Currans (1983-1985), Father William Devine (1985-1986), Father Dale Reiff (1986-1988), Father Patrick Walsh (1988-1989), Father Dale Reiff (1989-1994), Father Richard Adam (1994-1997) and Father Timothy Boekelman (1997-present).