Lexington Catholic Church

From "Lexington" by Mary Wilson and Sharon Y. Asher, published sometime after 1975.

CATHOLIC CHURCH OF LEXINGTON

In 1854 a mission, the Mother of God Church, was established in Lexington by the Madison pastor Reverend Hippolytus Dupontanice in a structure formerly used as law offices for William H. English before he went to Indianapolis. The new mission was served from that time by pastors from Madison, Seymour, North Vernon and Henryville.

Members of the Church included Patrick Shea, his brother Colonel Thomas Shea, William Fortune, Michael Storen, Thomas Meagher, and Bart Hanely. These men and others had come to Indiana from Covington, Kentucky, to work in the construction of the O & M Railroad (later to become the B & O Railroad).

In 1891 the Right Reverend Francis A. Roell of Richmond was placed in charge of the Lexington mission. By this time a need for a more adequate structure for the Church was evident. The Most Reverend Francis Chatard sanctioned the building of a new Church. The cornerstone and foundation was laid in July of 1892 by William Fortune. Frederick J. Lillpop of New Middletown, Indiana, contracted for the frame work for the sum of $365.00. Estimated cost of the building was $1,300.00.

In February of 1893 the first mass was celebrated with the dedication taking place on Sunday, May 28, 1893. The Reverend Augustus Bessonies performed the ceremony and the Reverend John F. Stanton of New Albany preached the sermon. An estimated 3000 people were drawn to the community by the celebration, including many who came by special train from New Albany. The Uniformed Knights of New Albany and two other societies from that city attended in full regalia as did the Silver Coronet Band.

Haydn's Second Mass and Fisk's Vespers were sung by the choir of New Albany's St. Mary's Church. At the consecration of the bell, Monsignor Bessonies praised the generosity of those who helped make the church a reality. In his remarks he said, "'I have been dedicating churches for 55 years throughout the State of Indiana, but this is the first time that I have ever blessed a church on which there was no debt, and it is the finest house in a country town in Indiana. "*

The total cost of the building was $3,000. The fresco which was done by Guy Lieber--an artist from Louisville, was well preserved until recently, including a copy of Bougueraeau's Madonna and Child Patroness of the Church. The stained glass windows, which were supplied by the George M. Mish Company of Chicago, perpetuated the memory of pioneer priests and members, including the Rev. Edward Faller, Monsignor Dupontanice, Mr. and Mrs. Patrick Shea, Aline Shea, Patrick Lanham, Honora Murphy, Catherine Reihm, William Boyle, Timothy and Ellen Crawley and William Fortune.

The membership included such noteworthy citizens as Joseph Hooker and James Fortune--Captains in World War I; Mark Storen--U. S. District Attorney; and William Storen--State Treasurer of Indiana.

Many members moved away from the community and thus, in 1937 the doors of the Mother of God Church were closed with many of the furnishings being moved to a new Catholic church in Salem, Indiana.

*Scott County Democrat, May 30, 1893.

The church stood empty for several years until Ed Glenn purchased the property and used it as a feed store. The building was later purchased by Dale Renschler who tore it down to make way for the construction of a new U. S. Post Office constructed in 1970.

Priests who served the Mother of God Church of Lexington included :

Francis A. Roell 1893-1897
John H. Scheefers 1898
James Shea 1899-1907
James J. Ryan 1908-1914
Charles Curran 1915-1916
John F. Seifertas 1919-1923
R. Henry Trapp 1924-1926
Adam Ebnet 1927-1928
Charles Wagner 1929-1932
Carl Wilberding 1933
Sylvester Bloemke 1934
Matthew F. Harold 1935

Return to: Lexington - A Pioneer Town