One hundred and fifty years on the face of time is but a tiny mark, scarcely discernable in the history of mankind. But one hundred and fifty years of progress in a parish is especially worthy of record and celebration since it marks the completion of a span bridging the years from little or nothing, to a flourishing and spiritual establishment. St. Joseph Parish of Freeburg is celebrating its sesquicentennial. Many Catholics began to arrive in this area in the year 1800. Settlements began in the Silver Creek, Turkey Hill and Twelve Mile Prairie areas (all surrounding Freeburg). Between 1830-1840, the Catholic population was growing at a surprising rate, with missions being laid out throughout the county.

In 1842, the Catholics of Belleville received their first pastor, Fr. Kuenster, who remained until 1845 when Fr. C.H. Ostlangenberg took over the duties. He attended the Freeburg mission on a regular basis. Many early priests were given the task of riding on horseback to get to the many missions in Southern Illinois. They would be known as “Circuit Riders,” and many covered thousands of miles over the years. When news arrived of the approaching Circuit Rider, all would gather. Each Circuit Rider carried a chalice, bread, holy water, a copy of the Roman Missal and a small table that could be quickly set up and used for an altar. Some carried extras, such as candles, altar cloths, etc. After mass, which was usually held in a home or sometimes in a field, a fine meal was prepared for the priest, and then he would ride off for another community. There were few Circuit Riders for the many Catholics, so often, mass was only celebrated once or twice a month.

The town of Freeburg was platted on November 11, 1836, by a group of men headed by John Tolin Lemen. The town was sectioned into eight blocks divided into one hundred twenty-eight lots, with a large area in the middle that would be called a square. On February 5, 1850, a post office was established with the official name being “Twelve Mile Prairie.” Thomas Temple would serve as the first Post Master. On January 15, 1853, the town name was changed to “Chewning,” and another change would come on February 19, 1857, to “Urbana.” After learning that another town in Illinois was named Urbana, the name would be changed again in 1859 to “Freeburgh.” The “h” was dropped in 1893.

In the early 1850’s, the Freeburg Catholics began their quest to have the Diocese establish their mission as an official parish. Freeburg was under the reign of the Diocese of Quincy at this time. It would take several years and many written requests to the bishop to achieve this task and finally in 1857, word was received that the Catholic mission at Freeburg would be known as a parish. It would be called St. Joseph Parish.

Fr. Francis Bloesinger, a Circuit Rider from the diocese began to make frequent stops here, and celebrate mass in the newly acquired property of Adam Stephan, which was converted into a small meeting place for services. This property was a log home and was located on the corner of Alton and St. Clair Streets, where the present church stands today. The first recorded baptism is Jacob Reichert on December 9, 1857.

In 1858, it was decided by the ever growing parish to erect a new church for their spiritual needs. Fr. Bloesinger began a campaign to get the necessary funds to build the new structure. With the permission of the bishop, he went to all parishioners and they gave generously. It is reported that the neighboring communities of Georgetown (Smithton) and Mud Creek (St. Libory) also donated.

In the spring of 1858, the foundation for the new edifice was underway. It would not take long to erect as many of the builders were members of the parish and they donated most of the time and labor (pictured left after steeple was added). Final cost of the brick structure was $1,261.60.

It was located on the corner of White and Alton Streets. Many can remember the “Old School” building which once stood on this same site. Today it is parking space for the parishioners. The style of the church was Romanesque, thirty-five feet by seventy-five feet (the steeple would be added later). Fr. Bloesinger would never celebrate a mass in this new structure. In January of 1859, a year in which the winter was exceptionally cruel, Fr. Bloesinger suffered a severe case of pneumonia and was confined to duties closer to Quincy. His days of traveling on horseback from church to church were now over. Immediately Bishop Juncker, summoned Fr. Bartholomew Bartels to take over the duties at St. Joseph Parish. He did not want the construction of the new church to cease.

Fr. Bartels was born March 10, 1823, in Clive on the Rhine, Germany. He studied at Cologne, Bonn and Muenster, where he was ordained into the priesthood on May 29, 1847, and came to the United States in May 1857. He was assigned to several mission parishes in southern Illinois prior to his assignment to Freeburg. Fr. Bartels would be the first resident pastor of St. Joseph Parish, arriving in the spring of 1859.

After the completion of the new structure, Fr. Bartels began construction of a new rectory. This large six room building was located directly across from the new church and would later serve as the first convent. Fr. Bartels acquired land in 1860 just east of the town for the purpose of a parish cemetery. Also at this time, the old log structure that had served as the first meeting place for the Freeburg Catholics, was converted into a school. Fr. Bartels was very concerned about the education of the children in his parish. He made several attempts to gain the necessary funds to erect a new school building, but his attempts were unsuccessful. Fr. Bartels served the new parish in Freeburg until 1861. He then served parishes in Millstadt, Highland and Germantown, until his retirement when he returned to Quincy. After the Diocese of Belleville was created in 1887, Bishop Janssen asked him to return to service, and he did so taking charge of St. Cecilia Parish in Bartelso, the town being named in his honor. Death came to this venerable pioneer priest on May 4, 1894, at the age of 71. He was laid to rest in the church cemetery in Bartelso.

After the departure of Fr. Bartels, several priest are recorded to have served the growing parish at Freeburg. They were: Fr. Rosendahl, Fr. Herbert Hoffman and Fr. Busch. Also attending the Freeburg parish was Fr. Ferdinand Bergmeyer, from May 1862 to 1863. Although not a resident pastor at Freeburg, he often stayed at the rectory here as he traveled to several surrounding towns each week. 

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