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p. 303 THE HOLY NAME CATHOLIC CHURCH OF MARCUS.
The first members of the Catholic faith to settle at Marcus,
Cherokee County, in 1872, were of Irish and German descent,
and for five years were obliged to worship individually or in
one or another private residence sufficiently large to
accommodate a gathering. In 1877 the comparatively few
Catholics at this settlement built the first church structure
of that denomination, a small frame building, very modestly
furnished. Father Meis, of Le Mars, was the first priest to
say mass in this humble place of worship, which later, from
1878 until 1883, was attended as a mission from Storm Lake by
Fathers Gaffney and Slattery.
In 1882 the second church structure was built, and this
building still stands, being located two blocks north of the
present brick church, erected in 1915. The rectory, which
still stands but not now owned or used by the church, was
built while Father Gilchrist was pastor in 1885, and in 1890
the first convent school was built, on the site of the present
rectory, by Father Hennessy, who was pastor at that time,
although the school was opened by Father John O'Reilly, who
succeeded Father Hennessy. This school building was sold in
1914 and moved to the business district and is now used as the
Marcus Hotel. The present fine new school building was then
built.. Father O'Reilly secured the Sisters, B. V. M., to
conduct the school, which was named Loretto Convent. At that
time the congregation was scarcely prepared for this
innovation and the Sisters suffered with patience and humility
during that winter because of poor accommodations and
inadequate heating. By their forbearance the Sisters won the
love and respect of the parish and the names of Mother
Superior Alexandra and Sisters Ingratia (music), Lomne and
Louanna will long be remembered with affection. In 1915 the
new church and new school were built by Father Edward
O'Reilly, the work being all planned and completed within the
space of two years. The church has a membership of 150
families, while Holy Name School has 175 pupils, with nine
Sisters in charge. The names of the priests who have served
this parish regularly are: Father Gilchrist, 1884-1886; Father
Michael Hennessy, 1888-1891; Father John O'Reilly, 1891-1903;
Father John Phelan, 1903-1906; Father Edward O'Reilly,
1906-1919; and Father George Cooke, 1920 to the present.
Father Edward O'Reilly was appointed pastor of Holy Name
Church of Marcus in 1906 and here accomplished a work that
established the church firmly and made him one of the most
beloved citizens of the community. The church, parochial
school house, costing $100,000, were dedicated in September,
1916, and at the time of Father O'Reilly's death the property
was entirely free from indebtedness.
Father O'Reilly was born at Ballemacaugh, County Cavan,
Ireland, in 1870, a member of a well-to-do and prominent Irish
family, and after attending a seminary entered, in 1889, All
Hallows College, Dublin. He was ordained to the priesthood
June 24, 1894, and in September of that year came to the
United States and was appointed assistant to Monsignor Ryan,
pastor of Saint Patrick's Church, Dubuque, Iowa, later being
assistant to Archbishop Hennessy. He was appointed pastor at
West Bend, Iowa, where his parishioners were all German
people, which necessitated Father O'Reilly's learning the
German language. This he did and was able to speak German
fluently. Later he was assigned to Sibley, Iowa, where he
served eight years, during which he built a new parish house
and improved the church. His work at Marcus has already been
touched upon, and when he died, October, 17, 1919, the entire
community was plunged into mourning, his funeral, the largest
ever held at Marcus, being attended by more than 1,000
persons, including Catholic priests from all over the state.
Father George Cooke, the present pastor, was born in
Ireland, May 30, 1870. He received his early education at
Dublin, where he was prepared for the priesthood at All
Hallows College, and on coming to the United States was
assistant priest at Sioux City, Iowa. Subsequently he was in
charge at Larchmond, Iowa, for twelve years, and at Anthon for
ten years, and in July, 1920, was assigned to his present
charge. He has carried on the good work started by his
predecessor, and is a man who has the universal confidence,
esteem and friendship of the people of his community.
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p. 180
HERMAN HEESCH has to his credit a long
and successful record in the real estate business. He started
life as a farmer, a very successful one, and began dealing in
farm lands without any thought of making it a permanent
business. He is now senior member of the firm Heesch, Carstens
& Tallmon, a real estate and insurance organization with
offices at 117 West Third Street in Davenport.
Davenport is Mr. Heesch's native city. He was born there
July 4, 1860. His parents were both natives of Germany. His
father, Christian Heesch, was an early settler in Davenport.
He was a cabinet maker by trade, and worked for the old Gould
Furniture Factory and later started a business of his own,
known as the Northwest Davenport Furniture Factory.
Herman Heesch had only a few years of schooling at
Davenport. When he was thirteen years old he was working as a
farm hand and for several years was paid twenty dollars a
month. He saved, and thriftily made use of his advantages so
that before he was a man in years he had accumulated an
initial capital of $1,000, which started him on the larger
career of an independent farmer. For sixteen years he was a
farmer and stock raiser in Poweshiek County, near Grinnell,
and at the end of that time had accumulated capital to
approximately $30,000. When he started out to buy a farm of
his own he could not immediately satisfy his demands, but in
the meantime was able to locate some desirable farms for
friends. The judgment he used in selecting lands became well
known and resulted in a nucleus of clients which continually
extended until he was permanently identified with real estate
work, at first confining his attention to farm lands and later
to city property. During the past twenty-seven years he has
became widely known all over the Middle West as well as in
Iowa as an expert judge in the buying and selling of farm
property. He has been a member of the firm of Heesch, Carstens
& Tallmon at Davenport for a quarter of a century. He also is
proprietor of the Saint James Hotel at Davenport.
Mr. Heesch married, in 1884, Hannah Wittson and after her
death he married Mrs. Lund. He has four children: Walter Irwin
Heesch, of Pontiac, Michigan; Alva; Mrs. Veda Keedler; and
Raymond, a student in Iowa State College at Ames.
In former years Mr. Heesch has had an active part in the
Davenport Chamber of Commerce and the local real estate board.
While living at Grinnell he served as county road supervisor
and was instrumental in bringing in the first road grader to
that part of the state. he has been very progressive at all
times. Mr. Heesch is credited with having introduced one of
the first tractors for farm and ranch work into North Dakota.
he is a Knight Templar and a thirty-second degree Scottish
Rite Mason, being affiliated with Trinity Lodge No. 208 and
Zarephath Consistory of the Scottish Rite at Davenport, and is
a former member of the Patrol of Kaaba Temple of the Mystic
Shrine. He also belongs to the Independent Order of Odd
Fellows and is a Baptist. |
