History
History of St. Joseph, Ponca, Nebraska
For many years the only Catholic Church in this part of Nebraska was located at Jackson, Nebraska. Many Catholic families from Dixon and Dakota counties attended services whenever possible at Jackson. By 1865, the church at Jackson was becoming too small to accommodate the number of people who were coming there to meet their spiritual needs, so it was necessary to look into a possible mission church. Several sites were considered but none was established right away.
History excerpts from A Century of Faith 1890-1990, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Ponca, Nebraska, p. 15-23.
In the year 1873, a building was erected at Newcastle and was known as St. Peter’s Catholic Church. Rev. Michael O’Toole was first resident pastor and he was in charge of the entire Dixon County area which included Ponca. Old timers relate how they could remember Father O’Toole coming to the Willis area and all neighboring Catholics getting together at someone’s house and celebrating Mass. Afterward they enjoyed a potluck dinner and enjoyed an evening of playing cards.
First St. Joseph Church 1890.
The first Catholic Church and parsonage of Ponca were built in 1890 and stood on the lot where the former Matt Engel family lived. The church was consumed by fire in 1896. The original Catholic church of Ponca was built by Father Schmitt. It was reported by older residents that this first Catholic Church had 18 families. A new frame church was built to replace the original church in 1897.
Father Patrick Brophy was pastor of Ponca at the time this church was built. As the years went by, more people came to this part of the state and cleared the land and built homes. The Catholic population grew and the Catholic Church became self-supporting and served the Catholic community of Ponca.
According to Bill Rush, the first rectory was moved across the street west (now occupied by the Joe McArdle family) and the present rectory was built around 1905.
In 1955, it was decided that the present Catholic Church at that time was not large enough to accommodate the Catholic people in this area. It was then decided that a new church was in order.
Second St. Joseph Church and first rectory.
After much careful planning and sufficient pledges made by the people of the parish, it was decided a new church should be built to meet the needs of the parish. The present Catholic Church was constructed under the leadership of Father Stanley C. Mitera. The construction was performed by Theisen Contractors from Hartington, Nebraska. Groundbreaking was held on May 31, 1955 and dedicated on June 17, 1956 at 4:00 p.m. by Archbishop Gerald T. Bergan of Omaha. It was a credit to the parishioners that the parish debt was retired in just two years. The present church stands on the grounds formerly owned by Pat Rush.
The old Mission church at Southcreek – St. Paul’s – was serviced by the pastors of St. Joseph’s in Ponca for years. St. Paul’s held their first services in an old log school-house that was built in 1869. This building was about a quarter of a mile from where the first St. Paul’s Church was built in 1877. It was a frame building and additions were made as years went by and could be afforded. In the early days, parishioners from St. Joseph’s assisted the priests in going to Southcreek to say Mass and in driving the priests to make sick calls and visit the faithful by taking sacraments to the home-bound.
St. Paul’s Catholic Church was destroyed by fire caused by lightning in 1973. After the church was destroyed, the mission was closed and all former members joined St. Joseph’s Catholic Church in Ponca.
Since the closing of the Mission at St. Paul’s, South Creek, a memorial has been constructed at the site of former St. Paul’s Church where the parish cemetery is located. This memorial is in honor of former members and priests who sacrificed much to have the faith grow and planted in the early days. This memorial was dedicated in the Spring of 1976. Father Daniel F. Soltys was pastor at the time the memorial was constructed.
Listen to the history of St. Paul, South Creek, as part of Fr. Vogel's Faith on the Frontier series.
There are many familiar names still in our parish who are descendants of the very first parishioners of St. Joseph’s Catholic Church. Those family names go back to about 1865. Some of the first parishioners were John P. Kayl, Peter McQuillen, William O’Connor, Nicholas Wellenstein, Thomas Casey, Pat, Bernard and James Kavanaugh, Dennis Hurley, Francis Pletsch, Anna and Helena Berens, Peter and John Berens, Elizabeth Walsh, Daniel Sullivan, Henry Marron, Patrick and John Scollard, Charles McCardle, J. M. Davey, John McKivergan, Matt Berens, Pat Rush, Timothy Hurley, Thomas Swift, Matt Engel, Bryan Kilcullin, and James Cavanaugh. For many years the people of this church have stayed in this area and many of their descendants are very active in the church today. The people of this area have had their faith deeply rooted and they have transmitted that faith to their children.
In June of 1978, Immaculate Conception Church at Waterbury became a mission of Ponca when Father John Rizzo was appointed pastor. Since then, the parishioners of Immaculate Conception have been served by Fathers John McCaslin, Patrick Carroll, Dean Uhing, and Robert Irwin.
Listen to the history of Immaculate Conception, Waterbury, as part of Fr. Vogel's Faith on the Frontier series.
During 1982, Father Jack McCaslin and the parishioners of St. Joseph’s invited the Salem Lutheran Church congregation to use our facilities until their new church was completed.
(A Century of Faith 1890-1990, St. Joseph’s Catholic Church, Ponca, Nebraska, p. 15-23)
| Pastor | Years |
|---|---|
| Rev. Michael O'Toole | 1877-1889 |
| Rev. E. Schmidt | 1889-1891 |
| Rev. M. J. Hanley | 1891-1892 |
| Rev. Edward Geary | 1892-1896 |
| Rev. Patrick Brophy | 1896-1899 |
| Rev. James Barry | 1899-1904 |
| Rev. Michael E. Byrne | 1904-1909 |
| Rev. John F. Moore | 1909-1929 |
| Rev. P. R. Kelly | 1929-1946 |
| Rev. Lawrence Monhein | 1946-1947 |
| Rev. Stanley Mitera | 1945-1963 |
| Rev. Paul Schwaab | 1963-1974 |
| Rev. George Shoemaker | 1974-1975 |
| Rev. Daniel F. Soltys | 1975-1978 |
| Rev. John Rizzo | 1978-1979 |
| Rev. John A McCaslin | 1979-1984 |
| Rev. Patrick A. Carroll | 1984-1988 |
| Rev. Dean Uhing | 1988-1989 |
| Rev. Robert Irwin | 1989-1993 |
| Rev. Rick Arkfeld | 1993-1996 |
| Rev. James J. Bartak | 1996-2001 |
| Rev. David F Liewer | 2001-2013 |
| Rev. Andrew Sohm | 2013-2023 |
| Rev. Owen Korte | 2023-Present |
Historical Timeline of Saint Joseph's Catholic Church, Ponca, Nebraska
- 1865 For many years, the only Catholic Church in northeast Nebraska was located at Jackson and many families from Dixon & Dakota Counties attended services there. When the church at Jackson became too small to accommodate the number of people worshiping there to meet their spiritual needs, it became necessary to build a mission church.
- 1869 Early settlers held Mass in a log schoolhouse as there was no Catholic Church in Ponca at that time.
- 1873 Saint Peter's Catholic Church in Newcastle was built. Father O'Toole was the first resident pastor and was in charge of the entire Dixon County area.
- 1875 A frame church was built on the south side of Highway 9 on the hill near the Walsh farmstead.
- 1877 Father Michael O'Toole was sent from Pennsylvania to serve three churches in northeast Nebraska, Jackson, Saint Helena and Newcastle, as well as "his scattered flock" throughout Dixon County. Father O'Toole was born in County Mayo, Ireland in 1849. He came to the United States at age fourteen and was ordained in Pennsylvania. According to old records, he walked to Ponca and stayed at Mrs. Bigley's Valley House before continuing on to Newcastle. At Newcastle, Father O'Toole stayed with the Charles Dougherty family. For many years, he said Mass at Southcreek and Newcastle on alternating Sundays. At Christmas and Easter, he tried to hold Mass at both Newcastle and Southcreek. One newspaper article stated, "He made many a long and exhausting drive through the eighteen miles of bad roads and drifted snow to say late Mass at Newcastle, after having said early Mass at Southcreek. Often, he could not breakfast until after 3:00pm in the afternoon."
- 1856 Father O'Toole's life is closely interwoven with the history of Dixon County which was established in 1856. Homesteading was in full force upon his arrival and many people lived in dugouts and huts.
- 1877 The first recorded baptism at Saint Paul's Southcreek Church was Joanna Doyle, child of Bartholomew and Mary Burke Doyle on November 13, 1877.
- 1883 Father O'Toole built the church at Tara Hill southwest of Newcastle.
- 1890 Saint Joseph's Catholic Church and parsonage was built in Ponca by Father Schmidt. It was reported to have eighteen registered families. The first recorded marriage at Saint Joseph's Church was John Harney and Mary Elizabeth Scollard, the maternal grandparents of Alfred Walsh, on July 7, 1890.
- 1896 The Saint Joseph Catholic Church building was destroyed by fire.
- 1897 The church was replaced with a frame church located directly north of the current Ponca parsonage, under leadership of Father Brophy.
- 1900 A new church was built at Southcreek.
- 1905 The present rectory is presumed built around 1905.
- 1955 It was decided the Catholic Church at that time needed a lot of repairs and was not large enough to accommodate the Catholic people in the area. Groundbreaking for a new church was held May 31, 1955.
- 1956 On June 17, 1956 the new Saint Joseph Catholic Church was dedicated by Archbishop Gerald T. Bergan of Omaha. The outstanding construction debt was retired in two years.
- 1973 Saint Paul's Southcreek Church was struck by lightning approximately at 7:00 am, an hour before Mass was to begin. The frame church quickly burned to the ground in approximately fifty-five minutes. After the church was destroyed, the mission was closed and all members of Saint Paul's Southcreek Parish joined Saint Joseph's Parish.
- 1976 A memorial was constructed at the site of former Saint Paul's Southcreek Church where South Creek Cemetery is located. The memorial was built in the honor of former members and priests who sacrificed much for their Catholic faith.
- 1978 The Immaculate Conception Church of Waterbury became a mission of Saint Joseph's Parish of Ponca.
- 1999 The sanctuary and interior of Saint Joseph's Church was remodeled under the direction of Father Jim Bartak.
- 2014 An outdoor lighted message board was installed and made possible by generous donors.
- 2015 In honor of Saint Joseph's Q125 Parish Celebration, a new set of carillon musical chimes were donated in Memory of Rosina Davey, Pat & Judy Davey and Pauline & Louise Haberman. The bells are a beautiful symbol and reminder to our Parish and the Ponca Community of God's presence in our lives.
(St. Joseph’s Catholic Church 2015 Parish Directory, Celebrating 125 Years of Faith, Families & Fellowship, p. 9)