St. Joseph (Prairieburg, Iowa)

St. Joseph (Prairieburg, Iowa)

"Father John Ziebelk, pastor of Saint Wenceslaus Parish in Cedar Rapids, took charge of the Prairieburg Catholics in the 1870s. In 1874 he directed the building of a brick church on five acres given by Richard and Mary Lacy. It was capable of seating 250 and the first Catholic church in northeast corner of Linn County. Mass was celebrated every Sunday by neighboring priests. As the parish was made up of both Czech and Irish immigrants, the language problem was solved by having Irish and Czech priests care for them on alternative Sundays. One Sunday Father Patrick Ryan came from Belmont near Ryan, and the other Sunday a priest came from Saint Wenceslaus Parish in Cedar Rapids. That arrangement continued until 1902, when the present church was built in the town of Prairieburg."

-Rev. Msgr. Edgar Kurt, Parish Profile #109, The Witness, January 29, 1989.

The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.

Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.

Various primary and secondary sources

English.

Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"

1870-1924
History of the parish over the span of 54 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.

Financial documents (5 documents)
Parish history (2 documents)
Correspondence (5 documents)

Koerner, W. "Memorial of Marriage." Marriage certificate. 12 September, 1898.

Cook, J.E. "Articles of Incorporation of The Church of St. Joseph's of Paririburg, Linn County, Iowa." 19 February, 1912.