1921 Duluth & St Louis County MN, Van Brunt.pdf - Garon.us

DULUTH AND ST. LOUIS COUNTY 847
At that time the parish contained between forty and fifty famihes.
In 1905 the church was incorporated, and during the first part of that year
it was attended by Rev. M. Sengir of Virginia and later by Rev. M. Bilban
and his assistant, Rev. John Tscholl, of Eveleth. Father TschoU said
mass once a month and in January, 1906, was appointed regular pastor
and filled that office until March 1, 1911. In the meantime improvements
and enlargements were made. The priest's house, a two-story cement
structure^ was built
present size.
in 1906 and in 1907 the church was enlarged to its
The pastor of St. Joseph's since September 15, 1911, has been Rev.
J. E. Schififrer and the decade of his administration has been marked by
steady growth and improvement. In 1913 additional lots were bought for
church property, some special improvements were made to the church
edifice in 1916, and in 1918 an addition was made to the priest's house.
Plans are now being developed for the establishment of a parochial school.
In 1911 the parish had a population of 350 families, while now about 450
families are included in the parish limits. IMost of these are of foreign
birth and parentage, the Slavs predominating, with important admixtures
of French, Irish, Polish, Italians and Germans. Mention has been made
of the two prominent members of the building committee, M. F. Marion
and Mat Matzelle, and others who deserve especial credit for their efforts
and general bestowal of their
John Kochevar, John Bovetz,
means upon St. Joseph's are J. J. Hayes,
while more recently should be mentioned
A. J. Sullivan, John Schweiger, Frank Gouze and A. L.
many others have been active in this noble work.
Bergeron, and
Rev. J. E. Schiffrer, the beloved aad esteemed pastor of St. Joseph's,
was born in January, 1884, at Stara Loka, Slovenia, Czecho-Slavia. The
oldest of six children, he was early appointed for the priesthood, acquired
a common school education at Skofja Loka, attended college at Kranj,
Slovenia, and being designated for the American mission, he came to
this country in 1902 and pursued the study of philosophy and theology at
the St. Paul Seminary, St. Paul, Minnesota. He was graduated in 1908
and after being ordained was sent for one year to St. Anthony's Church
at Ely, Minnesota. He spent three months at Hinckley and then took
charge of the church at Scanlon, Carlton and neighboring towns. From
August to December, 1909, he was chaplain to the Benedictine Sisters at
Duluth. His next appointment was to establish a new parish at Gilbert,
and from there on September 15, 1911, he entered upon his duties and
congenial relationship with St. Joseph's at Chisholm. He is a popular
citizen of Ciiisholm, and is active in the Kiwanis Club, and is affiliated
with the Knights of Columbus at Virginia.
William A. McCurdy. In mining circles throughout Minnesota,
Michigan and in other sections the name of William McCurdy is a very
familiar one, representing, as it does, thorough knowledge and long and
honorable mining engineering exj)crience, as well as good citizenship and
high personal character. Mr. McCurdy came to Virginia, Minnesota, in
the si)ring of 1919, and has continued here as the efficient superintendent
of the Virginia Mines of the Oliver Iron Mining Company.
William A. McCurdy was born October 6, 1875, at Marcjuette.
Michigan, and is a son of William and Emma (Snyder) McCurdy, the
former of whom was born in 1848, in Canada, of Highland Scotch ancestry,
and the latter in Michigan, of German parentage. Of their seven
children five are living, William .\. being the eldest of the family. The
father of Mr. McCurdy for many years engaged in a Iniilding contracting
business, especially in the ntiglihurhood of mine properties in Michigan,
but now lives retired.