ST. CHARLES, MISSOURI GENEALOGY TRAILS



ST. PETER'S CATHOLIC CHURCH

In Commemoration of the centennial of All Saints Parish. Saint Peters, Missouri.

1823-1923

PREFACE:

     One hundred years have elapsed since Rt. Rev. L.W. Dubourg appointed Jesuits for the mission in Missouri among which is numbered St. Peters. The history of All Saints Parish, St. Peters, Mo., is strange to many. This fact and the one hundredth anniversary have caused the appearance of this book. Well may we compare the growth of this parish to the scriptural mustard seed which a man took and sowed in his field, and which, while being the least of all seeds, grew and became a tree so that the birds of air came and dwelt in its branches. From a handful of Catholics scattered over St. Charles Co., All Saints Parish has grown and developed until it numbers today 150 families, and owns one of the finest church properties in the Archdiocese of St. Louis. It is a glorious record of loyalty, fidelity and sacrifice that has characterized the past “One Hundred Years” of All Saints existence. Ever alert to her interests, the pioneer members as well as present members thereof were never found evading or slacking. They have a claim on our gratitude, both the living as well as the dead. All marched in solid phalanx from the day of the cornerstone laying to this day of Centennial, 1923. Though great and manifold were the exactions and appeals made to them, yet spontaneous was the respond. With glad and cheerful heart and warm hand did they at all times meet conditions, often bordering on self-denial.

To the blessed Virgin Mary, Queen of All Saints, to all our friends and benefactors, then, the following pages are most sincerely inscribed and dedicated by

THE AUTHOR August, 1923

This Country Parish, whose origin and progress, according to statistics, will be given, lies in St. Charles Co., one of the most fruitful districts of the State of Missouri, on the Wabash Line, about 32 miles west of St. Louis.

The name Dardenne is arrived from the Dardenne family, early pioneers of the Mississippi Valley. Toussaint Dardenne was married at Ste.-Anne-du-Fort-Chartress, November 21, 1747. One of these Dardennes may have first camped and hunted on this creek and thus given it his name. One of the first pioneers on the Dardenne was Jean Baptiste Blandeau, 1796. His land came into the hands of John Mullanphy.

About 1800 the first settler, Francis Howell, established his home about ten miles from St. Charles, at Howell’s Prairie, on the Dardenne. Others attracted by the rich game and fertile soil soon followed. Among them French-Canadians and a few settlers from Virginia and Kentucky. Among them were Jean Genereux, Joseph Langlois, John Parquette, Joseph Boshaut, John Lewis, Perry Brown, Warren Cottle, Lorenzo Cottle in 1840 founded Cottleville; George Hufmann, Pennsylvania Dutch and his sons Peter and George; Louis Janetot, 1799; Thomas Johnson, and Irish Catholic, 1799; Charles Dennys, a German herb doctor; Christian Wolf, Etienne Pepin, John Adam Smith, Milton Lewis, John McConnell and Arend Rutgers, who built a mill. Amidst the cares and struggles for living, the brave Canadians did not abandon their faith. Their first aim was to erect a house for the worship of their God.

Already in the year 1815, according to the documents in the Episcopal Archive, two donations of ground, on the Dardenne Creek, were made; one by the family of Etienne Bernard and Louise Langeven; the other by the family of Joseph Woisard and Elizabeth Denny.

Members of the New Parish were the following twelve families: Etienne Bernard, Joseph Woisard, Charles Denny, Etienne Dubios, Paul Trindler, John Gatty, Berthold and H Spencer. The first building, a modest log house, erected on the east side of Dardenne Creek, had a dimension of 35 feet by 25 feet.

As early as the year 1818, the Right Reverend Bishop Louis William Dubourg of Louisiana, appointed Rev. Francis Neils, who was ordained on the 19^th of March, 1818, as shepherd of the New Flock.

The district of Louisiana, whose Bishop Right, Reverend L.W. Dubourg was, embraced the State of Louisiana, Missouri, Arkansas, Iowa, Kansas and Nebraska. Bishop Dubourg died in the year 1833, as Archbishop of Besancon, France.

The New Parish chose as patron, Saint Peter the Prince of the Apostles, and their parish was known as St. Peter’s Parish on the lower Dardenne.

How long Rev. F. Neils was pastor of the parish is unknown, probably only for a short period. After him the parish was attended by Capuchians, Trappists and Lazarists.

In the year 1823, the Rt. Reverend Bishop appointed Jesuits for the missions in Missouri and from this date Jesuits were active at St. Charles as well as St. Peters. Among the missionaries are mentioned the Rev. Father Timmermann Verreydt, Van Cookenberg, P.J. Verhaegen, F Hoeken 1835, Van Asche 1835 to 1836. Although more families were added to the parish, nevertheless, the number was quite small.

Since most of the parishoners dwelt on the west side of the creek, and very often, especially in the spring or after heavy rainfall, could impossibly pass over the creek, the erection of a new, second church, on the west side, was planned and executed under the direction of Rev. Father Verreydt, S. J.

The work on this building was all done gratis by the parishoners, who also contributed the necessary money, that at its completion the church was free of debts.

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