Saint Mark, Kansas

Date: 1872 [unknown]
Location: Sedgwick County, Kansas, United States
Surnames/tags: St Mark, Ks Sedgwick_County,_Kansas Sedgwick_County_Germans

Contents 1 Map 2 St Mark Catholic Church 3 St Mark Saloon 4 St Mark General Store 5 St Mark Post Office 6 Sources

Map

1882 - Saint Mark, Kansas: a small village bordering Attica and Union townships in Western Sedgwick County.

The authors of the Historical Atlas of Sedgwick County Kansas described the towns of St. Mark and Germania on page 9:
"St. Mark is situated on the line between Union and Attica townships, in the midst of the German settlement. It has a large Catholic church and school buildings, a post office, a stock of general merchandise, drug store, hotel, blacksmith, shoemaker, tinsmith and carpenter shops. Germania is a mile and a half west of St. Mark. Its population is also composed mainly of Germans. It has about an equal population, number of stores. etc., with St. Mark." ^[1]

Germania at one time may have had around 10 buildings.

St Mark Catholic Church

St Mark is the home of the St Mark Catholic Church. "As early as 1874, masses were being celebrated in St. Mark by Father John Schurz, who served many of the Catholic communities in and around Wichita. Since there was no church yet, masses were celebrated in people's homes.In the early 1870's, German immigrants began settling the area that was later known as St. Mark. Those early pioneers sought peace, freedom from religious discrimination, and good land to farm, all of which were scarce commodities in Germany at that time. They brought with them their heritage, a strong sense of family, determination, and faith in God.

Mathias Clasen family home where Mass was first served, St. Mark, Kansas, around 1870. Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

By 1875, St. Mark parish had been established and a small frame church built on land donated by the August Wilkus family. This was the first building (other than a house) built in the entire town. Father Schurz became the first resident pastor a year later. By 1879, St. Mark had a rectory and the church had been enlarged to a seating capacity of 250. A decade later the church was too small for the 135 families which now belonged to the parish, so a new church was erected in 1885 and enlarged a year later. On Easter Sunday 1888, over 1,000 people attended mass at St. Mark. At St. Mark, the homily and confessions were said in German until the 1940's and World War II. German was even used in the school until the 1920's, when the state banned German from elementary schools because of the strong feelings after World War I." -From the website of the St. Mark The Evangelist Catholic Church ^[2]

In the first issue, April 6th, 1901, of The Catholic Advance, a newspaper published in WIchita, Ks it was announced that a large watch factory in WIchita would be taken down and the stones carted off to be used for a new church at St Mark. ^[3]

Photo of the Wichita watch factory that was never operational, circa 1900. The address was at 415 W. Second, Wichita, Ks.

The construction of the present church was begun June 18, 1903, with the blessing of the corner stone by Bishop Hennessy, "Soli Deo In Honorem S. Marci Ev. A.D. 1903" or (this church is dedicated) "To God alone, In Honor of St. Mark the Evangelist the Year of Our Lord 1903." Father Bernard Schmiehausen supervised the construction, which was completed in 1906. Much of the material for the new church came from the Wichita watch factory, which was purchased in 1900 for $4,516.50. The parish must have longed for their homeland, because the blueprints came directly from Germany. The church is 137' long, 55' wide, with 24' ceilings, a 30' nave and a 125' tall bell tower. The parishioners hauled usable material from the watch factory by horse or ox drawn cart and donated much of the labor on the construction. They also made yearly contributions from 1905 to 1908, and again in 1911, when the interior was redecorated.

In 1905, parishioners donated $100 per family for stained glass windows which were ordered from Mainz, Germany, and installed. Skilled laborers were hired for the woodworking and all the finish work on the inside. The massive wooden altar, pulpit, communion railings, and baptismal font were constructed out of white walnut or "butternut" at the Dubuque Altar Manufacturing Company and shipped by rail to Colwich. The statues on the high and side altars were ordered, as well as the Pieta and the exterior statue of St. Mark. The church was consecrated on February 25, 1906, by Bishop Hennessey. There were between 2,000 and 3,000 people in attendance. The total cost of the church was $35,124.54.

"St. Mark Church-B&W" by Keith Wondra, KW Photography

Priests of the St Mark parish:
-Father John H. Schurz, as early as 1874 to xxx. ^{[4] [5] [6]}
-Father Bernard Schmiehausen, 1901 - 1906
-Msgr. John Hackenbroich, 1941 to 1951
-Monsignor George Schmidt, 1983
-Father Shawn McKnight and Father David Lies, 2003
-Msgr. John Gilsenan, 2010
-Fr. Brian Nelson, 2024

For more photos visit the NPS.gov website. ^[7]

The current church was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1991.

St Mark Saloon

St Mark and Germania were very close together, only about a mile and a half distance. Neither had a railroad going through it, but both villages had a number of shops including blacksmiths, grocers, hardware, and busy hotels. Both towns also had saloons. During the years between 1879 and 1881 a number of articles were written in the Wichita newspapers regarding a feud between residents of the two towns, or who were at the time reported to be "residents'.

Photo of the exterior of the Saint Marks Saloon with unidentified people on the porch, St. Mark, Kansas, c.1885 - 1900. Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

March 20, 1879:
"... St. Mark had a rousing big dance on the night of February 23 -- wound up with a fight, causing black eyes and sore lips. " ^[8]

July 13, 1881:
"For years there has been a rivalry and neighborly hostility existing between the hamlets of Germania and St. Marks...This Neighborly antipathy and jealous hate, culminated last Sunday in the invasion of St. Marks by about twenty-five men from in and about Germania. They entered the hamlet early in the morning and engaged, so the St. Markites report in the most riotous and disorderly manner, knocking men down, forcibly entering the houses and stores and interrupting the services of the Catholic church...". ^[9]

July 26, 1881:
"The beer fights and quarrels in St Mark, Sedgwick County have up to last evening cost the county over two hundred dollars. Why don't some of our anti-prohibition friends raise a howl about the expense of this beer fight?... Moreover, this beer quarrel was on a Sunday, the day when true Americans are at Church..." ^[10]

And finally, in the August 3, 1881 edition of the Wichita Weekly Beacon, Joseph Hilger writes in and corrects the record:
"We publish, this week, a communication from Mr. Hilger of Germania, relative to the trouble in St. Marks, several weeks ago. The facts brought out on trial sustain Mr. Hilger's statements. None of the disturbers of the peace of St. Marks, were residents of Germania. Our article did, therefore an injustice to Germania. We got our information from Mr. Frank Dale, and, he, we suppose got his from parties seeking redress. It is simply absurd to suppose we meant to do injustice to Germania or her citizens." ^[11]

The correction by Joseph:
" A Correction
Germania, July 18th, 1881.
Ed. Beacon: In the issue of your paper from July 13th, you bring an article of a very grave and malicious nature against this village and neighborhood headed: "Riotous and Shameful." Now gentlemen, won't you feel pretty cheap, if you are informed that said article was almost a base lie from beginning to end. In the first place there was no disturbance of any kind in St. Marks on last Sunday by 12 o'clock, at noon, as I and many others can testify. Than did nobody from this village or even within a mile from it have any hand in the disgraceful revolt of the afternoon as is plainly shown by the names of the parties that were sent before squire Gilson. The opposition of the two villages had nothing in the world to do with the affair nor do I hold that your judgement is correct, that said affair is a disgrace to both St. Marks and the county, and especially to Germania, as the people of Germania had no more to do with it that the man in the moon. Besides there is perhaps not a neighborhood within the U.S. that has not a few men that are able to get drunk and get into a fuss. Although it was not half as bad as you pictured it, however bad enough it was, yet no houses and stores were entered and no man knocked down unless they participated in the fight. Does it look well for an editor of a county paper to fling an article as the one headed as above, at a whole neighborhood without knowing about it? Don't you think that is a disgrace too? And there is another thing that's more of a disgrace to this county, than the row at St. Marks and that is, that a man can pick a fuss with everybody and then when he comes out second best, (as is generally the case with the party that entered complaint through the County Attorney), and then go and make the county pay the expenses.
Joseph Hilger.

On Friday, September 14th, 1945, a fire swept through parts of St Mark, and the home and "poolroom" (the house and saloon next door) of the Jacob Roths family were destroyed. The fire in St Mark completely destroyed the buildings and all their possessions.^[12]

Saint Marks saloon, c 1920. Jacob Roths standing near his house, barn and saloon, around 1920. St Mark, Ks. Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

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"Photo of German drinkers in front of Mathias Stockemer's wagon shop, outside of St. Mark, Kansas, c. 1900" The photo is of "German Beer Drinkers", and was reportedly taken around 1900 in front of John Stockemer's wagon shop, just about 1 mile north and 1 mile west of the town. Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

Saint Marks Saloon, St. Mark, Kansas, c1910. From left: Joe Bestgen, Math Roths & John Roths at a table in Roths' Saloon playing poker. Other photos exist of the Roths boys acting out gun fight scenes, so the pistol on the table is assumed to be placed there as a prop. Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

Saint Mark Saloon, St. Mark, Kansas, c1910 (left to right) John Stockemer, John Roths, Joe Thome & Steve Peitz. Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

ad in the May 28th, 1885 Wichita Herold

The Wichita Herold, a German language newspaper published in Wichita Kansas from 1885 to 1919, regularly had a section for St Mark news and ads. The St. Mark ad section pictured here in the May 28, 1885 newspaper, included ads for local businesses.

Mitch Laggart had an ad for his store. "Mich. Laggert, dealer in spice goods, food goods, as well as porcelain goods.", similar to a grocery store.

John Mund had an ad for his store, but it was more like a hardware store. "John Mund, dealer in Iron and sheet metal goods, as well as spices, history, and prayer books specialty. St Mark, Kansas"

Dr. John Zenner had an ad for his apothecary. "All patent medicines are on hand, and the other goods are guaranteed"

The Farmers' Hotel was owned by Chas. Jahn. It was a German Inn that had "Good tables and clean beds, with careful service, are guaranteed" Note: More research needed for "Chas. Jahn" ^{[13] [14]}

The St. Mark Hotel was owned by John P Schröder. It claimed to be "The oldest German inn in the city." And that "Strangers always find a friendly welcome and attentive service here."

Jacob Zahnen had an ad for his "shoe and boots store", with "repairs provided cheaply" and " good work guaranteed".

A fire broke out in late July, 1887 and burned multiple buildings in the town of St Mark. Mitch Laggart, Phillip Schroeder, and the St Marks Band all had businesses, houses, and property losses due to the fire.^[15]

An article in The Wichita Beacon in 1885 about St Marks, "a thriving German settlement": ^[16]

Photo of the John Mund hardware store with unidentified people out front, in St. Mark, Kansas. The photo is not dated, but was likely taken around 1885. It is likely that John and Kate Mund are in the center, standing on the porch. Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

Photo of the Saint Marks Store, St. Mark, Kansas, c. 1895; (L to R): Rosa (Geiger) Lies, Hanna (Geiger) Blick, Lena (Geris) Zogelman, next 3 unidentified, Curly Gegen, Nick Gegen, unidentified. Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

St Mark General Store

The general store at St Mark was first founded by Christian Dold around the time he first came to the area in the 1870s. ^[17] It started out as a trading post and several years later was organized into a cooperative firm by Dold and other local landowners of the community. Owners/operators of the General Store at St Mark were:
1870s to about ?? Chris Dold
??? to about 1882 "Baumann & Busch's General Store at St Mark, Kansas ^[18]
1906 to 1912 Peter & Mary Sommerhauser ^[19]
1916 to 1918 William Roths ^[20]
1918 to 1944 John S Dold ^{[21] [22] [23]}
1945 to about 1954 Mr. & Mrs. Clem Dick ^[24]
1954 to the 1960s Mr. & Mrs. Isidore P Strunk ^[25]

St Mark Post Office

The Postmasters at St Mark were: ^{[26] [27]}

1879 to 1880 - The first Postmaster at St Mark was Anton Kasmirski, appointed Postmaster in February 4, 1879.^[28]
1882 to 1882 - Ambrose Baumann was appointed Postmaster in April 3, 1882. ^{[29] [30]}
1882 to 1883 - Nickolaus Bierscheid was appointed Postmaster in November 17, 1882^[31]
1883 to 1886 - Anton Kasmirski was appointed again on April 6, 1883 ^[32]
1886 to 1888 - Mich Laggart was appointed April 10, 1886 ^[33]
1888 to 1896 - Jacob Zahnen was appointed February 27, 1888 ^[34]
1896 to 1898 - John Buscher was appointed July 27, 1896 ^[35]
1898 to 1900 - Pius Geiger was appointed December 12, 1898 ^[36]
1900 to 1903 - Mathias Pelz was appointed December 22, 1900 ^[37]

In 1903 the St Mark Post Office was closed, and they used nearby Goddard Post Office. ^[38]

St. Mark's Hunters in Camp, Jan. 12, 1903, unknown location L to R, 1st row: John Geiger, Alvin Peter Sion, Math Schaeffer, Pete Heimerman. 2nd row: Math Mainz, Nick Mainz, Gerhard Sion, Curley Gegen. 3rd row: Tony Geiger, August Thies, J.V. Simon, John Mainz, Bill Mainz, Jake Gegen, Joe Heimerman, Henry Blick. Courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

Photo of unidentified men on a threshing crew, near St. Mark, Kansas, c.1890-1895. Courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

St. Mark String Band, St. Mark, Kansas, c.1910-1920 (left to right): Bill Landwehr, Herman Ebenkamp, Ben Landwehr, Matt Roths. Courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

Saint Marks German Cornet Band, standing l to r: Matt Schaefer, Chris Dold, Math Hilger, Joe Albert, Nick Mainz, unidentified, Joe Seiwert, John Albert, Peter Strunk. Seated l to r: Math Hilger, unidentified, Charles Albert, unidentified, Henry Stump. Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

The Saint Marks baseball team, c1911. Mostly unidentified, however I believe the guy in the middle back row is Matthew Roths. His brother Bill Roths may be front row, second from the left. Peter Hilger is possibly front row, first on the left. Photo courtesy of Kansas Historical Society, https://www.kshs.org/archives/315681

Sources

1. ↑ John P. Edwards, Historical Atlas of Sedgwick County, Kansas (Philadelphia, PA: 1882) page 9 from the Kansas Historical Society website (https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/224001/page/9)
2. ↑ website of the St. Mark The Evangelist Catholic Church, (https://stmarkks.org/about-us/history)
3. ↑ The Catholic Advance (Wichita, Kansas) Saturday, April 06, 1901 (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-catholic-advance/159368779/)
4. ↑ The Wichita Weekly Beacon (Wichita, Kansas) Wednesday, Sep 03, 1879, page 3 (https://kansashistoricalopencontent.newspapers.com/image/416477634/?match=1&terms=%22st%20mark%22%20store)
5. ↑ The Wichita Weekly Beacon (Wichita, Kansas) Wednesday, September 24, 1879, page 2 (https://kansashistoricalopencontent.newspapers.com/image/416478207/?match=1&terms=%22st%20mark%22%20store&clipping_id=92467443)
6. ↑ John P. Edwards, Historical Atlas of Sedgwick County, Kansas (Philadelphia, PA: 1882) page 13, from the Kansas Historical Society website (https://www.kansasmemory.org/item/224001/page/11)
7. ↑ https://npgallery.nps.gov/NRHP/GetAsset/NRHP/91000463_photos
8. ↑ The Weekly Eagle, (Wichita, Ks.) Thursday, March 20, 1879 (https://kansashistoricalopencontent.newspapers.com/image/70787088/?terms=Germania&match=1)
9. ↑ The Wichita Weekly Beacon, (Wichita, Ks) Wednesday, July 13, 1881 (https://kansashistoricalopencontent.newspapers.com/image/416430504/?terms=Germania&match=1)
10. ↑ The Wichita Daily Times, Tuesday, July 26, 1881 (https://kansashistoricalopencontent.newspapers.com/image/375493304/?terms=Dale%20St%20Mark&match=1)
11. ↑ The Wichita Weekly Beacon, (Wichita, Ks) Wednesday, August 1881, page 3 (https://kansashistoricalopencontent.newspapers.com/image/416431304/?terms=Hilger&match=1)
12. ↑ The Catholic Advance, Friday, September 21, 1945 (https://www.newspapers.com/image/179058183/?terms=%22Jacob%20Roths%22&match=1)
13. ↑ The Atchison Daily Globe (Atchison, Kansas) Fri, Apr 25, 1884 ·Page 4 (https://kansashistoricalopencontent.newspapers.com/image/480180069/?match=1&terms=%22Chas.%20Jahn%22)
14. ↑ Western Mercury (Atchison, Kansas) Sun, Apr 27, 1884 ·Page 1 (https://kansashistoricalopencontent.newspapers.com/image/479921048/?match=1&terms=%22Charles%20Jahn%22)
15. ↑ Sedgwick County Reporter (Colwich, Kansas) Thursday, August 04, 1887 (https://kansashistoricalopencontent.newspapers.com/article/sedwick-county-reporter/79433613/)
16. ↑ The Wichita Beacon (Wichita, Kansas) Wednesday, June 10, 1885 (https://www.newspapers.com/image/76715089/?terms=%22German%20settlement%22%20&match=1&clipping_id=135303273)
17. ↑ The Wichita Beacon Wichita, Kansas · Friday, May 19, 1944, page 1 (https://www.newspapers.com/image/719407290/?match=1&clipping_id=135700894) and page 5 (https://www.newspapers.com/image/719407353/?clipping_id=135701170)
18. ↑ The Weekly Eagle (Wichita, Kansas) Thursday, August 31, 1882, page 2 (https://kansashistoricalopencontent.newspapers.com/image/70833438/?match=1&terms=%22st%20mark%22%20store)
19. ↑ The Catholic Advance (Wichita, Kansas) Friday, May 27, 1955 (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-catholic-advance-obituary-for-mary-t/152085100/)
20. ↑ The Andale Globe (Andale, Kansas) Thursday, June 08, 1916 (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-andale-globe/43659185/)
21. ↑ The Catholic Advance (Wichita, Kansas) Friday, September 03, 1943 (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-catholic-advance/135695922/)
22. ↑ The Wichita Eagle (Wichita, Kansas) Wednesday, April 05, 1944 (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-wichita-eagle/135696023/)
23. ↑ The Catholic Advance (Wichita, Kansas) Fri, Mar 31, 1944, page 5 (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-catholic-advance-the-catholic-advanc/18666492/)
24. ↑ The Catholic Advance (Wichita, Kansas) Friday, June 02, 1944 (https://www.newspapers.com/article/the-catholic-advance/135695990/)
25. ↑ The Catholic Advance (Wichita, Kansas) Friday, June 04, 1954 (https://www.newspapers.com/image/183642704/?match=1&clipping_id=135701317)
26. ↑ National Archives Catalog, Postmaster Appointments for Sedgwick County, Kansas, page 4 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78742170?objectPage=4)
27. ↑ Jacob Zahnen in the U.S., Appointments of U. S. Postmasters, 1832-1971 (https://www.ancestry.com/sharing/7782102?mark=7b22746f6b656e223a227a68644d394d3373557577374f6258763042774f41623656744b2b7131684d416a33326f5a50383879766b3d222c22746f6b656e5f76657273696f6e223a225632227d)
28. ↑ National Archives Catalog, Postmaster Appointments for Sedgwick County, Kansas, page 4 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78742170?objectPage=4)
29. ↑ National Archives Catalog, Postmaster Appointments for Sedgwick County, Kansas, page 4 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78742170?objectPage=4)
30. ↑ The Daily Commonwealth (Topeka, Kansas) Wed, Apr 12, 1882 ·Page 4 (https://kansashistoricalopencontent.newspapers.com/image/62151961/?terms=%22Ambrose%20Baumann%22%20&match=1)
31. ↑ National Archives Catalog, Postmaster Appointments for Sedgwick County, Kansas, page 4 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78742170?objectPage=4)
32. ↑ National Archives Catalog, Postmaster Appointments for Sedgwick County, Kansas, page 4 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78742170?objectPage=4)
33. ↑ National Archives Catalog, Postmaster Appointments for Sedgwick County, Kansas, page 4 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78742170?objectPage=7)
34. ↑ National Archives Catalog, Postmaster Appointments for Sedgwick County, Kansas, page 4 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78742170?objectPage=7)
35. ↑ National Archives Catalog, Postmaster Appointments for Sedgwick County, Kansas, page 10 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78742170?objectPage=10)
36. ↑ National Archives Catalog, Postmaster Appointments for Sedgwick County, Kansas, page 10 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78742170?objectPage=10)
37. ↑ National Archives Catalog, Postmaster Appointments for Sedgwick County, Kansas, page 10 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78742170?objectPage=10)
38. ↑ National Archives Catalog, Postmaster Appointments for Sedgwick County, Kansas, page 10 (https://catalog.archives.gov/id/78742170?objectPage=10)