Marsha's Warrick Web & Warrick InGenWeb

St. John the Baptist Church

Submitted by Tamara Kincaide

224 W. JENNINGS ST., NEWBURGH, IN

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In 1862 a group of catholic families met at the home of HENRY WEIS in a little brick home at the corner of Jennings and Market St. The group represented fifteen families REV F.X. KUTASSI resident pastor of Holy Trinity in Evansville offered the fist mass in 1862.
In 1863 Father KUTASSI selected a site on the northeast corner of Jennings & Market for a church and in 1866 the cornerstone was laid. The clay industry was thriving and bricks were commonly burned at the construction site.

This method was used by members of the church in the construction of ST. JOHN'S during the civil war period. Bricks were fired by members of the church and was dedicated JULY 1867. Seating capacity of 125 people, The white bell tower rose above the roof with its spire holding a golden cross.
The parish at this time numbered 30 families many of whom worked the coal mines of Newburgh. Father CHARLES WAGNER was pastor from 1893 to 1904. It was during this period that the church was enlarged. The sum of 150 dollars was willed to the church to be used in erecting a sacristy.
The congregation contributed additional money and the church enlarged. A sacristy and altars were added, the altars donated by Father BURKHARD of St. Boniface of Evansville and Father J .J. DIESTEL of Holy Trinity. REV. JOSEPH DICKMAN of St. Mary's donated the Baptismal Font. For many years the angelus was rung morning, noon and night by MRS. PHILOPENA STOLL.

In 1952 another expansion program began with the purchase of eleven acres on Frame Rd. The new church completed 1958. The old church remained empty until 1964 when it was purchased from the parish and was then converted to Newburgh's Country Store.