Granville - St. Joseph

GRANVILLE - Among Granville's early settlers were staunch Catholics, largely from eastern Iowa. In 1886, about 70 families resolved to build a church of their own. The new church was a frame building with a wood shingle roof. Owing to the lack of priests, the church served as a meeting place until March 25, 1888, when Father M. W. McCarthy offered the first Mass.

They then built a school which opened in December of 1888, with about 50 pupils. Sister Mary Rose and Sister Mary Johanna, O. S. F., were the first teachers. The south half of the building consisted of two classrooms. The north half was the sisters' living quarters. In 1904 the building was converted into a rectory and was used as such for the next 46 years. In 1950, the present two-story rectory was built at a cost of $41,000.

In 1888, construction of the rectory was completed, and it served as the priests' home for 16 years. In 1904, the rectory became the home of the Sisters of St. Francis and was used as their convent for the next 43 years. In 1948 the sisters who staffed the school moved into a new two-story convent at a cost of $46,000.

By 1902, St. Joseph's Parish had grown to 160 families. Plans were begun for a new church and it was completed by 1905. The old church became a school and had an enrollment of 198 students.

From all approaches into Granville, one first sees the 130-foot tower of the church, a semi-gothic structure, 147-feet by 66-feet, built of hydraulic-pressed tan brick, trimmed in stone, at a cost of $41,000.

The windows are primarily red and blue. A circle in the arch of each window depicts a symbol of the church. It had two stairways leading to the choir loft, but in the 1940's, the north stairway was taken out and a "cry room" was built.

Due to increasing enrollment, a new school building was erected in 1908 at a cost of $15,000. Students paid 50 cents per month tuition. Over a period of time, a 12-year-course was offered. The first sports program was begun in 1941 by Father Knobbe.

In 1955, construction of St. Joseph High School and gymnasium was completed at a cost of $200,000. The high school section accommodates about 100 pupils.

In 1962, St. Joseph's incorporated with St. Mary's, Alton, and St. Anthony's, Hospers, forming Spalding Catholic High School. An addition was added to the existing St. Joseph High School at a cost of $110,000.

St. Joseph's pastors included: Father Michael W. McCarthy (1888-1890), Father Patrick A. Tierney (1890-1894), Father John J. Anler (1895-1897), Father John H. Stromberg (1898-1902), Father J. A. Gerlemann (1902-1940), Msgr. Joseph J. Dalhoff (1940-1953), Father Nicholas J. Becker (1953-1970), Father John G. Schissel (1970-1973), Father Edward D. Hoffman (1973-1979) and Father Francis J. Nemmers (1979-1986).

Also serving St. Joseph's was Father Robert A. Gralapp (1979-1991), Father Clem W. Currans (1991-1998) and Msgr. Kenneth A. Seifried (1998-present).

The first cemetery was a three-acre plot, a mile north of Granville, bought for $180. In 1907, the parish moved the cemetery. Burials were discontinued, and by 1912, all bodies had been removed from the original cemetery to the new one.

The Angelus has always been an important part of the parish. Bells rang daily at 6 a.m., noon, and 6 p.m. The "death toll" was also done, tolling the age of the person who had died. In 2000, new Westminster Chimes were installed in memory of Josephine Ahlers. They now toll the hours from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

St. Joseph's is currently in the fifth and final year of the Spalding Catholic Schools Capital Campaign. Future plans include repairs to the beautiful stained glass windows along with repainting of the Stations of the Cross.