Where Did The Catholics Go?
Again something jogged my memory in the West Bend News. The article about a church being raised. I’m not privy to the details but I remember talk of two Catholic churches being closed. In the small world category, l had an uncle and aunt the were Catholics living in Ohio. I’ll try to tell you their name and perhaps somebody knew them.
The Leo-Grabill area was settled in 1833. The east side of the St Joe River was settled by Amish. Probably from Switzerland, France, or Germany. There are at least five churches now that are off-shoots of the Amish. Names like Klopfenstein, Souder, and my name, probably go back to the original settlers. The west side and the town of Leo was settled approximately the same time by Catholics. Probably Irish Catholics. The only remnant of the Catholics, is a beautiful old church located in Leo, and the cemetery across from the high school. The town of Leo was named after Pope Leo.
I have known only one Catholic in my lifetime but I’m sure there are a few others in our area. The majority of residents are Amish or conservative groups, off-shoots of Amish. I suspect the Catholics perhaps moved to Fort Wayne. Many Irish Catholics moved to South Bend to work in the Oliver or Studebaker factories.
The Amish descendants were mainly connected to farming to farming or agriculture. A lady gave me the names of all the people buried in the Catholic Cemetery. There are 60 from about 1850 to 1900. The list is interesting, many children and young ladies probably died in childbirth. The Catholics still maintain this cemetery.
My Aunt Rhea, a little Mennonite gal, the youngest of seven, in the John and Mary Neuhouser family, married a Catholic man, Skyler (Sky,) Grimm of West Unity. Sky was a well-known carpenter, and highly respected. He was always booked a couple of years in advance, and he drove a new Buick every year. They had three boys, the oldest of which, Gary, was a policeman in Toledo. Doug worked at Grabill Bank, and I don’t remember the name of the third. If anyone knew them, you could get in contact with me at West Bend News. Is there still a Catholic Church in or near West Unity?
Addendum: The original Catholic Church is the home of, The Olde Church Shoppes. The cemetery is across from the high school. In the last year they have placed a beautiful fence around it, and maintain it well. It just comes to mind this morning, my sister married a Ridgeway, one of 12 children, from Bryan, Ohio. Does anyone remember them, or do they have any descendants in the area.
—James Neuhousesr
