Yolo-Humboldt-Del Norte County CA Archives Biographies.....Wallrath, Michael 1841 - ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com December 13, 2005, 10:45 pm Author: Tom Gregory REV. MICHAEL WALLRATH Versatility is marked in the make-up of Father Wallrath, and whereas for years his main purpose in life has been the building up and forwarding the interests of the Catholic church in California, he has been no less active in advancing the material welfare of every community in which his duties as pastor have taken him. The Wallrath family was one of long and honorable standing in Germany, where the name is perpetuated in a town in honor of one of its members. Father Wallrath was born in Bockum, Rhenish Prussia, January 17, 1841, being one in a family of ten children, of whom six now survive, born to Zachaeus and Catherine (Jansen) Wallrath. After the death of the wife and mother the father, a blacksmith by trade, came to the United States, and a few years afterward he passed away in San Francisco. Devotion to the cause of religion was a strong characteristic of the family, and one of the sons, Rev. William Wallrath, is now a missionary in Beluchistan, India. While only a child Michael Wallrath showed the possession of mental ability above the average. His school studies were undertaken when he was only four years old and six years later he completed the course in the local school, after which he continued his studies under a private tutor. When twelve years old he was appointed an assistant teacher in the school of his home town, at first having forty children under him and later sixty. At the age of fifteen he taught in Crefeld, with one hundred and eight children under his charge, and continued in this responsible position for three years. Again taking up his studies he was for two years a student in the normal school at Kempen, Dusseldorf, after which he taught for one year in the city of Viersen. Later for five years he was principal of the school at Amern, St. George. With the idea of devoting his life to the cause of the church, he had in the meantime utilized his spare time in the study of the classics under a private tutor. The identification of Father Wallrath with America dates from the year 1866, in which year he entered the Seminary St. Mary's of the West in Cincinnati, where he completed the classic and philosophy and began the study of theology. Indications of ill health and a tendency to lung difficulties made it advisable for him to seek a warmer climate, and therefore in 1871 he came to California. In Eureka, Humboldt county, he completed his studies under Father A. Guggenberger, a celebrated scholar in that city. On September 24, 1871, Father Wallrath was ordained to the holy priesthood at Marysville by Bishop O'Conner. He was first assigned as instructor in mathematics, elocution and physics at St. Joseph's College, Humboldt county, while there also having charge of the mission at Table Bluff, and afterward he had charge of the parish of Crescent City, Del Norte county. That was in a day when railroads in that part of the country were unknown and even wagon roads were few, so that he was obliged to ride the entire distance on horse back over the Indian trails. The hardships endured seemed but to deepen his devotion to the work he had undertaken, becoming especially interested in the welfare of the Indians, for whom he built St. Michael's Church. Later he erected the Catholic church at Trinidad, following this with a pastorate of seven months at Weaverville, when, on May 26, 1877, he was given charge of the congregation at Colusa, the Church of the Immaculate Conception. "With his characteristic progressive spirit Father Wallrath at once took steps to provide a more suitable house of worship and in 1879 the foundation was laid and the cornerstone placed with suitable ceremonies by Bt. Rev. E. O'Connell, the church being dedicated under the title of Our Lady of Lourdes. On the following Easter Sunday the brick edifice, seating four hundred, was completed and opened for worship. Surrounding the substantial parsonage, which was completed in 1880, is a small orange orchard that is now in bearing. Besides his other work in Colusa, and perhaps of even greater importance, was the encouraging support which he gave to the parochial school, organized in 1888, with a substantial building completed in 1892, at a cost of $24,000, and since then in charge of the St. Ursuline Sisters. To mention nothing of Father Wallrath's efforts in Colusa outside of the church would be unjust, for in other ways he contributed to the upbuilding of the city. In 1889 he built the Washington block on Fifth street, 86x150 feet, two stories in height, undoubtedly the finest building in the city at the time. He himself drew the plans for the building, which was erected under his personal care, and he burned the brick used in it, as well as the l3rick for the parochial school. He also erected eight dwelling houses. During the early days of his residence in Colusa Father Wallrath heard the call for spiritual help and uplift in the country round about and responded eagerly. At Willows, Glenn county, he established Santa Monica's parish and in 1878 erected a brick house of worship for the congregation. He continued to have charge of the parish until 1884, when a resident priest was installed. In the meantime, in 1882, he erected the Church of the Sacred Heart at Maxwell, and in 1884 at Orland, Glenn county, St. Dominick's Church, this later being embraced in Santa Monica parish. During the year last mentioned, he also built a chapel at Grand Island, in 1892 the Church of the Incarnation at Williams and in 1899 the Church of the Holy Cross, Arbuckle. Still another congregation organized through his energy and devotion was that at Mount St. Zachary, where in 1895 he erected the Church of the Visitation. At great expense a summer resort was here made for the Sisters, and it is only just to say that this is counted one of the most beautiful spots in California. In 1904 and '05 Father Wallrath built the Church of the Holy Ghost at Sites. What was Colusa's loss was Woodland's gain when, on May 4, 1911, Father Wallrath was transferred to the Holy Rosary Church at this place, and in the meantime he has won the love and admiration of his parishioners and citizens in general by his unwearied devotion to the cause of the church and to the welfare of humanity. Besides the church in Woodland he also has charge of the missions at Winters, Madison, Guinda, Davis, Black's. Knight's Landing and Broderick, the mission last mentioned having been organized in 1911. As a result of Father Wallrath's enterprise a new stone church is now under way at Woodland, also one at Madison, and one has just been completed at Guinda. Ever since taking up his high and holy calling as pastor Father Wallrath has not ceased to labor for the development of the Roman Catholic Church, and his record for erecting churches in this faith is surpassed by few in the country. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/wallrath165nbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/cafiles/ File size: 7.8 Kb