Effingham County IL Archives Biographies.....Gesenhues, Herman 1858 - 
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Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 October 20, 2011, 7:49 pm

Source: See below
Author: Lake City Publishing Co.

REV. HERMAN GESENHUES is the present pastor of St. Clare's Catholic Church of
Altamont, Ill. For a number of years the religious services of this congregation
were conducted at this place by the Franciscan Fathers, among whom were Rev.
Michael Richardt, Rev. Herman Wirtz, Rev. Clement Deymann and Rev. Florence
Kurzer, from Teutopolis; Rev. Father Francis Albers, Rev. Father Jerome
Hellhake, Rev. Placidus Krekeler and Rev. Maurus Brink, followed by Rev. Stephen
Scholz. The first secular priest was Rev. John Gratza, who was succeeded soon
after by Rev. William Michael. The next to have charge of the church was Rev. P.
A. Lyons, who in turn was followed by the present pastor, Rev. Herman Gesenhues.
The time of the latter's coming was on the 10th of July, 1891.

  The congregation now numbers forty-seven families, thirty-three of whom reside
within the village limits of Altamont. The church building is a comportable and
commodious edifice. The congregation is entirely free from debt, and under the
present pastorate a number of general improvements have been made upon the
church property. In fact, the Catholic Church interests in Altamont may be said
to be in a growing and prosperous condition. The present trustees, besides the
pastor, are Charles Wittmeyer and Valentine Shab.

  Rev. Herman Gesenhues is a native of St. Louis, Mo., having been born on the
13th of December, 1858, in that city. After he had acquired his primary
education he became a student in Teutopolis, and was there graduated in
literature and in the classics. He was graduated in philosophy and theology in
St. Francis' Seminary, near Milwaukee, Wis., and was ordained a priest by Bishop
Baltes, in Alton, Ill., on the 23d of October, 1881, Father Gesenhues' first
pastoral charge was in Bethalto, Madison County, Ill., and at the same time he
celebrated mass at two missions, Gillespie and Raymond. On the 4th of April,
1884, he became pastor of the parish at Hillsboro, Montgomery County, and on
October 4,1888, was placed in charge of the church in Bloomfield, near Quincy,
and of the congregations of Columbus and Mendon, Adams County, Ill. As already
stated, he came to Altamont in July, 1891. Father Gesenhues has done much to
promote the best interests of his church, both in Altamont, Shumway and St.
Elmo, where he has been called upon to labor.


Additional Comments:
Extracted from:

Portrait and Biographical Record of Effingham, Jasper and Richland Counties
Chicago: Lake City Publishing Co.
1893

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