Rev. Bernard H. Bunning Biography


	This biography appears on pages 1327-1328 in "History of South 
	Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. II (1904) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

	This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit 
	organizations for their private use. 

	Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval 
	system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other 
	means requires the written approval of the file's author.


	REV. BERNARD H. BUNNING, pastor of the Roman Catholic church, 
Bridgewater, was born in Covington, Kentucky, February 28, 1853. His 
parents. Herman G. and Thecla (Groene) Bunning, natives of Hanover, 
Germany, came to the United States in 1849, and located at Covington. 
Kentucky, of which city the father subsequently became a prominent 
merchant and leading business man. Of the nine children that originallv 
constituted the family of Herman G. and Thecla Bunning, two were born in 
the mother country, one of them dying on the voyage to America and the 
births of the other seven occurred in the United States. Only two of the 
number are living at the present time, the subject of this review and 
John H. Bunning, who is now advertising manager for the large mercantile 
firm of Carson, Pirie, Scott & Company, of Chicago. In 1883 the parents 
took up their residence in South Dakota with their son, Reverend 
Bunning, and spent the remainder of their days in this state, the father 
dying in 1889, the mother in the year 1890. 

	Bernard H. Bunning grew to maturity under the parental roof, 
attended for some years the parochial school under the auspices of the 
Mother of God church in Covington, and shortly after his thirteenth year 
removed with the family to St. Meinrad, Indiana, at which place he 
entered the Benedictine College, with the object in view of fitting 
himself for the priesthood. In due time he finished his literary and 
theological studies, was ordained priest in 1880, and immediately after 
came to South Dakota and took charge of St. Mary's church in the city of 
Bismarck. After two years of faithful and efficient pastoral work at 
that place, he was transferred to Pierre, being the first resident 
priest in the latter city, and his pastorate there covered a period of 
about four years, during which time he greatly strengthened his 
congregation, materially and spiritually, securing a fine building site, 
and erecting a beautiful temple of worship and parsonage. His labors at 
Pierre terminating in 1886, Father Bunning was next sent to Zell, where 
in due time he succeeded in raising sufficient funds to build a 
commodious church edifice and the congregation under his leadership 
increased rapidly in numbers and influence. After remaining at Zell 
until 1890, he was transferred to Aberdeen, where he labored with great 
acceptance for two years, and at the end of that time took charge of the 
church at Parkston, continuing at the latter place during the five years 
following. Father Bunning's next scene of labor was the parish of 
Vermillion, where he ministered to a young though healthy and growing 
church until the summer of 1901, when he came to Bridgewater, his 
present field of endeavor. Since locating with the parish at this place 
he has added greatly to the material well-being of the church, securing 
at a reasonable figure the United Brethren church building for a 
parochial school and the fine Pritzkam residence property with its 
handsome and valuable grounds, which he has remodeled and converted into 
a sisters' boarding school. The church has greatly prospered along all 
kinds of activity, and the pastor has not only endeared himself to his 
parishioners, but has become popular with all classes and conditions of 
people, irrespective of church or creed. In addition to the church 
edifice erected by Father Bunning, alluded to in a preceding paragraph, 
he built the St. Anne's church at Miller, besides greatly strengthening 
the congregation there, and every place where he has been stationed 
spiritual growth, and material prosperity have followed fast upon his 
labors.