History of St. Ann?s Church, Hochheim Prairie, DeWitt County, Texas ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/tx/txfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Don R. Brownlee Hochheim Prairie, west of Yoakum, had some settlers very early, perhaps as early as 1836. Previous to 1906 the priests from Cuero occasionally came to say Mass for some twenty-one Catholic families. Mass was said in the homes of John A. Weigelt and Theobold Schwab at Hochheim. In 1906 Father Heffernan had a mission church built here about five miles from Yaokum on five acres of land donated for the purpose by Jacob Poth. The cemetery adjoins the church. The church cost $3,300.00 and was dedicated under the title of St. Ann. The mission has been served by the priests from Yoakum all these years except from 1922 to 1932. In 1921 a rectory was built for $1,700 and next year the Rev. Charles J. Benes became the first and only resident pastor, remaining until 1932. Twice, in 1920 and again in 1929, the church was severely damaged by storm, but each time it was quickly repaired, and in 1930 it was enlarged and stuccoed at a cost of $8,000.00 Good roads and transportation enable the children of St. Ann?s to attend the parish school in Yoakum. [from Robert E. Lucey, Archdiocese of San Antonio 1874-1949, published 1949, pages 150-151]