Catholic Biographies: Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Ohio

Priest, Church Builder in Cincinnati, Ohio:

Bishop Purcell evidently did not agree with his jurisdiction over Joseph. He made Fr. Ferneding assistant and then interim pastor at St. Mary's church and later pastor of St. Paul Church that he built. Bishop Purcell also named Fr. Ferneding the Vicar General of the diocese in 1844, with responsibilities for administering the needs of the priests, new parishes and as director of St. Aloysius Gonzaga Orphanage. At the dedication of the present Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains, on Plum St. in 1845, the visiting clergy included bishops Flaget and Chabrat of Louisville, Henni of Milwaukee and Celestine de La Helandiere of Vincennes. Perhaps Joseph and Celestine had the opportunity to talk then.

In 1811 there were but 2,500 people living in Cincinnati. In 1814 there were 6,000 people living there, with no Catholics listed. By 1840 there were 40,000 residents. By 1850, in just 39 years, the city had grown to 115,000, an almost fifty-fold increase. This explosion in population came from German speaking and Irish Catholic immigrants, leaving starvation and bare subsistence living behind in Europe. These farmers, laborers and craftsmen were seeking a better life and hope for a better future for their children in America's open land, the protection of a rule of law and political freedom, a safe haven.

Catholics were 35 percent of the city's population in 1850, totaling 40,000. There were 35 priests; 4,500 children in 13 parochial schools; 1,170 Catholic marriages; 3,400 baptisms and 2,740 funerals were held. Cincinnati was sometimes called the "Rome of America" during those years. The German speaking immigrants were then about 75 percent of the Catholics, living in mostly in the Over-the-Rhine area, above the Miami-Erie Canal and downtown Cincinnati.

They worked in laboring jobs or crafts to support themselves and their families. These folks were typically, young, many unmarried and with minimal resources. They were strangers, speaking English, if at all, with a pronounced accent. Some of the local citizens welcomed them because they were useful and energetic workers. Others looked on them with apprehension because they were foreigners speaking another language. Their Catholic religion added to their separation from the "Americans." These immigrants worked throughout their lives to gain acceptance and to speak as Americans. Theirs was an experience common to most immigrants here. It validates the description of the United States as a "melting pot" for those who join earlier arrivals.

That the clergy, religious and Catholic families were able to organize, fund and build the parish churches, the schools and the institutions for these new arrivals is a tribute to them all. The German name "Pionier" was used to show the respect of the populace for those who made this transition peaceful and beneficial to those who were here first and those who joined them in the 1800's from Europe.

In the beginning of this growth, in 1817, ten Catholic families met with Bishop Flaget, who was visiting the City on a missionary trip within his widespread diocese of Bardstown. The first Catholic Church, Christ Church, 30 by 55 feet in size, was built in 1821 at Vine and Liberty St., outside the city limits, apparently based on anti-Catholic bias at the time, discouraging Catholic churches within the city. Freedom of Religion per the Bill of Rights was not observed for Catholic citizens.

In this year the Diocese of Cincinnati was created, including all of Ohio, Michigan and the Northwest Territory. Fr. Edward Fenwick (born in 1768 in Maryland, member of the English Dominican Order, ordained in Antwerp) was consecrated as the first bishop. The bishop visited Pope Leo XII in Rome and sought support for the new diocese. He spent three years in Europe, begging for funds and recruiting priests. He then returned to Cincinnati, building churches, a seminary and schools and visiting the huge area of his fast-growing flock, until his death in 1832 of cholera.

When Joseph Ferneding first arrived in early 1832, the original Cathedral of St. Peter in Chains had been built six years earlier on Sycamore St., within the city limits, after anti-Catholic bigotry had quieted. By 1833 the Cathedral had been enlarged, a school and the Athenaeum, a college for teachers in the diocese, added along Sycamore.

German immigrants, at the bishop's urging, in 1834 built Holy Trinity Church. This parish was further to the west, outside city limits at Fifth and Smith. The church was a small, unadorned box of a building with no pews or seats, just an altar, crucifix and six carved wood candleholders. Fr. Martin Henni, the pastor, led the building the church and then the school, three years later, as well as starting St. Aloysius Orphan Society. He also began the first German language Catholic newspaper in the U.S., the Wahrheits-freund, in July 1837. In 1840, under Fr. Henni, land was bought at 13th and Clay, in the Over-the-Rhine, to build another, much larger church, St. Mary's. Again, the people helped to build this building; many made the bricks that were used in their own kitchen ovens.

Fr. Ferneding returned to Cincinnati in April 1842. He was assigned as assistant pastor to St. Mary's. The church building was nearing completion under Fr. Henni's direction. When the pastor, Fr. Clemens Hammer left on a trip to Europe in 1843, Fr. Ferneding was interim pastor. During his tenure he added a school building. St. Mary's remains a parish church today with Liturgies there each weekend in German, Latin and English.

In January 1843 a group of German-speaking immigrants attempted to form an independent German Catholic Church with trustees making decisions on church matters, including appointment of their own priests. This group filed in Court for incorporation as representing the owners of the Catholic churches in the city. They started campaigning to enlist support among the Catholic community. This was a movement that was developing in other American cities, by those who were interested in a church with Protestant church structure and separation from Rome.

The movement leaders acted suddenly when Bishop Purcell was away in Europe. Fr. Henni conferred with Fr. Ferneding and the other priests; immediate action was needed to stave off the takeover of the Catholic churches. The pastors called for a meeting of all Catholics on January 26, 1843, at St. Mary's church. That evening, Frs. Henni and Ferneding spoke at length to the large group attending and pointed out to them the dangers of following the lead of this apostate movement. The priests asked all to sign a petition to the court, rejecting this "trustee movement" and affirming the Bishop, representing the Church and the Diocese, as the owner of Roman Catholic Church properties in the city.

Over 2,000 men signed the petition. This expression of loyalty to the Diocese as representing the Catholic Church effectively removed the separatist threat. Reaction of the community in saving their Church confirms the love and respect the people had for their "pionier" priests and Bishop. It must have been interesting reading for the bishop, away in Rome, about this furor when he received a letter with an account of these events from Fr. Henni!

In 1844, at the bishop's request, Fr. Ferneding started the planning, land purchase and fund raising for another church, St. John the Baptist, Green St. in the Mohawk area of Over-the-Rhine. St. John Church was completed in November of 1845. Another, larger church, the present St. Peter in Chains Cathedral, was built on Plum St. and also dedicated that November, with the building finally completed in 1851.

The Jesuit Fathers received the original St. Peter church building on Sycamore, and they have ministered there since, renaming the church St. Francis Xavier. Here they also had built St. Xavier College in 1840, which later became the location of St. Xavier High School.

Also in 1844, Fr. Martin Henni was appointed Bishop of the new diocese of Milwaukee, Wisconsin. He had accomplished much in the first twenty years of the Diocese of Cincinnati. His organizational skills, his endurance and his courage would now be tested and proven in Milwaukee.

Despite Fr. Ferneding's recent arrival, Bishop Purcell appointed him Vicar General of the Diocese, replacing Fr. Henni, to serve as surrogate for the bishop, and perhaps more importantly as his counselor and friend. He was also appointed Director of St. Aloysius Orphanage, which Fr. Henni had founded and directed.

Building St. Paul Church

As these city parishes grew to over-flowing the need for another new church, east of St. Mary's, became pressing. The bishop asked Fr. Ferneding to select a plan and start building another church, to be named St. Paul the Apostle, where land could be purchased in the Over-the-Rhine. Early in 1848 Ferneding recruited as his advisory and building committee: B. H. Dodt, B. H. Fedders, E. H. Greiwe, H. H. Himmelgarn, H. Kronlage and H. Menkhaus, with J.B. Moorman as legal advisor.

Negotiations were begun with N. G. Pendleton and Mr. Hunt for purchase of land tracts totaling six acres (four city blocks) between Broadway and Pendleton St., and Woodward and Lebanon Turnpike. The land, about five blocks east of St. Mary's, was bought in February, 1848 for $95,000 (about $1.4 million in 1999 dollars), with the first payment of $25,000 ($375,000 in today's dollars) not made until May.

The owner of the land, N. G. Pendleton, was pressed by a delegation of "Know-Nothing" bigots to cancel the land sale to the Catholics. Mr. Pendleton rejected their arguments, saying: "Under the guidance of a man like Rev. Ferneding my money is safe, and I do not have to worry. I know the Catholic people are reliable, honest, god-fearing, and that they stand by their promises."

The six-acre tract was much larger than needed for a city church, rectory and grade school. Fr. Ferneding and his committee had the tract platted into 85 lots, 78 of which would be offered for sale to pay for the tract and, perhaps, part of the building work.

The land included Pendleton's large two story brick home and elevated lot. The balance of the land was marked with large holes and small, domed hills, probably left there when the Wisconsin glacier receded north from the Ohio River valley, some 10,000 years earlier. The plat was registered at the courthouse as the "Joseph Ferneding" tract. The committee immediately offered these lots available for sale as desirable building lots near the new Catholic Church, and after improvements of grading and streets. The building committee let contracts for grading the hills into the melt holes and leveling the Pendleton house lot, with all of the grading to create a smoothed contoured plain, gradually sloped to the south and east.

The Pendleton house was carefully disassembled by men from the parish for rebuilding as the rectory, next to the church. All of this work was completed in the spring of 1848. The new church was laid out and foundation dug, at 68 feet wide by 150 feet long, plus a gallery to the rear. When the foundation was finished the cornerstone laying was held in late June. A procession from St. Mary's started the ceremony, followed by Bishop Purcell's blessing of the stone, songs by the choir and addresses by the bishop and Fr. Ferneding and then Benediction.

Work on the building proceeded with contracts to low bidders, all under the direct supervision of an architect and builder, Palmer. Messrs. Dodt, Greiwe and Putthoff were the special committee working with Palmer on the project. The church roof was in place by February. Contracts were let for plastering, painting and other interior finishing.

Fr. Ferneding was also involved in founding St. James Church in White Oak, in northwest Hamilton County. After St. Paul Church was completed, he led the building of Ss. Peter and Paul Church in Reading, to the north. In 1851 he organized the efforts to build St. John Church, to the west in Harrison, Ohio. This was just a few miles from St. Paul Church in New Alsace, Indiana, where he had served years earlier.

Three other city churches were built and parishes staffed with priests between 1846 and 1848. St. Philomena, to the east of the downtown area was built. St Michael, to the west beyond Mill Creek, and St. Joseph, in an area called Texas were built. In the 28 years following 1822, when the diocese was founded, ten churches were constructed with money raised and given by the Catholics in Cincinnati!

The "Know-Nothings," a secret society who called themselves the "Order of the Star Spangled Banner" were active in the U.S. from about 1848 to 1860. The members took an oath that, if questioned about their society, they would answer: "I know nothing." In Cincinnati they tried a number of schemes to discourage and frighten Catholics. Their efforts to persuade Pendleton to cancel his contract to sell land for St. Paul Church was followed by threats to burn the Pendleton house after the property purchase. Men of St. Paul stood guard to protect the house until the building was dismantled.

When St. Paul Church was completed the parishioners learned the group planned to storm and burn the church at the dedication. Again they guarded the property and discouraged the attack. Later, in the Mayoral election of 1853, an Irish-American strongly supported by the German-speaking Catholics defeated a "Know-Nothing" candidate. The city police had to quell a riot by the losers after the election.

This support by the immigrant Germans increased their acceptance by others in the city. During the Civil War the Ninth Ohio Regiment was formed from German-Americans in Cincinnati. Their fine record in the War further convinced others that these foreigners with strong accents were loyal Americans as well. The fears by some citizens of the Germans who had come in such great numbers were dispelled by the newcomers' qualities of pride in their new country, honesty and willingness to work.

In the spring of 1849 a deadly cholera epidemic began. Cholera is a highly infectious bacterial intestinal disease spread by drinking water, milk and raw foods exposed to contaminated water and flying insects. The Miami-Erie Canal and Deer Creek to the east were subjected to human and animal wastes plus the presence of hauling and slaughtering operations. The canal and creek waters contaminated the water supply in the shallow, hand-dug wells in the city bowl area. Rains, insects and seepage carried the cholera bacteria into nearby homes and wells. The nature of the disease and its' treatment were but dimly known to the medical profession. Few victims survived. Within days of a fever and intestinal complaints most people died.

By mid June 5,000 people had fled the city, with 500 of these folks dying as they fled or after their arrival at their destinations. In this same time the newspapers reported 207 had died from the disease and been buried in city cemeteries. By the end of June 1,723 deaths were reported in all, with 1,098 from cholera and most of the others from attendant diseases. In July another 1,962 people died from cholera. By August the death rate had slowed to about ten per day.

In all, from May through August, 4,114 victims of cholera were buried in local cemeteries. Funerals were sadly held for entire families, for fathers, mothers and children, old and young. The following spring and summer of 1850 the cholera scourge returned to the city, with another 6,000 people dying. This was a loss of nine percent of the city population over two years!

Work on St. Paul Church was stopped during those terrible months of June, July and the first half of August, 1849. Construction resumed through the rest of the year, with temporary stoves placed in the church to allow the plaster and paint to dry. On January 20, 1850 the work was completed. The parishioners funded this work without seeking help from the other Catholic parishes. Fr. Ferneding's bold plan to develop a large tract and sell lots for homes near the church worked. The sale of lots paid for the cost of the land and provided a gain of $11,000 ($165,000 in 1999 dollars) that was applied to the building costs.

The total cost for grading, building the church, school and rebuilding of the Pendleton house into a rectory was $46,000 ($690,000 in 1999 dollars.) A loan from the diocese, labor from the parishioners, sale of the lots, contributions, including $1,000 from Pendleton, allowed the project to be completed.

The tragedy of the cholera epidemic with the loss of so many victims plus worry about the land sale and building funding put Fr. Ferneding in bed for a week, with a physical and nervous collapse. He regained his strength after this rest and returned to his responsibilities without further visible effects. His auburn hair is reported to have turned gray within a short time after, however.

Joseph was a born leader, determined to succeed in projects he undertook for people in his care or in the interest of humanity. This stubborn nature was softened by his empathy for the people. Throughout his adult life he was self-effacing and modestly private about his own comfort and recognition. He never revealed his birthdate to his friends, to avoid celebration of this day. His frankness and unselfish nature were understood and admired by the humble and the leaders in the community.

In his letters to the bishop that we have, he clearly grasped the broad range of concerns for the welfare of the Catholic Church in his diocese. His English is fluent and his thoughts are organized and well presented. A rare hint of his own personal needs was the mention of an ear infection during his second trip to Europe. He stated his loyalty to Bishop Purcell and his expectation to return to the diocese "as God wills it." Joseph traveled home to Oldenburg and to other areas in Europe in 1845, returning seven months later. His second trip was in 1856-1857, with his sister Catharine, visiting their family in Oldenburg, as well as Rome and Catholic diocese in Europe.

Fr. Ferneding was recruiting priests and seminary professors on these trips. He succeeded in persuading four or five priests and senior seminarians to emigrate to Cincinnati. His nephew Herman, his brother Christopher's son, a seminarian in Tubingen, came in 1858 to complete his studies at St. Mary's Seminary in the city. Father Herman was ordained in May 1859 and assigned to St. Paul as assistant pastor to his uncle.

Retirement to St. Aloysius Orphanage

Fr. Joseph continued his pastorship until 1866. He asked the archbishop then to relieve him of his duties there and to reduce his responsibilities at age 64 to resident director at St. Aloysius Orphanage. The Civil War had ended. His health was fragile after all of his years of service. His nephew Fr. Herman succeeded him at St. Paul, and he frequently returned to visit him, Joseph's sister "Kate" and his old parishioners.

Fr. Joseph's move to St. Aloysius Orphanage brought him in daily contact with the children he loved. He was their spiritual father, mentor and friend on a daily basis in these last years of his life. On January 30, 1872 he collapsed after giving First Communion instruction to the children. He had suffered a severe stroke.

Father Ferneding died at the orphanage, after two days in and out of consciousness, receiving the Last Rites and blessed by the archbishop. He was nearly 70 years of age. He had survived five ocean crossings plus many miles on horseback through the Indiana and Ohio wilderness. Archbishop John Purcell spoke of his friend at his Requiem Mass at St. Paul Church; he quoted Paul's Second Letter to Timothy (IV, 6-9) as a tribute to Joseph:

"I have fought the good fight, I have stayed the course, I have kept the faith. For the rest, there is laid up for me a crown of justice, which the Lord, the Just Judge will give to me on that day, yet not to me only, but also to those who love His Coming."

The outpouring of respect and love for Joseph at his funeral from the Catholics of Cincinnati was unprecedented in this city. Three thousand people processed with or observed the cortege, to say goodbye to their friend. With church bells tolling and choirs singing some rode carriages, some walked the miles to St. John Cemetery, on a cold and raw winter day.

The work of Joseph and the other pioneer clergy, priests and bishops, the religious orders of sisters and brothers kept the Church alive and vital to the Catholic people of southern Indiana, Cincinnati and western Ohio in the nineteenth century.

Bishops Fenwick and Purcell, the German-speaking Fathers Henni, Badin, Hammer, and Rese were some of these pioneer priests. They gave of themselves: their energy, their health, putting aside their own comfort, in their perseverance to serve the Lord and His people. These other pioneer priests in Cincinnati deserve honor and telling of their stories. Perhaps theirs will be written as examples for us as well.

Joseph Ferneding overcame discouragement and setbacks that would have turned away many from his chosen vocation. He was a hero in his service to the Church and to the Catholic people in Southern Indiana and Cincinnati. He was an example to us all.

By Robert F. Niehaus, March 1999

Sources of the information cited here are:

University of Notre Dame Archives: Letters:

Fr. Probsting, Dinklage, Oldenburg to Fr. Frederic Rese, Cincinnati, May 4, 1833
Bishop Celestine de la Helandiere to Bishop Purcell, August 1, 1842
Secretary of Bishop Chabrat, diocese of Louisville to Archbishop Purcell, 1842
Report Note by Joseph Ferneding to Bishop de la Helaindere on churches he founded in southern Indiana, undated, (1840 to 1841)

Archdiocese of Cincinnati Archives: Letters:

Fr. Joseph Ferneding to Bishop Purcell, August, 1850; from Ihorst, October 28, 1856; March 18, 1857.

Deutsche Pionier, Volume 12, Year 3, February 28th, 1872 (A monthly journal of the Deutsche Pionier Association of Cincinnati).

History of Archdiocese of Cincinnati, Fr. John Lamott, 1921, Pustett and Co.

History of New Alsace, Indiana, Anthony A. Fette, 1949-1951, Abbey Press, portions courtesy of Fr. Simeon, Library at St. Meinrad Archabbey, St. Meinrad, Indiana.

Stray Leaves from the History of St. Paul's Congregation of Cincinnati, Ohio, January 20, 1900.

History of St. Mary's Church, Cincinnati.

St. John Church, Cincinnati (Manuscript).

St. Joseph Church History, (St. Leon, Dearborn County, Indiana).

History of Holdorf, Oldenburg, 800 years: 1188-1988.

Kirchbuch (Parish Church book) Records, Catholic parishes of Damme and Holdorf, Oldenburg: 1650 to 1880.

U.S. Census Records for Cincinnati, Ohio, 1850, 1860, and 1870.

Catholic Cemetery Association, Cincinnati, Burial Records.

Catholic Telegraph Register, Archdiocese of Cincinnati Newspaper, February 8, 1872.

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