website  watertownhistory.org

    ebook  History of Watertown, Wisconsin

 

Father John Schoeberle

1857 - 1892

 

 

Riedl, Kenneth M, A Church Built on the Rock, 2003, p 306

 

He was born in Watertown in 1857, attended St. Henry’s School and at the same time received a preparatory education in Latin at the hands of his pastor, Father Minderer.  In 1873 his family moved to Milwaukee at which time he enter St. Francis Seminary at age 15.  He was ordained in 1881 and celebrated his first Mass at St. Henry’s.  Some time prior to his death in 1892 at the age of only 35, he was compelled to refrain from all ministerial duties because of “the peculiar character of the disease from which he suffered, an affection of the throat.”

 

A Big Day at St. Henri's

Watertown Gazette, 06 24 1881

 

On next Sunday, John Schoeble, a young man born and raised in this city and whose parents reside here at present, will be ordained a priest at St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee, and on the following Tuesday he will say his first Mass at St. Henri's church in this city. 

 

At 9 o'clock on that morning, St. Henri's, St. Wenceslaus's and St. John's societies, of St. Henri's church, will meet at the school house of the parish and proceed in a body, headed by a band of music to the home of the priest's parents(*), from whence he will be escorted to the church. 

 

During the services, Rev. P. P. Cooney, of St. Bernard's church, is expected to preach in English, Father Katzer of Green Bay in German, and Father Sucha, of Milwaukee, in Bohemian.

 

(*) Watertown City Directory, 1880:  Family home at the time was at east side of 9th St, 2 blocks north of Main