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Vol. XIV, No. .12 Dec. 8: Immaculate Conception December, 1989

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IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH

OZARK, SUNSBURY TOWNSHIP, MONROE COUNTY, OHIO

The Catholic mission at Ozark in Monroe County, Ohio was organized around 1874 so that the people would not have to travel to Miltonsburg to attend Mass and receive the sacraments. George J. Burkhard, Anthony Burkhard, Adam Arnold, John Huth, and Rev. Edward Fladung, who was, pastor of the parish of St. John the Baptist, Miltonsburg, are remembered as the founders. Mr. Huth offered a piece of land near the public school for the church, but wanted: $200for it, whereas George Burkhart offered a small plot for free. The latter offer was accepted. John Adam Gertler, who owned the adjoining farm, donated an adjacent acre, the northern portion of the present site, on condition of being allowed to be buried there if he wished. The total site measures about 1.65 acres today. It is located can the west side of Monroe County Road 36, one mile south of the village of Ozark.

The Church of the Immaculate Conception: was built from timber growing nearby by carpenters Swab (of Woodsfield) and Godfrey (of Miltonsburg). The

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two deeds by which the property was transferred to Bishop Rosecrans were signed on August 28, 1875. The church was dedicated on August 31, 1875. At that time, there were fourteen families and sixty-four souls in the mission.

About 1880 when Woodsfield first received resident pastors, Ozark became its mission. The priests came to Ozark on the narrow-guage Ohio River & Western Railroad, sometimes on a hand-car courtesy of the Catholic section boss. Rev. J. B. Weisinger in 1887 reported fifteen families there, for whom he offered Mass on any fifth Sunday of a month and on two holy days each year. Regarding the cemetery adjacent to the church, he said, "I suppose it is blessed."

Father Fladung also had a school built against the side of the church, where catechism classes were taught. Father John S. Cawley (pastor at Woodsfield from 1893 until 1902) has the school removed, remarking that they should not have "that corn shed" against the church.

In 1908 Ozark became once again a mission of Miltonsburg. The priests came on the second Saturday and fourth Sunday of each month. Rev. George F. Drescher, pastor from 1934 until 1945, began offering Mass every Sunday at Ozark, a practice which continued as late as 1976. In 1943 he wrote, "The priests have always liked the splendid people who live there, and these people have always been most faithful to their pastor." Just eleven families made up the entire congregation at that time.

The centennial observance of the mission was held on October 21, 1975, Most Rev. John King Mussio, Bishop of Steubenville, officiating at Pontifical Benediction. With the advent of good roads and automobile travel, it has become possible for the people to attend Mass every Sunday at Miltonsburg and the church at Ozark has been used but little in recent years.

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The records of Maculate Conception mission are kept at Miltonsburg by the pastor, Rev. Sam Saprano (Route 3, Woodsfield, Ohio 43793). The first burial was recorded in 1879, the first marriage in 1883, and the first baptism in 1905 (earlier baptisms were no doubt recorded in the register at Woodsfield St. Sylvester). The last record was a baptism performed on July 30, 1972, with later records made in the registers of Miltonsburg St. John the Baptist Parish.

SOURCES

Much of the above information was originally from Cose Burkhart, son of George J. Burkhart, one of the founders of the mission, and was provided to the Society courtesy of Rev. Sam Saprano. Other sources were the Plat Book, Archives, Diocese of Columbus; the Steubenville Register, Jan. 15, 1976; and the 1943 history of the Diocese of Columbus.

Graveyard at Immaculate Conception Church, Ozark

The following are all of the tombstones which existed in the cemetery at Immaculate Conception when they were read (with the assistance of Rev. George J. Schlegel) on July 12, 1988.

Peter Arnold, died May 23, 1883 in the 26th year of his age

Adam Arnold, born Sept. 12, 1828, died July 23, 1895

Virginia Augusta Burkhart, wife of Henry M. Breiding, July 15, 1893 - Feb. 22, 1923

Burkhard: George C., 1869 - 1962

Elizabeth P., 1865 - 1942

Magdalene, 1878 - 1939

Mary E. Burkhard, 1888 - 1958

Adolph Burkhard, 1863 - 1940

Catharine his wife, 1867 - 1919

Joseph A. Burkhard, 1867 - 1933

Elizabeth M., wife of J. A. Burkhard, born Nov. 25, 1869, died March 27, 1901, Rest in Peace.

Sebastian Burkhard, born July 25, 1815, died Feb. 28, 1899

Katie Burkhard: see Sherman

Anna Burkhard, 1866 – 1921

Burkhard: George J., 1825 – 1903

Magdalena M. his wife, 1833 - 1900

Burkhard: John, 1856 - 1892 (Father)

Josephine, 1865 - 1936 (Mother)

Martin T. Burkhard, died Feb. 13, 1894, aged 33y, 3m, 4d.

Tillie Burkhard, 1870 - 1938

Burkhart: Leo F., Oct. 19, 1872 - [blank]

Barbara F., Feb. 20, 1871 - July 14, 1942

John Adam Burkhart, 1853 - 1924

John, Infant son of Otto A. and Katherine Burkhart, July 1928

Burkhart: Anthony, 1849 – 1912

Mary A., 1854 – 1942

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Burkhart:: Otto A., 1881 - 1981

Katherine, 1887 - 1982

Infant son John, 1928

Married 62 years.

Virginia Augusta Burkhart:: see Breiding

Minnie Burkhart, 1877 - 1966

Amelia Burkhart, 1875 - 1955

David Burkhart, 1847 - 1910

Tony Burkhart, 1888 - 1912

Peter Burkhart, 1865 - 1937

Katherine Burkhart, 1843 - 1928. Pray for me.

J. N. Burkhart, 1847 - 1922

Matilda his wife, 1858 - 1927

Joseph S. Burkhart, 1891 - 1893

Clement Burkhart {remainder illegible]

At rest: John W. Burkhart, 1838 - 1910.

John A., son of George & E., Burkhartd, Aug. 26, 1878 - Oct. 28, 1896

John Coffey, died Mar. 28, 1887, aged 88 years.

Thomas Coffey, died Sept. 8, 1880, aged 65 years.

Peter December, died Mar. 6, 1896, aged 82 years.

Margaret B. Denham, 1880 - 1957 [with Charles and Eva McGinnis)

Matthew Lloyd Dickson, infant son of Christopher and Karen, 1974-1975.

William A. Dickson, 1946 - 1958

Alma Flowers Dickson, 1897 - 1957

Harry F. Elliott, 1912 - 1976

Lucille Haren Elliott, 1916 - 1971

Erchak: Michael Sr., 1886 - 1966

Mary, 1894 - 1986

Betty J. Erchak, 1933 - 1961

Wilfred C. Flowers, 1898 - 1943

Flowers: Harry B., 1868 - 1950

Margaret E., 1872 - 1951

Alma Flowers: see Dickson

Lucy Huth, wife of L. N. Gallagher, July 27, 1899 - Feb. 13, 1942

James F. Gallagher, 30 Apr. 1935 - 27 Dec. 1956

Laura A. Haren, 1895 - 1936

John Haren, 1862 - 1924

Catherine Haren, 1867 - [blank]

Haren: Albert T., 1881 - 1956

Lucy M., 1879 - 1949

Caroline E. Haren, 1878 - 1958

Jacob S. Haren, 1866 - 1950

Louisa, wife of Jacob S. Haren, Feb. 14, 1870 - May 30, 1907

Leo S. Haren, July 26, 1873 - June 15, 1939

Lucille Haren: see Elliott

Haren: Frederick, 1853 - 1923

Barbara, 1857 - 1923

----, daughter of J. S. & L. Haren, died Oct. 27, 1893, aged 14 days.

Otto T., son of Theobald & Philomina Haren, died Sept. 26, 1886, aged l y, 11d. Cecilia, daughter of Theobald & Philomina Haren, died [remainder buried]

Ruth Ellen Howell, 15 Apr. 1957 - 1 May, 1960

Huth: John, 1850 – 1943

Mary his wife, 1860 - 1924

Lucy Huth: see Gallagher

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Kearney: Michael, 1832 - 1907 (Father)

Elener, 1830 - 1892 (Mother)

James, 1869 - 1901 (Brother)

Charles F. McGinnis, 1878 - 1957

Eva Rosabelle McGinnis, 1873 - 1958

Mary E. McGinnis, 1909 - 1938

McGinness: Edward, Co. E, 98th Regt. OVI, 1839 - 1920

Mary A., 1852 - [blank]

Edward McGinnis, died Feb. 5, 1879, aged 67y, lm, 17d

Timothy Scott Mercer, Infant son of Steve and Karen, Dec. 5, 1976 - Dec. 15,

1976.

Stella J. Moore. 1895 - 1920

Gertrude Nelson, 1898 - 1907

Johann Noll, geb. 13 Dez. 1796 in Mchelbach, Bayern, gest. 18 Juni, 1884.

Er ruhet in Frieden.

Riser: Frank, 1890 - 1978

Gertrude, 1893 - 1980

Grace, daughter of T. & M. Shankland, Dec., 1877 - Dec., 1888

K. S.

Katie Sherman, daughter of S. & M. Burkhard, born July 19, 1868, died May 24, 1893.

Weimer: James 1857 - 1931

Rachel, 1858 - 1929

Adam Zwick, 1835 - 1915

Kate his wife, 1835 - [blank]

Zwick: Benjamin E., Q.M.C., U.S. Army, 1886 - 1937

Nellie B. his wife, 1886 – 1937

MONROE COUNTY SUMMARY

This concludes our series of histories and records of the Church in Monroe County. The surprising number of churches which have existed in this county can be summarized as follows: (1) St. Joseph log church south of Malaga built by Mr. Dorr in 1834; it was replaced by the brick Church of St. John the Baptist, Miltonsburg, about 1842; it in turn was replaced in 1902 by the present stone Church of St. John the Baptist. (2) Sts. Peter and Paul log church at Dougherty's Settlement, built probably in 1841; it was replaced by the first St. Sylvester's Church in Woodsfield in 1869; this was replaced by the present church in 1924. (3) St. Joseph Church, Wills Creek or Chapel Hill, was blessed in 1854; it was replaced by the present brick Church of St. Joseph, Burkhart, in 1894. (4) Ozark Immaculate Conception, founded in 1875. In 1976, a mission named for St. John Bosco was begun in Sardis.

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CHRIST'S MOTHER

by Rev. Msgr. James H. Cotter

On December 8th, 1854, the dogma of the Immaculate Conception was proclaimed, thus making an article of faith of the hitherto pious belief of all the Christian ages from St. Ephrem in the fourth century to the time of Bossuet, when the mighty orator in rhapsody addressed Christ: "Thou art innocent by Nature, Mary only by grace; Thou by excellence; she only by privilege; Thou as Redeemer, she as the first of those whom Thy precious blood has purified."

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