REV J HILDEBRAND

Rev. J. Hildebrand is the able and honored priest in charge of St. Leo's church in Horton, Kansas, and his labors have been effective in promoting the welfare of that religious organization. He is a native of Germany, his birth having occurred on the 18th of January, 1870, in the fatherland. His parents were devoted members of the Catholic church and early dedicated their son to its work. Father Hildebrand, of this review, supplemented his preliminary education by study in an American college at Louvain, Belgium. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1894 and his first parochial charge was at Neodesha, Wilson county, Kansas, where he remained for two years. He was then given charge of St. Dominick's church at Horton, Kansas, and in 1898 took charge of St. Leo's church in Horton. The house of worship is a large three-story edifice, erected at a cost of twelve thousand dollars, upon which three thousand dollars have already been expended. The church was organized under the direction of Father A. W. Jennings, who had charge of the parish for three years and was succeeded by the Rev. T. H. Kinsella, who was its pastor from 1892 until 1895. Father Meehan remained in charge from 1895 until 1898, when he was succeeded by Father Hildebrand. The building contains, in addition to the large chapel, two large and comfortable school rooms, in which the sessions of the parochial school are being conducted in connection with the church work and under the guidance of the St. Joseph Sisters. The school now has an enrollment of forty pupils. The membership of the church represents seventy families and in its various departments the society is in good working order. Father Hildebrand is untiring in his efforts to promote the cause of Catholicism and as a financier his ability is unquestioned. He enjoys the high regard of his parishioners and is favorably known throughout the community.