St. Francis de Sales (Ossian, Iowa)

St. Francis de Sales (Ossian, Iowa)

"Before the early settlers built their first church, Father James Harding from Cresco began to visit Ossian in 1858 and celebrated Mass in the railroad depot or the John Collins home. Before that it was not uncommon for the Catholic pioneers to walk to Festina or Clermont for Mass. The earliest church in Ossian was a Catholic church, built on the site laid out by Father Harding and built according to his plans. The land was donated by Captain Brooks, who was not Catholic, and the church was built by Horatio and Cyrus Harvey, also not Catholic."

- Kurt, Msgr. Edgar, Parish Profile #166, The Witness, March 18, 1990.

The Archdiocese of Dubuque.
The Center for Dubuque History at Loras College.

Loras College
Kucera Center for Catholic Thought
Frank and Ida Goedken Series: "Spiritual Life in the Upper Mississippi River Valley"

Burback, Emily. Burns, Daniel. Gibson, Michael. Oberfoell, Carol. Waldmeir, Helen. Waldmeir, John.

English.

Various primary and secondary sources.

1867-
History of the Parish over the span of 152 years, including information about its priests and parishioners.

Annual History 1968-1969, 1976-1983, 1986-1987, 1988-1989, 1991 (11 compilations)

Catholic Home Guide 1908 (1 booklet)

Centennial Visions of De Sales 1837-1937 (1 booklet) 

Continuation of the History Compilation (1 compilation)

Dedication Invitation and Mass 1998 (1 card, 1 booklet)

History (2 compilations)

History of the New Convent (1 document)

Pastor Information 1980 (2 documents)

Pictorial Remembrance of St. Francis De Sales Parishioners Gift of the New Convent to the Sisters 1958 (1 booklet)

Rev. Edgar Kurt History (2 documents)

Timeline (1 document)

Hohenbrink, Michael. “Family reunion, fascinating history: St. Anthony Chapel often called “world’s smallest church,” Dubuque: The Witness, Vol. 89, No. 24. 21 June 2009.