The parish of St. John the Baptist at Peosta has a very unique history. The parish has worshipped at three churches at different sites, the first one in Centralia and then two thus far in Peosta. On July 14, 1874 Bishop John Hennessy of Dubuque granted the Vernon and Center Township Catholics permission to build a church at Centralia, 10 miles west of Dubuque. Peter E. Erschens donated seven acres of land for the new church and more land was purchased from the Methodist Church Committee. During the building of the church, Father B. W. Coyle, of West Dubuque, assisted the trustees by his advice and in the collection of funds. Father Coyle celebrated Holy Mass and administered the sacraments in a building owned by James F. McKeon. The Rev. R. Ryan, V. G., laid the cornerstone in the Fall of 1874. The church was finished in 1875, and The Rev. George W. Heer was appointed the first pastor of the parish on Sept. 1, 1875. The parish debt was $5000 on which an interest of 10% was being paid. This church served the people for 49 years. Father Heer was forced to rent a couple of small rooms in the Klocker house as there was no rectory, later moving into one of Erschens old houses. However, this was too cold in the winter, and the rain came through the roof in the summer, so he went back to Klocker In 1877, the people build a rectory for him.

The parish opened a school in 1878 and later added a convent, with the Franciscan Sisters conducting the school and staying until 1913.

Subsequent pastors at Centralia were the following: Father Joseph C. Nacke; Father Joseph Kuemper, who built the Sister house and a parochial brick school and paid off many old and new debts; Father Hermengilde Rottler, who had the briefest pastorate 12 days; Father H.J. Hemesath who zealously served the congregation for 10 years, improving the church and cemetery and also reducing the parish debt; and Father Bauemler, who was an excellent pastor for 10 months. On October 1898, the Rev. P.A.R. Tierney was appointed as pastor to the Centralia parish, with the additional charge of the mission church at Lattnerville. In 1914, Father Tierney resigned due to ill health. One of his notable achievements was the complete reduction of the parish debt. The church was dedicated during his pastorate.

Father Luke Donlon was the next pastor. Beginning in 1914 he worked hard for his flock at Centralia. When the railroad came through Peosta, then Archbishop James J. Keane deemed it advisable to move St. John the Baptist parish from Centralia to Peosta in 1923, but the cemetery remains in Centralia to this day. A number of parishioners from Centralia did not like their church being moved so they quit going to church in Centralia and instead started going to Mass in Dubuque. They complained that they would have to wait for trains. Most of them are now buried in the cemetery at Centralia. Read More…