A BRIEF HISTORY OF THE SAINT BONIFACE PARISH Requested by His Excellency Most Reverend Francis Joseph Tief Bishop of the Diocese of Concordia, Kansas By REV. MICHAEL P. DREILING, S. T. B., PASTOR Saint Boniface Church Tipton, Kansas January 27, 1937 SECTION I INTRODUCTION The full and official name of the Parish of Tipton, Kansas, is: St. Boniface Church, Tipton, Kansas. Rev. Anton (John H.) Timphaus and the parishioners, i.e., the first settler of the Catholic faith around Tipton Territory, apparently selected as the patron saint for their church St. Boniface, the great Apostle of the German people, for Father Timphaus and these first settlers were almost all of German stock; either coming here directly from Germany or, having been born in Germany and having at first settled in other parts of the United States for a short while, later came to this section of the country. Consequently, the great Apostle, St. Boniface, who brought the good tidings of Christ to their forefathers and who watched and protected them in their faith, should likewise be their protector, intercessor, and guardian in their new home and in their new land. The exact date of this eventful happening cannot be determined, but it seems most probable that it occurred in the spring of 1877 when the deed of the church property was acquired. To be sure, it might also have occurred in the year 1875, with the first coming of Rev. Timphaus who that year gave to the faithful of this surrounding region the organization of a Catholic Community. Indeed, some of the earliest Catholic settlers believe this to have been the case. Incidentally, Father Timphaus still resided at Beloit, Kansas, in 1875. There is no extant episcopal document suggesting the name, St. Boniface, for the community, nor is there to be found the least evidence in any of the church's records that would imply an episcopal designation. Hence, it is not at all unlikely that Father Timphaus having been himself a German, both by birth and sentiments, and all the parishioners being of German birth and origin, naturally chose St. Boniface as patron. He was a saint whose life, deeds, and virtues were well known to all. The parish still bears this original name, and St. Boniface has been a true patron. He saw to it that the mustard seed not only sprouted but also grew into a large tree. The town in which the St. Boniface Church is located is Tipton, Pittsburg Township, Mitchell County. Tipton is located in the middle of the Western extremity of Mitchell County. The town itself lies ten miles south of the south fork of the Solomon River at the fork of Carr Creek. The lay of the land is like a basin. The fork of Carr Creek comes in from the northeast, mostly north, and makes a slight turn toward the west. At this point of the bend, the town is situated. It is surrounded by hills on the south, west, east, and partly on the north. Perhaps, the image of a dipper would more adequately describe its natural lay than that of a basin. The handle of the dipper represents the fork branching off from the South Solomon, the bowl of the dipper the surrounding land of Tipton. The hills that almost encompass it are of a modest height. They are more of a gradual elevation than of an. abrupt rise. The base of the basin is quite level and has a diameter of fifteen miles. The Carr Creek winds itself in a serpentine manner toward the northeast. It is about one-half mile south and east of Tipton. This creek is fairly covered on each bank with trees and shrubs, lending not a little beauty and charm to that countryside. The hills and the rest of this region are void of trees and shrubbery. The region as a whole is typical of the Kansas Plains. The basin of the region is known for its fertility and richness of soil. Under ordinary conditions of favorable weather and seasons, it is very productive of wheat, corn, hay, etc. It is known in Mitchell County as the rich wheat field of the County. Tipton was, up to 1916, a town without a railroad. It was a typical country town or village. Now, the Santa Fe Railroad winds through it. Before this railroad was constructed, the Tipton market place was Cawker City on the north Before Cawker City had a railroad, Wilson and Russell served as market places. Tipton was first called Pittsburg in honor of. William A. Pitt, one of its very first pioneers. The History of Kansas by Prentis tells us that these regions remained almost uninhabited with white men up to 1860 and 1865. Even after the Civil War for a short time they remained the "Great desert plains of Kansas---Mitchell County was only organized in 1870. By the way, it is called Mitchell, says the volume just referred to, "In honor of William D. Mitchell, who entered the Union Army as a private in the Company K, Second Kansas Cavalry; was promoted to Captain in the Second Kentucky Cavalry, and was killed March 10, 1865 at Monroe's Cross Roads, N.C. The first white settlers came to this Pittsburg in 1871. We know from official records that Mr. W. A. Pitt lived here in 1872, one-half mile east of the present town site, on a farm he owned. Mr. Pitt's house served as the local post office. Hence it was hardly surprising that the scattered settlers in and around this territory began to call it Pitt's-burg. Since Mr. Pitt played such a prominent and active part in the founding and in the early growth of the place, it seems appropriate that a short biography of him be inserted at this juncture of our narrative. This can be simply and accurately done by recording here part of his obituary as chronicled in the Cawker Ledger, Vol. XXVI, No. 6, February 5, 19a5. It Reads: "William Augustus Pitt was born at Peoria, Ill, on March 2, 1836, and departed from this life Feb. 1, 1925, at the National Military Home at Leavenworth, Kansas. While young, he moved with his parents to Linn County, Iowa, where he grew to manhood, receiving his education at Western College, Iowa. On Sept. 5th, 1858, he was united in marriage to Miss Susan Sheeley. To this union seven children were born, all of whom are living, as follows: Eugene Pitt of Glen Elder, Mrs. Minnie Tilzey of Lewistown, Mont., Wallace Pitt of Harrison, Neb., Mrs. A.J. Tilzey of Osborne, Kansas, Clarence Pitt of Denton, Mont., and Mrs. C.M. Clausen of Alton. In 1861, when his country called for volunteers, he enlisted in Co. F., 14th Iowa Infantry, and served with honor as corporal of his company until the close of the war, remaining always a faithful member of the G.A.R. In 1871, he, with his family, emigrated to Mitchell County, Kansas, where he homesteaded the quarter section lying just east of Tipton. In 1872, he was appointed postmaster, and served for six years, resigning in favor of M.J. Arnoldy. He was also appointed during the Cleveland Administration, but did not accept. He served as a member of the school board and as justice of the peace for several years, and took an active part in the business and social life of the early days. In 1873, the town of Pittsburg, now Tipton, was founded and named for him, as was also the township of Pittsburg. In 1904, he with his wife retired from the farm and moved to Cawker City, where Mrs. Pitt died in January, 1905. Since that date, Mr. Pitt spent the winters at the Soldier's Home and the summers with his children and other relatives. Besides his children he leaves to mourn his loss thirty-three grandchildren and twenty-three great-grandchildren and many other relatives and friends. He was held in high esteem by all who knew him and he was affiliated with the Presbyterian Church." Mr. Pitt, according to the old settlers, was a noble-hearted and generous man. He was a friend to all the newcomers irrespective of race and creed, and all were friends and admirers of him. He saw the burg that he founded fast by Carr Creek; grow from burg to village, from village to town. Should the future citizens of Tipton ever feel the urge to show their gratitude to this high-minded pioneer, they may well do so by marking his memory with an appropriate memorial in the very heart of the community founded by him. It would appear, therefore, from the foregoing that no white person inhabited the territory permanently prior to 1871. On May 3, 1935, The Tipton Times printed a letter, a copy of which it had received from the Beloit Gazette. The letter had originally been published in the Gazette in August, 1872. It reads as follows: "Pittsburg, August 19,1872 Editor Gazette: The new town of Pittsburg is situated ten miles south of the forks of the Solomon at the forks of Carr Creek. Less than a year ago, your correspondent killed a buffalo on or near the present site of the village, and then there was no evidence that the desert would be reclaimed. Now a town is laid out, some four or five residents cluster around, while a large storehouse filled with goods, and a busy line of customers filing in and out betoken the western town. Messers, Sternberg Bros, are busy morning, noon and night. They sell dry goods and groceries, boots and shoes, hardware, queensware, hats and clothing, while farmers can buy all the implements they need, from a wagon or a reaper to a sewing machine. Through the public spirit of Messers. Mackley, Pitt, Mccreery, and others, a neat $1,000 schoolhouse will soon go up in Pittsburg. (Signed) I.D.M." We see from this letter that "there was no evidence that the desert would be reclaimed" in 1871. From 1872 to 1877, this territory went unofficially by the name of Pittsburg. In 1877, May the fifth, the town was platted and the plat was recorded, November 29,1877, at the county seat, Beloit. The following is from the county record: "No. 649 Receivers at U.S. Land Office, Kirwin, Kansas, March 26,1877. Received from Mark J. Kelly, Probate Judge in trust for the Personal use and benefit of the occupants of Pittsburg in Mitchell County, Kansas, the sum of Two Hundred Dollars being in full for the E1/2, SE1/4 Section (19) and W1/2, Sw1/4 quarter Section No. (20) in Township No. (8) of Range No. Ten (10) containing one hundred and sixty acres and --hundredths at $1.25 per acre. J.M. Hodge, Receiver Act of March 2,1876, Intrust for personal use and benefit of the occupants and inhabitants of Pittsburg, Mitchell Co. Kansas. (Seal) The patent for the above was filed July 2l, 1890. Date 11-17,1886." >From the above record it is evident that Pittsburg began to exist officially in 1877. Thus the town of Pittsburg (Tipton) began its infant life and ever since has had a healthy life and development. The town was called Pittsburg until 1880. Then it was changed to Tipton. The change was made upon request of the United States' Postal Department. This government agency stated that there was another Pittsburg in Crawford County, Kansas, and that this led to a great deal of confusion and mix-up in the delivery of mail. The townspeople were therefore asked to find another name for their community. The name "Tipton" was suggested by one of the old settlers, Mr. Chris Reinking. Tipton is the name of the county seat of Cedar County, Iowa, from which Mr. Reinking came. His choice was approved of as a suitable and an honorable name for the town. Still, many of the old settlers resented the change and even up to the present some of them love to call the town Pittsburg. The name has grown into their very lives. When, for instance, these same persons wish to recount their heroic deeds, their great sacrifices, the hardships they have endured, the sorrows and joys of their pioneer days, they automatically use the name "Pittsburg". While the latter name has indeed more basis in the origin and development of the community than the other, the important fact remains that Tipton has inherited all the rich gifts and deeds of old Pittsburg--"Long live Pittsburg in its suit!" The present population of the city of Tipton is about 300. It suffered a decrease in population during the depression. Some few of the beautiful residences were vacated but are now beginning to be reinhabited. At the present time Tipton is full of life and activity. It has quite a territory to draw trade from and has become a center of no mean business activity. Since the time of its incorporation electric power has been brought into it. It has a good water system and good concrete sidewalks. The town can also boast of three grain elevators, a good banking institution, a large hardware and implement store, three grocery stores, two dry goods and mercantile stores, four up-to-date garages, a large and well-equipped limber yard, a hotel, and a large and well-stocked drugstore. It also has a weekly newspaper, The Tipton Times, which chronicles the happenings and the history of the town. Tipton can pride itself in having one of the most modern parochial grade and high school buildings in the Diocese of Concordia. It was erected at a cost $93,000.00. Two beautiful churches, one Catholic and the other Lutheran, beautify the city. A modern public school, built of brick, graces the city. Perhaps the most attractive spot in the community is the artistic and realistic "Grotto of Lourdes" standing at the north corner of the church property. This work of art and devotion was conceived by the fruitful mind of the Rev. Dr. Charles Menig, former pastor to whom we shall again refer later on. The town is preponderantly Catholic and possesses a spirit of friendliness and good-fellowship that it would be difficult to duplicate anywhere.

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