St. Francis Xavier Church
Carlsruhe, Ontario, Canada
Our History
Deemerton Directory
St. Ignatius Church Deemerton
St. Ignatius Church in Deemerton is one of the oldest churches in the Diocese of Hamilton. Deemerton - a little settlement situated two and one half miles east of Mildmay and is considerably older than Mildmay.
It was first settled in 1851 by German descendents from Waterloo County. Among the first settlers were: P. Huebsweiler, John and Mathias Stroeder, Andrew, Anthony and Thomas Diemert, Peter and Joseph Emel, Michael Bundle, Joseph Hoffele, Nicholas Schwartz, Andrew Geassear and Michael Perms.
At one time Deemerton boasted two hotels, a creamery, blacksmith shop, cider mill, stores and a post office - the latter being established at the home of Mr. Bernard Ruland in 1883. In 1927, when rural mail delivery came into force, the post office was closed.
In 1853 the first priest, Rev. Fr. Madoga, arnved and travelled from place to place on horseback and using private homes for places of worship.
In 1856, Rev. Fr. Blettner had a log church built near the site of the present parish house.
In 1863 the first school, a log structure, was built close to the road and between the present parish house and church. This building was moved away and in 1880 was replaced by a brick structure donated by Mr. Anthony Messner, a merchant of Formosa, and consisted of a school and a convent. The School Sisters of Notre Dame were in charge of the school until 1932, when, due to a small attendance, the junior school was closed and a lay teacher was engaged.
The present stone church was built in 1872 under the direction of Rev. Fr. Schmitz.
The stone parish house was erected in 1877 under the leadership of Rev. Fr. Rassaerts.
In 1880 Deemerton became a separate parish responsible for Neustadt and Mildmay.
Mildmay was a mission of Deemerton until 1895 and Neustadt was a mission of Deemerton until 1926. In 1934 Neustadt again became a mission of Deemerton until 1969 when Deemerton itself became a mission. Deemerton was a mission of Mildmay for just a few months and then bacame a mission of Walkerton until 1993.
The original tall church steeple was removed and replaced by a much smaller steeple in the early 1960s.
The convent was torn down in the very late 1950s or early 1960s.
The school was closed in 1970.
In 1877 the original name of die settlement - Beaford - was changed to Deemerton in honour of the many Diemert families who had settled there.
Some surnames of young men from the parish who were ordained for the priesthood were: Penus, Stroeder, Hinsperger, Haeffele, Schmtzler, and lastly Fr. Ed Hinsperger whose picture you see in this church directory.
Some surnames of young women who became nuns were: Illerbrunn, Hinsperger, Lorentz, Stroeder, Ernewein, Schneider and Diemert. Several of these women are still among us.