St. Joseph Catholic Church - Neptune at 28172 Nature Avenue, Hinton, IA 51024-8553 US - History of Our Lady of the Assumption - Merrill

Merrill - Assumption MERRILL - Assumption Parish dates back to the 1880s. Although the territory was one of the earliest settled in northwest Iowa, the parish was not immediately established. Catholics in the area looked to Le Mars or Ellendale for spiritual guidance. The earliest records in Merrill indicate that Father Donohue from Hawarden served the Catholics in the community for about three years before the first pastor was appointed. It was Father Donohue who directed the building of a small frame church. The first resident pastor, Father John W. Toohill, was appointed to Assumption in December, 1893. At the time, St. Joseph Parish in Ellendale was attached to Merrill as a mission parish. There were 20 families in Merrill at the time. In the early years, parishioners were buried at Ellendale or Le Mars. A parish cemetery was established in Merrill in 1909. Five acres of land as purchased from Andrew Carstenson just west of town to serve as a cemetery. Though the original church is still in use today, a basement was dug under the church in 1924 to serve as a parish hall. At the same time, a 22-foot addition was added to the rear of the church to increase the seating capacity. This area now serves as the sanctuary. Two small wings were added to the rear of the church for a winter chapel and a sacristy. In the same year, a full basement was added to the rectory. In the mid-1940s, the interior of the church was refurnished and decorated under the supervision of Father Zeno Reising. New oak pews were installed along with a matching Communion rail among other improvements. The church and parish hall were remodeled in the mid-1970s. Remodeling in recent years included new altars, lighting, floors and air conditioning. The parish celebrated its centennial in 1993. To mark the occasion, Mass was celebrated on the church lawn followed by a potluck. Ten years before the Diocese of Sioux City was a founded, the parishes in Merrill and Ellendale were founded and started life off together. They have been together ever since. Father Robert Waters was the parish's 21st pastor at the beginning of the 21st century. Father Mark Stoll is the current parish administrator. Both parishes have been contributing members of the Gehlen Catholic Schools for nearly 50 years during the pastorate of Father William L. Carel. Merrill currently has 125 families and 500 people.

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