The following information was taken from the history book at the time of
St. Joachim's 250th Anniversary in 1973.
In the early 1900's before a church was erected at Tiff, Missouri
Father Luke Kernan, pastor of St. Joachim Old Mines, would come to Tiff
to offer Mass in the home of Frank (Toksoe) Boyer, a two room log
structure.
The early community at Tiff was begun early in the century when a man
from Buffalo, New York, by the name of John Campbell, came and organized
a Corporation under the laws of the state of New York called the South
East Missouri Barytes Company. He sold shares to the local land owners
and built the earliest barite (tiff) washer at Tiff, Missouri. He also
bought mineral land and constructed homes, approximately forty in
number, for the miners. He built a bungalow for himself across the road
from the present St. Joseph's School building and a Company store
adjacent to the present Sitzes store. The tiff washer was located
somewhere in the same general area. He operated the store on a pattern
after the plantation stores of the South. Miners took their pay for ore
in merchandise. After this Company store was built, Mass was offered and
the sacraments were administered in the hall above it until the first
church was built.
On June 10, 1905 Archbishop John Joseph Glennon acquired the property
consisting of thirty-two hundreths of an acre from the South East
Missouri Barytes Company for the erection of a church at Tiff.
Father Kernan was still pastor at St. Joachim at this time and it was
under his direction that the first church was built. It was a structure
of plain rectangular design made of wood with bell tower and the
sacristy extending out from the building approached from the outside by
a stairway. The front was entered at ground level. The altar was plain.
The body was filled with bench type seats. It was heated in winter by a
wood stove in the rear. It was dedicated to St. Joseph. The man who
built the church was "Coot" Cole.
Reverend Tim Dempsey of St. Patrick's Church in St. Louis donated the
necessary vessels and vestments. Father Kernan and sometimes a
Redemptorist priest from Mt. St. Clements College in DeSoto came to
minister to the mission parish. They would spend the night at John
Campbell's.
Mrs. Mary Magdalen Boyer was the first organist. She took her own organ
to the Church until they acquired one. Mr. Ben R. Boyer donated the
property for the church cemetery. People came from all the surrounding
villages, Blackwell, Barytes, Bellefontain, Cadet, Cannon Mines,
Fertile, and Shibboleth to Mass and the devotions at St. Joseph's.
Father John H. Cook was sent to St. Joachim Parish in 1919 as associate
pastor under Father John Daly. Father Cook assumed more of the duties of
the mission at Tiff. In May of 1923 St. Joachim Parish was divided and
St. Joseph's became a parish and Father Cook was appointed its first
pastor.
Father Cook moved into the basement of the church while he planned and
built the rectory, and after that the school. Some of the men living in
the area came and helped him build. Miss Alla Boyer, who had been
teaching in the public schools came to teach at St. Joseph's She also
became Father Cook's housekeeper besides helping in many more ways.
In 1935, on a Friday evening in Lent, following the Stations of the
Cross, the frame church caught on fire and burned to the ground. All was
lost, including records. Soon afterwards, Father Cook set out to build a
new stone church.
On Sunday, August 9, 1936, the cornerstone was laid for the new church.
The Most Reverend Christian Winkleman of St. Louis officiated at the
ceremony. Ten visiting priests also attended and listened attentively as
the Bishop congratulated Father Cook for his work and his efforts at St.
Joseph's. Following the ceremony a picnic was held and ladies of the
parish served dinner to the large crowd which attended the ceremonies.
Much planning and work went into the new church. Father Cook was his
own architect, contractor, and did much of the work with his own hands.
He obtained a stone cutter from DeSoto, John Norris, who taught Mr.
Henry Bourisaw how to cut stone and Andrew Aubuchon who worked with Mr.
Bourisaw. The stone was gotten in Washington County near Washington
State Park.
The carpenter, Earl Bohn, also came from DeSoto. Men of the parish
worked under him. Among them were Lucian Aubuchon, Harry Aubuchon, Steve
Boyer, Charley Boyer, Elmer Boyer, Edward Boyer, Wallace Boyer, and Tom
Daugherty. They mixed and poured the concrete by hand. The stone church
cost the parish about $6000.00.
Religious instruction for those who did not live near St. Joseph's or
St. Joachim's schools was taken care of in the homes. Laymen taught the
children and adults and, upon completion of instruction presented them
to the parish priest for final preparation. Mamie Bouchard taught in the
early years during Father Cook's pastorate. Later, Daphne Farrell
continued the process of educating new members in the faith.
In its early days the parish had to depend upon socials, picnics, fish
frys and square dances for income. Pete Buford's local band furnished
the music while Winfield Young managed to floor. On September 26, 1948,
a very large fall festival was held to commemorate the 25th anniversary
of St. Joseph's Parish.
Father Cook's pastorate at St. Joseph's ended on October 16, 1948. He
was replaced by Father Alphonse Hoormann who remained pastor until 1955.
He was followed by Father Francis Matyas who remained until 1961.
Following Father Matyas, Father Albert Danter took charge of the parish
until 1966 when St. Joseph's parish again became a mission to be cared
for by St. Joachim Parish.
In May of 1969 a Parish Council was formed to take over the management
of the parish. Bernard Roderick was the first council chairman followed
by Glennon Daugherty. Richard Villmer is presently serving as chairman.
Lindell Johnson has been treasurer ad maintenance supervisor of the
buildings and the grounds and the cemetery.
Organ music is taken care of by either Lindell Johnson or the Daugherty
girls. The choir is composed of the Daugherty, Boyer, Govero, and Pinson
girls who lead the congregation in singing. The church is cleaned by the
women and young people who also decorate on special occasions. The
rectory is occupied by a family of the parish. The school building is
used for council meetings and business affairs. The Incarnate Word
Sisters from St. Joachim conduct religion classes there also.
St. Joseph's Parish is a group of people who are striving to serve God.
They have kept the church alive and continue to make it a part of their
lives. They are the church and fill their roles faithfully. They deserve
these words of congratulations as they celebrate their 50th anniversary
in 1973.