St Joseph's Catholic Church

The tide of emigrants from the German-speaking territories of Europe ran high during the middle of the nineteenth century due to crop failures and unsettled political environs. Lured by the rich farmland, an opportunity to work in the coal mines or on the canal, and the desire to be with others from their homeland, many people came to live in Peru, Illinois. They brought with them their Catholic Faith and, for a time, were ministered to and educated by the Vincentian Fathers from St. Patrick’s Church in LaSalle, which was established in 1838. It was during this time of early settlement, that some of the ancestors of our present parishioners attended night catechism classes at the Hogsback (on the Little Vermillion River) or at New Dublin (which the Oglesby area was called). Due to the long trek from Peru to LaSalle, and the increasing numbers of German-speaking parishioners, the Vincentian Fathers saw the wisdom of assigning to them a missionary who was able to speak their language and establish a permanent church in Peru. So it was that Father Kramer, CM, determined to build a mission church dedicated to St. Joseph where the new arrivals from Germany could be ministered to in the language of their forefathers.

The cornerstone for our church was laid and the church was completed that same year. “St. Joseph Church’ was written in the stone over the front door, along with Father Cossman’s name. Father Cossman chiseled his name out himself, stating that the church belonged to God and the parishioners! Men of the parish collected throughout town for the cost of what was to be the “town” clock. On that basis, they persuaded the city to put power lines to it, without being metered.