St. Mary's Church, 1857. A frame church, 75 feet long and 30 feet wide, was built at the corner of First and Broadway Streets. Source: History of St. Mary's Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., 1907.

In 1857, St. Mary's Parish, now at 423 First Street NW in Grand Rapids, Michigan, was carved out of St. Andrew's Parish to meet the spiritual needs of the German population.

A number of families whose histories are included in PetersPioneers, ancestors of William Francis and Rose Smith Drueke, were active in the founding of St. Mary's and in its development over the years. Father Dick Host, the pastor since 1994, is related to us. His ancestors also were founders of the parish. He is a great great great grandchild of Eberhard and Theresa Berles Cordes. Theresa is the sister of Franz Berles, our great great grandfather. Father Host is our fourth cousin, once removed. Eberhard Cordes and Franz Berles were among the founders of St. Mary's Church.

In 1857, Grand Rapids was part of the Diocese of Detroit, which encompassed the State of Michigan. In 1882, Grand Rapids became a separate diocese.

In 1857, there were 31 states in the Union, the last to be admitted being California in 1851. James Buchanan was President of the United States. Kinsley S. Bingham was governor of Michigan. The population of Grand Rapids was 2,686 in 1850 and 8,085 in 1860. In 1857, the area of the city of Grand Rapids was 10.5 square miles.

In August 2006, several of us visited St. Mary's Church, as well as St. Andrew's and Mount Calvary cemeteries. Volunteers at St. Mary's Church gave us a brochure and a fact sheet describing the history of St. Mary's Church and referred us to the History of St. Mary's Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., which was published on the occasion of the Church's golden jubilee in 1907. It is written in German, followed by an English translation.

Our cousin Paul Drueke has a copy of the 1907 History. The Grand Rapids Public Library has two copies. I obtained a copy from Ellen McRae of Battle Creek, Michigan, in 2012.

The 1907 History, which lists the families who played active roles in the founding of St. Mary's Church, is written in both German and English. The title page, however, is written mostly in German:

Below are tables summarizing the histories of the founding families related to William Francis and Rose Smith Drueke. Following the tables are comments on our ancestors who were involved in the later development of St. Mary's Church.

St. Mary's Church in 1907. Source: History of St. Mary's Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., 1907.

In 1873, the original St. Mary's Church building was replaced by the current building, a Gothic-style structure. It was built by Father John George Ehrenstrasser, who became pastor in 1870. In 1891, a new school was built.

There are several ancestors in PetersPioneers who were not present at the founding of St. Mary's Church, but played a role in the continuing development of the parish and are mentioned in the History of St. Mary's Church in Grand Rapids, Mich. published on the occasion of the Church's golden jubilee in 1907.

William Peter Drueke. William Peter Drueke, the father of William Francis Drueke, was a four-year-old child in Helden, Germany when St. Mary's Church was founded in 1857. He came to Grand Rapids in 1873 with his sister Anna and her new husband, Frederick W. Wurzburg, who founded the department store bearing his name. Frederick W. Wurzburg's older brothers, Caspar, Peter, and Frank, were founding members of St. Mary's Church (91). Although William Peter was not a founding member, he was active in St. Mary's and is mentioned in the 1907 History. He was on a five-man committee that built a new school for St. Mary's on Turner Street in 1891 (121). He was one of the marshals of the procession of Catholic societies that celebrated the dedication of the new school February 22, 1892 (121). William Peter was president of the St. Joseph's Mutual Aid Society in 1894-95 (143).

Elizabeth Lavo Koch. Elizabeth Lavo, together with Father Ehrenstrasser, pastor of St. Mary's Church, donated a Pieta to the new Church in 1879 (103). Elizabeth Lavo became the second wife of William Koch in 1889. Prior to that, Elizabeth was a servant and housekeeper for the Schenkelberg family. Clemens Schenkelberg and his wife Theresa were grocers, along with Clemens' brother Caspar. Their address was 27 Turner Street. Clemens and Caspar Schenkelberg played an active role in the founding of St. Mary's Parish (91). Clemens and Theresa Schenkelberg's son Caspar was ordained a priest in 1883 and was the second priest to say his first Mass in St. Mary's Church (126).

Father Zugelder. Father Alexander F. Zugelder was the fourth priest to be ordained from St. Mary's. He said his first Mass at St. Mary's Church on July 8, 1894 (127). His photo is included in the 1907 History with seven other priests who had said their first Mass at St. Mary's Church (40). Father Zugelder served as subdeacon at the solemn consecration of St. Mary's Church by Bishop H. J. Richter prior to the Jubilee celebration in 1907 (159). Father Zugelder was the nephew of Theresa Fassnacht Koch and first cousin of Rose Smith Drueke.

Father Hubert Vogt. Father Hubert Vogt was the sixth priest to be ordained from St. Mary's Church. He was a first cousin of William Francis Drueke and a grandson of Wilhelm and Bernardina Heller Drüeke. He came to America from Helden, Germany, at age 9 in 1883 with his parents Joseph and Charlotte Drueke Vogt. He attended St. Francis Seminary in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and finished his theological studies at the University of Innsbruck in Tyrol, Austria, where he was ordained in 1897. He celebrated his first Mass in Helden and eventually was an assistant at St. Mary's Church in West Bay City (now Bay City) from 1901 to 1904. He died February 16, 1904, of typhoid fever.

Monsignor Felix J. Vogt. Felix Vogt was a seminarian in 1907 at the Grand Seminary of Montreal when the history of St. Mary's was written. He was a first cousin of William Francis Drueke and a grandson of Wilhelm and Bernardina Heller Drüeke. He came to America from Helden at age 11 months in 1883 with his parents Joseph and Charlotte Drueke Vogt. He was the younger brother of Father Hubert Vogt. He attended St. Gregory's seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, before going to Montreal. Fr. Vogt was ordained June 24, 1909, at St. Andrew's Cathedral by Bishop Henry J. Richter. From 1909 to 1914, he was an assistant at St. Simon’s Church in Ludington, Michigan. In May 1914, he became pastor of St. Philip Neri Church in Reed City. In November 1914, Fr. Vogt baptized Jane Marie Drueke at St. Mary’s Church in Grand Rapids. In 1921, he became pastor of St. Mary's Church in Cheboygan (now St. Mary-St. Charles. From 1923 to 1926, he was State Chaplain, Knights of Columbus. In 1935, Fr. Vogt became pastor of St. Mary's Church in Saginaw. In 1938, the Saginaw Diocese was carved out of the Grand Rapids Diocese by Pope Pius XI, St. Mary's Church became the Cathedral, William F. Murphy became the Bishop, and Fr. Vogt became the Dean of the Cathedral. He was made a Monsignor in 1945 by Pope Pius XII. In 1955, Fr. Vogt became Pastor emeritus of St. Mary's Cathedral. He died July 1, 1958, at St. Mary's Hospital in Saginaw. He is buried at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Saginaw.

Expressions of Faith Through Glass: The Stained Glass Windows of St. Mary's Church, Grand Rapids. Hardcover book for sale through the parish office (phone 616-459-7390). Photo: Randall Photography.	Franz Berles. Source: History of St. Mary's Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., 1907 (80).	Martin & Wurzburg. Source: History of St. Mary's Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., 1907 (168).	Pieta donated in 1879 by Father Ehrenstrasser and Elizabeth Lavo.
	Rev. Alexander Zugelder. Source: History of St. Mary's Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., 1907 (40).	Hubert Hauser. Source: History of St. Mary's Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., 1907 (90).	William Hake. Source: History of St. Mary's Church in Grand Rapids, Mich., 1907 (90).

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