Bohemian immigrants, leaving their home land to find a new and better life, came to America. They settled in Michigan, and founded Saint John Nepomucene Catholic Church, in Antrim County, named for the patron saint of Czechoslovakia.
The settlers, most of who emigrated from Prague, named the community Praga. Their first thought after building their homes and starting to work on the soil was two-fold. One to educate, teaching their children about their heritage, and two bring their religion from Czechoslovakia to their new home Praga. Assistance for the spiritual needs was sought. The traveling priest, Father Zorn, from the Harbor Springs area, came to Praga to tend spiritual needs. His first recommendation was to build a school for their children and then to build a Catholic Church. Church services and school were held in many Bohemian homes and other large farm buildings. The school was built in 1877, a log cabin, on the Southwest corner of M-32 and St. John Road, Jordan Township, Antrim County. Mr. Frank Severance was the first teacher. The school lasted until 1887 when it was replaced by a frame structure and remained as a school until 1945 when it joined the East Jordan school system. Note: The land for the school was donated by the GR&I RR. The Grand Rapids and Indiana Railroad.
The frame building remains there today In 1885 the Bohemian immigrants, who settled in Praga (Locally known as the Bohemian Settlement ) built the Saint John Nepomucene Catholic Church which was predominantly Bohemian. This Gothic Revival church built in 1885, on land donated by John Votruba, was a wooden frame structure. When our ancestors set about building homes and churches that these remain in use today speaks well of their abilities. They were tried and true craftsmen from the old country rendering their trade with love and pride in Praga, their new home. The church was erected by area Catholic men and women who were reported to be heard singing Bohemian songs as
they worked. This was a labor of love for their religion and Catholic faith. The church was blessed by Father Graf as Saint John Nepomucene. Later accounts state that he was the confessor of the queen of Bohemia and refused to divulge the secrets of the confessional. On the basis of this account, John of Nepomuk is considered the first patron against calumnies and, because of the manner of his death. 1893 The church remained basically unfinished inside until Father Bruno Torka worked with Francis Kolin and the final interior work was done. The steeple and bell were added in 1893. Note: The bell was dedicated to Saint Aloysius. Saint Aloysius Gonzaga (1568-1591) is the Patron Saint of Catholic Youth.
Saint John Nepomucene Catholic Church 1893 The church altar and some statues date from 1894
Virgin Mary St. John Nepomucene
Note: It is not known if the statues were brought from Prague or made by the men of the Praga community. They are simply very beautiful and emblematic of the skilled Bohemian craftsmen Iesvs Nazarenvs Rex Ivdaeorvm
1907 the church was remodeled. Sleeping quarters were added to allow visiting clergy to have a place to stay. The Priests generally came by train, were met at the station or rail side and taken by horse or wagon to the church. They were taken to area homes for meals and returned to the church for the night.
Saint John Nepomucene Catholic Church 1907 In 1924 under the guidance of Father Drinnan the church underwent a major remodeling. With the expansion of better roadways and availability of automobiles the traveling Priests did not require overnight lodging. Tom Jensen, a qualified, Stone Mason was employed to do the exterior work. The quality of the work as seen today is quiet testimony of his skill as a craftsman. The sleeping quarters at the back of the church were removed. A sanctuary and partial basement were added and the fieldstone veneer was added.
This fieldstone is one of the first things to catch the eye of people as they travel M-32. Saint John Nepomucene Catholic Church 1924
February 18, 1993 Saint John Nepomucene Catholic Church became a Michigan Historical Site
In 2010 the Saint John again was extensively remodeled. Most of the work was done by the area parishioners. June 26, 2010, under the direction of Gaylord Bishop Bernard A Hebda, Catholic Mass was held to celebrate the 125 year since the founding of Saint John Nepomucene Catholic Church.
Gaylord Bishop, Bernard A. Hebda and Fathers Duane Wachowiak, Pastor and David DuPuis Fathers David DuPuis, Duane Wachowiak and John Falicki serving as Deacon assisted in the service. About one hundred people were in attendance when the 100 year old church bell called the faithful to service. In January the church was used in filming the WW 1 documentary The Polar Bears The Diocese of Gaylord approved the use and the St. John church was seen nationally.
Saint John Nepomucene Catholic Church 2011 Saint John Nepomucene Catholic Church 2011
Two area cemeteries are the final resting places for many of St. John parishioners. St. John Cemetery M-32
St. John Pioneer Cemetery 1871 Pesek Road The old names inscribed on the markers, many European languages, represent many of the prominent family descendants that remain in the area today. It would behoove you to visit these area cemeteries to read the inscriptions on the head stones. You might need to be a linguist as some are in English and others in the Slavic and Latin language. Since its founding, Saint John Church has been served by neighboring priests. Some of the priests, known to be in the area were: Fr. Bruno Torka Fr. Ladislaus Czech Fr. William Sliszka
Fr. James Gardiner Fr. Drinnan Fr. Damian Koziolek Fr. Stanislaus Jaworski Fr. William Sliszka Fr. Albert Narloch Fr. J. A. Moleski Fr. Francis Kupinski Fr. M. J. Ostroski Fr. Peter Jakubowski Fr. Jerome Szydlowski Fr. Dennis Stilwell Fr. Zorn Fr. John O. Ladd Fr. David DuPuis Fr. Thomas A. Neis Fr. Francis C. Partridge Fr. Duane Wachowiak
I can personally well appreciate the people from the Bohemian settlement as my wife s Grand Mother, Martha Wanek Behling, (1898-1976) was born in the Bohemian settlement at the head of the Jordan Valley. Her family of 7 lived in a small two room log cabin on a hill overlooking March Road. At this juncture the Saint John Nepomucene Catholic Church, was affiliated with St. Anthony of Padua in Mancelona. Martha enjoyed relating to her grandchildren time spent attending this church. My thanks to: The Boyne Valley Catholic Community, their staff and lay persons. Especially Patty and Sue from Boyne City. To Donna Theibert and her husband who gave, my wife Pat and I, a tour of St. John Church and a beautiful verbal history of her linage. Also the many area people who unequivocally offered and rendered their help without reservations. Edward May III Curmudgeonly Historian