150TH ANNIVERSARY OF ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST CHURCH, DRY RIDGE ROAD, COLERAIN TWP, HAMILTON CO, OH:
July 10, 2009
Who were the first families of the parish?
According to past information, it's reported that there were 18 original St. John's parishioners. However, we've only identified the names of eight. These names were listed in the minutes of the church's original organization meeting held on March 1, 1860. They are:
1. Melchior Betscher – The church property was purchased from Betscher and early planning meetings were held at his home.
2. Henry Kleine – Kleine proposed the name of the parish's patron saint, and was an elected trustee
3. Balthasar Stoeckel – Elected chairman
4. Francis Leierer – Elected secretary
5. Francis Maiwurm- Elected trustee
7. Christopher Schaefer – Elected trustee
8. Christopher Listerman – Elected trustee
*****************************************************************************************************
"Hamilton County, Ohio Burial Records – Colerain Twp"
R929.50971
QH222
V. 06
Page 13:
At 5351 Dry Ridge Road, in Colerain Township, the northwestern part of Hamilton County, Ohio can be found the school and cemetery of Saint John the Baptist Catholic Church. A tract of 6.11 acres of land were purchased by Archbishop John B. Purcell from Melchior Betscher, he having promised to donate the largest sum to the new church ($500). Henry Kleine was given the honor of proposing the patron saint's name for the the church, having promised the next largest sum of ($400). A deed was recorded at the Hamilton County Courthouse March 13, 1860 in which the burial site was listed for one and thirty six hundredths of an acre. According to the Catholic Telegraph-Register of September 4, 1860, "the cornerstone of the new church of St. John the Baptist was blessed".
*****************************************************************
1. Michael Betscher 1793-1861
2. Melchior Betscher 1830-1918
*****************************************************************