Father Anton Kopp
Revered Father Anton Kopp | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Church | St. Mary Parish, Westphalia, Michigan |
| Diocese | Diocese of Detroit |
| Installed | Nov 19th, 1836 |
| Term ended | 1843 |
| Personal details | |
| Born | June 7th, 1796 Ruethen, Germany |
| Died | January 15th, 1862 Detroit, Michigan |
| Denomination | Roman Catholic |
Anton Kopp (born June 17th, 1796) was a German-American priest of the Roman Catholic Church.
Early Life
Rev. Father Kopp was a native of Ruthen, North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany and immigrated to the United States in 1836.
Biography
Creation of St. Mary Catholic Church and the Village of Westphalia
Following the advice of Father Marktin Kundig of St. Mary Parish Detroit, Father Kopp travelled by foot to the land office in Ionia, Michigan and purchased land in what is now the Village of Westphalia, in Central Michigan and established St. Mary Catholic Church.
Anton Kopp was appointed pastor of the parish in the Westphalia settlement on November 1836 by Most Rev. Bishop Rese, the First Bishop of the newly created Diocese of Detroit. He first lived in nearby Lyons while the first log church was built. Originally, he read mass in the homes of the first pioneers.
Anton Kopp moved to Westphalia in the spring of 1838, once the log cabin church was completed. He was elected first supervisor of Westphalia Township in 1839, and taught classes in the first school in 1840. He was paid $8 in salary from the state of Michigan for his services.[1] Father Kopp remained in Westphalia for 5 years until 1843, when he moved to Detroit. [2] A Michigan Historical Site marker exists on the grounds of St. Mary Church school grounds today.
St. Joseph Catholic Church, Chicago
Kopp went to Chicago and became the pastor of St. Joseph's church in 1848. He would remain there until 1855. St. Michael's Parish would become the largest German Parish in the United States with membership over 35,000. [2]
St. Joseph Catholic Church (Wilmette, Illinois)
Father Kopp served as pastor of St. Joseph Catholic Church in Wilmette, Illinois from 1855 until 1860.
Death and Burial
After serving as Pastor of St. Joseph Church in Wilmette for 5 years, Father Kopp returned to Detroit in 1861. His health was failing at this time from cancer. His death from cancer was recorded as January 15, 1862 in Detroit. He was buried from Old St. Mary's parish and interred at Mount Elliott Cemetery in Detroit. The location of that grave, however, is a mystery.
References
- ↑ Avella, Steven M. (March 1995). "Seasons of Grace: A History of the Catholic Archdiocese of Detroit. By Leslie Woodcock Tentler. Detroit: Wayne State University Press, 1990. xiv + 598 pp. $45.00". Church History. 64 (1): 143–144. doi:10.2307/3168703. ISSN 0009-6407.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 St. Mary's Centennial. Westphalia, Michigan 1836-1936. 1936. Search this book on
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