JOHN HENN
Reverend JOHN HENN, pastor of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church
at L'Anse, Baraga County, Michigan, has had many charges in the
Marquette diocese and is well known and highly respected throughout the
Northern Peninsula of Michigan.
Father Henn was born in Brooklyn, New York, in 186o, and is a son
of John Henn. The latter came to America from his native country,
Germany, when 13 or 14 years of age, and spent the remainder of his
life in
Brooklyn, where he died in April, 1901. John Henn's wife died in May,
9000o, and with the exception of our subject all the members of the
family
now living reside in New York State.
Father Henn attended the schools of Brooklyn, New York, then pursued a
classical course of study in St. Vincent's College near Allegheney,
Pennsylvania. He then went to Montreal, Canada, and for five years
pursued theological studies and was prepared for the priesthood.
Returning
to St. Vincent's Abbey, near Allegheny, he was ordained by Bishop
Mullen,
of Erie, Pennsylvania, June 20, 1884. He soon after came to Michigan,
and held the following charges in the Marquette diocese: Bessemer, Ontonagon, Michigamme, Norway, Iron River, Champion, Garden, Menominee
(twice), Spalding, Nadeau, Lake Linden (twice), Eagle Harbor, and L'Anse (twice). The last time he came to
L'Anse was in 1901, and he has since been pastor of the Sacred Heart Church. The Sacred
Heart Church had its beginning in the services conducted by Father Terhoist, the noted
Indian missionary. The first resident priest was Father Pelisson, who came in 1886, and
was succeeded in order by Father Gilman, Father Joseph Haas (deceased), Father Dassylva,
Father Reynardt, Father Schelhammer, Father Henn, who remained nine months; Father Joseph
Wallace (deceased), Father Joseph Dupasquier, Father Fidelis Tutter (deceased), Father
Joisten, who built the present stone church in 1894 and remained in charge five years;
Father Joseph Pinten, Father Collins, Rev. Father J. Sauriol, who remained about one
year; and finally Father Henn, who came in 1901, and is present pastor of the church. The
church is built of redstone and was erected at a cost of ten thousand dollars and the
congregation numbers about four hundred. The first church was called St. Joseph's, and is
still standing on the southeast corner of the block on which the new church is located.
The parsonage is located between the old and new churches. Father Henn represents the
highest type of manhood, and exemplifies his teachings by the irreproachable life he
leads. He has gained the love of his congregation to a remarkable degree, and commands
the respect of his fellow men regardless of religious belief and attachment.
Source: Biographical Record, Houghton,
Baraga and Marquette Counties. Chicago: Biographical Publishing Company, 1903.
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