Jefferson in Union County, South Dakota — The American Midwest (Upper Plains)
St. Peter's Church Jefferson
January 8, 2022
1. St. Peter's Church Jefferson Marker
Inscription.
St. Peter's Church Jefferson. . The vicinity of Jefferson, even before the organization of Dakota Territory in 1861, was a French-Canadian community and Catholic services were held sporadically prior to the advent of Father Pierre Boucher in 1867. In 1862 a small log building north of the present church was used as a school house and church where services were held. Father Boucher had a pastorate extending over a vast area of Southeastern Dakota and about twenty-five French-Canadian families formed the nucleus of his congregation here. Soon after his coming, a large wooden church was built and served until 1890, when the present fine church was erected during the pastorate of Father Cyrille St. Pierre. Father Boucher died in 1900 at Quebec. The Reverend Charles F. Robinson was the pastor from 1894 until 1924 and he lies buried in the adjacent church yard, whose grave stones abound in the names of parishioners and tells a story of its own. In 1889 a school and convent were built and these were replaced by the present parochial school building in 1951. The large wooden cross in the cemetery is a replacement for the rude cross placed therein in May, 1876, when Father Boucher led a eleven mile pilgrimage, ending in the church yard at Jefferson, invoking divine aid against the besetting grasshopper plague.,
Erected in 1966 in memory of the Forest C. Roach Family.
The vicinity of Jefferson, even before the organization of Dakota Territory in 1861, was a French-Canadian community and Catholic services were held sporadically prior to the advent of Father Pierre Boucher in 1867. In 1862 a small log building north of the present church was used as a school house and church where services were held. Father Boucher had a pastorate extending over a vast area of Southeastern Dakota and about twenty-five French-Canadian families formed the nucleus of his congregation here. Soon after his coming, a large wooden church was built and served until 1890, when the present fine church was erected during the pastorate of Father Cyrille St. Pierre. Father Boucher died in 1900 at Quebec. The Reverend Charles F. Robinson was the pastor from 1894 until 1924 and he lies buried in the adjacent church yard, whose grave stones abound in the names of parishioners and tells a story of its own. In 1889 a school and convent were built and these were replaced by the present parochial school building in 1951. The large wooden cross in the cemetery is a replacement for the rude cross placed therein in May, 1876, when Father Boucher led a eleven mile pilgrimage, ending in the church yard at Jefferson, invoking divine aid against the besetting grasshopper plague.
Location. 42° 36.228′ N, 96° 33.62′ W. Marker is in Jefferson, South Dakota, in Union County. Marker is at the intersection of Main Street (State Highway 105) and Fourth Street, on the right when traveling north on Main Street. Located in front of St. Peter's Community Center in Jefferson. Touch for map. Marker is at or near this postal address: 402 Main St, Jefferson SD 57038, United States of America. Touch for directions.
Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, February 20, 2016
2. St. Peter's Church Marker
Click here for another marker that is related to this marker.
Photographed By Ruth VanSteenwyk, February 20, 2016
3. St. Peter's Church Marker
January 8, 2022
4. St. Peter's Church Jefferson Marker, from the southeast
January 8, 2022
5. St. Peter's Church Jefferson Marker, from the northwest
January 8, 2022
6. St. Peter's Church
Credits. This page was last revised on January 16, 2022. It was originally submitted on February 28, 2016, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. This page has been viewed 614 times since then and 26 times this year. Last updated on January 9, 2022. Photos:1. submitted on January 12, 2022. 2, 3. submitted on February 28, 2016, by Ruth VanSteenwyk of Aberdeen, South Dakota. 4, 5. submitted on January 12, 2022. 6. submitted on January 15, 2022. • J. Makali Bruton was the editor who published this page.