Rev. Joseph H. Wurm
Biography
As published in
"The City of Kenosha and Kenosha County Wisconsin: A Record of Settlement,
Organization, Progress and Achievement"
by Frank H. Lyman Vol. 2, The S. J. Clarke Publishing Co., Chicago, 1916.
Rev. Joseph H. Wurm, pastor of St. Alphonse Catholic Church at New Munster,
Wisconsin, came to Kenosha County from Richfield, Wisconsin July 15, 1915. He
was born in Westphalia, Germany, January 20, 1871, and is a son of Louis and
Barbara (Rinsheid) Wurm. The mother passed away October 15, 1895, and the father
died 05 August 5, 1906, being laid to rest by her side in Holy Trinity Cemetery
at Milwaukee, Wisconsin. They had come from Germany to the New World in August
1881, and settled in Milwaukee. They had a family of five children: Bertha, now
the wife of Casper Besting a resident of Milwaukee; Anton F., a cigar
manufacturer living at Mt. Calvary, Wisconsin; John H., who died November 1,
1911, at age forty-seven years; Mary, residing with her brother Joseph and
managing his household affairs.
Following the arrival of the family in Milwaukee, Rev. Joseph H. Wurm pursued
his education in Holy Trinity parochial school of that city and in St. Francis
Seminary at St. Francis, Wisconsin. He was ordained to the priesthood on June
24, 1893, and appointed assistant priest of St. George's Catholic Church at
Kenosha, there remaining for six months. He afterward spent two years as pastor
of St. John's church at Muscoda, Wisconsin, and later was transferred to
Richfield being pastor of St. Boniface parish for nineteen years and eight
months. He did splendid work there and was greatly loved by his parishioners. On
the expiration of that period he was transferred to New Munster, Kenosha County,
on the 18th of July, 1915, as pastor of St. Alphonse Catholic Church. He is
doing good work in his present connection, the parish being well organized,
while the different societies of the church are making steady progress. A
parochial school is now being erected at a cost of twelve thousand dollars, to
be completed by the 15th of September, 1916. It is an up-to-date school
building, designed by the firm of White, White, & White, architects of Kenosha.
The exterior is of red brick, trimmed with cut stone, and there is to be a large
assembly hall on the second floor and a spacious dining room in the basement.
The building is planned to accommodate two hundred children.
Typed by: Michelle Laycock