"In 1916, the Thiel family came from North Dakota. There were no Catholic services in Chowchilla. The few Catholics would go to mass in Madera or Merced. The Robert Busch family came to Chowchilla in 1917, also from North Dakota. Mrs. Busch said that if she were going to live in Chowchilla, there had to be a Catholic church here. With her prodding, and with the help of many families, the church was built.
A note in the Chowchilla newspaper indicates that on September 19, 1920, the first mass was celebrated in our old church. Father Prendeville from Madera celebrated the mass. There was not yet a parish priest in Chowchilla. After the mass, the parishioners ate a chicken dinner at Thornton Hall.
Families involved in the building of the church were the following: Theil, Busch, Lahey, Young, Bliss, Boyle, O’Loughlin, Veirhus, Pretzl, Justin, Tarabini, Dower, Patterson, Herman, Lange, Parker, Jamison, Clampbell and Raymond.
From the 1920's on, we see some of the following names: Heisch, Brow, Bole, Mydle, Curutchet, Ciappono, lriarte, Piersall, Mattingly, Collins, Reh, Olivero, Brandon, Trost, Tole, Esche, Paulo, O’C'onner, Solari, Schroeder, Leoni, Wittwer, Aso, Romeri, Linhares, Alves, Avellar, Poretti, Poli, Mandella, Paravania, Martinazzi, Bettini, Carlin, Armstead, Petri, Mato, Massaro, Cornaggia, Pedretti, Hijos, Bagles, Alola, Aletto, Ray, Pedroncelli, Chezik, Pittz, Thissen and Matli." (
visit link)