The Eighteen Hundreds

1800’s

• Charles Murphy rode to Lexington alternating with Bernard Glenn who rode to Arapahoe to bring a priest for Mass in their respective homes for Catholics of the area. A meal was shared by all after Mass.

1854

• The Kansas-Nebraska Act encouraged people to settle in Southern Nebraska.

1873

• Gosper County was established.

1887

• Pope Leo the 13th created the Diocese of Lincoln.
• The first Masses were offered in the Smithfield area.

1890

• Smithfield was established.

Later

• Families traveled to Bertrand to have Mass at the Lodge. A priest would come from Minden by train on a week day to deliver Mass.
• Priests traveled by train from Curtis to care spiritually for the Smithfield area families which included: Bart Conlin; Henry Dobner; Joe Fox; Mrs. Otto Gelhaar; Bernard Glenn; Joe Hatting; Mrs. R. P. Larson; Matt Lauby; N. McDonald; Ed McHugh; Charles Murphy; Jim Newell; N. O’Donnell; Ed Powers; __ Piska; Lot Sullivan; Jacob Swartz; Jacob Tomasek; John Wolf.