Sacred Heart Catholic Church, Magnet, Perry County, Indiana

“According to some historical records, the original Sacred Heart of Jesus mission in Perry county was established by Father Julian Benoit in 1837. Father Benoit was initially based at the old log St. Mary’s church in Derby that was built by a traveling priest from the Catholic Diocese in Bardstown, KY. From 1839, Father Benoit was based at the Chapel where the town of Leopold was later founded. After Father August Bessonies replaced Father Benoit, Father Bessonies built a log church for this mission but named the church St. Francis. This first church building was in the area of the current Old Chapel Cemetery east of Mount Pleasant. Father Bessonies conducted services at St. Francis as a mission from his residence at the Chapel (and later from St. Augustine) in Leopold. In about 1894, this mission was relocated to a new church built by Father J.L. Brassart at Galey’s Landing (near present day Buzzard Roost) and re-dedicated to the Sacred Heart of Jesus. About 1912, Sacred Heart was relocated by Father Edward Hilger to a new building at Magnet.”