Three Catholic Churches and one school were built in Cannelton, Indiana

• St. Patrick’s Catholic Church of Cannelton was erected about 1852 under the pastorate of Rev. August Bessonies, then residing at Leopold. The congregation at first was small, probably not exceeding ten or twelve families. Rev. Bede O’Connor, O. S. B., was pastor in 1854-55. On Low Sunday, 1855, Rev. Michael Marendt became pastor, and visited Tell City, (later) Troy, Rockport, St. Marks and St. Peters.

• The corner-stone of the new St. Patrick’s Church was laid August 13, 1882, by Fathers Faller, Foffa and Ackermann. The building is a fine sandstone structure, and cost a large sum of money.

• The corner-stone St. Micheal’s Church was laid June 13, 1858, by Rev. Chrysostome Foffa, O. S. B., assisted by Revs. W. Doyle and M. Marendt. June 19, 1859, the building was solemnly blessed by Rev. Bede O’Connor, O. S. B., and January 29, 1860, the bell (1,060 pounds) was blessed. September 30 it was likewise blessed and raised to the tower, 156 feet high. Prior to October, 1860, J. H. Spicker, Nicholas Kasper, P. Clemens and Jacob Weis. In March, 1861, Father Marendt went on a collecting tour to South America, returning in May, 1866. The Benedictine Fathers of St. Meinrad and Revs. J. Dion, P. Wagner, and others, served the congregation during his absence. In 1869 the church was plastered and frescoed. In March, 1870, three bells were added to the first. Father Marendt died January 13, 1871, and in March Rev. E. M. Faller became his successor, serving both congregations until October, 1878. He built the fine parsonage, etc., from his own means. Rev. M. L. Guthneck became pastor of both churches in 1878. Accordingly was built for the Germans, numbering seventy-eight families, four being French.

• A schoolhouse for both English and German speaking children. The school was shared by both churches.

• The county has an abundance of fine building stone very easily quarried. Beds of homogeneous sandstone, twenty to forty feet thick without seams, face the river, inviting the hammer of the workman. The layer next above coal G, “top coal,” furnishes the best stone. From this was obtained the stone for the cotton factory and the Catholic Church at Cannelton. The stone is soft at first but hardens with time and exposure, and is a light brown.