By Staff
Recently an old friend and a part of our old neighborhood gang back in the 1930s, Mary Alice (Luthringer) Sorenson, came for a visit.
She brought a newspaper article about the Silver Creek Catholic church.
It was at first just a log chapel, built in 1835 on 40 acres set aside by Chief Leopold Pokagon.
This very crude log chapel was open on one end.
When a Belgian Father Deseille took up his priestly duties among the Indians, he often said Mass at a snow-covered altar.
Pokagon was much pleased with this youthful priest and for a place where his tribe could worship the "Great Spirit."
Under the right-hand corner of the church now standing holds the grave of Chief Pokagon.
Knowing Cardinal Charlie likes to see old things of Dowagiac's past, Mary Alice brought for me to see also her Aunt Gertrude Biek's first communion candle.
It was about 12 inches tall, white, tapered and slightly burned.
On one side of the candle were several religious symbols.
Also, she had the box that the wrapped paper candle was in.
On the cover of the box it read Fred A. Shaver - leading jeweler and optician - Dowagiac, Mich.
Mary Alice said she thought Gertrude was born in 1894, so you can see this beautiful candle in its practically mint condition has seen its better days, has it not?
I'm sure many people remember Gertrude as the high school secretary here in Dowagiac for many, many years.
I know she was secretary in 1919, as her picture is in my 1919 Wahoo.
And she was still one in 1948, when I graduated.
Gertrude was one of the five Biek girls, as you may remember: Alice Daly, who worked at the Dowagiac Daily News for many years; Bernidette, who worked for Upjohn's in Kalamazoo; Helen Daly, who was a farmer's wife; and Phoebe, who was Mary Alice's mom.
Two Biek sisters married the two Daly brothers, who were both local farmers.