Holy Trinity Catholic Church Krasna, Emmons County, North Dakota

Historical Record

By Elizabeth Reinbold Ohanneson

The Holy Trinity Catholic Church was purchased in August of 1972 in order to retain a building that has meant so much to her family, relatives and friends, and to the many families in the Krasna area who worshipped in this church. Coming originally from the Catholic colony of Krasna, Bessarabia, in South Russia, the early settlers homesteaded west of Strasburg, North Dakota in the 1890s.

The gravestones of these homesteaders can be found in the Holy Trinity cemetery near the church. These pioneers struggled willingly to gather the resources to build the church. Some interesting facts about the Holy Trinity Catholic Church follow:

First homesteaders to the Krasna area:
Jacob Hoffart, Peter Miller, Karl Schreiner, Hermann Sturmer, and Michael Ternes

Visits made by the early missionaries to the area:
1890 – First Mass at Jacob Kopp farm; Mass said by Father Bernhard Strassmeier, OSB

Names of laymen who aided the early missionaries:
Ben Biegler, Michael Braun, Joseph Deichert, Jacob Dirk, John Engel, Elias Nagel, Ignatz Reinbold, Nick Ternes, and Thomas Wagner

Nationality of the early Catholic population in the Krasna area:
The Germans from Russia, who homesteaded west of Strasburg, came from Catholic colony of Krasna, Bessarabia, in South Russia. Today Bessarabia is known as the Soviet Republic of Moldavia.

The Krasna area first became a mission in 1901.

Attending the mission were clergy from Strasburg:
Joseph Thuille, Justus Schweitzer, Alois Striegl, Peter Fehrenbach, and Maurus Engel

The first church was built in 1901 under the guidance of Father Jospeh Thuille OSB in 1901.

The cost for building the church was $800.

The location of the church has never changed at any time.

The present church, Blessed Trinity Catholic Church, was built in 1916 for a cost of $6,000.

The former church became a meeting hall and was later relocated.

When the mission was established the population in the Krasna area was approximately 200 persons.

Holy Trinity Catholic Church was established as a parish with a resident priest in December of 1914. There were about 250 members of the parish.

Names of resident pastors:
Rev. Herman Schmitz December 1914 to July 1915
Rev. William Moelter July and August 1915
Rev. B. Eichne September 1915 to September 1941
Monsignor John A. Selder September 1941 to August 1961
John A. Dubsky August 1961 to November 1962

Bishop when the church was established:
Rev. Vincent de Paul Wehrle, OSB, DD

Religious vocations:
Names of those from this parish who became priests or nuns:
Rev. Alban Engel, OSB
Rev. Pius Engel, OSB
Rev. Peter Kramer
Sister Eugenia (Maria Reinbold)
Sister Peter (Barbara Reinbold)
Sister Andrea (Theresa Reinbold)
Sister Margareta Maria (Cordula Engel)
Sister Radegund (Valeria Engle)
Sister Assumpa (Eva Wagner)
Sister Consolota Bickler
Sister Rita (Ottila Wagner)
Sister Conrad (Rose Schwab)

The last Mass was offered on July 30, 1967, by Rev. Peter Goeser of Sts. Peter and Paul Catholic Church, Strasburg, North Dakota.

Documentation for this history was prepared by Michael M. Miller, Germans from Russia Bibliographer, North Dakota State University Libraries, P.O. Box 5599, Fargo, ND 58105-5599. For any additional information and/or corrections send a copy of this form with suggested changes or additions to the above address. Color photographs of the exterior and interior of the church are available by writing to Mr. Miller.