CHURCH AND PARSONAGE (Inset—First church erected 1885)
June 1885—Rev. H. Mensing held mass services at Paul Kurkowski's house after which a meeting was held to decide on a location for and upon building of a church. At that meeting were Joseph Gruba, Matt Rees, J. P. Rilander, Paul Kurkowski, and a few others. They left the house and walked out looking for an appropriate place for the building of a church. The location where the church now stands was decided upon. A small church building was erected, by the then settlers, and was the first Catholic church in the county. It was served by Rev. Mensing of Webster until 1887 when a resident pastor was sent by Bishop Marty to serve the congregation.
From 1890 on, the congregation kept growing in numbers; by 1894 the numbers had increased so that the little church was too small, and at that time the present church building was erected under the pastorate of the Rev. James Wojtowicz. This is the largest church in the county, and the congregation now has some two hundred and twenty-five families.
They have a large parish residence, a fine large school building and a hall for all meetings and entertainments. The school has an attendance of two hundred pupils, approximately. All of this was accomplished during the pastorage of Rev. James Wojtowicz, who passed to his reward May, 1924.
The teaching sisters are members of the order of Notre Dame, consisting of four teachers of whom one is music instructress and one housekeeper.
In 1890 Frank Dolney built and opened a general store. The first blacksmith shop was started by Frank Parzyhowski; Mike Mieinski, mason and plasterer, built the first shanty to live in. Several other houses followed quickly.
New Grenville—Which is about a half mile northwest of the church was established December 1914, upon completion of the railroad to that place. In order to make the railroad possible, the farmers subscribed and paid twenty thousand dollars to Mr. Rosholt, as assistance in helping him build the line from Roslyn. The railroad company bought eighty acres and platted the townsite. The first building was the Victoria elevator. The second elevator was erected by Miller Brothers and the third by the Block Brothers. The first general store was owned by Peter Rokowski, the first blacksmith shop and residence by Clemence Pischke, the first hotel by Frank Breske, the first lumber yard by the Tri-State Lumber Company, Frank Gruba, manager, the first postmaster, A. W. Lehman, who erected an office building for use as a post office. He is still holding the job. The first implement dealer was Mr. Van Horn. A second general store was started by John Sigmiller. The first restaurant and soft drink parlor was established by A. J. Block, the first garage by Ben Block, the first hardware and implement store by Joe Marshall and a gas and oil station by the Home Oil Company. The First State Bank, a branch of First National Bank of Waubay, was started with H. Fromelt, as cashier.
A number of private residences have been added each year. Mr. Parks started and finished the first substantial residence.
In 1918 New and Old Grenville were incorporated as a town, and the 1925 population is about 300.
During 1921 a public school building was erected, having one teacher, with an enrollment of twenty-five pupils.