COUNCIL INFORMATION
First 100 years of Council 1728
In 1914 World War 1 was about to began, Woodrow Wilson was President of the Unites States,
John H. Morehead was Governor of Nebraska,
William Knaggs was Mayor of the City of Kearney,
Father Henry Muenstermann Serves as Pastor of St. James from 1911-1938.
By April 21, 1914 Charter Membership of 90,. Dr. E. A. Watson was Grand Knight and Prof. B. H. Patterson as Recording Sec. By 1915 Membership went to 120. Officers we R. B. Daugherty, G.K. and A. H. Berbig, F.S.
By 1925 Calvin Coolidge was President,
Adam McMullen Was Governor,
Grand Knight Was W.L. Miner
73 Insurance Members
36 Associate Members
159 Total Members
By 1930, At the time of the depression.
Herbert Hoover President (1929-1933)
Charles W. Bryan served as Nebraska Gov. (1931-1935)
D. Wort Served as Mayor of Kearney From (1929-1933)
Father Henry Muenstermann Was still Pastor at St James
Foley was Grand Knight
In 1931, the "Star Spangled Banner" becomes the country's official national anthem.
Between 1929 and 1932, the average American's income drops 40 percent to about $1,500 per year. Milk costs 14 cents a quart, eggs are a nickel a dozen and bread costs 9 cents a loaf. During this decade, 86,000 businesses fail and 9,000 banks go out of business. In 1933 one-third of the U.S. working population is unemployed.
Franklin D. Roosevelt was President
Dwight Griswold was Nebraska Gov.
Ivan Mattson Serves Mayor of Kearney
In the early 1940's Kearney landed the Kearney Army Air Force Base which held 542 officers, 3,230 enlisted men and 132 WAC. After the war some of personal later stayed here and become members of Council 1728. By 1949 The war was over and the base was gone.
In June of 1950 The Korean war began. The United State provided 88% of the international Force that aided South Koreans.
Harry S Truman (1945-1953) was President
Val Peterson Served as Gov. from (1947-1953)
Fred G. Geist (1951-1953) served as Mayor of Kearney
Msgr Francis Tschida Pastor of St. James From 1938-1957
John Bertoldi served as Grand Knight
1960 John F Kennedy was elected President. He was the first President to be Catholic and was also a Knight.
After World War II, Kennedy joined the Knights of Columbus in 1946 on St. Patrick’s Day. He was a member of Bunker Hill Council 62 in Charlestown, Mass. On his Knights of Columbus membership application, Kennedy noted that his present occupation was “correspondent” (he was working as a reporter for the Hearst newspapers), and in the box that asked, “Do you intend changing your present occupation?” he wrote, “not sure.” Eight years later he became a Fourth Degree Knight.
Charles Thone served a Governor
Joe W. Debord was Mayor 1961-1963
Msgr Raymond Miles serves as Pastor of St James from 1957-1975
John J. Freeling Serves as Grand Knight
9/11/2001 Was a day that we will always remember. America was under attack.
Understanding the dramatic impact on countless families, the day after 9/11, the Knights of Columbus established the “Heroes Fund” to provide immediate assistance to the families of emergency first responders who lost their lives in the rescue and recovery efforts. The fund was created with a $500,000 donation from the Supreme Council and was matched by a $500,000 donation raised by Knights of Columbus councils throughout the world.
George W. Bush (2000 -2008) was President
Mike Johanns was Governor
Pete Kotsiopulos Served a Mayor
Dave Millianger was Grand Knight
Back in Time
Territory assigned to this council covered all of Buffalo County, North Half of Kearney County, East Half of Dawson County, Custer County, and part of Loup County, Nebraska. In later years this vast territory was cut down by a Council being organized in Lexington, Dawson County, and Broken Bow in Custer County, Nebraska.
As to the locations or places of meeting of this Council, the same was on rather a NOMADIC nature. Might say we were Roman Catholics. When first organized the meetings were held on the third floor of what then was the “HENLINE DRUG STORE” now the Baumgartner building located on the corner of 22nd street and Central Avenue, directly South of the Kaufman and Wernert Store. From that location it went to the building of the KEARNEY LAUNDRY, located on west 23rd street. From there to the third floor of the Old City National building, to present population more commonly known as the First National Building on corner of 21st street and Central Avenue; then to the building immediately south of the present location of Station K.G.F.W., commonly known in old times as Federal Annex. The next stop was the second floor of what was known for years as the WEBBERT PRINT shop, on east side of Central Avenue between 23rd and 24th Streets; then into the basement of the old St. James School on corner of 25th street and second avenue. Then into the new St. James School, until the year 1969, when the council purchased the former Geist Grocery Store building where it is now happily domiciled and the members who were behind the purchase and development of the building are to be highly congratulated.
WHAT HAS THE ORDER ACCOMPLISHED IN ITS LIFETIME?
Recalling the meetings held during the first ten years or so of the granting of the Charter, and again calling those the Horse and Buggy days, meetings were held twice a month, and the present membership will not believe it, that at each meeting there were fifty or more members present, and took active interest in the meetings. While the membership had men from many parishes, only St. James Church of Kearney really was the great beneficiary, financially, as the Order took it upon itself to pay for the paving around the church and St. James School which amounted to quite a sum.
At the time when the idea of having a good hospital in Kearney was born, somehow or other the idea prevailed that professional men should direct the campaign of raising the money, so a couple of gentlemen from Philadelphia were imported, but they were a dismal failure and were discharged. What to do now? It was the members of the Knights of Columbus who organized the congregation and went to work to raise the money, and the whole territory covered by the council was thoroughly solicited and eventually enough money was secured that the hospital was constructed and Sisters secured to operate the same. Present hospital is the result of that effort. The first pledge to that fund was a subscription of $1000.00 each by two members of the council, and two prominent business men of the City. In addition to the work done by the membership, the Order donated several thousand of dollars to the construction of the building and furnished completely three rooms in the building.
New Cathedral building in Grand Island, Construction of the Present St. James School. and Bell Tower at St. James.
In 19-- the 4th degree was reactivated. There were only about 4-5 4th degree members and as of today were are 100 Strong.
In July 1992 our Sister council Prince of Peace 10923 was chartered with 49 members.