John George Alleman
Encyclopedia
John George Alleman was a missionary
Catholic
priest who served in the states of Ohio
, Iowa
and Illinois
. He served as a priest in the Dominican Order from 1834–1840, after which time he was expelled from the order. He then served as a secular priest in the Diocese of Dubuque
from 1840–1851, and in the Diocese of Chicago
from 1851-1863. During his hospitalization in St. Louis, Missouri
(1863–1865) he was accepted back into the Dominican Order.
, Alsace
, France
on December 3, 1804. He immigrated with his family to Ohio as a child. In his formative years he became fluent with his native German, French, and then English. Little is known of his early education, but in 1832 he was studying for the priesthood at St. Rose Priory
in Kentucky
. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John Baptist Purcell
of Cincinnati
on June 11, 1834.
Alleman is described as a large man who possessed great physical strength and a gregarious personality. The Midwest was being settled predominately by German and Irish immigrants, while the Catholic clergy were predominately French. As Alleman could speak German, French and English, he was able to speak to these different ethnic groups fluently. His goals were simple, “I am a poor Dominican Friar. I made a vow of poverty, and another to establish missions; with God's grace I will keep them both.” His missionary work was all encompassing, and poverty was his without his seeking it. However, he constantly found himself in trouble with his superiors.
, Zanesville
, and Somerset
, Ohio. He was recalled to St. Rose so that his superiors could supervise him better. The reason for his recall is unknown, and his placement at St. Rose did not have the desired effect. He was expelled from the community in 1840 for unspecified reasons. His superior, the Rev. Nicholas Young, OP, does refer to his being “crazy” at times.
, the first bishop of Dubuque, was in need of priests who were fluent in German. Up to this point the few priests he had in the diocese were French, and one was Italian. His vicar general
was a Dominican priest by the name of Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli
, who may have been influential in bringing Alleman to Dubuque. It seems unlikely that Loras would have accepted a priest into the diocese, knowing the rigors that were required, who was expelled from his religious community and unfit for ministry. Mazzuchelli had his own run-in with Young, and was not living in community himself. In 1840 Alleman traveled down the Ohio River
and up the Mississippi River
to Dubuque, Iowa
where he spent a years time. He was assigned by Loras to serve the German Catholics of the Diocese and he made Fort Madison, Iowa
his base of operation. Until 1850 the Diocese of Dubuque included all of present day Iowa, most of the state of Minnesota
, and both North Dakota
and South Dakota
east of the Missouri River
. Fortunately, most of the German settlers were in the small towns in Iowa near the Mississippi River.
Fort Madison was a town in its formative years. It sat in an area that had been open to white settlers for only eight years. It contained a few brick buildings with most of the buildings described as wooden shanties. The Iowa Territorial Prison
was on the eastern edge of town. The streets, which were impassable after a storm, were littered with livestock, both alive and dead. Drunkenness was rampant and violence was not uncommon. So why did he choose Fort Madison? Rev. John Larmer, a contemporary of Alleman's, said, “After looking over northeastern Missouri, and the adjacent portions of Illinois and Iowa, Father Alleman resolved to establish his permanent mission at Fort Madison, a beautiful site above the first rapids on the Upper Mississippi. His object in settling, so to speak, at this point, was to have a permanent 'shanty' in a central location, whence he could more effectively perform the great work, which his former experience as a missionary, told him lay before him.”
In 1841 Alleman established St. Joseph Church
with the assistance of the few Catholic residents of the city. He resided in the basement of the small church building. He took his meals in homes of parishioners or at a local boarding house. He started a school in the church building, where he would teach the children whenever he was in town. By 1847 the small church was replaced by a larger structure. He also planned to build a rectory and a school building, but they were never built in his time there. Alleman continued to live in the basement of the new church. It was not all work for the priest; he also enjoyed gardening. He raised flowers, fruits and vegetables in his garden. He was credited with breeding the "Alleman Rose".
Fort Madison was only his home base, however. During his years there he served missions in Sugar Creek (now known as St. Paul
), West Point
, Montrose
, Burlington
, Iowa City, St. Vincent’s Church in a rural area west of Riverside
, Keokuk
, Augusta
, Dodgeville, Bakers' Point, Farmington
, Primrose, Franklin
, all in Iowa, and Nauvoo, Illinois
. His name also appears in the baptismal registers of parishes in Sherrill
and New Vienna
, both of which are near Dubuque. At times, some of these parishes would have their own priest who would stay for a while and then leave, and Alleman would have to take over administration of the parish again. By 1851, however, Alleman was reduced to serving only Fort Madison with the other parishes being served by other priests.
One of the people Father Alleman struck up a friendship with was the leader of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, Joseph Smith. Between 1840 and 1843 Nauvoo grew quickly to become a community of 20,000 people. Many people on the Iowa side of the river feared the Mormons
because they controlled the ferries
that crossed the river (there were no bridges across the Mississippi yet), and they were rumored to accept outlaws from other parts of the country into their community. Alleman cultivated a friendship with Smith. Smith on his own part respected Alleman’s leadership and linguistic abilities. He used the priest as a German and French translator. Alleman was granted access to Smith’s barge to cross the river, and space in the Mormon Temple where he and other priests could baptize their own people. The Mormon’s would also bring Alleman to a sick parishioner once they helped him cross the river. A Mormon building was used for Mass, and rock was quarried from the Mormon quarries for the second St. Joseph Church. Joseph Smith at one time told Alleman that next to the Latter Day Saints, Catholicism was the best religion. "For the priests attend to their people faithfully and mind their own business, whereas the other preachers are continually bothering the Latter Day Saints." Father Alleman responded with thanks, saying "There was a diversity of opinion on that subject."
Bishop Loras was the son of a wealthy mercantile family, and he tended to run his diocese as though it was a business While Loras would provide the initial funds to start a parish it was up to the parish and its pastor to become financially stable on its own as soon as possible. If the parish borrowed money to build the church, Loras held the pastor responsible for the debt. Finances were not one of Alleman's strong points, and the bishop had little or no confidence in Alleman's abilities. In 1847 Alleman fell into debt with construction projects at both Fort Madison and West Point. Loras recalled Alleman to Dubuque and left Lee County
without a priest. Alleman was assigned to an Irish parish in Garryowen
until the parishes paid their debts and promised to financially support their priest. At this time Alleman attempted to sue the Dominicans for payment for the six years he served as a priest while in the community. Loras had him withdraw his lawsuit. He was also involved in a controversy to close the church at Sugar Creek and have the parishioners attend the parish at West Point.
. Quarter died before he moved, and Alleman is quoted as saying, “I told Bishop Van de Velde
of Chicago (Quarter's successor) that I would help him in Rock Island
. He has promised to secure a German speaking priest for that area, and a new field of work will be a challenge…I do not mind leaving Fort Madison. St. Joseph’s is really developing with about 18,000 people. With the grace of God, Catholicity will grow and flourish. Illinois calls, so I must go.”
In May 1851 Alleman arrived in Rock Island, a town in western Illinois on the Mississippi River. There he established its first Catholic Church, St. James (now St. Mary’s Church). He would visit the Rock Island Arsenal
once or twice a week and he would send food to the sick soldiers he had made friends with on the island. The cornerstone for the new church was laid in August 1851 and it took two years to build the church. He also built a school and rectory there. Records show that in 1851 there were 18 baptisms and four marriages at St. James. By 1856 the numbers swelled to 169 baptisms and 54 marriages. That year he received the Rev. John Donelson as his assistant. In 1857 the first Catholic Church in Moline
, named St. Anthony's, was established. He also organized churches in East Moline
, Hampton
, Coal Valley
, Rapid City, and Edgington
. He was also responsible for the church in Nauvoo, and its mission in Warsaw
. He spent most of his first year assigned to Rock Island in Nauvoo, where he appears to have spent the winter of 1852. He traveled regularly to Fort Madison.
in 1862, in the Diocese of Alton
. Here he would be close to better healthcare facilities in St. Louis.
Both his physical and mental condition grew worse and 1863 he was admitted to St. Vincent's Sanatorium in St. Louis. He was diagnosed as having melancholia, now referred to as depression. Toward the end of his life he was received back into the Dominican Order. When he heard the news, he responded, "The special vocation of the Dominicans is teaching and defending the truths of the faith. They preach devotion to the Rosary
. I have lived up to these ideals all my life. I was always a Dominican at heart."
Alleman died from apoplexy
in the sanatorium on July 14, 1865 at the age of 60. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Calvary Cemetery
in St. Louis.
in 1875 and the Diocese of Davenport
in 1881. When Catholics in Rock Island County
established a new central high school in 1949 they named it Alleman
, in his memory.
Missionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
Catholic
Catholic
The word catholic comes from the Greek phrase , meaning "on the whole," "according to the whole" or "in general", and is a combination of the Greek words meaning "about" and meaning "whole"...
priest who served in the states of Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
, Iowa
Iowa
Iowa is a state located in the Midwestern United States, an area often referred to as the "American Heartland". It derives its name from the Ioway people, one of the many American Indian tribes that occupied the state at the time of European exploration. Iowa was a part of the French colony of New...
and Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
. He served as a priest in the Dominican Order from 1834–1840, after which time he was expelled from the order. He then served as a secular priest in the Diocese of Dubuque
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Dubuque is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the northeastern quarter of the state of Iowa in the United States. It includes all the Iowa counties north of Polk, Jasper, Poweshiek, Iowa, Johnson, Cedar, and Clinton counties. ...
from 1840–1851, and in the Diocese of Chicago
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Chicago
The Archdiocese of Chicago was established as a diocese in 1843 and as an Archdiocese in 1880. It serves more than 2.3 million Catholics in Cook and Lake counties in Northeastern Illinois, a geographic area of 1,411 square miles. The Archdiocese is divided into six vicariates and 31 deaneries...
from 1851-1863. During his hospitalization in St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
(1863–1865) he was accepted back into the Dominican Order.
Early life & Ministry
Details of Alleman’s early life are sketchy. It is known that he was born at AttenschwillerAttenschwiller
Attenschwiller is a commune in the Haut-Rhin department in Alsace in north-eastern France.-Wine:Attenschwiller is famous for the production of the local sparkling white wine, crème d'Alsace.One of the biggest jigsaw factories in France is situated nearby....
, Alsace
Alsace
Alsace is the fifth-smallest of the 27 regions of France in land area , and the smallest in metropolitan France. It is also the seventh-most densely populated region in France and third most densely populated region in metropolitan France, with ca. 220 inhabitants per km²...
, France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
on December 3, 1804. He immigrated with his family to Ohio as a child. In his formative years he became fluent with his native German, French, and then English. Little is known of his early education, but in 1832 he was studying for the priesthood at St. Rose Priory
St. Rose Priory
St. Rose Priory, a house of the Dominican Order, was the location of the first Catholic educational institution west of the Allegheny Mountains....
in Kentucky
Kentucky
The Commonwealth of Kentucky is a state located in the East Central United States of America. As classified by the United States Census Bureau, Kentucky is a Southern state, more specifically in the East South Central region. Kentucky is one of four U.S. states constituted as a commonwealth...
. He was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop John Baptist Purcell
John Baptist Purcell
John Baptist Purcell was an Irish-born prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He served as Bishop of Cincinnati from 1833 until his death in 1883, and was elevated to the rank of Archbishop in 1850.-Biography:...
of Cincinnati
Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati
The Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cincinnati covers the southwest region of the U.S. state of Ohio, including the greater Cincinnati and Dayton metropolitan areas. The Archbishop of Cincinnati is Most Rev...
on June 11, 1834.
Alleman is described as a large man who possessed great physical strength and a gregarious personality. The Midwest was being settled predominately by German and Irish immigrants, while the Catholic clergy were predominately French. As Alleman could speak German, French and English, he was able to speak to these different ethnic groups fluently. His goals were simple, “I am a poor Dominican Friar. I made a vow of poverty, and another to establish missions; with God's grace I will keep them both.” His missionary work was all encompassing, and poverty was his without his seeking it. However, he constantly found himself in trouble with his superiors.
Order of Preachers
The date of Alleman’s profession as a Dominican is not listed in any sources. The first mention of him in the community is in 1832 at St. Rose Priory, and then his ordination in 1834. As a Dominican, Alleman served parishes in CantonCanton, Ohio
Canton is the county seat of Stark County in northeastern Ohio, approximately south of Akron and south of Cleveland.The City of Caton is the largest incorporated area within the Canton-Massillon Metropolitan Statistical Area...
, Zanesville
Zanesville, Ohio
Zanesville is a city in and the county seat of Muskingum County, Ohio, United States. The population was 25,586 at the 2000 census.Zanesville was named after Ebenezer Zane, who had constructed Zane's Trace, a pioneer road through present-day Ohio...
, and Somerset
Somerset, Ohio
Somerset is a village in Perry County, Ohio, United States. The population was 1,549 at the 2000 census.Saint Joseph Church, the oldest Catholic church in Ohio, is located just outside of Somerset on State Route 383.-Geography:...
, Ohio. He was recalled to St. Rose so that his superiors could supervise him better. The reason for his recall is unknown, and his placement at St. Rose did not have the desired effect. He was expelled from the community in 1840 for unspecified reasons. His superior, the Rev. Nicholas Young, OP, does refer to his being “crazy” at times.
Diocese of Dubuque
Bishop Mathias LorasMathias Loras
Bishop Mathias Loras was an immigrant French priest to the United States who later became the first bishop of the Dubuque Diocese in what would become the state of Iowa.-Early Life & Ministry:...
, the first bishop of Dubuque, was in need of priests who were fluent in German. Up to this point the few priests he had in the diocese were French, and one was Italian. His vicar general
Vicar general
A vicar general is the principal deputy of the bishop of a diocese for the exercise of administrative authority. As vicar of the bishop, the vicar general exercises the bishop's ordinary executive power over the entire diocese and, thus, is the highest official in a diocese or other particular...
was a Dominican priest by the name of Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli
Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli
Father Samuel Charles Mazzuchelli, O.P. was a pioneer Italian Catholic missionary who helped bring the church to the Iowa-Illinois-Wisconsin tri-state area. He founded a number of parishes in the area, and was the architect for a number of parish buildings.-Background:Father Mazzuchelli was born...
, who may have been influential in bringing Alleman to Dubuque. It seems unlikely that Loras would have accepted a priest into the diocese, knowing the rigors that were required, who was expelled from his religious community and unfit for ministry. Mazzuchelli had his own run-in with Young, and was not living in community himself. In 1840 Alleman traveled down the Ohio River
Ohio River
The Ohio River is the largest tributary, by volume, of the Mississippi River. At the confluence, the Ohio is even bigger than the Mississippi and, thus, is hydrologically the main stream of the whole river system, including the Allegheny River further upstream...
and up the Mississippi River
Mississippi River
The Mississippi River is the largest river system in North America. Flowing entirely in the United States, this river rises in western Minnesota and meanders slowly southwards for to the Mississippi River Delta at the Gulf of Mexico. With its many tributaries, the Mississippi's watershed drains...
to Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque, Iowa
Dubuque is a city in and the county seat of Dubuque County, Iowa, United States, located along the Mississippi River. In 2010 its population was 57,637, making it the ninth-largest city in the state and the county's population was 93,653....
where he spent a years time. He was assigned by Loras to serve the German Catholics of the Diocese and he made Fort Madison, Iowa
Fort Madison, Iowa
Fort Madison, situated on the Mississippi River, is a city in and one of the county seats of Lee County, Iowa, United States. The other county seat is Keokuk. The population was 10,715 at the 2000 census...
his base of operation. Until 1850 the Diocese of Dubuque included all of present day Iowa, most of the state of Minnesota
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
, and both North Dakota
North Dakota
North Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America, along the Canadian border. The state is bordered by Canada to the north, Minnesota to the east, South Dakota to the south and Montana to the west. North Dakota is the 19th-largest state by area in the U.S....
and South Dakota
South Dakota
South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States. It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes. Once a part of Dakota Territory, South Dakota became a state on November 2, 1889. The state has an area of and an estimated population of just over...
east of the Missouri River
Missouri River
The Missouri River flows through the central United States, and is a tributary of the Mississippi River. It is the longest river in North America and drains the third largest area, though only the thirteenth largest by discharge. The Missouri's watershed encompasses most of the American Great...
. Fortunately, most of the German settlers were in the small towns in Iowa near the Mississippi River.
Fort Madison was a town in its formative years. It sat in an area that had been open to white settlers for only eight years. It contained a few brick buildings with most of the buildings described as wooden shanties. The Iowa Territorial Prison
Iowa State Penitentiary
The Iowa State Penitentiary is an Iowa Department of Corrections maximum security prison for men located in the Lee County, Iowa community of Fort Madison....
was on the eastern edge of town. The streets, which were impassable after a storm, were littered with livestock, both alive and dead. Drunkenness was rampant and violence was not uncommon. So why did he choose Fort Madison? Rev. John Larmer, a contemporary of Alleman's, said, “After looking over northeastern Missouri, and the adjacent portions of Illinois and Iowa, Father Alleman resolved to establish his permanent mission at Fort Madison, a beautiful site above the first rapids on the Upper Mississippi. His object in settling, so to speak, at this point, was to have a permanent 'shanty' in a central location, whence he could more effectively perform the great work, which his former experience as a missionary, told him lay before him.”
In 1841 Alleman established St. Joseph Church
Holy Family Catholic Church (Fort Madison, Iowa)
Holy Family Catholic Church is a parish of the Diocese of Davenport. The parish is the result of a merger between Saints Mary and Joseph Parish and Sacred Heart Parish in the city of Fort Madison, Iowa, United States. The parish maintains both of the former parish church buildings as worship...
with the assistance of the few Catholic residents of the city. He resided in the basement of the small church building. He took his meals in homes of parishioners or at a local boarding house. He started a school in the church building, where he would teach the children whenever he was in town. By 1847 the small church was replaced by a larger structure. He also planned to build a rectory and a school building, but they were never built in his time there. Alleman continued to live in the basement of the new church. It was not all work for the priest; he also enjoyed gardening. He raised flowers, fruits and vegetables in his garden. He was credited with breeding the "Alleman Rose".
Fort Madison was only his home base, however. During his years there he served missions in Sugar Creek (now known as St. Paul
St. Paul, Iowa
St. Paul is a city in Lee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 118 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA-MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:St...
), West Point
West Point, Iowa
West Point is a city in Lee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 980 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA-MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
, Montrose
Montrose, Iowa
Montrose is a city in Lee County, Iowa, United States. The population was 957 at the 2000 census. The town is located on the Mississippi River. It is part of the Fort Madison–Keokuk, IA-MO Micropolitan Statistical Area.-History:...
, Burlington
Burlington, Iowa
Burlington is a city in, and the county seat of Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. The population was 25,663 in the 2010 census, a decline from the 26,839 population in the 2000 census. Burlington is the center of a micropolitan area including West Burlington, Iowa and Middletown, Iowa and...
, Iowa City, St. Vincent’s Church in a rural area west of Riverside
Riverside, Iowa
Riverside is a city in rural Washington County, Iowa, United States, along the English River on Iowa Highway 22. It is part of the Iowa City, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 928 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Highland Community School District.Riverside proclaimed...
, Keokuk
Keokuk, Iowa
Keokuk is a city in the southeastern part of the U.S. state of Iowa and one of the county seats of Lee County. The other county seat is Fort Madison. The population was 11,427 at the 2000 census. The city is named after the Sauk Chief Keokuk, who is thought to be buried in Rand Park...
, Augusta
Augusta, Iowa
Augusta is a small unincorporated town situated on the Skunk River in Des Moines County, Iowa, United States. It is located 10 miles south of Burlington and 7 miles north of Fort Madison off Highway 61 and Highway 16...
, Dodgeville, Bakers' Point, Farmington
Farmington, Iowa
Farmington is a city in Van Buren County, Iowa, United States. The population was 756 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Farmington is located at , on the east bank of Des Moines River....
, Primrose, Franklin
Franklin, Iowa
Franklin is a city in Lee County, Iowa, United States. Franklin is noted for its stone and brick Federal architecture, uncommon in Iowa.The population was 136 at the 2000 census...
, all in Iowa, and Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo, Illinois
Nauvoo is a small city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. Although the population was just 1,063 at the 2000 census, and despite being difficult to reach due to its location in a remote corner of Illinois, Nauvoo attracts large numbers of visitors for its historic importance and its...
. His name also appears in the baptismal registers of parishes in Sherrill
Sherrill, Iowa
Sherrill is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. The population was 186 at the 2000 census.- History :Sherrill was named for two brothers, Adam and Isaac Sherrill, and was originally called Sherrill's Mound or Mount, since the city is sited at the base of a prominent hill...
and New Vienna
New Vienna, Iowa
New Vienna is a city in Dubuque County, Iowa, United States. It is part of the Dubuque, Iowa Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 400 at the 2000 census. New Vienna is home to the Saint Boniface Catholic Church...
, both of which are near Dubuque. At times, some of these parishes would have their own priest who would stay for a while and then leave, and Alleman would have to take over administration of the parish again. By 1851, however, Alleman was reduced to serving only Fort Madison with the other parishes being served by other priests.
Mormons
The Mormons are a religious and cultural group related to Mormonism, a religion started by Joseph Smith during the American Second Great Awakening. A vast majority of Mormons are members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints while a minority are members of other independent churches....
because they controlled the ferries
Ferry
A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services...
that crossed the river (there were no bridges across the Mississippi yet), and they were rumored to accept outlaws from other parts of the country into their community. Alleman cultivated a friendship with Smith. Smith on his own part respected Alleman’s leadership and linguistic abilities. He used the priest as a German and French translator. Alleman was granted access to Smith’s barge to cross the river, and space in the Mormon Temple where he and other priests could baptize their own people. The Mormon’s would also bring Alleman to a sick parishioner once they helped him cross the river. A Mormon building was used for Mass, and rock was quarried from the Mormon quarries for the second St. Joseph Church. Joseph Smith at one time told Alleman that next to the Latter Day Saints, Catholicism was the best religion. "For the priests attend to their people faithfully and mind their own business, whereas the other preachers are continually bothering the Latter Day Saints." Father Alleman responded with thanks, saying "There was a diversity of opinion on that subject."
Bishop Loras was the son of a wealthy mercantile family, and he tended to run his diocese as though it was a business While Loras would provide the initial funds to start a parish it was up to the parish and its pastor to become financially stable on its own as soon as possible. If the parish borrowed money to build the church, Loras held the pastor responsible for the debt. Finances were not one of Alleman's strong points, and the bishop had little or no confidence in Alleman's abilities. In 1847 Alleman fell into debt with construction projects at both Fort Madison and West Point. Loras recalled Alleman to Dubuque and left Lee County
Lee County, Iowa
-2010 census:The 2010 census recorded a population of 35,862 in the county, with a population density of . There were 16,205 housing units, of which 14,610 were occupied.-2000 census:...
without a priest. Alleman was assigned to an Irish parish in Garryowen
St. Patrick's Church-Garryowen
St. Patrick’s Catholic Church is a parish of the Archdiocese of Dubuque. The church is located in northwest Jackson County, Iowa, United States and is listed on the National Register of Historic Places....
until the parishes paid their debts and promised to financially support their priest. At this time Alleman attempted to sue the Dominicans for payment for the six years he served as a priest while in the community. Loras had him withdraw his lawsuit. He was also involved in a controversy to close the church at Sugar Creek and have the parishioners attend the parish at West Point.
Diocese of Chicago
By 1851 Father Alleman was serving only St. Joseph's in Fort Madison. There appears to be little in the official records that tells us the reason for his leaving the Dubuque Diocese. However, Alleman was far from being the only priest to leave the diocese during the episcopate of Bishop Loras. He also saw himself as not belonging to a single place, but as a missionary and he was invited to serve in a new mission territory. One source said that he was invited by Chicago's first bishop, William QuarterWilliam Quarter
William J. Quarter was an Irish American prelate of the Roman Catholic Church. He was the first Bishop of Chicago .-Biography:...
. Quarter died before he moved, and Alleman is quoted as saying, “I told Bishop Van de Velde
James Oliver Van de Velde
James Oliver Van de Velde was a U.S. Catholic bishop born in Belgium. He served as the second Roman Catholic Bishop of Chicago between 1849 and 1853. He traveled to Rome in 1852 and petitioned the Pope for a transfer to a warmer climate, due to his health...
of Chicago (Quarter's successor) that I would help him in Rock Island
Rock Island, Illinois
Rock Island is the county seat of Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 40,884 at the 2010 census. Located on the Mississippi River, it is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring Moline, East Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities...
. He has promised to secure a German speaking priest for that area, and a new field of work will be a challenge…I do not mind leaving Fort Madison. St. Joseph’s is really developing with about 18,000 people. With the grace of God, Catholicity will grow and flourish. Illinois calls, so I must go.”
In May 1851 Alleman arrived in Rock Island, a town in western Illinois on the Mississippi River. There he established its first Catholic Church, St. James (now St. Mary’s Church). He would visit the Rock Island Arsenal
Rock Island Arsenal
The Rock Island Arsenal comprises , located on Arsenal Island, originally known as Rock Island, on the Mississippi River between the cities of Davenport, Iowa, and Rock Island, Illinois. It lies within the state of Illinois. The island was originally established as a government site in 1816, with...
once or twice a week and he would send food to the sick soldiers he had made friends with on the island. The cornerstone for the new church was laid in August 1851 and it took two years to build the church. He also built a school and rectory there. Records show that in 1851 there were 18 baptisms and four marriages at St. James. By 1856 the numbers swelled to 169 baptisms and 54 marriages. That year he received the Rev. John Donelson as his assistant. In 1857 the first Catholic Church in Moline
Moline, Illinois
Moline is a city located in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States, with a population of 45,792 in 2010. Moline is one of the Quad Cities, along with neighboring East Moline and Rock Island in Illinois and the cities of Davenport and Bettendorf in Iowa. The Quad Cities has a population of...
, named St. Anthony's, was established. He also organized churches in East Moline
East Moline, Illinois
East Moline is a city in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 20,333 at the 2000 census. East Moline is one of the five Quad Cities,, along with the cities of Rock Island, Moline, and the Iowa cities of Davenport and Bettendorf. The Quad Cities has a population of 379,690...
, Hampton
Hampton, Illinois
Hampton is a village in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,626 at the 2000 census.-History:The village was originally in territory claimed by the Sauk and Fox Indians, and several Woodland era Native mounds are located in the village limits, and in the adjacent...
, Coal Valley
Coal Valley, Illinois
The Village of Coal Valley is in both Rock Island County and Henry County in the U.S. state of Illinois. The population was 3,743 at the 2010 census, up from 3,606 at the 2000 census. It is mostly residential, housing families that work in or out of the greater Quad Cities Area...
, Rapid City, and Edgington
Edgington, Illinois
Edgington is an unincorporated community in Rock Island County, Illinois, United States. Edgington is located on Illinois Route 192 southwest of Andalusia. Edgington is home to Rockridge Junior High School and Rockridge Senior High School....
. He was also responsible for the church in Nauvoo, and its mission in Warsaw
Warsaw, Illinois
Warsaw is a city in Hancock County, Illinois, United States. The population was 1,793 at the 2000 census. The city is notable for its historic downtown and the Warsaw Brewery, which operated for more than 100 years beginning in 1861...
. He spent most of his first year assigned to Rock Island in Nauvoo, where he appears to have spent the winter of 1852. He traveled regularly to Fort Madison.
Later life & Death
The heavy work load and the constant traveling eventually took its toll on Alleman’s health. Toward the end of his time in Rock Island he was described as "a very peculiar man" who "lived a very secluded life and lived much to himself," which was not in character with the gregarious man of his younger days. He was assigned to the pastorate in CollinsvilleCollinsville, Illinois
Collinsville is a city located mainly in Madison County, and partially in St. Clair County, both in Illinois. As of the 2010 census, the city had a population of 26,016. Collinsville is approximately 12 miles from St. Louis, Missouri and is considered part of that city's Metro-East area...
in 1862, in the Diocese of Alton
Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Springfield in Illinois is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the south central Illinois region of the United States...
. Here he would be close to better healthcare facilities in St. Louis.
Both his physical and mental condition grew worse and 1863 he was admitted to St. Vincent's Sanatorium in St. Louis. He was diagnosed as having melancholia, now referred to as depression. Toward the end of his life he was received back into the Dominican Order. When he heard the news, he responded, "The special vocation of the Dominicans is teaching and defending the truths of the faith. They preach devotion to the Rosary
Rosary
The rosary or "garland of roses" is a traditional Catholic devotion. The term denotes the prayer beads used to count the series of prayers that make up the rosary...
. I have lived up to these ideals all my life. I was always a Dominican at heart."
Alleman died from apoplexy
Apoplexy
Apoplexy is a medical term, which can be used to describe 'bleeding' in a stroke . Without further specification, it is rather outdated in use. Today it is used only for specific conditions, such as pituitary apoplexy and ovarian apoplexy. In common speech, it is used non-medically to mean a state...
in the sanatorium on July 14, 1865 at the age of 60. He was buried in an unmarked grave in Calvary Cemetery
Bellefontaine and Calvary Cemeteries
Bellefontaine Cemetery and the Roman Catholic Calvary Cemetery in St. Louis, Missouri are adjacent burial grounds, which have numerous historic and extravagant tombstones and mausoleums. They are the necropolis for a number of prominent local and state politicians, as well as soldiers of the...
in St. Louis.
Legacy
Many Catholic parishes in the region credit their existence to the missionary labors of the priest. Those parishes formed the nucleus that would become in time the Diocese of PeoriaRoman Catholic Diocese of Peoria
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria is an ecclesiastical territory or diocese of the Roman Catholic Church in the central Illinois region of the United States.-Territory:...
in 1875 and the Diocese of Davenport
Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport
The Roman Catholic Diocese of Davenport is a diocese of the Catholic Church for the southeastern quarter of the state of Iowa. There are within the diocese...
in 1881. When Catholics in Rock Island County
Rock Island County, Illinois
Rock Island County is a county located in the U.S. state of Illinois. According to the 2010 census, it has a population of 147,546, which is a decrease of 1.2% from 149,374 in 2000. Its county seat is Rock Island...
established a new central high school in 1949 they named it Alleman
Alleman High School (Rock Island, Illinois)
Alleman Catholic High School is a private, Roman Catholic high school in Rock Island, Illinois. It is located in the Roman Catholic Diocese of Peoria.-School history:Alleman High School was established in 1949. It was named in honor of Rev...
, in his memory.