History of Council #815

Having the distinction of being the oldest Council in the state, the Marquette Council was chartered on October 22, 1903. On that day, prior to the degree work, Father W. Nolan celebrated a High Mass at St. Michael's pro-Cathedral and the first group of forty-seven (47) members were initiated into the 1st and 2nd degrees the following Sunday on October 25th, by members of the Epiphany Council from Sioux City. The 3rd degree work was completed by the National Organizer, Mr. Donahue from Chicago and the 3rd degree team then went on to Huron and Aberdeen to perform the degree work. The first installed officers included Grand Knight, Michael Gerin, Deputy Grand Knight, Joseph Frederick and Chaplin, Father W. V. Nolan.

John Bowler of our Council served as the first State Deputy from 1905 to 1909 and later was named to the Supreme Council Board of Directors. Leo Craig was also named to the Supreme Council Board and later became the Supreme Director of Insurance.

Our Council has a long, rich history of involvement in a wide variety of projects in the Diocese and the state.

• One of the first historic projects that involved our Council was in helping to make Bishop O'Gorman's dream of a Catholic College in our state come true. Joining with other Councils in the state, the dream was realized when the college opened their doors in Chamberlain.
• In 1913, plans were underway for St. Joseph's Cathedral in Sioux Falls which included a Cathedral and an adjoining school. Our Council donated land to the Diocese that was adjacent to the 'pro-Cathedral, and the Cathedral School was built.
• In 1914, the Council started the Cathedral Cadets, which later became the first Boy Scout Troop (Troop 45) in Sioux Falls.
• The Marquette Assembly (4th degree) was chartered in 1917 and their first Honor Guard engagement was for Bishop O'Gorman.
• During World War I, the Council was busy raising funds to help fund Chaplains and KofC Service Centers for soldiers overseas.
• In 1931, the Council started the first Columbian Squire Circle in the state. Although no longer active, it was one of the oldest groups of its kind in the country. This youth group thrived for over 40 years and its works were gradually interwoven into the activities of the O'Gorman Junior and Senior High Schools in the 1970's.
• A pre-Lenten Mardi Gras annual event begun in 1935 under the leadership of Fr. Don Liepold soon became the social event of the year in Sioux Falls, attracting several thousands of individuals annually with proceeds supporting a variety of charities.
• The Council became active in the founding of The Presentation Children's Home, a Catholic orphanage, in Sioux Falls. Dr. W. E. Donahoe started the medical infirmary; members built cabinets, hosted an annual Christmas party and even supplied barber skills by cutting hair for the children.
• In 1957, the Council donated the use of the large home just south of the Council Hall, which was used by the Diocese as the home for the Catholic Charities for almost twenty years. Bishop Hoch was quoted as saying that the usage of the home helped put Catholic Charities 10 years ahead of schedule in Sioux Falls.
  The Council has long been involved in showing its patriotism.
• During World War I and World War II, we opened our Hall doors to the servicemen stationed at the air base as a place to meet with their visiting families as well as a place to sleep and take showers when they passed through the area. Many social events were held at the Hall for service members during those years.
• Years later, Cletus Natz, past Grand Knight and past State Deputy led the Council in successfully persuading Congress to approve adding the words ‘under God' to the Pledge of Allegiance.
• Our Council's membership grew steadily during the 1940s and the 1950s. During the war, many of the Air Force personnel joined, including a class of over 50 men that was entirely composed of Air Force personnel. Shortly after the war, a large reception room was added to the Hall, which helped accommodate members from Sioux Falls and the smaller surrounding communities that did not have their own councils. Later, these men from outside communities would become the building blocks of the Councils that have been developed in those same communities and parishes.

Supporting our Bishops is important to us and in 1945 the Bishop's Burse fund drive began as an annual event and later was adopted by the State Council as a statewide activity.

When the Cathedral High School in the late 1940s was in danger of disbanding their athletic programs, our Council began furnishing the work force to save and then maintain the Cathedral High School Athletic Association. Fifteen years later, we become a key part of the push to get parochial schools accepted into the South Dakota High School Activities Association. Two attempts were necessary to get the state legislatures to pass the ruling. During this same time we started our annual "Coaches Roast" for the area football coaches. This hugely popular event is now in its 57th year.

There have been times that our Council took the initiative and stepped forward to fulfill a need in our churches or our communities. Though the "Our Father" prayer was available in graphic form, and in sign language, we established a project to include the "Hail Mary" and the "Glory Be". We sponsored the development and printing of the cards, and also created our own network to distribute them nation wide.

As our Council's centennial, as well as the state's centennial approaches, we continue to meet the needs of our Church, our community and our members. Our on-going projects must undergo periodic evaluation and prioritization. During the recent 2002 - 2003 fiscal year, we successfully fostered 35 council projects. We are proud of our talented group of members that, along with the support of their families, have made the past year a huge success! Our council serves the parishes of St. Joseph's, Holy Spirit, Christ the King and St. Mary's, but our membership is comprised of men from some 12 parishes around the surrounding area. These members have laid the groundwork, and have the conviction to make Marquette Council as successful in its second century as it has been in its first.