In the year 1814, a Catholic man of German descent, Mr. John Miller (Muller), staked a government claim nearby and began building his two-story log-house, in which he dedicated one room as a chapel. The Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered here once a year, and so this log room is known as the first place of Catholic worship in Harrison County.
In 1849, the first frame church was built. In 1852 , St. Mary's Lanesville received its first resident pastor, Father Aegidius Moschall, and immigrant from Alsace, France, who also built the first rectory.
On April 16, 1859, this article was printed in the Louisville Guardian newspaper: "NEW CHURCH AT LANESVILLE INDIANA- On Sunday the 27th of March, the cornerstone of a new church in Lanesville, Indiana, was solemnly blessed and laid in the foundation by the Rev. Alphonse Munschina."
St. Mary's Lanesville has continued to grow since that time. Like the original German settlers, its parishioners are just as determined to hold sacred and dear their Catholic Church on the hill which, after 162 years of service to our Lord, continues to be a beacon of His light to the surrounding area and its inhabitants. Since its inception, St. Mary's has produced, from it parishioners, seven ordained Priests, twenty-four Sisters, and one Brother. Most importantly, St Mary's Catholic Church in Lanesville, Indiana, remains a strong and devoted community of believers in the Lord Jesus Christ and His Holy Church.
