As the feast of our patroness nears, one of the images of Mary being assumed can be found in the Centennial Monument (it is dated 1820 – 1920) just outside the basilica. Above, a picture after the monument had been erected at what we figure was a ceremony to bless the monument, acknowledge the gift of the Thimmes family, and perhaps a short Marian presentation of some kind and devotion.
The plaque on the front reads:
CENTENNIAL
St. Mary’s Church
1820 – 1920
First Mass: 1817
Lancaster, Ohio
On the rear side of the memorial is inscribed:
Donated by Mr. And Mrs. Chris. Thimmes
In Memory of their Children
Mary Magdalene and Earl Francis
** The Thimmes children died in 1818 from Influenza within days of one another at Camp Sherman. Earl became ill first, his sister went to nurse him. He died and then two days later she passed.
We have the text of an article from the local paper and the year 1919 but no date could be found:
Imposing Monument
To Be Erected in St. Mary’s Church Yard in Honor of the One Hundredth
Anniversary of the First Mass Said in Lancaster – One Parishioner authorizes Father Mattingly to Order Same to Cost $5,000.
Though the generosity and christian spirit of one of his parishioners Rev. Father J. B. Mattingly has just been enabled to close a contract for a $5,000 monument with the monumental firm of Danison Brothers, which is to be erected in the south-west corner of St. Marys church yard, on South High Street, in honor of the one hundredth anniversary of the first mass said in Lancaster.
The monument is to be of rare Barre granite, and will stand 15 feet and ten inches high.
On the High street side of the monument will be a figure sculptured in fine Italian marble / standing five feet high.
The combined weight of the monument will aggregate over twenty tons.
Nothing but the best of workmanship of noted artists will appear on the monument which will be erected about September 1st this year.
This is one of the best monuments of the kind ever sold by the Danison Brothers monumental works and when erected will present a most pleasing appearance…
