Brummer, Father John W., Miltonsburg, Ohio, to Archbishop John Baptist Purcell, of Cincinnati, Ohio, 1859 November 15

Brummer has a letter from S. Burkard that Purcell sent to him. The writer, his brother, and his deceased parents never paid on the building of St. Joseph's Church, school, or anything else, nor helped in any way. Therefor the people would not allow them to bury their parents there. In Miltonsburg, the father and brothers paid a little and for this they claimed the right to be buried there. Brummer rode 20 miles from Duckcreek and from Miltonsburg once to give the mother the last sacraments. He fasted until about ten o'clock and then commenced the funeral services although they were not there. They came after Mass, between eleven and twelve o'clock, and he preached, performed the usual funeral service and took $2 from the son. Brummer asks Purcell what he would have done under these circumstances and what must be done in the future. Brummer was called to give the sacraments to an old dying man in Miltonsburg. He could not leave the people in Duckcreek without Mass on Sunday to bury the old man. The boy that Burkard writes about was never sent to school in spite of Brummer's entreaties, and he was killed the next day. Brummer would not break his appointments in preparing the children of Duckcreek for Holy Communion to ride 12 miles and bury such a child. Brummer says he could not support himself but for the help of Duckcreek. Miltonsburg expects him to give $5 for the Church for every $1 they give him. He owes Krentzburg and Nurre some $50 for altar things for Miltonsburg, for three or four months board, $20 for a doctor whom he sent to a poor family in Duckcreek, and every teacher must be paid. Brummer will spend some weeks this winter in Archers. He has married one of S. Archer's grandchildren to an unbaptized girl with the necessary promises. Father John Jacquet has received Purcell's letter and is coming to Cincinnati next month. Brummer will send Purcell the $15.29 he got at Duckcreek for the Roman College. He asks that Father Augustus Berger come to Miltonsburg and Wills Creek if possible. There is a teacher at Wills Creek called Martin Draiss who has studied for the priesthood and was refused admittance to Bishop Martin Henni's seminary because of some oddities. He has cured these faults and Brummer has had him teaching at Zanesville and Wills Creek. He is very capable. He had a misunderstanding in the Mission at Wills Creek with the pastor but Brummer believes this was unavoidable. He has also drunk too much on occasions and has been impractical at times but Brummer believes he will do his work. He is between 35 and 40 years old and would be suited for the missions. Brummer asks if Purcell wishes him to apply to Bishop Luer for him. Brummer says he is in no immediate need for money. :: II-4-o A.L.S. 4pp. 8vo.