St. John was founded in 1882 by a group of dedicated German, Luxembourg and Irish
Catholics. Tired of traveling by horse and buggy to New Trier and Coates to attend Mass,
they decided to build a church of their own. In spite of being told no by the pastor in New Trier,
they went ahead with the project. Their stubbornness paid off, and the parish has flourished
for more than 125 years
In 1913, the cornerstone of the present church was laid in the presence of more than 2,000
people—including Fr. Antony Kaesen, one of the remarkable figures in the history of Vermillion.
He led the community until his death in 1965 at the age of 90.
The magnificent stained-glass windows, framed by grand arches, were designed by a German
artist, R.T. Giles, and painted by his wife.
