Making St . Mary ’ s
by Katherine Hess
Back in 1900 , Margaret Koett of Ottumwa , Iowa became engaged to Louis Lambert Hess , originally from Burlington , Iowa . In 1873 at the age of 16 , Louis , fondly known as L . L . Hess , had followed his brothers John J . and Charles W . to Marathon , Texas . L . L . joined his brother J . J . in the mercantile business , for the Hess family had had a shop in Burlington . He and Margaret were both 33 years old at the time and both were devout Catholics .
Margaret informed L . L . that she would not move to Marathon unless there was a Catholic church in town . The year was 1900 and mail order houses and churches could be ordered and delivered by train . Looking for a way to get a church in a timely manner , since this marriage request was vital to their move , he turned to one of the providers who sold church kits . The kit arrived by train in pieces with a thick instruction booklet that had construction details . L . L .’ s older brother , along with local Catholics , many of whom were of Mexican heritage , began the assembly . In order to save on costs , L . L . did not order bricks for the siding , for it was decided that the outer walls would be adobe , a muchused housing material in early West Texas . Thus St . Mary ’ s became one of the several White Churches scattered throughout the country .
L . L . paid for the church , and it is said that he and his family lived in the back of the store for three years before later being in sufficient financial shape to buy a local home in Marathon . The church became St . Mary ’ s Parish , and eventually a residence was built on the back of it for a local priest to reside .
The church has been lovingly maintained throughout the years . Original pews were made locally and different interior furniture and sacred objects were ordered . In the 1960 ’ s a resident artist , Maisie Lee , was commissioned to carve new doors for the church . Maisie had immigrated to the United States from Australia with her family as a young girl , and had originally settled with them at Hot Springs in what is now Big Bend National Park . Always of an artistic bent , she decorated the interior of the guest houses at the health spa with folkloric murals there , which can still be seen . At the same time that Maisie carved the doors for the Catholic church , she also provided doors for the Methodist and Baptist churches down the street . The Sacred Heart and Virgin Mary were chosen for the relief on the doors . In the 1990 ’ s , replacement pews were ordered from a supplier and a new crucifix was bought to adorn the back wall . Recently , paneling on the left side interior had to be removed while a water leak was repaired . The exposed adobe was visible for several months . At the same time , the church exterior was refurbished with a new coat of paint .
St . Mary ’ s is now a mission church within Our Lady Queen of Peace in Alpine , the primary headquarters for Marathon , Marfa and Valentine . The Parish is currently blessed to have three priests serving the four communities . �
Cenizo Spring 202211