Our Lady of Mount Carmel Catholic Church Balta, North Dakota

Information provided by Monica (Sand) Grove Rugby, North Dakota

No information was included on the stain glass windows in the church. Based on what I was told by my mother, Clara Vetsch Sand, the Parishioners paid for the windows and the name on the bottom of the window was the person or persons that donated it. I had taken pictures inside of the church and the two stained glass windows in the choir loft, because one furnished by Paul A. Sand, Organist is my dad. The one right beside it listed Choir 1921.

Assuming that is the year that all the windows in the church were installed.

As I live only 15 miles from Balta, I seceded to drive down and looked at all the windows and listed the names as well.

A window in the wall that leads to the choir loft has the insert of Junglenge und Jungefrauen (German for Young boy and young girl-unmarried).

There are tow windows on each side of the main altar-which the church faces west-on the south west side the name Maria Ann. Then on the south west side name John Reinbold.

In the main part of the church on the north side- starting west end to east end the following windows had these names on them: Ferdinand Und Pauline Heilman; Sebastian Und Juliana Schaan; Mathias Und Stephonia Schaan; Michael Und Eva Schaan; Clemens Und Catherine Gross; Adam Zacher – Francis Gebhardt. In the Confessional: FX Und Philipina Goetz.

Main Part on the south side starting from the east end: Rochus Und Agnes Eisenzimmer; Der Christicher Mutter Verein (The Christian Mothers Association or club); Valentine Und Rosa Schaan; John Und Francis Job; William und Elenore Schaan; Jacob Und Mariana Schmaltz.

To some of the families’ ancestors this may be impertinent if they should review the history which is very interesting and worth while the time to review. Much of it had been told to me by my mother, but I still found it very interesting and had forgotten some till I read thru this, and much other parts the detail of it, I wasn’t aware of. It reminds one that when you are given certain information it would be best to document it, for further reference. After all our minds are not computers.

The history may be of more interest to me because my Grandfather Peter Vetsch and my Dad, Paul A. Sand, were so involved and I knew Msgr. Boniface Steutz very well.