This building served as the church from 1842 until 1898. The German-speaking congregation's first resident pastor was Fr. Joseph Gallinger (1842-1847). After the building of our present-day church, the original building served for many years as the school gymnasium. Oddly, in an unrelated aside, note the billboard in the lower right corner. An enhancement, via Photoshop, of the announcement shows that it is advertising the arrival of Lew Dockstader's troupe, which was the last major minstrel company in America and the group that Al Jolson was later in and where Jolson first sang his famous "Mammy" and perfected his 'blackface' act.

Father Magnus Eppink was indicative of the type of pastor that St. Nicholas Parish has been lucky to have through the years. An editorial in the local newspaper on July 29, 1884 paid tribute to Father Eppink as follows: "When the dreaded scourge, smallpox, appeared in St. Nicholas congregation and threatened to devastate not only it, but the entire city, when the people were panic stricken and fleeing from the disease, Father Eppink was in the midst of every family, encouraging the dying and consoling the living, doing his duty with the simple heroism greater than many deeds praised by generation after generation." Unfortunately, this is the only photo we have of Father Eppink.

After the ceremonies were over in the church, the various societies of both St. Nicholas and St. Thomas congregations formed in line and marched to the city of the dead. There was no music--no band--as it had been the express wish of the dead priest that there should be no such display. Simple and unaffected in life, so too his burial should be characterized.

At the cemetery the last rite of the Church was performed, the coffin lowered in the grave and there lies all that remains of good Father Epppink. Peace, and Heaven's reward be to him forever."

The late Zanesville historian Norris F.Schneider wrote this undated article entitled The St. Nicholas Parochial School opened in Zanesville in 1842. The article appears to have been written in the early 1980's and is accompanied by this photo. The caption for the photo reads Sister Rose Anthony,principal of St. Nicholas grade school, is shown in front of the school with some of her students. (left to right) Theresa Nader, Marta Gribbeen, Tom Beachem and Dennis Nash.