in 1833, Bishop J.B. Purcell visited St. Alphonsus and finding the great devotion and dedication of the people, decided the parish was large enough to support a pastor. He in turn sent the Redemptorist Order to take charge. Because there was no house for the priest, the “hermitess” offered her hut until she could fire the people into erecting a suitable abode for him. (9)
Francesca Bauer's zeal for her faith and her desire to have a parish at the settlement was unmatched. She stirred the people into action many times and at one time she owned a total of 112 acres of land. (10) Her actions and motivations were not always appreciated, nevertheless, her “meddling” was probably one of the most important factors in the building of St. Alphonsus Parish. She must have been “quite a woman”.