History of Saints Peter and Paul

The first settlers, mostly Slovak Catholic  immigrants, arrived in the area about 1909.  The first Mass in Moquah,  located about 10 miles west of Ashland, was celebrated in the home of  Joseph Hovanecz.  In 1913, Bishop Joseph M. Koudelka visited the  settlement and made it a mission of Iron River, directing Fr. Vaclav  Kolman to build a church there.  The James W. Good Co. donated land,  Soctt & Taylor Co. donated lumber, and church members provided the  labor.  Cost of the church was about $500.  Bishop Koudelka dedicated  the church in May 1915.  The first priest to celebrate Mass in the new  church was Fr. Wenceslaus Kolman.  During the 1930s plans were made to  build a rectory.  Adjacent property was purchased and church  members donated the labor.  Cost of the rectory was about $5,000.  Fr.  Joseph Husnik, the first priest to occupy the new rectory, arrived on  September 1, 1938.  Moquah was no longer a mission of Iron River, but a  mission on its own at Dauby.  On June 15, 1948, Benedictine Fr. Florian  Herides was appointed administrator of Moquah and Dauby.  In 1952, St.  Florian Church in Ino was added as a mission to Moquah.  One of the  first organizations at the church was the First Catholic Slovak Jednota  (union) branch 610.  Ss. Peter and Paul Church has had four sons  ordained priests, four daughters profess religious vows, and one son  profess vows as a religious brother.