History update needed; see earlier efforts

There is an urgent need to update the history of St. Paul Parish in time for the 100th anniversary on October 12, 2019. There are four history files in PDF format available for reading or download in our file storage space.

Unfortunately many of the historic documents and photos are missing or have been lost. There is, for instance, no list we can find of the charter members although we have heard that some sort of a book of minutes was kept.

The last and most extensive history was compiled by Tom DeKemper in Winter, 1987 so some of the events at the end of the pastorate of the Rev. Fr. Thomas Koegel are not included and there is nothing during the period when the Rev. Fr. John M. Jenkins was pastor.

DeKemper is the son of school secretary Mary Ann DeKemper. His history is 50 pages including four pages of footnotes and a cover page. It is available only at the Akron-Summit County Public Library. (Main Library Special Collections Call No. GLH 278.771 D327h )

DeKemper checked original sources in the archives of the Diocese of Cleveland and the Akron Beacon Journal for his scholarly work which the average reader might find too detailed and lengthy. He gives much space to the Fr. Thomas Koegel years, perhaps because he was then a student at St. Paul.

An easier read on the early history is a 1926 history originally published in a program for the dedication of St. Paul School.

See 1926 history

Probably the best for the average reader is the 1980 history published in a pictorial directory during the pastorate of Fr. Koegel. It contains two photos of the Solemn High Military Mass celebrated on Memorial Day 1921 and lists of associates and nuns who served the parish. There are also lists of heads of organizations. The history section is available from our file storage space

See 1980 history

An updated list of associate pastors is available from our storage space

See Associates

An undated history printed on front and back of a single blue 8 ½ X 11 sheet gives some detail of the 1960s.

See 2-page history


You also might want to check the St. Paul TODAY photo history section.

See photo history.