The foundation was completed in 1866, and the cornerstone was laid in October. The Rev. John Hennessy, O. S. B., who later was archbishop of Dubuque, and one of the most eloquent orators of the church, delivered the dedication sermon. To obtain brick for the church walls, Father Augustine bought expensive machinery, and, under the supervision of the late Peter Bless, started a brickyard in East Atchison, but the undertaking proved a failure, as the bricks were not serviceable for the church. Instead of using them in the construction of the church they were used to build several cottages and store buildings in the immediate neighborhood and, later on, when suitable bricks were obtained, the work on the church was continued, and by the summer of 1868 the walls were finished to the window sills. Father Augustine resigned June 18, 1868, and went to Minnesota, and subsequently died while pastor at Melrose in that State, December 19, 1901, at the age of seventy-three years. He was succeeded by the Very Rev. Louis Mary Fink, O. S. B., July, 1868, and it was during his pastorate that the church was solemnly dedicated Trinity Sunday, 1869, but it was not completed at that time, and, in fact was not completed for many years thereafter. The church is built in Roman style and is 152 feet long and fifty-six feet wide. Father Louis was succeeded by the Very Rev. Giles Christoph, O. S. B., who was appointed prior in July, 1871. In January, 1875, Very Rev. Ouswald Moosemueller, O. S. B., became prior. Under his direction the church flourished and he is particularly remembered for his exertions in founding and building up a good library for the church and school. The members of the church had grown sufficiently large, so that the priory was promoted to an abbey April 7, 1877, and on September 29 of that year Rev. Innocent Wolf, O. S. B., was elected abbot, and still retains his place (1916), loved by all. Rev. Innocent Wolf’s election as abbot was celebrated with appropriate ceremonies, and the Very Rev. Boniface Verheyen, O. S. B., was appointed pastor, and at that time the status of the house was as follows: Rt. Rev. Innocent Wolf, O. S. B., abbot; Very Rev. Boniface Verheyen, O. S. B., prior; Very Rev. Pirmin Kaumly, O. S. B., prior of St. Benedict’s; Rev. Augustine Wirth, O. S. B., Emanuel Horlig, O. S. B., Rev. Timothy Luber, O. S. B., Rev. Peter Kassens, O. S. B., Rev. Eugene Bode, O. S. B., Rev. Adolph Wesseling, O. S. B., Rev. Ferdinand Wolf, O S. B., Rev. Winfried Schmidt, O. S. B., Rev. John Steoder, O. S. B.; and Rev. Matthew Bradley, O. S. B. Besides these there were four priests from St. Vincent’s, Pa., who acted as assistants, whose names were Rev. Ambrose Huebner, O. S. B., Rev. Casimir Elsesser, O. S. B., Rev. Theodore Schmitt, O. S. B., and Rev. Anslem Soehuler, O. S. B. There were seven clerics, ten lay brothers, five candidates and ten scholastics. Rev. Charles Stoekle, O. S. B., succeeded Father Adolph as pastor of St.