IMHOFF, Ferdinand Frederick

Other Events and Attributes:

• Military Service: 540th QM Group; HQ Lille France
• Nickname: Father Maurice
• _STAT: Never Married
• Name: Father Maurice Imhoff
• Occupation: Major, US Army
• Baptism: 24 Jan 1897, Saint Joseph Church
• School: 1914, St. Joseph's Church; Utica, Oneida County, New York
• Departure: 03 Sep 1919, New York, New York, USA; Traveled to Italy by way of France on White Star Line
• Resided: 06 Sep 1919, Utica, Oneida, New York USA; 1221 Erie Street Utica NY
• Occupation: 06 Sep 1919, Rensselaer County New York; Theological Student
• Ordained: 21 May 1921, St. John Lantern Basilica Rome Italy; Ordained by his Eminence Cardinal Basil Pomplif
• First Mass: 04 Sep 1921, St. Joseph's Church; Utica, Oneida County, New York
• Dwelling: 11 Apr 1930, St. Francis Convent, Syracuse New York
• Resided: 11 Apr 1930, Saint Francis Convent, Syracuse, Onondaga County, NY
• Military Service: 17 Mar 1943, European Theater; Army
• Military Service: 31 Mar 1943; Entered service (Army)
• Military Service: 20 May 1946; Released from active duty
• Jubilee: 25 May 1946, St. Joseph's Church; Utica, Oneida County, New York; Jubilee Mass
• Resided: Nov 1981, St. Anthony on the Hudson Capital Seminary

Notes:

1930 Census Indicates that Mother was born in Germany.

Baptism:
Godparents were Ferdinand and Ellen Geus. Baptised by P. Alexis Rossbauer, OMC.

First Mass:
From the Utica Morning Telegraph, Sunday Morning, September 4, Page Unknown, Column 4.

Just Ordained Father Imhoff greets Parish. Utica Boy Celebrates First High Mass at St Joseph's. In a congregation including friends and relatives in St. Joseph's church yesterday morning Rev. Maurice Imhoff son of Mr. and Mrs. Joseph and all 1221 Erie Ave. celebrated his first Solemn high mass since being ordained into the priesthood.
By his request the sermon on the occasion was preached by Rev. Albert Ragensburger or DD of Syracuse who is well known among Germans of this city and who induced the local young man to enter the Franciscan brotherhood and study for the priesthood, securing his admission into college at Trenton, New Jersey. Having returned from a tour through Germany, the Utica priest, who is now to be known as father Maurice, declared that the German people now feel very friendly to the Americans. “I was given very fine treatment in my trip through that country,” said father Maurice yesterday. “The people are poor and are now faced very high taxes.” He arrived in this country a week ago on the George Washington and after brief visit to Rensealaer came to the city having been at home here since last Tuesday. Father Maurice has been assigned as teacher in the Mt. St. Francis College in Indiana. He has been a student in the Franciscan college at Rome Italy the past two years being ordained into the priesthood on May 21. Although having previous opportunity to begin his duties, father Maurice elected to wait until his return home and officiate at solemn high mass for the first time in his own boyhood parish of the St. Joseph Church. Maurice Imhoff, now Father Maurice, left Utica in 1911 to take up his studies for priesthood. For two years he attended the Franciscan college at Trenton New Jersey. The following year he studied at Franciscan College at Syracuse and later at the college of the same brotherhood in Rensealaer. He left America in September 1919 and went to Rome Italy where he studied two years. He left Rome on August 5 taking a trip through Germany before settling for home

From the Utica Morning Telegram, Monday, September 5th.
Reverend Father Maurice Celebrates first mass. Religious Pomp Marks service. St. Joseph’s Church Thronged for elaborate Ceremony to new Priest. Knights of St. George Present. Military Aspect from full dress uniforms and 65 Acolytes carry candles. Amid great pomp and splendor Rev. father Morrison Imhoff, O.M.C, sang his first solemn high mass at St. Joseph's church yesterday morning after having been ordained priest by his Eminence Cardinal Basil Pompilf May 21 in the Basilica of St. John Latern in Rome Italy. Father Imhoff was assisted by father Edward Burkhardt as Deacon and father Victor Walters as sub-deacon Rev. Father Peter {Name not legible} of St. Elizabeth Hospital performed the duties of archpriest. Father Albert of Syracuse was the master of ceremonies and preached the sermon. The altar was beautifully decorated with white roses and was lighted by many electric lights. Acolytes numbering 65 were dressed in black and red cassocks with white surplices. Many of them carried candles during the service. The Knights of St. George in full dress uniform with drawn swords gave the mass a military aspect. A feature of the service was unusually fine musical program under the direction of the church organist, Thomas E. Ryan. Fisher's mass was sung. The soloist of the mass were as follows Sopranos Ms. Helen G. Kelley, Ms. Irene Baechle and Ms. Margaret Flynn. Contralto, {Name not legible}. Tenors, Frank J Weimer and Harry R Gosling. Bass {Name not legible} and T Edward Russell. At the offertory of the mass Maria was sung by a trio comprised of {Name not legible}, Ms. Irene Baechle and Frank J Weimer. The organ of the church, recently remodeled and improved at large expense, was used for the first time. A specially fitted newly installed chime supplement to the organ was also used. The eloquent sermon was preached by father Albert of Syracuse's, his topic being: “let a man so account of us as the minister of Christ and stewards of the mysteries of God.” A child of our dear St. Joseph's parish, a newly ordained priest, and freshly graduated Master of sacred ecology, today offers up his first holy and solemn sacrifice of the mass in praise and thanksgiving to almighty god.” “He offers it up in the very church in which he was baptized, whose parochial school he attended, in whose altars he served, received his first holy Communion and was confirmed; yes, in the church in which the Lord gave him his double vocation, religion and the holy priesthood”, said the speaker. He made references to the duties of the priest as an ambassador of Christ to his people saying, “in the priest meet the sacrifice and {not legible} of mankind with the grace and blessing of God, for the priest is the ambassador of man, representing man with God and the ambassador of God to man. He asked the people to pray that the priest celebrate his last mass in the same spirit and with the same holy faith as his first. The church was crowded, every seat taken by the friends of the newly ordained Priest. During the course of the mass, souvenir cards were given to the parishioners to commemorate the first solemn high mass of the young priest. Father Imhoff gave Communion to his parents Mr. and Mrs. Joseph Imhoff of 121 Erie St. and other relatives. At the end of the mass a solemn procession marched down the main isle of the church to the rectory next door, led by the Knights of St. George marching in column followed by the 65 altar boys. Followed by the priest of the parish and the visiting clergyman. In the procession were Mr. Walter M. Imhoff and Ms. Ruth Caldwell nephew and cousin of the newly ordained priest. The boy carried a large bouquet of lilies and the girl a wreath. Solemn vespers were sung yesterday afternoon with Father Imhoff as celebrant. Father Maurice Imhoff arrived in this country but a few days ago on the United States mail steamship George Washington after a tour of Germany. He was born in Utica January 10, 1897 and lived here until he was 14 years old. He was a member at St. Joseph's Church at the time he left home to study at the Franciscan college of St. Francis at Trenton New Jersey after which he studied for one year the Franciscan college in Syracuse and then for five years at the seminary of St. Anthony on the Hudson where he completed his course in philosophy and studied two years of theology. He completed this course in Rome Italy where he took the degree of Dr. of Theology. He was ordained May 22. Father Imhoff will leave soon for Indiana where he will teach at a college.



Military Service:
Served (2) years in the European theater with the 71st Division of the Third Army. He was in England, France, Holland, Belgium, Luxembourg and Germany. He attained the rank of Major. (Maj M.F. Imhoff). Left service on May 20, 1946.

Family/Spouse: Unknown. [Group Sheet] [Family Chart]