There was once a stop along a dirt and usually muddy road in Breckinridge County called Jolly Station. It was composed of a general store, a post office, two houses, and remained virtually unchanged for many years. Jolly Station changed to McQuady when Mrs. Lillie McQuady became the postmistress in 1891. The land near McQuady was poor for most crops and virtually inaccessible, especially in the winter. The inhabitants were very poor and uneducated. Most people lived on small farms raising chickens, hogs, and a few cows. Tobacco was the only cash crop but it was very difficult to get it to market. Then, in 1909 everything changed. A doctor, a lawyer, a business leader, a carpenter, an engineer, a brick mason, and a priest moved to McQuady. They were all in one very big man: Father John Francis Knue!
Fr. Knue had the heart of a Mother Theresa, the mind of a John F. Kennedy, the business knowledge of a Bill Gates, and the physical strength of Samson. He stood about six foot five and his 250+ pounds were all muscle. Only God would send a Father Knue to McQuady!
After arriving in McQuady he convinced the twelve Catholic families that they needed a church. He purchased the land for one dollar, found a sandstone ledge for a rock quarry near the property, and proceeded to move the rock to the church area. The men of the parish helped him cut the rock and build the church for less than $100! One of the last challenges in building the church was raising the bell in the bell tower. Fr. Knue had a massive physique, perfectly proportioned with powerful shoulders and arms. Father gently lifted the bell off its scantlings so the workman could adjust the fittings. The bell weighed 1,150 pounds! Fr. Knue found ways to involve everyone in building the church. Everyone in the first Communion class was asked to raise a pig, sell it, and give the money for the purchase of the Communion rail. Fr. also got the ladies of the parish to donate the eggs to the church that their chickens laid on Sundays.
The interior of the church is now almost 100 years old and one of simple beauty that draws one to quiet prayer. The stone church stands today as a striking accomplishment of what a few men can do when working for the Lord. After finishing the church Fr. Knue had a telephone line installed between McQuady and Balltown, started a flour mill, and organized one of the first cooperative farmers’ organizations in Breckinridge County. When an unexpected church bill arrived Fr. Knue called a meeting of the altar society and asked every member to give him two fat hens. He sold them and paid the bill. Fr. Knue began to teach the men how to farm. When one man told him that he should practice what he preached, he leased a farm and showed them how to make a profit with the endeavor.
Fr. Knue soon became the financial advisor for everyone in the area. About this time a male parishioner became ill with pneumonia. Fr. Knue went to his house, bathed him in whiskey, and sat with him until his temperature returned to normal. On another occasion he visited a non-Catholic family and found the parents sick with the flu. He cared for the children, washed the dirty diapers, and hung them out to dry. Later he returned and brought in the wash. A call came in one day that a baby was choking to death. Fr. Knue raced to the home, grabbed the baby by its feet, and holding it aloft pounded the baby on the back until an orange seed popped out! Looking for ways to make money Fr. Knue discovered that the land was good for raising cucumbers. He enticed a businessman from Louisville to come to McQuady, organized the local farmers, and sold the businessman on raising the cucumbers. It is documented that one farmer, Henry Payne, made $980 selling the cucumbers that year.
By 1920 the parish had grown to 125 families registered and actively serving in every way to keep up with the pace Father set. In 1922 Fr. Knue completed a Catholic school that opened with close to 100 students. He designed and personally built most of the building. Fr. Knue and the community decided to build a brick sidewalk from the Catholic Church to the railroad station. The sidewalk was to pass in front of a Baptist church. He learned that the Baptist Church was having a special service the next day so he worked by lantern light throughout the night to complete the sidewalk in time for the Baptist celebration.
The dirt roads were so rutted in McQuady that they were almost impassible. Fr. complained to the county officials to no avail. Finding an old rusted road grader, he purchased it, fixed it up, and began grading the roads. The roads quickly became level and 30 feet wide, better than most of the county. Father had one of the first cars in the area. One day he was caught speeding and given a $20 ticket. He handed the officer $40 and said: “I will be coming back through here again in a short while.”
He obtained a contract with a Pittsburgh Father John Francis Knue company to buy turkeys. The next two years the local farmers raised enough turkeys to fill two train boxcars with turkeys. Noticing that most of the parishioners wore worn-out shoes, Fr. Knue obtained a contract with a shoe repair service in Beech Grove, Indiana. He gathered up the shoes every winter and sent them to be repaired. The reconditioned shoes always returned in time for the next growing season.
Fr. Knue also helped to start a local baseball team and became the umpire. Once a young man was using abusive language behind the catcher. Fr. walked over to the man, picked up the young man by the collar and the seat of his pants, and threw him over the fence. Then he called: “Play Ball.”
Fr. Knue spent about sixteen years in McQuady, (from January 1909 to November 1924) before he was sent to a large parish in Louisville. He brought education, prosperity, a school, a church, and a new excitement to the McQuady area. During his years there he increased the parish roll from about 12 families to more than 125 active families. Fr. Knue was also a good homilist but it was overshadowed by his ability to solve the temporal needs of the people. Being a priest in the early 20th century was always a challenge. But Father John Francis Knue certainly rose to the occasion. No wonder that his name has not been forgotten almost a century after he left McQuady. St. Mary of the Woods Catholic Church at McQuady has remained a strong and viable parish since the era of Fr. Knue. The parish members are proud of their heritage.
Note: Most of the stories in this article were taken from the book entitled: “Fr. Knue” by Sr. Mary Conrad Mellon OSU.