About St. Joseph · Tiff, Missouri
St. Joseph Parish was a small rural Catholic mission in the hamlet of Tiff, in the Barytes mining country of Washington County, Missouri, in the Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Louis. The community grew up around John Campbell's South East Missouri Barytes Company at the turn of the 20th century, and the first church — a simple wood-frame structure — was dedicated to St. Joseph on June 10, 1905. St. Joseph was raised from a mission of St. Joachim, Old Mines to its own parish in May 1923 with Father John H. Cook as first pastor, and the current stone church was built by Father Cook in 1936 after a Lenten fire destroyed the original. After 2023, St. Joseph Tiff was subsumed into St. Joachim Parish in Old Mines and is served as the St. Joseph Chapel from Old Mines.
- Established
- 1905
- Patron
- St. Joseph
- Rector
- Rev. Anthony Dattilo (Pastor of St. Joachim Parish, Old Mines, which now includes St. Joseph Chapel, Tiff)
- Diocese
- Metropolitan Archdiocese of Saint Louis
Why belong here
St. Joseph Tiff is a small, historic country parish with deep roots in the Barytes mining community of Washington County, faithfully served by families for over a century. Today it is cared for together with St. Joachim Old Mines, St. Stephen Richwoods, and St. James Potosi, so visitors and parishioners join a tight-knit, multi-site Catholic family that gathers for Mass on the Third Saturday evening at 6:30 p.m. at the St. Joseph Chapel in Tiff. It is a place where the legacy of the early French Catholic settlers and mining families is still lived out in worship, music, and quiet country devotion.
Mass times at St. Joseph
Weekly Mass schedule
Confession times
- Saturday 3:00 PM – 3:45 PM (2nd and 4th Saturday) at St. Joachim Church
- By appointment — please call the parish office first
Adoration times
- First Friday 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM at St. Joachim Church
History of St. Joseph Parish, Tiff
The mission at Tiff grew out of the Barytes mining boom of the early 1900s. Father Luke Kernan, pastor of St. Joachim Old Mines, first said Mass in the log home of Frank ('Toksoe') Boyer and later in the hall above John Campbell's company store. Archbishop John Joseph Glennon acquired the property for a church on June 10, 1905, and Father Kernan oversaw the building of a simple wood-frame church with a bell tower, dedicated to St. Joseph. The parish was canonically erected in May 1923 with Father John H. Cook as first resident pastor, and its present stone church was built under Father Cook's own direction, with the cornerstone laid by Bishop Christian Winkelmann on August 9, 1936. After Father Cook's departure in 1948, the parish was led by Fathers Hoormann, Matyas, and Danter before returning to mission status under St. Joachim in 1966; in 2023 it was formally subsumed into St. Joachim Parish, Old Mines.
- 1905 — Property acquired and first wood-frame church built
- Before 1905 — Mass said in the home of Frank 'Toksoe' Boyer and in the hall above Campbell's company store
- May 1923 — St. Joseph made a parish; Father John H. Cook named first pastor
- Lent 1935 — Frame church destroyed by fire; all records lost
- August 9, 1936 — Cornerstone of stone church laid by Bishop Christian Winkelmann
- 1948 — Father Cook's pastorate ends
- 1966 — Returns to mission status of St. Joachim
- 2023 — Subsumed into St. Joachim Parish, Old Mines, as part of archdiocesan restructuring
The Barytes Mining Community
Tiff, Missouri, was a company town built around barite mining. John Campbell, a man from Buffalo, New York, organized the South East Missouri Barytes Company, sold shares to local landowners, built the earliest barite washer in the area, and erected about forty homes for the miners, plus a company store operated on a plantation-style credit system. Campbell's bungalow stood across the road from what is now the parish school building. The mining community drew Catholic families from the surrounding villages of Blackwell, Barytes, Bellefontain, Cadet, Cannon Mines, Fertile, and Shibboleth, all of whom came to Mass and devotions at St. Joseph's. Mr. Ben R. Boyer donated the land for the parish cemetery, and the original social life of the parish — square dances, fish fries, picnics, and the September 26, 1948 fall festival celebrating the parish's 25th anniversary — grew out of this tight-knit mining community.
- South East Missouri Barytes Company organized by John Campbell of Buffalo, NY
- Some forty company-built miners' homes
- First Mass in Frank 'Toksoe' Boyer's two-room log home
- Parish cemetery land donated by Mr. Ben R. Boyer
Building the Stone Church (1936)
After the 1935 fire, Father John H. Cook personally designed and oversaw the construction of the new stone church, acting as architect, contractor, and stonemason. Stone was quarried in Washington County near Washington State Park. John Norris, a stonecutter from DeSoto, trained Henry Bourisaw and Andrew Aubuchon; carpenter Earl Bohn, also from DeSoto, led the parish men who mixed and poured the concrete by hand. The finished stone church cost the parish about $6,000, and remains the heart of the St. Joseph community a century later.
- Stone quarried in Washington County near Washington State Park
- Carpenter Earl Bohn of DeSoto led construction
- Parish men mixed and poured concrete by hand
- Total cost approximately $6,000
Parish Clergy and Pastoral Succession
St. Joseph was originally served by Father Luke Kernan and visiting Redemptorist priests from Mount St. Clements College in DeSoto, who would stay overnight at John Campbell's. Father John H. Cook, the first resident pastor (1923–1948), was followed by Fathers Alphonse Hoormann (1948–1955), Francis Matyas (1955–1961), and Albert Danter (1961–1966), after which the parish again became a mission of St. Joachim. Today, the St. Joseph Chapel in Tiff is served by the clergy of St. Joachim Parish, Old Mines — pastor Rev. Anthony Dattilo, with Rev. Vincent Nyman as part-time senior associate assisting the broader pastorate that also includes St. Stephen (Richwoods) and St. James (Potosi).
- Father Luke Kernan (1905–1923) — mission ministry from St. Joachim, Old Mines
- Father John H. Cook (1923–1948) — first pastor; built rectory, school, stone church
- Father Alphonse Hoormann (1948–1955)
- Father Francis Matyas (1955–1961)
- Father Albert Danter (1961–1966)
- Rev. Anthony Dattilo — current pastor of the merged St. Joachim pastorate
Mass and Service Schedule
The Mass schedule is shared across the merged St. Joachim pastorate (St. Joachim Old Mines, St. Joseph Tiff, St. Stephen Richwoods, and St. James Potosi). The St. Joseph Chapel in Tiff is the site of Mass on the Third Saturday of the month at 6:30 PM. Sunday Masses alternate by month between 8:00 AM (odd months) and 10:00 AM (even months) at St. Joachim; weekday Masses are Monday 8:00 AM, Wednesday 8:15 AM, and Friday 8:00 AM, with additional Saturday evening Masses at 4:00 PM on the 2nd and 4th Saturdays.
- St. Joseph Chapel, Tiff — Third Saturday, 6:30 PM
- Sunday Mass — 8:00 AM (odd months) / 10:00 AM (even months) at St. Joachim
- Monday 8:00 AM, Wednesday 8:15 AM, Friday 8:00 AM
- 2nd & 4th Saturday 4:00 PM at St. Joachim
Music and Liturgical Life
Music has been a continuous thread in the life of St. Joseph Tiff. Mrs. Mary Magdalen Boyer was the first organist, bringing her own organ to the church until one could be acquired. After the parish's return to mission status, the choir was made up of the Daugherty, Boyer, Govero, and Pinson girls, with Lindell Johnson sharing organ duties. The women and young people of the parish clean and decorate the church for special occasions, and the choir continues to lead the congregation in sung prayer.
- First organist: Mrs. Mary Magdalen Boyer
- Choir families: Daugherty, Boyer, Govero, and Pinson
- Organists: Lindell Johnson and the Daugherty girls
Religious Education and Faith Formation
Religious instruction has always been a particular concern in this rural mission. In Father Cook's day, catechesis was given in the homes for those who did not live near St. Joseph's or St. Joachim's schools. Laymen taught children and adults and presented them to the parish priest for final preparation. Mamie Bouchard taught in the early years during Father Cook's pastorate, and Daphne Farrell continued the work. After 1966, the Incarnate Word Sisters from St. Joachim conducted religion classes in the parish school building. The first parish schoolteacher was Miss Alla Boyer, who also kept house for Father Cook.
- Home-based catechesis under Father Cook
- Mamie Bouchard — early catechist
- Daphne Farrell — later catechist
- Incarnate Word Sisters from St. Joachim — religion classes in the school building
- Miss Alla Boyer — first parish schoolteacher and Father Cook's housekeeper
Parish Council, Buildings, and Cemetery
In May 1969, a Parish Council was formed to take over the management of St. Joseph's. Bernard Roderick was the first chairman, followed by Glennon Daugherty, and then Richard Villmer. Lindell Johnson served as treasurer and as maintenance supervisor of the buildings, grounds, and cemetery. The school building continues to be used for council meetings and parish business, and the rectory is occupied by a parish family. Mr. Ben R. Boyer donated the original land for the parish cemetery.
- Parish Council formed May 1969
- First chairman: Bernard Roderick; then Glennon Daugherty; then Richard Villmer
- Treasurer / maintenance: Lindell Johnson
- Cemetery land: gift of Mr. Ben R. Boyer
Visiting and Joining the Parish
Visitors are warmly welcomed at St. Joseph Chapel in Tiff, especially for the Third Saturday evening Mass at 6:30 PM. Because the parish is now part of the merged St. Joachim pastorate, weekday Masses, confession, adoration, and most sacramental preparation take place at St. Joachim Church, Old Mines, 10120 Crest Rd., Cadet, MO 63630. To get involved, or to inquire about baptisms, weddings, religious education, or to volunteer for music, cemetery care, or festival work, call the parish office at (573) 438-6181.
- Mailing address: 10120 Crest Rd., Cadet, MO 63630
- Phone: (573) 438-6181
- Website: stjoachim.org
Pastors & rectors through the years
- Father Luke Kernan1905–1923
Pastor of St. Joachim, Old Mines; he and visiting Redemptorists ministered to the Tiff mission and built the first wood-frame church in 1905.
- Father John H. Cook1923–1948
First pastor of St. Joseph Parish; built the rectory, school, and the present stone church (cornerstone 1936, completed 1936).
- Father Alphonse Hoormann1948–1955
Succeeded Father Cook.
- Father Francis Matyas1955–1961
Succeeded Father Hoormann.
- Father Albert Danter1961–1966
Last resident pastor before the parish again became a mission of St. Joachim in 1966.