Weis, Joseph Sr.

Submitted by Tamara Kincaide

JOSEPH WEIS Sr. was a saddle and harness maker by trade and his shop in the rear of his grounds at his home was one of the earliest in Newburgh. Here he trained his son HENRY who was to follow in his footsteps and open his own shop on State St. in 1869.

The WEIS family were devout Catholics but the nearest church was in Evansville and as they were unable to make this trip every Sunday they and fourteen families gathered in a large front room where FATHER KUTASSI conducted the first mass offered in Newburgh. Later MR. WEIS helped build ST JOHN the Baptist CATHOLIC CHURCH directly across the street from his home.

One of MR WEIS grandchildren JOSEPH YOUNG left Newburgh to make a name for himself as one of the world's foremost soft shoe dancers before the crown heads of Europe.