The oldest town in Silver Creek Township, Hamburg, was developed.  The town was plotted on the Jeffersonville - Salem stagecoach route, a major transportation path at that time.

The town of Sellersburg was developed on land east of Hamburg, where the Jeffersonville-Madison-Indianapolis railroad line was to be built.  The railroad line quickly outpaced the stagecoach, and forever sealed Hamburg’s ability to grow.

Many of the first families that were members of St. Joe Hill came to America around this time from Germany and Ireland, and took up roots here.  Most were tradesmen - blacksmiths, carpenters, brewers, shoemakers, bakers, tailors, coopers, grocers, and merchants. 

Tradition says that there was a building on the hill used as a place of worship before a church was built.  It would have looked similar to this log cabin that was used for Mass at Saint Mary of the Knobs (Assumption) prior to 1837, when they built the first brick church in the area.

 

As humble as this cabin was, the Catholic settlers placed a cross at the apex of the roof as a sign of their faith.

Sellersburg Station

German ship The Saale, circa 1870

Many people crossed the Atlantic on ships such as this one.