Askeaton

History & Heritage

The community of Askeaton was founded by Irish Catholic immigrants who landed in New York in 1849 and later moved west to purchase land in the Town of Holland. The settlers named their new community Askeaton after their hometown in County Limerick, Ireland.

The first Catholic Masses were held in the homes of two of the town's earliest settlers, Maurice Summers and Maurice Meehan, with Father J. Van Luytelaar from St. Francis Parish in Hollandtown presiding. The first church, a log cabin, was built in 1858 and expanded in 1879. The church that stands today on St. Pat's Road in Askeaton was built in 1908 and is now part of St. Clare Parish.

A small log school was built in 1858, about a mile from St. Patrick's Church, to educate the growing number of children in the community. In 1859, a new log schoolhouse was constructed across the road from the current church and was replaced by a brick building in 1890. Another school was built next door to St. Patrick's Church in 1916 and served the upper grades, while the older school continued to house first and second grades. In 1963, Joint School District #2, Askeaton, was absorbed into the Wrightstown School District. In more recent years, the schoolhouse was used for religious education and storage.

Today, Askeaton is home to a small community that includes some descendants of the original settlers.

Askeaton's history is embedded in church records, family genealogies, and the rhythms of agricultural life. The Town of Holland Area Historical Society is gathering photographs, documents, and oral histories that reflect Askeaton's unique heritage, and we welcome contributions from anyone with roots in the community.

Sources: Askeaton From the Old Sod to the New by John F. Hart; “End of the line for old Askeaton School,” Brillion News Vol. 124, No. 50, by Emily M. Rotzenberg.