1914 Quilt made by the St. Elizabeth Honor Society at St. John's Church in Spearville, Kansas. Photo Courtesy of Larry Strecker.

October 1914, the members of the St. Elizabeth Altar Society at St. John’s Church in Spearville, Kansas banded together to help create a quilt which would be raffled off in support of the church. The red and white quilt contained the signatures of all 272 members of the Altar Society. Each individual name was embroidered into the quilt with either red or white thread depending on the location of the signature. The block in the center of the quilt reads: “Spearville, Kansas. St. Elizabeth Altar Society. St. John’s Church. Rev. Geo. Reinschmidt Pastor. October 1914.” 

St. John the Baptist Parish was dedicated on October 18, 1904. Soon after dedication, the St. Elizabeth Altar Society was formed. Women who were aged 18 and older were invited to become members of the Altar Society. Members of the society helped the church in various ways including sewing lace for altar cloths, hosting banquets, and purchasing supplies as needed by the church. The Altar Society was disbanded in January 1971. Perhaps this red and white quilt was created in October 1914 to honor the ten-year anniversary of St. John's Church, and the Altar Society.

The pastor of St. John's in 1914 was Father George Reinschmidt. Father Reinschmidt was born on September 15, 1878, in New York City. He was ordained by Bishop Hennessy on October 2, 1904, in Wichita, Kansas at St. Aloysius Pro-Cathedral. He came to St. John the Baptist in 1912, and stayed until 1916 whereupon he became a pastor in Nedoshda, Kansas.

In a letter dated July 28, 1988, Jane Steimel wrote to Henry Hain, Jim Feist, Tom Feist, Betty Hollaway, Marion Rainbolt, and Jess Feist regarding the quilt made by the Altar Society. Jane explained that the quilt was won by her uncle George Ravenkamp. The quilt traveled with George and his family to California, where it was kept in his possession until his death. The quilt was then sent to Jane’s mother, Ivra M. Dryer Feist, and was given to Jane for safekeeping. Jane Steimel passed away on February 21, 2022, but was adamant that the quilt remains in Spearville, Kansas for the descendants of the Altar Society and the current parishioners at St. John's Church to view.

One lingering question remains about the Spearville Quilt. Do you know who Hilda Ravenkamp is? She signed the quilt, but the only reference to Hilda Ravenkamp that could be found was Hilda Elizabeth Ravenkamp who was born in 1912. Was there another woman in the Ravenkamp family who may have gone by “Hilda,” or did Hilda’s parents (George and Denetta Ravenkamp) sign the quilt for their young daughter.

If you would like to see the quilt on the Ford County Historical Society's Website, just follow this link: Quilt - 2025.spv_1914_Quilt_001 - Ford County Historical Society