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Term: Inama, Adelbert 1798 - 1879

Definition:

Catholic priest, b. Kaltern in the Austrian Tyrol. He was educated at Bozen, joined the Premonstratensian order at Wilten, near Innsbruck and was ordained a priest in 1828. He taught at the Univ. of Innsbruck and did pastoral work in the area, In 1843 he came to the U.S. to found a branch of his order, working first in the environs of Utica, N.Y. In 1,845 he moved to Wisconsin and founded a settlement called Roxbury across the river from Sauk City. Here, on lands donated by Agoston Haraszthy (q.v.), he hoped to establish a self-supporting monastery. Although settlers moved to the area in large numbers, the monastery failed to materialize, in part due to the feeling of Inama and his co-worker, Rev. Maximilian Gaertner, that a great deal of "circuit riding" was necessary to promote the faith among the settlers. Because of the failure to establish the order, Father Gaertner was recalled to Europe, but Inama remained at Roxbury until his death. He retired from active duty in 1873. Wis. Mag. Hist., 10, 11, 12; P. L. Johnson, Crosier on the Frontier (Madison, 1959); WPA MS.

The Wisconsin Historical Society has manuscripts related to this topic. See the catalog description of the Inama Mission Remains Photographs for details.

View a related article at Wisconsin Magazine of History Archives.

View newspaper clippings at Wisconsin Local History and Biography Articles.