The historical events of our parish began when a few Polish families settled in the North Dorr/New Salem area. This was an area principally established by German farmers. However, it was in our present day Hilliards where a small colony of these Poznanian and Kashubian Polish farmers decided to relocate and form their own community. Foremost among them was Michael Burchardt, who in 1868, emigrated from the Tuchola region, north of Poznan, Poland, to Hilliards.(1) Mr. Burchardt generously donated two acres of land for the use of building the church and school....read more.