ROLFE - Oldest records reveal the Catholics of the Rolfe area were ministered to by  priests from Fort Dodge, and later by the resident pastor of Gilmore City when Rolfe became a mission.

In the fall of 1895, Father McKeogh (1895-1902) became the first resident pastor of the Rolfe Parish. The first church was built about two years later. It was a small frame building. It was out of respect for Mike Crahan that Father McKeogh named the church St. Margaret's, in memory of Mike's mother, Margaret Crahan.

In May of 1897, a house and surrounding land was purchased.

The first baptism was Ella Taylor Meisenbach on August 29, 1897. The first recorded marriage was performed by Father Murtaugh in December of 1902. The groom was Jacob Unsecker from Havelock and the bride was Christine Tucking from Rolfe.

On Palm Sunday, 1905, the little frame church was destroyed by fire. Under the leadership of Father Hurley, a new brick church arose in its place.

Father McCauley (1902), Father J. G. Mertaugh (1903), Father Dennis Hurley (1903-1906), Father Mertaugh (1906-1907) and Father E. C. Meyer (1907) served the parish in its early years.

Also serving in the early 1900's was Father John R. Daly (1907), Father P. C. Wiemann (1908), Father Francis McNeill (1908-1909), Father J. M. Mallinger (1909-1920) and Father George Theobald (1920-1928).

During Father Mallinger's tenure, cemetery land was purchased. Father Theobald expanded the church seating capacity and enlarged the rectory.

Father D. A. Tewell (1928-1959) came to Rolfe in 1928. The debt was paid for the addition to the church and many improvements were made, some of these were the purchase of an electric pipe organ, public address system, new oil furnaces, Stations of the Cross, onyx candlesticks and nine statues. For many years, the Sisters of St. Francis from Pocahontas were brought by the parents of the parish to teach catechism classes each Saturday.

The church and rectory were redecorated and refurbished in 1959. The cemetery was enlarged and new roadways and entrance gates were added. The church was tuck-pointed and new eaves and downspouts were added.

Many priests have served St. Margaret's: Father Gerald Wingert (1959-1963), Father David Hogan (1963-1970), Father Jerome Coyle (1970-1972), Msgr. Zeno Reising (1972-1976), Father Eugene Ulses (1976), Father Gabriel O'Rourke (1976), Father Robert Dougherty (1977-1982), Father P. J. Nooney (1982-1984), Father Dale Reiff (1984-1986), Father Richard Ball (1986-1991), Father James Bruch (1991), Father Bruce LeFebvre (1991-1996), Father Tim Fitzgerald (1996-2000) and Father Merle Kollasch (2000-present).

Two new furnaces were installed in 1970 due to malfunction. Msgr. Reising redecorated the church in a big way during his time at St. Margaret's. The old main altar was removed. "The Last Supper" from the old altar was installed in the new altar and the communion railing was removed.

In 1984, Father Dale Reiff had St. Margaret's added to his assignment of St. John's of Gilmore City. In August of 1984, the rectory was sold and the priest was to live in Gilmore City. Father Reiff trained lay people as lectors and Eucharistic Ministers.

The property across the street from the church was purchased and used for additional parking in 1986.

St. Margaret's celebrated its centennial in 1995. A float was constructed, which was a small replica of the church. New wood doors were put on the main entrance of the church and new carpet was placed on the steps outside.

In 1996, a digital piano was placed on the altar. Decreasing numbers in both St. John's and St. Margaret's led to the dropping of Saturday night Mass at both parishes, with only Sunday morning Mass held at each church.

July of 2000 brought about cluster changes for the parish. St. Margaret's is now clustered with Resurrection of Our Lord, Pocahontas.

St. Margaret's currently has 68 families, with approximately 200 members.