Franz Anton Spanke, born on May 12, 1873 in Schönholthausen, emigrated with his parents and siblings on the ship Strassburg on February 16, 1881. In 1892, Franz graduated from Subiaco College, a Benedictine monastery founded in Arkansas in 1878. He was the first graduate. The following year he took his vows as a monk and was ordained a priest. From then on, he went by the name Boniface.
Franz Anton Spanke was a pastor in six parishes in Arkansas, Texas and Missouri. He planned and built two parish churches during his career. As manager of the abbey farm, he had a dairy barn built, purchased Holstein cattle and started a chicken farm to feed all the monks and students. He was the only Subiaco monk to have a US patent (for a portable pasture fence and a chicken coop). In addition, Boniface traveled the country with a mobile "gospel wagon" to counter anti-Catholic sermons and speeches by non-Catholics in Arkansas. And Brother Boniface loved riding his motorcycle. His Harley Davidson was his "mistress", so to speak.
On December 11, 1942, Father Boniface passed away at the age of 69 as the result of an accident. He was an extraordinarily amazing monk. He was deeply committed to the success of his abbey and academy and he was, as the Arkansas Guardian noted, an "indefatigable, vigorous, original thinker."
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S.S. Strassburg

Boniface moved from place to place with this wagon.

Rhineland German Catholic Colony settled in 1895 by Rev. Joseph Reisdorff. St. Joseph's Church, an edifice of German-Gothic architecture, was designed by Rev. Boniface Spanke, O.S.B. Construction started in 1927, completed structure dedicated,November 8, 1951.

Das Patent von Franz.