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In 1907, the first church bell was bought in San Antonio, Texas and shipped from there by train to Marathon, Texas. Two parishioners, Francisco Garcia and his father-in-law, Florencio Nunez went by wagon to Marathon to bring the bell to St Joseph's.

The bell was tolled to make different sounds to announce different occasions. For mass it was tolled three times about twenty minutes apart. This was a sign that the Priest, Father Borcard Ecken was in town and would say Mass.

When a parishioner died, this was announced by ringing the bell very slowly. After the funeral Mass while the body was being carried by the parishioners to the cemetery, the bell would be tolled slowly making a sad sound

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