Ipswich History

The Ipswich Historical Society is sharing articles written by IHS students. The students visited the museum, researched and wrote about events, people and businesses in the community.

Lux Candle

by Halle Heinz

I chose the Lux Candle Company as my topic because my dad, Mike Heinz, works there and I wanted to know the history behind it. In this research, I found out how the Lux Candle Company became a work area. Also I found out how it became a worldly known company for priests interested in buying candles. I talked to Mike Heinz to get information on my topic. I also researched information on the Lux Candle Company website to get information.

To start off, Father Bormann invented a candle that lit his own path to heaven. Lux Candle Company was started in Ipswich, South Dakota in 1933 by Father Frederick Bormann, said Mike Heinz. He was the priest at the Holy Cross Catholic Church at that time. According to Mike Heinz, the candle factory was a shed behind the church with vats and candle molds. Next, I found out that Father wanted to make his own candles for his church to save money. He would take all of the 100% beeswax candle stumps that he had purchased from churches and re-melt them in stone crocks that were set in hot water said Mike Heinz. Father would then pour the wax into candle molds, using wicks from ordinary string. Father’s goal was to make a beeswax candle that would burn straight through for 40 hours. I was told that in a monastery, Father saw a priest put a cheese glass on the top of a candle. This gave Father the idea to invent a little glass chimney that fit over the candle and slide down as the candle burned said Mike Heinz. This he called a “follower”; it held the melted wax in a pool atop the candle so that it burned more slowly and without dripping. As he kept trying various size wicks, Father finally came up with the smallest possible flame. I then learned that after many nights of testing the candles, Father finally got one of those candles to burn for 40 hours without flickering out. According to Mike Heinz, the “Lux” candle was then put on the market.

Next I found out that Theresa Heinz took control over the Lux Candle after the passing of Father Bormann. I was surprised to learn that at the height of candle sales in the 1960’s, the company sold 75,000 pounds of 100% beeswax candles to just Catholic churches. As other types of candles started to emerge in the 70’s, the sales started to decline. So, Lux Candle started selling to all denominational churches to increase their sales said Mike Heinz.

Lux Candle Company is still in operation today and is currently owned by Mike, Doug and John Heinz, who are relatives of the late Theresa Heinz. I learned that they still produce and sell the same candles and glass followers with the same specifications that Father Bormann created. I am very glad I had the chance to research this topic, I learned so much. According to Mike Heinz, Father Bormann would be very pleased to see that his candles are still burning brightly on altars all around the globe.