USA > Iowa > Dubuque County > The history of Dubuque County, Iowa : containing a history of the county, its cities, towns, etc. > Part 73
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In the winter of 1825-36, the Rev. Cyrus Watson, a Presbyterian minister, preached here about three months, in the log cabin above referred to, alternat- ing with the Methodists.
In 1838, a Protestant Episcopal church was established, which afterward · becaine extinct and was succeeded by the present organization. .
In 1839, a little band of Christians, five men and fourteen women, associ- ated themselves together and formed the nucleus of the Congregational church. In 1840, a Baptist church was formed, and, in the winter of 1841, they entered upon the occupancy of a small wooden building on Clay street. In 1844, a congregation of Disciples, or the followers of Alexander Campbell, was gathered, who subsequently purchased the stone church, where they afterward held their services, and, in 1847 or 1848, the German Presbyterian Church was gathered by the Rev. P. Fleury, from Switzerland. Six years before the German Meth- odists organized. In 1851, St. Mary's parish was established. In 1854, St.
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John's Evangelical Lutheran Church. In 1858, the Zion Evangelical Luther- ans, and St. Patrick's parish, and, in 1868, the German Evangelists.
St. Raphael's Church .- When the great West began to develop, fifty years ago, after Ohio had become a State, the immediate Valley of the Mississippi was a new region to progress, as it had been 200 years before to the pious work of the Catholic missionaries in their continued efforts to Christianize the Indians. The mission houses along the shores of the great lakes, and upon the banks of the great river, from Canada to New Orleans, had given place, in a hundred cities, to elegant churches whose towers and spires, often surmounted by the cross, gave a striking evidence to the citizen and stranger, that improved art, progressive religion and civil advancement have nothing antagonistic.
The first religious ceremony of a Christian character in Iowa, was that of the Catholic Church in Dubuque, in the celebration of mass at the residence of a Patrick Quigley, one of the early settlers, in the fall of 1833. Catholic service had been established some years before at Galena, but, owing to the destruction of the records which had been therein deposited and consumed, the incidents from 1833 to 1837 are rather meager. The church at Galena, as also the cause, was under the care of the Rev. Father Samuel Mazzuchelli. During 1834, he induced the Christian residents of Dubuque mines to aid in building St. Raphael's Church, which occupied the site of the present cathedral. The Rev. Father Fitzmaurice was priest of the parish at that time, and it was under his pastorship that the building was commenced. Patrick Quigley donated the ground, the funds were raised by subscription, to which the Prot- estants gave liberally, and, on August 15, 1835, the corner-stone was laid witlı appropriate ceremonies, Milo H. Prentice, a Protestant, delivering the oration. The edifice, which was of stone, 40x79, was situated south of the cathedral site, and cost about $3,000.
Father Mazzuchelli's jurisdiction west of the Mississippi ceased July 2, 1837, he being succeeded by Rt. Rev. Mathais Loras, who belonged to one of the families of the French nobility, and devoted his entire estate to advancing the church, acquiring property and founding schools. He was consecrated Bishop previous to taking charge of the diocese, remaining in that capacity until his death, in 1858, the Pastor of the parish being the Rev. Father Flinn.
Among other priests officiating in Dubuque prior to 1840, were Very Rev. Father Cretin, since Bishop of the diocese of Minnesota; Rev. Father Pal- morgues, afterward Vicar General and Administrator of the diocese in the period between Bishop Loras' death and Bishop Smyth's ordination; also, the Rev. Fathers Pehot, Ravoux, Galtier and de Caillier.
On Sunday, July 5, 1857, the corner-stone of the cathedral on Bluff street, opposite Third, was laid, under the superintendence of the then coadjutor, Bishop Smyth, in the absence of Bishop Loras. An immense assemblage participated in and witnessed the impressive ceremonies which attended the formal effort to erect a cathedral in the first parish in the State. The church was partially completed in 1858, and made ready for occupation, but the fin- ishing touches were not concluded until many years later. The main building is 125x85 feet in size, with a basement story, well lighted, for Sunday-school and other purposes. The auditorium is nearly the size of the entire building, the roof in the form of a Gothic arch, the apex of which is 55 feet from the floor.
The original plan contemplated a tower projecting from the front wall, for which a foundation was laid, but it remained unfinished until 1876. The tower
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is 26 feet square at the base, and perpendicular to the height of 90 feet, the termination of the stonework, above which is a wooden structure, encased with galvanized iron. The buttresses terminate in pinnacles 30 feet high, sur- rounding a cross 12 feet high, and standing in the center between the four Gothic gables. The entire height is 160 feet. The architecture is of Gothic style, and, with other improvements, cost the congregation $150,000.
The interior of the church is in harmony with its beauty and finish throughout the entire structure. The main altar, together with those of St. Mary and St. Joseph, is a fine specimen of art, the sight of which must inspire the worshipers with reverence and devotion.
Father Smyth succeeded Bishop Loras, being consecrated May 3, 1858, and, during his continuance in office, the diocese continued to grow and pros- per in an unexampled ratio. He died on the 23d of September, 1865, uni- versally mourned, not only by his congregation and sect, but by all who enjoyed the pleasure of his acquaintance, either personally or by reputation. During the interim and before the election of Bishop Hennessy, eighteen months after, Father James Donlan, Assistant Vicar General, acted as Admin- istrator.
Bishop Hennessy was consecrated in 1867, and has since remained in charge, enjoying, to a remarkable degree, the love and confidence of the thousands of Catholics throughout the great West.
The cathedral has a seating capacity of about thirteen hundred; the con- gregation numbers six hundred families, and the value of Catholic church property in city and county far exceeds that of all the Protestant denomina- tions combined.
Rev. Father John F. Brazill is the Vicar General of the diocese, and the Rev. D. H. Murphy, Pastor in charge of the cathedral. Among those who have served as Pastors are the Rev. Fathers James Donlan, John F. Brazill, T. Reilly, T. Gunn, Thomas Moore, John Sullivan, John D. Bray and D. H. Murphy.
Attached to the parish is the Christian Brothers' School for boys, with five teachers and 280 pupils; a school for young ladies with eleven teachers and 320 pupils, and the Academy of Visitation on Eighth street, with an average daily attendance of seventy. The Catholics also have the Presentation Con- vent and St. Joseph's School for ladies in the city. In all the Catholic churches are chapters of the young ladies, and gentlemen's sodalities.
The organ is of Gothic design, surmounted by a beautiful cross, and meas- ures in height to the pinnacle of the cross twenty-five feet, with a width of twenty feet, and a depth of ten feet. The casing is handsomely colored in imitation of black walnut, and the pipes in front, which are usually dumb, are speaking pipes. The entire number of pipes is 800, and the pieces used in the organ's construction about eight or ten thousand. There are two rows of keys each containing four and one-half octaves, running from CC to G in alto, a compass of pedals from CCC to C, embracing twenty-five notes, and the fol- lowing stops: Great organ-Open diapason, clarabella, stopped dia-bass, principal, twelfth, fifteenth, gamba, trumpet. Couplets-Great organ to pedals, small organ to pedals, swell organ to great organ. Small organ to CC-Open diapason, dulciana, stopped dia-treble, stopped dia-bass, flute, hautboy. Pedal organs-Double open diapason.
The instrument was built by Henry Erben, of 172 Center street, New York ; was originally intended for Memphis, and cost not far from $3,000.
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.
St. Patrick's Church was established about the year 1858, under a mission- ary Pastor. In 1859, it became an independent parish, under the guidance of Father McCabe, and under the title of St. Patrick's Church, with a limited number of parishioners. It prospered under the pastorates of Fathers Walsh and Scallon, and, in 1869, the present Pastor, Father R. Ryan, was called upon to preside over the destinies of the parish. The congregation grew in numbers and wealth ; its influence spread out like the branches of a tree of life, and gathered beneath its ample folds both young and old until its confines were too contracted for the increasing numbers. In 1873, the need of a more com- modious edifice became imperative, and on the 28th of September of that year a collection was taken up for the erection of a new place of worship. The work went on, and, in 1875, the foundations were laid ; on the 27th of April, 1877, the corner-stone was placed with appropriate ceremonies, and on Thursday, August 15, 1878, the church was formally dedicated.
The edifice is 125 feet in length, including the apsis and tower, by 60 feet wide, and fashioned after the French Gothic school of architecture of the twelfth century. The basement is commodious and used for a chapel, furnace and fuel rooms. The principal floor of the auditorium is supported on three tiers of iron columns, having girders 10x14 resting thereon. The super- structure is of brick, with cut-stone dressing, buttresses on the sides and front, and the windows ornamented with brick hoods. The corners are surmounted with brick and wood pinnacles 20 feet in height, with a tower 85 feet high, the base of a steeple, which, when completed, will be 180 feet from the pavement. There are four main entrances to the auditorium, two in the tower and one on each side of the same, which open into vestibules, provided with all modern improvements, highly decorated, and heated from furnaces in the basement. The organ gallery extends the whole width of the edifice and is 22 feet deep. It is well supported, the front being elegantly finished in walnut and oak pan- eled Gothic work, producing a pleasing effect.
The main auditorum is furnished in detail in the highest style of art. The ceiling is divided into naves, aisles and apses by large clustered, highly decorated columns, ornamented with Gothic capitals. The ceilings of naves, etc., are grained and enriched with frescoed moldings and embossed intersec- tions, the side groins terminating on ornamental stucco Gothic corbels. The sanctuary rail is made of Gothic scrollwork painted in imitation of walnut.
The sanctuary is 26x25, with side altars 14x12; the altar of the Blessed Virgin and that of St. Joseph, occupying the east and west ends, respectively. The interior woodwork is of black walnut, and the seating capacity is 750, though more can find accommodations.
There are twelve Gothic-framed windows in the body of the edifice-six on each side, two in front, five in the tower and one rose window. There are also one triple sanctuary window and six small single windows, three on each side of the altar, ornamented with Gothic hoods. The glass of each window is of the best cathedral, elaborately stained, and, for the most part, memento lights donated by members of the congregation.
The interior is handsomely frescoed, the main tint of the walls being purplish, richly relieved with buff and other delicate hues, with the moldings and borders so arranged as to give greater height to the spaces running into the naves. The entire decoration is a combination of the Egyptian and Roman- esque, and is truly magnificent. Beautiful emblems in the shape of figures stand out in bold relief, adding to the beauty of the surroundings. They include St. Cecilia, patron saint of music; the nativity of our Lord in the
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stable at Bethlehem ; our Lord and his mother, Mary, attending St. Joseph ; St. Stephen, the first martyr; St. Margaret ; St. Aloysius, and other beautiful emblems of religion and the life hereafter.
The cost of the structure was upward of $30,000; it was built under the direction of John Keenan, architect.
In addition, St. Patrick's congregation own the east half of the block they now occupy, together with a comfortable parsonage and schoolhouse. The attendance at service numbers some 100 families. The parochial school is un- der the charge of four Sisters of St. Joseph's Academy, has a large attendance, and is in a most flourishing condition. It was built during the pastorate of Father Ryan, and cost, finished, $3,000.
The value of the church property is stated to be in the neighborhood of $50,000.
The following Pastors have served since the creation of the parish: Revs. Fathers P. McCabe, F. Walsh, N. F. Scallon and R. Ryan, the present incum- bent.
St. Mary's Church .- For sixteen years previous to 1867, the German Cath- olic residents of Dubuque worshipcd in the small but venerable stone edifice at the corner of Eighth and White streets. Some time in 1863, a meeting of the congregation was held to consider the propriety of building a new church. Henry Huene was appointed Chairman, with Joseph Locher, Secretary, and a resolution was adopted providing for the appointment of a committee to prepare a constitution for the government of a society to be called the " German Roman Catholic Building Association of Dubuque." At a subsequent meeting, in accord- ance with the constitution, a permanent organization was effected and the fol- lowing officers elected : Jacob Smith, President; Adam Schaffe, Secretary, and Rudolph Nolte, H. Lembeck and H. Brinkman, Committee on Build- ing.
Thereafter the project was agitated so successfully that on Monday, May 9, 1864, " ground was broken," at the corner of Sixteenth and White streets, for the new church, Father Walsh turning the first sod for the foundations. Once engaged, the enterprise was prosecuted without delay, under the direction of the following officers, and finally completed and dedicated on Sunday, February 10, 1867, the Rt. Rev. John Hennessy, Bishop of the Diocese of Dubuque, delivering the dedicatory sermon.
The style of the church is a selection from the Gothic (seventh), called " Florida;" it is 169 feet in length, 68 feet wide and 73 feet from floor to ceiling. The exterior of the edifice, at first blush, appears massive ; the brick- work rests on a solid stonc foundation, well grouted and cemented. The front portion of the building supports a steeple of the design and pattern of the celebrated Salisbury Cathedral, England, from which a spire, surmounted by a glittering cross, ascends 236 feet heavenward.
The interior is abundantly lighted through sixteen windows of stained glass, eiglit on each side, and the sanctuary by a triplet of exquisite workman- ship, the figures in the latter representing the crucifixion, with Mary, the mother of Jesus, kneeling at the foot of the cross. The side windows are traced with images of saints, and other insignia indicative of Christian faith and veneration, and are mostly donative offerings from members of the congre- gation-being made by Adolph Sutter, of St. Louis, at a total cost of nearly $3,000. The church cost, complete, $80,000.
In addition, the congregation own a schoolhouse and parsonage, which, when built, demanded an outlay for both of $21,000.
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The parish was organized in 1851, and now numbers 600 families, the school numbering an average daily attendance of 650 pupils, under the charge of Father Johannes, a male teacher, a lady Principal and four Sisters of the Order of St. Francis.
The following Pastors have officiated since the parish was established : Rev. Fathers Martin Lettner, George Schneider, John B. Fendrick, A. Meis and C. Johannes.
The society own the property bounded by White, Jackson, Fifteenth and Sixteenth streets, which, with the improvements thereon, is valued at $100,000.
The organ, built by E. &. G. G. Hook, of Boston, is one of the largest and most powerful in the State, and cost $6,000. It is constructed after the most approved pattern throughout, and in the most durable manner, from selected materials. It has three manuals, a pedal of two octaves and two notes, with a compass of manuals from "C" to "A," fifty-eight notes, and a compass of pedals from "C" to "D," twenty-seven notes. It is inclosed in an elegant case of appropriate style and approved design, the front pipes richly ornamented in gold and colors, with thirty-three stops and pipes, and is altogether a model of beauty and perfection, worthy of the beautiful church in which it is placed.
St. Aiden's Church, on the corner of Arch and West Locust streets, West Dubuque, is a branch of St. Patrick's congregation, located at the corner of Iowa and Fifteenth streets. This parish was established in 1874, by the Rev. Thomas Reilly. A neat church of frame was erected and is still serving, affording a place of worship to forty families. Attached to the church is a parish school, presided over by Sister Josephine, with an average daily attend- ance of fifty-six pupils.
The Reverend Fathers Edward Hennessy, Charles Stuck, Bernard Coyle, Thomas Reilly and Thomas Rowe, the present incumbent, have severally directed the affairs of the church since its foundation.
St. John's Episcopal Church .- It was found impossible to obtain any information of the early history of this church. The records of the parish, later than August 12, 1868, when the present Rector, the Rev. C. H. Sey- mour, took charge, could not be found. At that time the congregation wor- shiped in a small brick building, now occupied by the Christian denomination, at the corner of Ninth and Locust streets. During the same year, the ladies of the congregation purchased a lot at the corner of Main and Fourteenth streets, placing the title thereto in the vestry. In the spring of 1876, after four years' labor and economy, the corner-stone of the new edifice was laid by the Rt. Rev. W. S. Perry, assisted by the Rt. Rev. Bishop of Pennsylvania; and, in July, 1878, the church was duly consecrated, though the interior remained unfinished.
The cost of the property thus far has been about $48,000. The plans of the church were furnished by Henry M. Congdon, of New York City, and, in point of architecture, it is one of the finest buildings west of the Mississippi .. The style is the Old English, pointed cruciform, with nave and two aisles, north and south, transept choir and chancel, with large and small towers, porches and dormer windows. The stained windows, some of which are finely executed, are the work of Wells Brothers, Chicago.
It is the intention of the congregation to complete the building during the present year, when it will be supplied with a powerful organ, and an elabor- ately finished auditorium capable of accommodating a congregation of about one thousand.
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The officers of the parish are Rev. C. H. Seymour, Rector; C. H. Booth and J. T. Howard, Wardens; J. B. Grosvenor, Secretary ; W. J. Hancock, Treasurer.
The Baptist Congregation .- For a number of years previous to 1863, a Baptist church existed in Dubuque, its growth retarded by various calamitous causes, prominent among which was internal dissension, culminating finally in abandoning the effort to continue the church, when it was disbanded.
This was followed by the organization of the Second Baptist Church on June 3, 1863, by the adoption of the New Hampshire Confession of Faith, and the usual covenant. One week thereafter, the church was publicly recog- nized by a council convened for that purpose, as a Baptist church, regular in faith, order and discipline.
The Rev. Ashael Chapin accepted a call to the pastorate, but the church was neither financially nor numerically strong, and the American Baptist Home Mission Society contributed to its support. Mr. Chapin remained in charge until March 4, 1870, and to his faithful labors is due the establishment of the church on a permanent basis.
In May, 1870, the Rev. A. Whitman succeeded to the vacancy, and, though his term of service was brief, lasting but ten months, it was character- ized by faithful and effective labors. He was followed by the Rev. L. F. Ray- mond, who came on the 7th of August, 1871, and the two years following were, to some extent, eventful years. An excellent spiritualistic awakening under the evangelistic labors of the Rev. Lewis Raymond, father of the Pas- tor, brought a number of valuable additions to the church membership ... Mr. Raymond preached until the summer of 1873, when overwork prostrated a naturally delicate constitution, and he was obliged to suspend his labors, in the hope that travel would restore his wasted strength. During his absence, the Rev. J. M. Ferris was called, and, accepting, remained until 1875, when, becoming dissatisfied with the doctrine and polity of the Baptist denomination, he decided to connect himself with the Methodist Church, leaving the congre- gation again pastorless.
At this time, the services were held in a small meeting-house at the corner of Bluff and Ninth streets, but the increasing congregation and the demands of the work made it necessary to arrange for an enlarged building. Accord- ingly, the old building and lot were sold, and a lot upon which to build pur- chased at the corner of Main and Twelfth streets. At about the same time, the Rev. Allan Curr was called to the pastorate. The new church building was commenced, and, in December, 1876, so far completed as to admit of the occupancy of its lecture-room for public services, which had been, in the mean- time, held in the old Athenæum. The church edifice was completed, and, on December 17, 1876, formally dedicated.
In November, 1878, the pastorate of Mr. Curr closed. The financial strain of building had been very great, and, at the beginning of 1879, the church was staggering under an enormous load of debt. About this time, the Rev. C. W. Kimball, of Chicago, came to lead the church in a series of meet- ings, which were continued for several weeks, with excellent results, and, in March of that year, he was called to take charge, entering immediately upon his work. He found a working congregation, but most deplorable financial disorder and an almost hopeless burden of debt. He began by removing these financial burdens. A larger measure of success than could reasonably have been hoped for has attended his work, and, at the present writing, there is every reason to look forward to a final victory.
William Caster UNION PLACE DUBUQUE.
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HISTORY OF DUBUQUE COUNTY.
The whole membership since its organization is 284, and, with a property valued at $20,000, a hard-working congregation under wise leadership, there is abundant reason to expect for the church a career of usefulness for many years to come.
Congregational Church .- The primary history of Congregationalism in Iowa has already been referred to. When difficulties arose in the Presbyterian Church through the construction of the old stone building on Locust street, the organization was abandoned and a Congregational society established under the pastorship of the Rev. J. C. Holbrook. This occurred on December 12, 1844, some of the old and several of the new members uniting and adopting the Con- gregational form of government by a formal vote. In 1849, a manual of the church was published, showing among other evidences of prosperity that the congregation had been materially increased by weekly accessions, that four revivals had preserved and augmented the religious fervor of the dissented, and that the number of communicants at that time was 160. Aid had been received from the Home Missionary Society until March, 1848, after which the society supported its own ministry.
On the 22d of February, 1853, a council of the Pastor and church was held to consider a proposal made to the former to accept a call to Chicago, where, in addition to his ministerial duties, he would become editor of the Congrega- tional Herald. He was granted a leave of absence, and, on the 25th of May, 1853, resigned his pastorate.
His absence was supplied by the Rev. John Guernsey, who occupied the pulpit occasionally until December 20, of the same year, when he was regularly installed. He remained until August 1, 1855, when bad health compelled his resignation, and Mr. Holbrook was recalled. The latter took charge Septem- ber 5 following, and was installed July 3, 1856. Through all these years, the church continued to thrive most satisfactorily. In 1863, the Pastor was granted a leave of absence, to solicit funds for the Iowa College, and, on August 5 of the same year, he again resigned, after a pastorate-except thirty months in Chicago-of seventeen continuous years.
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