History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 58

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 875

USA > Illinois > Cook County > History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time > Part 58

Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).

Dlg zed by Google

239

CATHOLICISM.

raised to the dignity of the priesthood. The next morning Bishop Dubois started for Europe, leaving his diocese in charge of the Very Rev. Dr. Power, pastor of St. Peter's, of which parish Rev. William Quarter was appointed assistant pastor. During the rav- ages of the cholera which visited New York with great severity in 1832, Rev. Mr. Quarter devoted himself, almost day and night, to relieving as much as was practicable the sufferings of its victims, and he gathered together the children of the dead members of his Church, placing them under the charge of the Sisters of Mercy, and contributing all of his own means to their support. St. Mary's new church building was dedicated June 9, 1$33, by the Rt. Rev. Dr. Dubois, and at the close of the service the Bishop announced the appointment of Rev. William Quarter as pastor of the Church. He remained pastor of this Church until his consecration to the new See of Chicago. St. Mary's Church in New York is indebted to him for the introduction among them of the daughters of St. Vincent and St. Peter's in New York for the establishment there of the first colony of the Sisters of Charity. One of the most remark- able results of his labors in that city was the conversion from the Lutheran Church to Catholicism of the Kev. James Maximilian Ocrtel. The l'rovincial Council which met at Baltimore, in May 1843, found it necessary, on account of the great spread of Cathol- icism. to increase the number of bishops, and passed a degree recommending the formation of the Sees of Chicago, Little Rock, Hartford and Milwaukee, and the Apostolic Vicarate of Oregon Territory. The Court of Rome immediately acted upon the recom- mendation of the council. Apostolic letters for the cunsecration of three new bishops arrived in New York curly in 1844, and on the toth of March, three new bishops were consecrated in St. Patrick's Cathedral, hy the Rt. Rev. John Hughes, Bishop of New York. The three newly consecrated bishops were Rt. Rev. William Quar- ter for the Diocese of Chicago; Rt. Rev. Andrew Byrne, for the Diocese of Little Rock, and Kt. Rev. John McCloskey, Coadjutor Bishop of New York. Bishop Quarter, not however without many a regret, left his parish, St. Mary's in New York, for his new fickl of labor, the Diocese of Chicago, in which St. Mary's was the principal churchi, and the only one within the city limits. On the 18th of April, accompanied by his brother, Very Rev. Walter J. Quarter, he left New York for Chicago, arriving there on Sunday. May 5. 1844. On the day of his arrival he said mans in the old church and preached in the new one, then unfinished and afterward the cathedral. Nut only was the church building unfinished, but worse than all. the congregation was burdened with a deln, on their church of $3,000, on an adjoining lot, where afterward stood the Convent of Mercy, of $1,000, and on the graveyard of $400, thus making an aggregate indebtedness of nearly $5,000, upon some of which from ten lo twelve per cent interest was being paid. Then the congregation was very poor, and it seemed impossibile for them to pay off this Indebtedness and to finish the church. There. fore Bishop Quarter and his brother, the Very Rev. Walter J. Quarter, united their funds and paid all the debt with their private means. The Bishop's noble example was not without its effect upon his congregation, for so harmoniously and successfully dial they labor that within a year they had the satisfaction of kneeling before their new altar in their finished church, whose glittering spire and golden cross reflected the first rays of the morning sun as it rose from the bosom of Lake Michigan, and which was the first and then the only steeple in Chicago. After the departure of the two priests. Rev. Maurice de St. Palais and Rey. Mr. Fischer, at the peremptory command of the Bishop of Vincennes, Hishop Quarter was withont a priest to watch over the district. However, before the end of June he ordained three, Rev. Jeremiah A. Kin- sella being one of them, By the close of the year 1844, the cathedral was finished, and the college and seminary were com- menced. Upon the completion of the latter, he next xet alit furnishing facilities for the education of the female portion of his flock. Ile was deeply impressed with the necessity of a proper training of young women, knowing that upon them, as wives and mothers, depends in great measure the character uf the people. In order to supply this want. Bishop Quarter applied in Bishop O'Connor, of Pittsburgh, for the establishment in Chicago of a branch of the order of the Sisters of Mercy. In response to this appeal, five members of the order, accompanied by their superior- ess, Sister Mary Francis Ward, and Very Rev. Walter J. Quarter, arrived in Chicago on the 23d of September, 1846, in the day of their arrival the bishop conducted them to his own resl- dence, a low, nne-story, frame house, which, with many fears as in their satisfaction with it, he resigned to them as their cunvent, retiring himself to an abode, compared with which, the one aban- doned hy him was a palace. On the tith of November he estab- lished the Theological conferences, the first in America. In order tn enhance the spiritual welfare of his flock, he directed the Sisters of Mercy to establish a sodality of the Blessed Virgin, by means of which the female chililren might the more thoroughly be in- structed in their religous duties. Fle also directed the instructors

in the Academy of St. Joseph to form among the male children a St. Joseph's Society, that the members uf it might be taught to emulate the exalted virtues of St. Joseph. He originated the Chi- cago Ihibernian Benevolent Emigrant Society, the object of the ass- ciation being to welcome the Irish Immigrant to his new home, to furnish him, If need be, with timely assistance, to advise and direct him, and guard him against imposition by sharpers whn were ever ready to plunder him the minment he set foot upon our shores. In this way was the life of Bishop Quarter spent, in estab. fishing and furthering works of charity, benevolence, improvement and progress even up to the day before his death, which occurred April to, 1848. During 1.ent he was engaged in delivering a series of lectures on the " Marks of the True Church." and on Passion Sunday he lectured at last mass at the cathedral on the Apostolicity of the True Charch. This was his last lecture. On leaving the pulpit he was much fatigued, and at vespers his voice

FIRST CATHOLIC CATHEDRAL.

wanted its usual fullness of tone. About two o'clock next morn- ing, Mr. Me Elhearne, who resided in the house with him, was awakened by his moans, and hurrying to bis apartment, found him sitting on the edge of his bed, and complaining of a severe pain in his head. Although meilical aid was immediately summoned. his strength rapidly failed, and having received the consolations of religion, he sank into what seemed to those around him a deep sleep, uttering as his last words. "Lord have mercy on my poor soul." From this sleep he did not awaken, but diedl of cerebral cungestion about three o'clock in the morning of the 10th. For two days his remains, dressed in full pontificals, lay exposed at his residence. where they were visited and viewed by Catholic and Protestaul alike. At two o'clock on the 12th, they were removed to the Cathedral and placed immediately without the sanctuary in front of the altar. At Three o'clock on Friday, the Feast of the Seven Dolors, the funeral ceremonies commenced and concluded about five o'clock, the fun- cral oration being delivered be Rev. Mr. Feely, of I'coria. The body was deposited at the rear of the church in a tomb prepared for it, beneath the sanctuary and in front of the altar he himself had reareil. The body of the Bishop was embalmed by Prof. John E. Meliirr, of the I'niversity of St. Mary's of the Lake, and inclosed in three coffins. The inner one was black walnut with a silver CTOS Hpim it, bearing the following inscription : " Rt. Rev. Will- iam tQuarter, I>, D., First Bishop of Chicago, Consecrated March to, 1844. Died April 10, 1848. Requiescat in Pace." Over the vault, which was of brick and lined with waterproof cement, was a beautiful white marble cross about six feet high, with engravings in has-relief of the Bible. Missal. Crosier, and Miter on the top : on the horizontal part the same inscription as was on the coffin. except the "Anguieseat in Pace," which was on the lower part. On the riser of the marble step leading to the allar was a scroll bear- ing the inscription : " Preciosa in Conspectu Domini. mars Sauter. um ejus" Within the cathedral was erected to his memory a beautiful cenotaph, to defray the expense of which Protestants contributed liberally, as did the Catholics. A young l'rotestant poetess of rare talents, Miss Mary A. Merritt, gave a volume nf her prems, the proceeds from the sale of which was added to the

Digazed'ay Google

240

IHISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

contributions, On Sunday, April 30. 1545, an address was deliv. ered by the Very Kev, Jeremiah A. Kinsella, on the necessity of transmitting ja posterity the memory and virties of this distin- quished mau, whose life had been so beneficial lo society, Key. Kinsella requested the gentlemen to meet in the afternoon in the basement of the cathedral to deliberate on the matter. In ulec. dience to this request a large number of citizens assembled. D. 1 .. Gregg was appointed chairman. 1. 1. Kinsella werelary, aml a committee of five was designated to procure subscriptions. This commillee suggested that a committee be appointed in each block of each ward of st. Mary's parish, The suggestion was .nled upon, and] John Green was made Treasurer. A central of executive committee was appointed lo ro-rowerale with and direct the different cummillees. and also to communicate with all who might be willing to assist. This executive committee consisted of the following gentlemen: The Very Res. Jeremiah A. Kinsella, Rev. Mr. WeElhearne, Kes. Mr. Scanlan, D. L .. Gregg, and Thomas J. Kinsella. The follow- ing were appointed i act as committees in the several locks fin The procuring of subscriptions. Michael Byrne, William Flemming,

John Pavlin, John Metioven, Philip Carlon, James Carney, James Fitzsimmons, John serehan, Captain Parker, James Me Mullen, William Varrigan, John Young, John (min, C. Mctionell, Michael Gleeson, John Taylor, Michael Lamtry. Harthulomew Ford, John Hush, Michael Diversy, Dennis Skelly, Peter Turbol, Mich- ael 1)'Brien, Michael MeGnire, William B. Snowhook, George Brown. Thomas Ruche, A. Geizler and B. Blasey, The monu. ment was designed by Mr. Van 1del, and constructed al the mar. ble manufactory of A. S. Sherman, and a bus) was taken after his decease. at considerable pains and expense, by R. N. White.

hi is impracticable to follow the history of C'athulocism in Chi- cago to the present time within the limits prescribed here. Those readers who desire to know more of the growth of this denomina- siun in the metropolis of the West are referred in the History of Chicago, the hrst volume of which is now ready, and the remaining two volumes of which will be published within two years. The history of societies outside idf the city will be found in the several town skelches.

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS.

The earliest Protestant religions work in Cook County was done in Chicago. The following pages of general history contain a narration of the struggles and triumphs of the pioneers in this fiehl of noble endeavur. The germ of all great efforts in Cook County was im- planted there, and it is necessary to relate as much of local experience as supplies a foundation for the subse. quent development of religious interest in the county. We leave the record of what is strictly Chicago history of a later date to be given in the volumes devoted exclu- sively to the city.

Chicago became a city in 1837, and that year is chosen as the proper one at which to leave the munici- pal locality and continue the general history in another form. In the History of Chicago, issued by the pub- lisher of this volume, may be found the most exhaustive record of religious events in the city that has ever been collected in bouk form.

THE FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH was organized June 26, 1833, by Rev. Jeremiah Purter. This gentle- man had been appointed Chaplain of the garrison at Fort Brady in the fall of 1831. In the spring of 1833, the troops at Fort Brady were transferred to Fort Dearborn, As there was a Baptist mission at the Sault Ste. Marie, sufficient to meet the wants of the people at that place, Mr. Porter accepted the invitation of the soldiers to accompany them to Chicagu-the more readily, as quite a number of them were members of his Church at Fort Brady, and as the Home Mission Society at Boston had requested him to explore the shores of Lake Michigan tu see if there were any set. tlements where the Gospel might be preached. Mr. Porter, therefore, in company with the troops under command of Major John Fowle, arrived off Fort Dear- born Sunday, May 12, 1833, but on account of the Tutighness of the lake did not land until next dav.

Major Fowle had come to relieve Captain Seth Johnson, and the little braly of Christians in the fort were much cast down over the departure of the Captain, who was a devit Christian and a warm-hearted man. They knew what they were to lase, but did not know what they were to gain ; hence it was natural that they should feel impatience aml anxiety as to the religious charac- ter of these on board the schooner. On Monday, the waters of the lake being sufficiently smooth, the troops and others on the vessel landed. The surprise of those in the village of Chicago was very great and agreeable to find that the schooner brought not only a minister but also the nucleus of a church organization ; and a very warm welcome was extended to the strangers. John Wright, one of the praying men in the village, taking the hand of Rev. Jeremiah Porter, said :

" Well, I do rejoice, for yesterday was the darkest day 1 ever saw. Captain Johnson, who had aided in our meetings, was to leave us, and 1 was almost alone. 1 have been talking about and writing for a minister tor months in vain, and yesterday as we prayed with the Christians about to leave us. 1 was almost ready to ilespair, as I feared the troops coming in wouldl all be careless about religion, The fact that you and a little church were, at the hour of our meeting, riding at an- chor within gunshot of the fort, is like the bursting out of the sun from behind the darkest clouds."

Temporary arrangements were made for preaching in the fort ; the carpenter-shop being emptied, cleaned and seated ; and on the next Sunday morning, May 19. 1833. Rev. Jeremiah Porter preached his first sermon in Chicago, from the text, John xv, 8, " Herein is My Father glorified, that ve bear much fruit ; so shall ye be My disciples."

In the afternoon, by invitation of " Father Walker," Mr. Porter preached in the log school-honse on the

241

PROTESTANT DENOMINATIONS

west side of the river, at the Point, half a mile from the fort. Of this meeting Mr. Porter, in his journal, says :

" The school-house was crowded to overflowing and many went away for want of room to stand within the doors. 1 think I have not preached to such an audience before, only at Mackinac, since I left Detroit. There seemed profound all-nion. Mr. Wright said his eyes filled with tears several times to see the happy influence of the Major and his fellow-officers on this community."

With reference to other religious services on this, his first Sunday in Chicago, Mr. Porter also says:

" At six o'clock I had a prayer meeting in the fort. After candle lighting I went to Father Walker's place, where he had given notice that a Methodist minister from New York would preach. Though it was eight when I went in, I found no one but Mr. Walker, and he was grieving that he was disappointed in regard to his preacher, who having an opportunity to go on to New York that afternoon, had embraced it and left Mr. Walker to fill the ap- pointment. If he had so little regard for the Sabbath, I think it is well he did not stay and preach. At length fifteen persons came in and Mr. Walker addressed them."

Early in the morning of the same day Mr. Porter witnessed a desecration of the Sabbath which greatly shocked him. Quoting still further from his journal:

" The first dreadful spectacle that met my eyes on going lo church was a group of Indians sitting on the ground before a mis- erable French dram house, playing cards, and as many trifling white men standing around to witness the game "

Thus passed Mr. Porter's first Sunday in Chicago. On the next Sunday, May 26, Rev. Mr. Kent, of Galena, paid a visit to Mr. Porter, and preached for him an ex- cellent sermon from Hebrews, xi, 24-26. On June 1 arrangements were made for public worship outside the fort. This was because many of the citizens objected to going into the fort. Father Walker consented to rent to Mr. Porter his house at the Point for one-half of each Sunday, and for some time, commencing with Sunday, June 2, he preached in the fort to the garrison at 10 A. M., and to the citizens at 2 p. M., in Father Walker's log house; held prayer meeting at 6 r. M. in the fort, and preached alternately with the Methodists on Sunday evenings at the Point. This arrangement was still un- satisfactory, and, as there was no prospect of having better accommodations, except as they should be pro- vided by those who desired the advantages of them, Mr. Porter advised that the sums subscribed for his support should be appropriated to paying for the erection of a frame and covering it as soon as possible. The citizens interested met in the evening of June 11, and appointed a committee to carry this plan into effect, which made it necessary for Mr. Porter to look to the Home Mission Society for support for the year to come.

On Wednesday, June 26, 1833, Mr. Porter organized the First Presbyterian Church with twenty-six members, seventeen of them, including Major De Lafayette Wil- cox, having been members of this church at Fort Brady, the remaining nine being citizens of the village. The names of these nine citizens were John Wright, Philo Car- penter, Rufus Brown, John S. Wright, J. H. Poor, Mrs. Elizabeth Brown, Mary Taylor, E. Clark, and Mrs. Cyn- thia Brown. The names of the seventeen members of the garrison were, Major DeLafayette Wilcox, Mrs. S. G. Wilcox, Miss Eliza Chappel, Lieutenant I. T. Jame- son, Sergeant J. Adams, Mrs. H. Adams, Sergeant W. C. Cole, Mrs. Julia Cole, Mrs. Ruth Ward, Richard Bur- tis, Benjamin Briscoe, Ebenezer Ford, John Guy, Isaac Ingraham, William Johnson, David Lake, and James Murray. All of these first members were Congregation- alists, except Philo Carpenter, who was a Presbyterian. John Wright, Philo Carpenter and Major Wilcox were chosen and ordained elders of the church. For some time the society continued to worship in Father Walker's log school-house at the Point. On Sunday, June 30,

Mr. Porter attempted to re-organize the Sunday-school founded the year before by Philo Carpenter, but was prevented doing so by heavy showers of rain. The first communion held in Chicago was on Sunday, July 7, 1833. The service was supplied by Major Wilcox from his table silver. Twenty-seven sat at this first com- munion. Mr. Porter's journal reads: " Many witnessed the solemn scene, but a majority were females, as two vessels were unloading in the harbor, causing a wanton abuse of the holy day by many who sin against clear

Jeremiah Porter,

light, and abuse divine compassion and love." The subject of the erection of a church building hav- ing agitated the minds of the members for some time, Lot No. 1, Block 34, Original Town, southwest corner of Lake and Clark streets, was chosen and measures taken to build upon the lot, which has been described as being at that time a " lonely spot, almost inaccessible on account of surrounding sloughs and bogs." While preparations were being made for the erection of their temple of worship, they and other citizens of the vil- lage were surprised one morning to see the frame of a small building on the Lake-street front of their lot, which had been raised during the previous night. Work upon this little building was industriously con- tinued during the day. But alas for the hopes of the prospective store-keepers ! Their squatter right of occupancy was not to be recognized, and during the succeeding night, in obedience probably to the sugges- tion of a member of the society, a number of yokes of oxen were noiselessly marshalled in front of the tres- passing store, heavy chains securely fastened to the sills of the building and to the oxen's yokes, and in the morn-

Dig zed by Google

242

HISTORY OF COOK COUNTY.

ing away down Lake Street the intruding building was seen standing, to indicate thwarted hopes and to teach the lesson that the rights of property could not with impunity be invaded. Meantime their own prepara- tions proceeded. " The timbers were at length hewed and squared and set up on the prairie. . Each one, according as he was able, gave his mite to aid in the construction; one worked at the turner's lathe to prepare the columns that adorned the pulpit; some worked in the mortar-bed, and all labored who could, for a common desire actuated the members, which was not only to have a house exclusively set apart for wor- ship, but, when done, to be free from that crushing incubus-debt." The church, when built, stood upon the southeast corner of the lot, fronting east; it was built by Joseph Mecker; its size, though not now defi- nitely ascertainable, was about thirty by forty feet, and the cost was $600. It was completed during the late fall or early winter months of 1833, and dedicated Jan- uary 4, 1834. Notwithstanding the extreme severity of the weather, the mercury being twenty-four degrees below zero, a respectable audience assembled to par- ticipate in or witness the dedicatory services. The prayer of consecration was offered by Rev. A. B. Free- man, of the Baptist church, then recently organized, and the sermon was delivered by the pastor, Rev. Jere- miah Porter, from the text Psalm Ixxxiv, 3): "Yea, the sparrow hath found a house, and the swallow a nest for herself, where she may lay her young, even thine altars, O Lord of hosts, my King and my God."

During the following year, fifty-two persons were added to the membership, and by December, 1834, the church had become self-supporting. The following resolution was passed in that month:

" Feeling under great obligations to the American Home Missionary Society, for its aid in sustaining the Rev. Jeremiah Porter as pastor of the church, in our infancy, we now gladly as- sume his support from the Ist of June of last year."

in the spring of 1835, Mr. Porter was chosen by the Presbytery of Ottawa its first delegate to the General Assembly which inet that spring in Pittsburgh. After the adjournment of the Assembly, Mr. Porter was mar- ried, at Rochester, N. Y., to Miss Eliza Chappel, then late of Chicago, and with his wife visited his parents who were living in Massachusetts. In the autumn of that year, he accepted a call to the Main-street Church, in Peoria, thus leaving the church without a pastor ; but after deciding to leave, made efforts in various direc- tions to supply the approaching vacancy, feeling "as if Chicago should have the best minister in the land." There were at that time one hundred and nine mem- bers.

The church had considerable difficulty in finding a successor to Mr. Porter. They corresponded with Ed- ward Humphrey, of Amherst, Rev. Dr. J. W. Adams, of Syracuse, Dr. E. N. Kirk, and Dr. Hall, of Auburn Theological Seminary, and Dr. Joel Hawes, of Hart- ford, Conn., all to no avail. The latter gentleman took his letter which had been written by Deacon John Wright, to Judge Williams of his own Church, with the remark, "I've got a letter from some place out west called Chickago, asking me to come there and preach. Can you tell me where it is?" Upon being informed that it was in a great swamp west of Lake Michigan, he de- cided to remain in Connecticut. Dr. Deric Lansing, of Auburn, once preached here, but could not be induced to remain. For some time during the year and a half that the church was without a regular pastor, Rev. Isaac T. Hinton was virtually pastor of the Presby- terian, as well as of his own, the Baptist Church. Be-

sides these mentioned Rev. Mr. McLain preached a few times. Of this gentleman, Miss Frances L. Willard, who was one of the early teachers, wrote as follows in a letter dated May 25, 1836 :

" Mr. Mclain arrived in good health-receives much attention -gives good satisfaction thus far-preaches with eloquence and studied argumentative style. I have met him often, and from con- versations with him suspect that even Chicago will not meet his ambition. It is plain lo me that his heart is set on New Orleans."

Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.

History of Cook County, Illinois From the Earliest Period to the Present Time, Part 58

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900 Publication date: 1884 Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas Number of Pages: 875

Author: Andreas, A. T. (Alfred Theodore), 1839-1900
Publication date: 1884
Publisher: Chicago : A.T. Andreas
Number of Pages: 875