History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II, Part 36

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Logansport, Ind., A. W. Bowen & co.
Number of Pages: 1476

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Judge Moore was thrice married. His first wife was Miss Annie Scott, a native of Knox county, a Presbyterian and repre- sentative of a very early family. There is no living issue of this union. His second wife was Mrs. Elizabeth Carr, née Whalen, a near relative of Bishop Whalen. She bore Judge Moore one child, a daughter who died in infancy. By her marriage with Mr. Carr she had one son, who served through the Mexican war, and after his mother's death, January 8, 1846, returned home and died at the home of Judge Moore.

The Judge's third wife (and relict ) was Miss Mary Ann Caldwell, a native of Montreal, Canada. Her father was a soldier of the Revolutionary war, and by reason of his service Mrs. Moore drew a government land warrant. She was the mother of six children, viz: Joseph died in infancy; Francis Xavier, March 23, 1848, bap- tized and christened by Bishop de St. Palais in honor of the patron

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THE CLERGY ANI CONGREGATIONS,

saint of the beloved cathedral of that name. He received a thor- bugh education, graduating from McGill college, Montreal, with the degree bachelor of arts, and from the Philadelphia Polytechnic institute with the degree bachelor of surveying. In his profession of civil engineer he went to the city of Mexico, where he contracted a disease of the throat which resulted there in his death, May 17. 1890. Elen is the wife of Edward Smith, a hardware merchant of Vincennes. Harriet Ann died in childhood; Margaret Caldwell is the wife of W. W. Chadwick, superintendent of the water works at Chester. Pa., and John Stephen died in infancy.

Mrs. Moore is living in a green and gentle old age in the his- toric old Moore homestead, which has been established nearly. if not altogether, a century. Into those ancient parlors she was ushered a bride fifty years ago, and she there awaits patiently the final summons and blessed reunion. Though reared a Protestant, Mrs. MLore was converted to the beloved Mother church after the death of her first child. and will die as she has lived in the fullness and expectancy of its faith.

M ATTHEW J. GAYNOR, assistant engineer for the Indianapolis Light & Power company, is a native of Sharon, Ohio, was born February 27. 1855. and was educated in Monroe and Middle- t wn. in the Buckeye state. to which towns his parents successively changed their residence while he was still young.

Patrick Gaynor and Margaret Reilly Gaynor were natives of county Cavin, Ireland. and were young people when they came to this country. They were married in Reading. Ohio, July 12, 1853 and their union was blessed with six children, of whom Matthew J. is the eldest-the others being Ella, wife of Philip Amstead, a German Catholic, residing at Earle Park. Benton county. Ind. ; John died May 22, 1888, unmarried; Michael. a tobacconist, resides in Kentland, Newton county, Ind. ; Hugh F. is a merchant of the same town, and James, who was born April 9. 1866, died July 9, 1868. The father of this family is still a resi- dent of Middletown, Ohio, where he is engaged in farming.

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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

Matthew ] Gaynor came to Indianapolis iq :87- abd les twelve years was here employed by a paper company and Maten IJ. 1839. was appointed to his present position which be has Elled in a most satisfactory manner as his long occupancy ve it plainly shows.

Mr. Gaynor was united in marriage September 3. 1895, by Rev Father Curran at St Bridget's church to Miss Ella Me- a native of Union City, Ind. born July 12. 1861, and a daughter of Jacob Miller. formerly a well-known dealer in meats of this city Her : ther. a sincere Cathol.s ited in Indianapolis September to, ISg- and his widow equally as good a Catholic lives in retire- ment at No 6 ;; Vermont street. a highly honored lady-

Mr. Gayoor for two years has been president of division No 2. Angent Order of Hibernians, and has been treasurer of Bessonles commandery Knights of Father Mathew_ for the past seven years and is a director in the Indianapolis Light & Power Maczal A:i association. For two years Mr Gaynor was a member of S: Patrick's parish. Uut for the past eighteen years has been a residen: of St. John's parish. in which he is favorably and widely known. He is a free contributor to the support of St. John's church. and he and wife have a very pleasant home at No. par Capitol avence. where they enjoy the society of a vide circle of sincere friends.

JACOB GEHRLICH a prominent Catholic citizen of Indan- apolis, Ind. living at No. 1014 Harlan street has been a res :- dent of this city since IS- He was born in Hamilton county. Ohio. in December. 1827, and his father. Isadore Gebrlich, was born in Bavaria, Germany. In Isi9 The latter came to the United States with his parents when he was fourteen years of age, they settling in Cincinnati. and there he was married, in 1845. to Miss Margaret Craft, who. like himself, was a native of Germany.

In 1833 Isadore Gehr ch removed with his family to Dubuque county. Iowa, returning a year later to Cincinnati. In IS6; he removed to St. Anns. Jennings county. Ind., and in the fall of 18-6 he and his family came to Indianapolis, where Mrs. Gehrlich

THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

died September 12, 1884. Isadore Gehrlich still lives in Indian- apolis. He and his wife were the parents of nine children, of whom three sons and three daughters are still living and are resi- dents of Indianapolis with the exception of the eldest, Joseph, who resides at Wapakoneta, Ohio. Jacob, the second of the family, and Charles, the youngest son, both are doing well. Catherine and Mary are twins, and Sophia is the youngest of the daughters.

Jacob Gehrlich, the subject of this sketch, lived at home until he was married, April 9, 1872, to Miss Frances Homburgher. Her father, who was born in Germany, grew to manhood in his native country, and there married Apollonia Trunz. In 1849 he came to the United States, settling on a farm near St. Ann's, Ind., where, four years later, the father died. His widow afterward married George Meyer, a prominent and highly-esteemed citizen of St. Ann's. He died January 7, 1874, but his widow is now living on the old homestead farm, on which Mr. Homburgher set- tled on first coming to the United States. The father of Mrs. Gehrlich was twice married, as was her mother. George Meyer, the only son of Mr. Meyer, and a half brother of Mrs. Gehrlich, lives on the old farm with the mother. Mrs. Gehrlich has two full brothers, viz: Urban and Henry Homburgher. Her sister, Dorothy Meyer, became Sister Theodosia and died in Cincin- nati, Ohio.

Mr. and Mrs. Jacob Gehrlich have five children, viz: Mary, Catherine, George, Charles and Albert. They had another son, Francis, who died at the age of sixteen years. Mr. Gehrlich is recognized by all as an industrious, honest and worthy citizen, has the confidence of all, and is highly esteemed. He and his family attend St. Patrick's church, are faithful and consistent Catholics, and contribute liberally to the support of their church.

P RANK J. GEORGE, county superintendent of schools, Perry county, Ind., was born in Hachy, Belgium, April 28, 1852. He attended school in his native place until the age of twelve years, when, with his parents, he came to the United States, settling near

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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

Leopold, Ind., where he was reared to manhood on his father's. farm, and later learned the trade of stonecutting, studying indus- triously the meanwhile. In 1872 he went to Spencer county and worked at his trade on St. Meinrad's college, the construction of which was begun that year, and studied under one of the professors during his spare time, noon and night. In 1874 he went to St. Joseph, Wyandot county, Ohio, where he obtained a position as teacher in a Catholic school. He remained there six months and then returned to Perry county, where he resumed his studies and also continued to work at his trade. In 1876 he received his first license to teach, his percentage, in examination, showing a high average. The first school taught by Mr. George in Indiana was. near Leopold, his former home.

In 1877, work having again commenced on the building of St. Meinrad's college and monastery in Spencer county, Mr. George went to work there at his trade of stonecutting, and still assiduously. pursued his studies, as in the four years preceding this. He subse- quently attended the Central Normal college in Danville, Ind., and graduated in the teacher's course with honors. Mr. George canie to Tell City in 1884, and at once began to teach school, later he was appointed to the position of assistant superintendent of city schools, which place he resigned for that of county superintendent, to which office he was elected as a democrat in 1891, and is now serving his third term.

At the age of twenty Mr. George was married to Miss Eliza- beth Genet, the union being blessed with a family of seven children, five of whom are living, viz: Ellen, Alvin, Oliver, Theodore and Frank. Prof. George speaks and writes, fluently, the French, German and English languages, and Perry county has never had a more efficient superintendent of schools.

T THOMAS A. GERAGHTY, city editor of the Jacksonian, a daily and weekly journal of Rushville, Ind., and also special cor- respondent for several metropolitan newspapers, was born near Binghamstown, county Mayo, Ireland, October 15, 1871.

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

Patrick Geraghty, father of subject, was one of five brothers and two sisters, sons and daughters of James Geraghty. Patrick Geraghty was born in county Mayo, in 1847, and reached the United States in April, 1880; he has ever since been a resident of Rushville, and to his marriage with Bridget Haley, daughter of Thomas Haley, have been born, beside the subject, Hon. James M., who graduated from the Spokane (Wash.) law school, was a clerk in a legal department of the city of Spokane, a member of the Washington state legislature, and is now private secretary to United States Senator Turner, of that state. Three other children are named Bridget, Patrick and Mary.

Thomas A. Geraghty, who was about eight years of age when brought to the United States by his parents, received a good parochial school education in Rushville, and then began an appren- ticeship at printing in the office of the Republican, at the age of nineteen years, and afterward entered the newspaper field as a reporter on the Graphic, under Capt. Jack Gowdy, the proprietor. In 1895 he entered the employ of the Jacksonian. He is also sec- ond vice-president of the Young Men's institute, and is altogether an energetic young business man and a popular journalist. He was most happily married October 28, 1896, to Miss Nellie Ryan, of Lebanon, Ind.

L AWRENCE J. GERAGHTY, the well-known blacksmith of Rushville, Ind., is a native of Ireland, and was born November 15, 1842, in Tarinascarsa, near Belmullet, a small village in county Mayo.

Anthony Geraghty, grandfather of Lawrence J., was born in the north of Ireland, but went to county Mayo when young, and there married Mary Geraghty. James Geraghty, son of Anthony and father of Lawerence J., was born in county Mayo in 1826, was a contractor for canals, light house, etc., married Bridget Lynch, daughter of Patrick and Bridget (Davitt) Lynch, and to this marriage were born Anthony (deceased), James, Lawrence J., Patrick, Thomas, Bridget and Annie, all of whom came to the United States and settled in Rushville, Ind. The parents, how-

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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

ever, died in Ireland, and both were devout Catholics, as were their parents before them-the mother dying in 1852 and the father in 1879.

Lawrence J. Geraghty came to the United States in 1863, and was in the employ of the government at Lexington, Ky., until the close of the Civil war. He then learned blacksmithing, and September 21, 1865, came to Rushville. He here married, April 17, 1871, Miss Mary Scanlan, who was born in Butler county, Ohio, October 5, 1854, a daughter of James and Ann (Keenan) Scanlan, who were both born in county Sligo, Ireland, but were married in Cincinnati, Ohio. Mr. and Mrs. Scanlan, in 1861, came to Rushville, Ind., and here the father died November 25, 1883; the mother still lives in Rushville and is a devout member of the Catholic church, as was her husband. They were the parents of two children, Mary and John F. The marriage of Mr. and Mrs. Geraghty has been blessed with nine children, born in the following order: James J., Thomas F., Mary, John A., Annie, Lawrence E., Irene, George and Esther. Of these, James J. is a charter member and recording secretary of the Young Men's institute, and Thomas F. is a charter member and secretary, while Mr. Geraghty is him- self a charter member of the Catholic Benevolent legion, in the work of which he takes a prominent and active part. Mr. Geraghty owns one of the finest dwellings in Rushville and he and family stand very high in both social and church circles.

R EV. JOHN P. GILLIG, pastor of the church of the Immac- ulate Conception, at Millhousen, Decatur county, was born in the diocese of Treves, Rhine-Prussia, in March, 1832, was edu- cated in the colleges of Treves and Paderborn in the classics.

In 1854 he came to the United States, was ordained priest at Vincennes, Ind., December 8, 1859, and was at once assigned to the pastorate of St. Mary of the Rocks, Franklin county. In June, 1863, he was transferred to St. Vincent's, at Prescott, Shelby county, where he organized a mission at Shelbyville, and also a mission at Acton, in Marion county. In 1864, he made

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

Shelbyville his headquarters, officiated in the church at that place, as well as at Greensburg, and at other missions, and next was lo- · cated at Greensburg, where he remained until 1871, when he was transferred to St. Magdalen's, in Ripley county, and in 1877, to St. John's, in Clark county, where he did good and faithful service until 1891, when he came to Millhousen, where his labors have been blessed with a fructification in which any pastor might well rejoice.

Among the earlier good work done by Rev. Gilling may be mentioned the building of the present church of St. Mary of the Rocks, the first church at Acton, the first at Martinsville, and the commencement of a church structure at Navilleton, in Floyd county. He is still in the field, and is as energetic and zealous as in the days of yore.

C APT. JOHN MOLONEY, of Indianapolis, is a native of Charleville, county Cork, Ireland, was born in August, 1828, and remained in his native country until reaching manhood, then resided in London several years, served a term of eighteen months in the British army in England, and came to America in 1849, joining his mother and sister in Baltimore, Md. He resided there for some time and traveled through the south. On a return trip to his maternal home, then in Cincinnati, he secured satisfactory employment and remained there. He married, in Cincinnati, July 11, 1852, the lady of his choice being Miss Hannah Rafferty -a native of Belfast, Ireland. To this union six children were born, named as follows: David, Ellen, John and James, all deceased ; Mary, wife of Michael Cain, a resident of Indianapolis; the sixth child was Anna, and is also deceased. Mr. Moloney came to Indi- anapolis in 1852, and here has since been employed in various kinds of business.

Capt. Moloney was mustered into the United States service in 1861, with the rank of second lieutenant of company A, Thirty- fifth Indiana infantry; served with this regiment until the surrender of Lee's army, covering a period of over four years, and a full record of his military career will be found at the close of this memoir. Later he operated two shoe stores on Washington street, (616)

Craft John Moloney

CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

for a number of years, and was also engaged in manufacturing shoes, in which a full complement of men was employed; also dealt largely in real estate, buying and selling Indianapolis property. As the years advanced he disposed of these varied interests, and lately he has been engaged in city work, and now has charge of the city yards, under the jurisdiction of the board of public works, and for this position he is peculiarly well fitted, as few men have a larger acquaintance in Indianapolis, his forty-five years' residence having made him familiar with every detail of growth and development.

In 1892 his wife, with whom he had lived over forty years, was taken sick and died, and was buried from St. Bridget's church by Rev. Father Curran, assisted by Father Cooney-his old army chaplain. The captain was married to his present companion October 11, 1894. She bore the maiden name of Fannie Felix, and at the time was a member of St. John's church choir, receiv- ing a good salary. She is a native of Cincinnati, born of German Catholic parentage. Her excellent voice was recognized in early life, was carefully trained in the Cincinnati Musical college, and later she sang in St. Joseph's Catholic church in Cincinnati for twelve years.

Capt. Moloney has been a prominent member of the G. A. R. for many years, and has always taken an active interest in the affairs of his late comrades in arms. He was an ardent worker to secure the appropriation for the erection of the soldiers' monument which ornaments the circle in the beautiful Capital city. To himself, Col. Robinson and Gen. Manson is the chief credit due for securing this worthy recognition of the soldiers of the state. The captain is active in political work, and influential in the coun- cils of the democracy, and he has been a member of the Hendricks club for several years. The family are members of Sts. Peter and Paul's church, Father Chartrand being the pastor in fact, although the bishop is the nominal pastor.

Among the early responsible military positions committed to the charge of Lieut. Moloney, there are some worthy of detailed notice. During the time the Thirty-fifth Indiana was guarding the Green River bridge at Munfordville, Ky., in the early part of 1862, word was received by officers in command that serious depreda-

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

tions were being committed by desperadoes headed by one Wheeler, and it was determined, if possible, to capture him and his follow- ers. Lient. John Moloney was selected to take charge of this force, which was composed of men selected from his own company and company E. A competent scout or guide was assigned to lead the way, and a search was at once commenced for the apprehen- sion of the offenders. Lieut. Moloney having instructions which led him to exercise his own discretion, he determined to succeed at all hazards. Coming into the locality of the supposed hiding place, he first visited Wheeler's home, but finding that he was not there, and learning with some definiteness that he was at the home of his father-in-law, some twenty-five miles distant, he decided to mount his men. He told his guide to point out the houses owned by rebel sympathizers, and from their barns he selected horses until his force was well mounted. He also pressed some loiterers into service, and took them along.

The little band then made a rapid march to the vicinity of Bowling Green, Ky. At about one o'clock in the morning they arrived in sight of the house which, it was supposed, sheltered Wheeler. The men were quietly dismounted and deployed to sur- round the house. Lient. Moloney, in company with the scout and two of his men, with arms ready for prompt action, followed a col- ored woman from the kitchen into the dining room, and there, at that unseasonable hour, sat Wheeler and his friends about to par- take of a midnight dinner. Lieut. Moloney ordered them to remain seated, stating that resistance would be futile as the house was surrounded, The whole party were made prisoners-the father- in-law remarking to Wheeler, "I told you so; I knew they would be after you." The little band of heroes were royally entertained by the hospitable secessionist, and did not leave the premises until after daylight, and at the request of the host-an unusual thing for soldiers to wait to be asked under such circumstances-they par- took of the supper spread upon the tables and greatly enjoyed it after their active exercise. Lieut. Moloney was careful that the same courteous treatment was extended the generous entertainers. On their return march, Wheeler was allowed to visit his own home for such clothing as he desired, and to bid his wife and chil-

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CATHOLIC CHURCH OF INDIANA.

dren good-bye, the parting being touchingly affecting. Lieut. Moloney liad busied himself, gathering such incidents as he could, and was impressed with the belief that Wheeler was innocent of the charges imputed to him; that what he had done was really in accord with the laws of civilized warfare, and did not hesitate to impart his belief to the distracted wife and children. On their return, Wheeler was permitted to take along as many of his friends and neighbors as he desired to testify to his character, so that when the force reached camp it had been swelled to quite an imposing army, and was received with shouts of welcome and "Three cheers for Moloney's cavalry." The horses taken in this emergency were returned to their rightful owners, and it is but due to Wheeler to say that he was vindicated and released. Later on in the service, Lieut. Moloney again received conrteous treatment at the hands of Wheeler and his father-in-law.

When the Thirty-fifth Irish regiment was recruited, our sub- ject was commissioned captain of company A, and commanded the same until the close of the war. This regiment was assigned to the army of the Cumberland and participated in all the memorable engagements of the grand army of the West.

At the battles of Chickamuaga and Lookout Mountain, Capt. Moloney was especially noticed in the official reports and general orders of the commanding general for meritorious services and con- spicuous gallantry in action. On the night of the 20th of June, 1864, during a bayonet charge upon the enemy's works, Capt. Moloney, while gallantly leading his company, was captured on the very ramparts of the rebel works and forcibly drawn over the breastworks by the rebel soldiers. He was taken to Marietta, Ga., thence to Atlanta, and finally to Macon, where commissioned officers were imprisoned. A scheme was concocted among the pris- oners to wreck and burn the train en route, and Capt. Moloney was to command a detachment of the prisoners. But this mis- carried through want of concert of action. Our hero, however, jumped from the moving train on a trestle work, and though a volley was fired at him by the guards, he escaped unhurt. For six days following this he had neither food nor rest, but was finally relieved by some negroes, who gave him melons and other food,

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THE CLERGY AND CONGREGATIONS,

and rendered him assistance in building a raft, upon which he hoped to float on the Cumberland river until picked up by the Union gun-boats. But the material at hand was very scarce and the float was not sufficiently buoyant to keep him above water. The ignorant negroes had told him that the Yankee gunboats were just beyond an island in the river, the channel being on the further side. He managed to reach the island, which was overgrown with impen- etrable grass, brakes and weeds. After superhuman efforts he managed to get through the morass until he obtained a fair view of his surroundings, having been nearly suffocated in a quicksand bayou. Being disappointed in finding the gunboats, he decided to continued his aquatic operations, but could not resume his course without rest. He found an old barn door, upon which he tried to sleep, but was savagely attacked by wild hogs during the night. In the morning he returned to his old raft and floated down the stream. On the second day he encountered a rebel picket post of the Second South Carolina cavalry. His raft drew so much water that he was able to keep only his head and shoulders above the surface. As the picket hailed him, he was nearing a trestle work or piling, in a swift and strong current, but before he could land his raft was knocked to pieces against the piling, which he was unable to climb, and there was no boat wherewith to rescue him. His clothing was all torn from his body in the hard contact with the poles, rails, pieces of boards and the piles, so that he pre- sented a pitiable sight as he clung for life to a piling-post, of which there were three rows in the river to prevent Union gunboats from ascending. For two long hours he clung to these life-saving posts, and was finally rescued by his enemies, but they treated him kindly and one of them gave him a rebel uniform which had belonged to the donor's dead brother. He was detained two or three days to gain strength, as he was nearly exhausted, and then sent to Charles- ton, when he was delivered to the rebel provost marshal. On the second day in Charleston he was taken with the swamp fever and sent to a hospital, where he lay at death's door for many days. Here the Sisters of Charity, to whom he is undoubtedly indebted for his life, took him in charge. They were unremitting in their attentions to all, uniforms counted for nothing-Protestant and

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History of the Catholic church in Indiana, Volume II, Part 36

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed Publication date: 1898 Publisher: Logansport, Ind., A. W. Bowen & co. Number of Pages: 1476

Author: Blanchard, Charles, fl. 1882-1900, ed
Publication date: 1898
Publisher: Logansport, Ind., A. W. Bowen & co.
Number of Pages: 1476