USA > Missouri > Greene County > Past and present of Greene County Missouri, early and recent history and genealogical records of many of the representative citizens, Volume I > Part 68
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May not the wish and hope now confidently expressed that these efforts ordinary and extraordinary, to perpetuate the memory of the lamented young priest, prompt and insure perseverant prayers until the crown of eternal glory adorns his sacerdotal brow ?
PAROCHIAL MEMORABILIA.
The Sacred Heart Parish property, consisting of two lots, a church, convent, school and pastoral residence, with contents, is valued at, approxi- mately nineteen thousand dollars. Since the foundation of the parish, thirty- three years ago, four pastors and five assistants have labored therein; of the pastors, Rev. Father Francis O'Neill, the first pastor, and Rev. Father Healy, the present incumbent, still survive; two, namely, Very Rev. Father Curran, and Rev. Father James Ryan, are deceased.
Of the five assistants, namely, Father Fortune, Father Kilkenny, Father Curran, Father Vogel and Father John O' Reilly, all. save the last-named are living, and actually in charge of parishes. The Sacred Heart Parish has provided one priest for God's holy altar, namely, Rev. Father James Vincent O'Connor, S. J .; Rev. John Lavelle will shortly be ordained a Lazarist Father, and Mr. Thomas Carney should, ere long, be numbered among God's priesthood.
To the Sisterhoods, the Sacred Heart Parish has offered Miss Rose Phillips. now Sister Victorine; Miss Ion Wilson, presently Sister Frances of Fort Scott, Kansas, and Miss Agnes Connelly, postulant for admission as a Sister of Mercy, at Fort Scott, Kansas.
The Church Committee : Mr. James M. Quinn, Mr. Martin J. Healey, Mr. Thomas Fogarty and Mr. Francis Venie have repeatedly co-operated with the Reverend pastor, in forwarding the best interests of the parish.
The Communities of Sisters: Mother Mary Clare, Superior, Sister Veronica, Sister Madeline, Sister Gertrude, Sister Genevieve and Sister Aloysius, are stationed at the Frisco hospital, in the Sacred Heart Parish.
Four Sisters of Charity of Leavenworth, Kansas, are in charge of the Sacred Heart School, namely, Sister Emerentia, Superioress, teacher of the fourth, fifth and sixth grades: Sister Mary Octavia, teacher of the seventh and eighth grades ; Sister Mary Inez, teacher of the rudimentary, first, second and third grades, and Sister Mary Florentine.
To Mr. and Mrs. James M. Quinn, for years of devoted, self-sacrificing service, as organist and choir director, and for which extraordinary fidelity, covering a period of about eight years, they both absolutely refuse all mater- ial compensation, the Sacred Heart Parish owes an incalculable debt of in- terminable gratitude.
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OTHER MEMBERS OF THE CHURCH CHOIR.
Mr. William Kennedy, for years, a member, rendered countless, inval- uable services : Mrs. W. F. French, ever-faithful soprano, richly deserves very special mention : Miss Agnes Connelly, now a postulant at the Mercy Con- vent, Fort Scott, Kansas, is deservedly remembered ; Miss Lillian Fuller has also rendered noteworthy, faithful service: Miss Loretta Lawler has, since her recent return to Springfield, frequently contributed to the choir's effi- ciency : Mr. B. W. Flagg has been prodigal of his time and services to for- ward the choir's success, and to Mr. J. C. Iloey, no little praise is justly ac- corded.
QUEEN'S DAUGHTERS.
To this society, introduced about three years ago, are justly attributed many of the important improvements accomplished since its organization. Official personnel. 1912-Mrs. Robert Dewhurst, president : Mrs. James Bailey, vice-president : Mrs. Peter Dailey, secretary: Rev. Father Healy, treasurer. 1913-Mrs. Robert Dewhurst, president : Mrs. James Bailey, vice- president : Mrs. James Bailey, secretary : Father Healy, treasurer. 1914- Mrs. Martin J. Healey, president : Mrs. FF. Venie, vice-president ; Mrs. James Bailey, secretary: Father Healy, treasurer. Mrs. Henry Schellhardt, presi- dent, resigned : Mrs. F. Mclaughlin, secretary, resigned : Mrs. John C. Con- ley, president : Mrs. J. C. Young, vice-president : Mrs. John McQuinn, secre- tary : Father Healy, treasurer.
ALTAR SOCIETY, OFFICIAL PERSONNEL.
1914-Mrs. James McCabe. president : Mrs. Nettie Young, secretary, and Father Healy, treasurer. 1915-Mrs. Martin J. Healey, president : Mrs. 11. J. Golden, vice-president : Mrs. J. P. Hurley, secretary, and Father Healy, treasurer.
REV. FATHER DANIEL L. HEALY.
More than half a century ago. the subject of this biography was wel- comed into life, not far from the great, historic Bunker Hill, of Revolutionary prominence : but a short distance from the incredibly wonderfully developed metropolis of Boston, the Athens of America. Among his most vivid and earliest childhood impressions and memories, were, the drilling and maneu- vering of marshalled legions, thus acquiring their rudimentary, and supple- mentary, military training in the art of war, during the ever-memorable period of America's quinquennial bloody. Civil War of the Rebellion.
Father Healy, though most intensely devoted to Old Erin, has, hitherto,
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never been vouchsafed a view of, or sojourn in, the land of his ancestors. Yet, despite this fact, few there are, natives, or non-natives, to whom the copious, celebrated, sweet-toned, glorious, ancient, prehistoric, scientific, Cel- tic tongue, more responsively appeals; yea, its very mention fires Father Healy's soul with unbounded and unquenchable enthusiasm.
To the public schools of Massachusetts, Father Healy is principally in- debted for his earliest childhood and boyhood advances in the realms of knowledge: subsequently, under the able tutorship of Rev. James A. Fitz- Simons of Ashton, Rhode Island, our subject's faithful friend and beloved pastor, long since departed, the former received his first introduction to the two great indispensable, ancient and scientific languages, Latin and Greek, preparatorily to his admission into Ottawa College, Canada, later, the Ottawa University, having for his professors, the Oblate Fathers of Mary.
Years, joyfully consumed at the fountains of knowledge, followed his enrollment as a pupil of Ottawa College; a priestly career of nearly thirty- five years has since ensued, yet, Father Healy is, were it possible. more pro- foundly devoted to, and enamored of, knowledge. than ever before, as one rightly informed would naturally expect and justly demand of a self-immo- lated victim to God, to country, and to his fellow-men.
At St Joseph's Cathedral, Missouri, on Sunday, August 5, 1880, the longed-for, incomparable, priestly faculties were, at ordination, conferred on Rev. Father Healy, by the late Very Venerable, and Right Reverend John J. Hogan. D. D., in the presence of assisting priests and a large. much-im- pressed congregation. The newly-ordained priest assisted at the Cathedral and administered several, out-lying missions, for about seven months; on March 19. 1881, owing to the serious indisposition of Rev. James Dunn, of St. Patrick's church, Kansas City, Missouri, Father Healy was appointed assistant, and for many months. he administered St. Patrick's Parish : during this period, an epidemic of smallpox smote Kansas City, Missouri, and many opportunities for self-immolation were frequently offered the young Levite, and by him, gladly embraced.
From St. Patrick's church. Right Rev. Bishop Hogan transferred the newly ordained priest to St. Mary's church, Carrollton, Missouri, then, the former home and final resting place of the immortal Gen. James Shields, a loyal son of the church, and a fearless defender of his country. From St. Mary's, Carrollton, Missouri, Father Healy was recalled to the Cathedral at Kansas City, Missouri, where, for less than a year, he applied himself, under the direction of the Right Rev. Bishop Hogan, to the upbuilding of the Cathedral school. From Kansas City he was appointed pastor at California, Missouri, where he remained many months.
February, 1887, finds Father Healy stationed at Peirce City, Missouri, where, under untold difficulties, he labored nearly nine and a half years, dur-
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ing which time he made, in the interests of St. Patrick's parish, a successful and far-reaching appeal to Rome, Italy, going thither in person in August- September, 1888. Having continued in charge of St. Patrick's parish nine and a half years. Father Healy was transferred to St. Vincent's church, Sedalia, Missouri, in which pastorate he remained for very nearly nine years, and on June 30, 1905, he arrived at the Sacred Heart church, Springfield, Missouri. recently bereaved by the death of her third pastor, the Rev. James Ryan, and. at present, the tenth anniversary of Rev. Father Healy's pastorate of the Sacred Heart parish is rapidly approaching.
Countless opportunities for multi-fold sacrifices have, since Father Ilealy's arrival at the Sacred Heart parish, been repeatedly offered, and by him, happily embraced; furthermore, it may be safely asserted that Rev. Father Healy has quietly and secretly applied many thousand dollars of his laboriously earned salary in advancing the manifold, material, intellectual and spiritual interests of his nine hundred parishioners.
FATHER HEALY'S LATEST POETIC CREATION.
The following twenty-five-lined iambic, petameter, hypercatalectic or heroic stanza, commemorative of the twenty-fifth anniversary of the Queen's Daughters, was composed and dedicated by Rev. Daniel Healy, treasurer of association number seventy-five, of the Sacred Heart church, Springfield, Missouri.
From holiest 'bode of Jesus ever dwelling, 'Neath sacramental veils, Christ's love c'er telling. .All faithful souls enriching, tempests quelling, .Angelic hosts encircling. awe-compelling : 'Fore table blessed. Holy, God containing, Each Christian heart refreshing and sustaining, In probate battle, earthly, here detaining. E'er with His children, loyal, fond remaining ; We. Mary's daughters, bowed in adoration, With lips devout. intone sweet acclamation, To "Daughter's Queenly," convened congregation, In great St. Louis -- noble aggregation ; Sincerest thanks to Heaven's Lord returning. From souls infused, with Godly love, now burning, Naught worthy Master's noble, cause e'er spurning ; Health, life and strength, possessions, Christ-like learning, To Mary's Son all-honored, now presenting. A sacred pledge, undying, unrelenting.
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O service noblest, life-long-Godward hieing- Queen's Daughters ever-living-battling-dying, Self-immolate, with God's grand law, complying, In arms Divine of Jesus dear, safe lying,
For worlds unconquered unto Him, oft sighing. Ne'er-ending bliss, with efforts blessed buying.
Christ's Great White Throne, eternal, hourly nighing.
ST. AGNES CATHOLIC CHURCH. By the Rev. Father J. M. Sheridan.
In the early spring of 1908 a committee composed of L. S. Meyer, John Landers. F. X. Heer, T. E. Williams and H. T. Hornsby, called upon the Rt. Rev. J. J. Hogan, bishop of the Diocese of Kansas City to discuss with him the advisability of establishing a new parish in the south side of Spring- field. "The earth does move," said Galileo of old. "The world is round," said Columbus. "Springfield will be yet a great city," said these men and "the Catholic church should grow with it." And so convinced were they of this fact themselves that they imparted their convictions to Bishop Hogan, who finally gave the required permission to seek a location for a new parish in the south side of Springfield, and at the same time he appointed Messrs. Meyer. Landers. Heer, Hornsby and Williams a committee with power to select location, raise funds, and do all things necessary for the foundation of the new parish.
Towards the end of September. 1908. Bishop Hogan appointed Father :O'Driscoll, then at Carthage. Missouri, to come to Springfield and take charge ·of the new parish. On his arrival the committee rented the little Congrega- tional church building at the corner of Market and Walnut streets, and in this improvised church. on the last Sunday of September, 1908, the Sacrifice of the Mass was offered for the first time in the newly created parish by Father O'Driscoll.
Father O'Driscoll remained in charge only about two months, during which time he worked hard toward the organization of the new congrega- tion, gathering up the various details of the new parish and reducing all to order and system. On the first of December. 1908, he was transferred to Warrensburg, Missouri. and Father Sheridan came from Clinton to take up the duties of pastor of St. Agnes parish.
Father Sheridan and the church committee at once began the work of selecting a site for the new church. This in itself was a work requiring much patient care and labor, as it was difficult to find, in the built up district, ground sufficient for the parish needs and at the same time centrally located in respect to the members of the congregation.
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The Haydon property on South Jefferson and Mt. Vernon streets was finally decided upon and the bishop having given his approval, the lot was bought in April, 1909.
During the summer of 1909, the plans and specifications were made for the new church by Miller. Opal and Torbitt, architects. These plans were taken to Kansas City by Father Sheridan and II. T. Hornsby for the bishop's approval. Bishop Hogan having approved of the plans, the contract for the building was let to Landers and Davis Company, of Springfield, on the 15th day of September, 1900. The Sebree property just north of the church was at this time purchased for a parsonage.
Ground was broken for the foundation in October of the same year and the foundation put in. During the spring and summer of 1910 the church was completed and on Thanksgiving day, 24th of November, 1910, the new church was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Thomas F. Lillis, D. D., then coadjutor bishop of Kansas City. Missouri. Bishop Lillis was also the first to offer the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass in the new church.
.At the writing of this article, the new parish has been in existence less than six years, yet it has more than justified the hopes of the men who were instrumental in founding it. The congregation started with an active men- bership which was less than three hundred. Today, less than six years later, it has an active membership.of over a thousand.
"Not to us Lord : not to us, but to Thy Name be glory."
REV. FATHER J. M. SHERIDAN.
Father J. M. Sheridan, the present pastor of St. Agnes church, was edu- cated in Dublin, Ireland, and there was ordained a priest. In 1898, he came to Kansas City and was assigned to Joplin as chaplain to the Convent of Mercy, with missions at Neosho and Seneca, Missouri. He remained at Joplin nearly two years, during which time he assisted in the building of the present St. John's hospital.
In 1900 Father Sheridan was transferred to Clinton, Missouri, in order that an effort might be made to pay off a large debt which encumbered that congregation. Ile remained there for nine years and succeeded in paying off the debt and was then sent by the bishop to take charge of the establishing and building of St. Agnes parish, Springfield, where he has since resided.
Besides being pastor of St. Agnes parish, Father Sheridan holds many other honorable offices in the church. He is chaplain of the Knights of Father Matthew. president of the St. Mary's Cemetery Board, Synodal Ex- aminer of the Diocese and Dean of the Springfield District of the Diocese of Kansas City, Missouri.
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ST. AGNES SCHOOL.
Education and religion should always be found united. Education stands for knowledge and the highest knowledge is the knowledge of God, and education that teaches not knowledge of God is not the highest education. Religion teaches a man his duties towards God, towards himself and towards his fellow man, and to apply religion rightly, a man should know his relation- ship to the things around him,-he should be educated .- so education is necessary to be intelligently religious. And so to carry out the fundamental precepts of intelligent religion, you will always find side by side with the Catholic church, the Catholic school.
St. Agnes school came into existence at least two years before the foundation of the parish. The school was called into existence by the fact that all the Catholic schools at that time (about 1906) were situated north of the Frisco tracks and as several accidents had occurred on the grade cross- ings, parents were fearful to allow their children to cross these railroad tracks to school.
To find a way out of this difficulty, a committee composed of A. F. Fine, T. R. Stokes, L. S. Meyer and T. E. Williams was appointed. After long and arduous work and by overcoming many and serious obstacles, a lot was bought on South street, nearly opposite the present site of the Christian church. This lot was bought by L. S. Meyer and H. A. Meyer, and a house which was on the property was used as a school. As a temple of learning, the building, in itself was not a masterpiece of architectural work, and the children who attended school there for several years had named it the "Stable of Bethlehem." Still it was a God-send at the time and under the able and faithful care of the Sisters of Loretto, it turned out scholars who even now are making their mark in the advanced colleges and universities of this country.
For three years, or until the fall of 1910, when the Haydon property was purchased for St. Agnes church, school was held in this frame building on South street, and before the parish was established, the school was kept there by the indefatigable work of the committee, ably and loyally aided by the Catholic mothers of the south side, like Mrs. Fine, Mrs. Stokes, Mrs. L. S. Meyer and many others.
In 1910, the school was moved to the Haydon lot on West Mt. Vernon street and located in a two-story frame building on the west end of the lot. Here school was held for more than two years. In 1912, Father Sheridan, with the generous support of the congregation, built the present beautiful three-story brick and concrete building, located just west of the church on Mt. Vernon street and capable of accommodating three hundred pupils.
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GREENE COUNTY, MISSOURI.
ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCHI.
By Rev. Father Maurus Eckstein.
Repeatedly the wish had been expressed to have in Springfield a Catholic church for the Germans and those of German origin. When, therefore, in February, 1892, Rev. Father L. Porta, pastor of the Immaculate Conception church, had passed away, the Right Rev. Bishop of Kansas City thought the time opportune to find out what could be done for the Germans of the city. Requested by his lordship. the Right Rev. Abbot Frowin, O. S. B. of the Conception monastery sent one of his priests to Springfield with the instruc- tions to look for the time being after the spiritual needs of the members of the Immaculate Conception church and if possible, build a church for the Ger- man-speaking people. Mr. Charles H. Heer, one of the most prominent citizens of Springfield, was the first one to offer assistance. He made the promise to donate to the Conception .Abbey a house and lot on corner of Jefferson and Chestnut streets, on condition that, with the consent of the Right Reverend Bishop of the diocese, an addition be built to the residence to serve both as church for the Catholics of German nationality and origin and as an institution for the higher education of youth. The offer was ac- cepted and with the help of the good people a three story brick building was erected and dedicated by the Right Rev. Abbot Frowin O. S. B. in the year 1893. The new building that was to serve for the time being as church and college cost about five thousand dollars. AArchitect W. E. Foley had the kind- ness to furnish the necessary plans and specifications free of charge, whilst Mr. Charles Heer, Jr., was of valuable assistance to us with his practical advice. Mr. August Lohmeyer. a skillful cabinet-maker, built the altar for the church, also free of charge. . At the same time a parochial school with about twenty-five children in attendance was opened in a small building changed from a stable into a schoolhouse. As the Sisters of the Loretto Academy could not take charge of the school it was given to the good Sisters of St. John's hospital, this city, and they successfully conducted it ever since. Already in 1894 the parochial school had outgrown its accommodations to such an extent that more room became a necessity. This was under the pre- vailing circumstances a difficult problem to solve. As the plan to put up a new building could not be carried out. the matter was brought before Mr. Charles H. Heer. After due deliberation of all existing difficulties, Mr. Charles H. Heer gave his approval to turn the college into a parochial school. As time went on the need of a larger and more appropriate building for divine service was keenly felt. Mr. Charles H. Heer expressed his intention to set aside in his last will and testament the sum of fifteen thousand dollars for the erec- tion of a new church and one thousand dollars for the benefit of the parochial school. This together with the donations the other members of the parish
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were willing to contribute made the future of St. Joseph's parish bright and hopeful.
On the 3rd of April, 1898, Mr. Charles H. Heer, our generous and long to be remembered benefactor was called to his eternal reward. As his chil- dren were only too glad to carry out their father's will we came into posses- sion of the handsome sum of fifteen thousand dollars to be used for the erection of a new St. Joseph's church. With the consent of the Right Rev- erend Bishop, in fall of 1904, a new site on Campbell and Scott streets was bought for the sum of two thousand four hundred dollars.
On June 5, 1905, the cornerstone of the new edifice was laid by the Rt. Rev. Thomas F. Lillis, D. D., the Bishop of Leavenworth, Kansas, but now bishop of Kansas City, Missouri. Thanksgiving day, 1906, was the long. looked for and happy day when the new beautiful church could be dedicated for divine service by the Right Reverend Abbott of the Conception monastery. Thanks to the generosity of Mr. Charles H. Heer and his children, together with the many sacrifices of the other parishioners, the new church with all the beautiful interior finishings, necessary as well as desirable for divine service, costing in all about thirty-six thousand dollars, was free of debts on the day of dedication. Mr. Herm. J. Meyer, of the John F. Meyer and Sons Milling Company is another great benefactor of St. Joseph's church. - In his zeal for the house of God, he thought he could never do enough. Miss Julia Harpstrite has done more for the interior beautifying of the church than could ever be expected.
On' April, 20, 1907, three additional lots on Scott street were bought, costing three thousand three hundred and forty dollars. There the new St. Joseph's school was erected, costing about seven thousand dollars. In the fall of 1908, the school was opened to one hundred and thirty children of St. Joseph's parish. At a great expense the old church buildings on Jefferson and Chestnut streets were transformed into a beautiful sanitarium for nervous diseases. This institution is conducted by the able Dr. S. A. Johnson.
GREENE COUNTY CHURCHES.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCH, SOUTH.
The beginnings of ecclesiastical history in Greene county, as in Spring- field, belong to that of the Southern Methodist church. In Woodard's History of Methodism in Missouri we are told that a class was organized at Ebenezer, in 1831, possibly even earlier than the date at which Slavens preached his first sermon in Springfield. The house of worship was erected in 1832, being thus about contemporary with that at Springfield. It was placed midway between two springs, which were about a hundred yards. apart. There in 1836 a camp ground was established and used annually
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for the next twenty years. For four years previous the camp-ground had been located at Cave Spring. "At this camp-ground," says Mr. Woodard, "thousands have been converted, some of whom have been called to the ministry, among whom 1 claim an humble place. I suppose this was the largest camp-ground in the state. Of the twenty-five licensed from Spring- field circuit between 1831 and 1846, ten are known to have come from the Ebenezer class. Only the Springfield class by which at least twenty-five were recommended for license, exceeded this number." A parsonage was built of hewed logs in 1840, succeeded in 1878 by "a substantial and tasty frame cottage."
.An early educational enterprise connected with the Ebenezer church may fitly be recorded here. In August. 1842, the Springfield circuit, meeting on Ebenezer camp-ground, resolved that "it is highly necessary that we take into consideration the establishment of a high school somewhere in the Ebenezer neighborhood, on the manual labor system," appointing James H. Slavens, M. D., then a practicing physician, as agent. Two years later further steps were taken in the same direction, but it was not till 1847 that a two-story frame building was erected, wherein was held the second session of the St. Louis Conference that year. Here in March, 1848, was begun the Southwest Missouri College, Rev. A. H. Mathis, president, assisted by John McNeil and Maria Mathis. Later another building was added, and the school was continued until the time of the Civil war. An effort at resuscitation after the close of the war was unsuccessful. A recent report of this church seems to know nothing of the history above narrated, dating the organization and erection of the house of worship in 1846, which was succeeded by a later frame building in 1892. A membership of fifty-five is reported. with a Sunday school of fifty members. There are preaching services once a month, by J. J. Copeland, whose home is at Morrisville, Polk county. The church property is valued at two thousand dollars.
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