History of the city of Omaha, Nebraska, Part 52

Author: Savage, James Woodruff, 1826-1890; Bell, John T. (John Thomas), b. 1842, joint author; Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: New York, Chicago, Munsell & Company
Number of Pages: 1020

USA > Nebraska > Douglas County > Omaha > History of the city of Omaha, Nebraska > Part 52

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In 1867, on the completion of the Harney Street Cathedral, the old building was used as a school and placed in charge of the Sis- ters of Mercy. In 1882, the ground upon which it stood was condemned and bought by the Burlington & Missouri River Rail- road, and this old landmark disappeared for-

ST. MARY'S CONVENT, TWENTY-FOURTH STREET AND ST. MARY'S AVENUE-1868.

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CATHOLICISM IN OMAIIA.

ever. With the dedication of the new ca- thedral, St. Philomena's, began a new era for Catholic Omaha. This structure cost upward of fifty thousand dollars, and was furnished with the first pipe organ ever brought to Omaha. An exquisite marble altar, the work of foreign sculptors, was pre- sented by Mrs. Edward Creighton; and back of this was placed a triple window, of what is still one of the richest and most artistic designs in stained glass in this city. Three acres of land were purchased and a boarding school for young ladies built by the Sisters of Mercy. This building stood on the north side of what was named, from the convent, St. Mary's Avenue. The land was purchased from Harrison Johnson for $150, and in 1887 it was sold for $82,000. Adjoining this purchase was the first Catholic cemetery, located between what is now Twenty - first and Twenty- fourth Streets and Harney and St. Mary's Avenue. Not a trace re- mains to-day of graveyard, convent or hill. The grader has done his work, and paved streets and elegant residences have made strange these once familiar places.

The pastors of the cathedral have been Fathers Curtis, Byrne, Jennette, O'Brien, MeDermott, Riordan, Eng- lish, O'Connor and McCarthy, the present ineumbent. Under his able administration many improvements have been made. St. Philomena's continued to be the only Catholic Church until 1868, when Father Greenabaum organized the few German families in the congregation and built St. Mary Magdalene's, on Douglas between Sixteenth and Seventeenth. There were not more than a dozen families; among them were the Kosters, Frenzers, Wasser- mans' Rebhansens, Mergens, Bedessems, Roblings and Kaufmans. In 1887 Father Glauber, the second and present pastor, pur- chased a site on the corner of Center and South Seventeenth Streets and erected there-

on the Second German Church. This was dedicated St. Joseph's, September 12, 1887. When Father Glauber selected this site, he met with considerable opposition, the general feeling being that it was too far out. Hle persisted, however, and assured his people

ST. PHILOMENA CATHEDRAL.

that their suburban lots would be city prop- erty within five years. If you visit that part of the city to-day, you will find viaducts and motor lines have been built, the sur- rounding streets graded and paved, gas, water and sewerage connections made, and the site could be sold to-day for at least four times the purchase money.

On the death of Bishop O'Gorman, in 1874. Rt. Rev. James O'Connor, D. D., was ap- pointed Viear General of Nebraska and titu- lar Bishop of Dibona. Bishop O'Connor was really the first bishop of Omaha, but

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could not claim that title until 1885, when this city was made a See. He was called upon to preside over a bishopric including Nebraska, Dakota, Wyoming, and the eastern part of Montana, the most extensive territory under any Catholic bishop on this continent. He was a ripe scholar and a man of fine literary attainments, and as such was respected by the ablest men of all denominations. He was a pions and zealous priest; and, while the spiritual welfare of his people was always nearest his Heart, he was at the same time an able man of business, and much of the great material prosperity of the church in Omaha, is due to his prudence and foresight. In death he was most sincerely mourned; and the old cathedral, already dear to Catholic Omaha, has become still dearer since his body has been placed in the vault under the high altar, where Father Curtis, the first pastor, and Bishop O'Gorman had already been laid. At the time of his coming the cathedral and the German Church were found sufficient. Since that time seven new parishes have been created in Omaha, two in South Omaha, and the congregation of the cathedral is still as large as it was on his ar- rival. This is, in some respects, a very re- markable congregation. You may see at the same service, Indians, Chinamen, Ne- groes, Arabians, Poles, Bohemians and Ital- ians, many of them still wearing the cos- tumes of their native country.

The Holy Family parish was created in 1877. The first church was a small frame building, formerly used as a school house. The present edifice is a handsome brick,com- bining church and school. The first pastor's were Fathers Quinn and Curtis. Later the church was placed in charge of the Jesuit fathers. The pastors of that order have been Fathers Shaffel and Hillman. St. Peters is a duplicate of the church of the Holy Fam- ily, and is located on West Leavenworth Street. This prosperous parish was in charge of Rev. Father Boyle, who has been suc- ceeded by Father Conway.

In December, 1883, was dedicated St, Pat- rick's, located on Fifteenth and Castellar, The growth of this parish has been phenom- enal. Rev. John Jennette, the first pastor, is still in charge. When the parish was or- ganized it was found to contain fifty-two Catholic families, residing in town and coun- try. The country in this case included the farms upon which South Omaha has since been built. Father Jennette's circumstances were soon similar to those that embarrassed the famous old lady in the shoe, but he was re- lieved by the creation of a new parish. He began nine years ago with fifty-two fam- ilies. The overflow from his congregation fills two large churches in South Omaha, and he has still three hundred families left. On the same block with St. Patrick's Church, school and residence, is located the orphan- age conducted by the Sisters of Mercy.

In 1879 a Bohemian Catholic Church was organized. It is known as St. Wenceslau's and is on the corner of Fourteenth and Pine Streets. The church building cost nine thousand dollars, and there is besides a fine residence and school. The pastors have been Fathers Kozarink and Klima. The present pastor, Rev. William Choka, is also vicar general of the Diocese of Nebraska.

St. Cecilia's, on Walnut Hill, is a new par- ish. The appointments of this church are very dainty and elegant, but it is already too small for the congregation. The first pastor was Rev. Father O'Callaghan, and the second, Father Smith. The present pas- tor is Father Carroll. A new parish, in- cluding old Fort Omaha and Kountze Place, was created in 1890, and is known as the Sacred Heart. It is in charge of Father Smith.

The first school connected with the Cath- olie Church in Omaha, was taught by Miss Joanna O'Brien, and later by Miss Celia Burkley, now Mrs. Burkhard. It was a small frame building, south of the Eighth Street Church, and accommodated both sexes. A larger frame was soon erected and set

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apart for boys. The first teacher in this school was a Mr. Webster. It was, according to all accounts, a very lively place. A strip

years later, so successful as county superin- tendent, and enabled him still later to fill many other important public offices so ac-

DC Dudann (a)

ST. JOHN'S COLLEGIATE CHURCH.

of pine shingle was the board of education, and it must have been in this school that Mr. John Rush, who took charge in 1866, gained the experience that made him, some

ceptably. Among the boys who began their education in this school are many well-known citizens; notably, Hon. John Mulvihill, Jer- emiah Mulvihill, Patrick and John Swift,

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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF OMAHA.

Frank Burkley, Jeremiah Linahan, Terence and John Mahoney, Thomas and John Gar- vey, and the McGovern brothers. In 1877 this building was moved to the northern part of the city and used for a church.

The first boarding school for young ladies was St. Mary's, on the hill, in charge of the Sisters of Mercy. It was a very popular school in its day ; and its annual commence- ment exercises, held in the hall of the old county court house, were looked upon as the social event of the year. There are now three convent schools in Omaha where a thorough education in all the higher branches of study can be had. The Convent of the Sacred Heart, a select boarding school for young ladies, is located at Park Place, in the northwestern part of the city. It is a com- modious brick structure with beautiful lawn and gardens. Many of the pupils come from the far East as well as the far West. Madame Conway is the mother superior, and the en- rollment for the present year was 128. The ladies of this order also conduct a private day school for girls at Twenty-seventh and Leavenworth. Nine teachers are employed, and the building is a fine three-story brick. Madame Tobbits is the superior. St. Catherine's Academy, at Eighteenth and Cass, is a well patronized private school con- ducted by the Sisters of Mercy. Mother Leo is the principal. There are eight parochial schools. Of these, St. Philomena's Holy Family, St. Patrick's, St. Stanislau's and St. Wenceslau's are in charge of the Sisters of Mercy. St. Joseph's and St. Mary Magdalene's are German Schools, and are in charge of the Sisters of the Precious Blood. St. Peter's is in charge of the ladies of the Sacred Heart. The total attendance at these schools is 1,500.

But the school in which Catholic Omaha takes most pride is Creighton College. This is the only endowed Catholic College in the United States. It was the dying request of Mr. Edward Creighton that his wife, the late

Mrs. Mary Creighton, should endow a free college in Omaha for the education of youth without regard to creed or color. His wish was complied with, and Creighton College is the result. It was incorporated by an act of the legislature in 1879, with power to " confer such degrees as arc usually conferred by colleges and universities in the United States; " and in the same year was entrusted by Bishop O'Connor to the Fathers of the Society of Jesus, by whom it is conducted.

The grounds are six acres in extent, the building being located upon a hill which commands a magnificent view for miles in every direction. It is of striking appear- ance and when the left wing is added will have a total frontage of 250 feet. Mr. John A. Creighton has supplied the college with one of the most complete astronomical and chemical outfits in the West. There is also a college library of six thousand well selected volumes. Students are admitted without regard to their religious convictions and the catalogue for 1890 contains a list of 220 names. Rev. James Hoeffer, S. J., is president and prefect of studies. Con- nected with this institution is St. John's Collegiate Church, one of the most beautiful church edifices in the city. It is built of gray stone and in the Romanesque style of architecture. Many of its interior decora- tions, stained glass windows, altars and the organ, have been placed as memorials for various members of the Creighton family. The High Altar, artistic in design and execu- tion, was erected by Hon. John A. McShane as a memorial of his wife, Mary Lee Mc- Shane. This is not a parish church, but is the Chapel of Creighton College, and the officiating priests are those in charge of the college.

The Poor Clares, a cloistered order of nuns, have a fine building with extensive grounds on West Hamilton Street. The Catholic population of Omaha, is estimated at seventeen thousand.

CREIGHTON

CREIGHTON COLLEGE.

CHAPTER XXXVII.

CEMETERIES - BURIAL PLACES OF EARLY DAYS-THOSE OF LATER YEARS.

In 1858 Moses F. Shinn set apart ten acres of his pre-emption northwest of the city for cemeterial purposes. The first bu- rial was that of Alonzo F. Salisbury, a mem- ber of the council, representing Douglas County in the third session of the territorial Legislature. His death occurred in March, 1858. The second was that of J. L. Winship, in June, 1858. Adjoining this ten acres on the south, Jesse Lowe devoted a tract of land to the same purpose, on which a num- ber of burials were made; but the title of the land was retained by Messrs. Shinn and Lowe. The ground was unfenced and cattle roamed over it in droves. In 1859 Byron Reed purchased Mr. Shinn's ten acres and tried to organize a company to convert the property into a first-class cemetery, but failed, and he was compelled to undertake it himself. He then purchased fifteen acres of Mr. Lowe, and, of the twenty-five acres, dedicated fourteen for cemetery purposes with reversion to himself or heirs, when the ground ceases to be used for cemeterial purposes. For twenty years the cemetery (which he christened Prospect Hill Ceme- tery) had been managed by Mr. Reed, during which time his outlay had exceeded the in- come about five thousand dollars, until, in 1885, he turned the management over to the Forest Lawn Cemetery Association. In the spring of 1890 an organization of the lot owners, known as Prospect Hill Cemetery Association was effected, with C. A. Bald- win as president and C. F. Catlin as secre- tary, assuming control and management of the cemetery and improving and beautify- ing it very much since that time. The asso- ciation has recently acquired from the estate

of Mr. Reed, land lying between that por- tion of the cemetery now occupied and Parker Street, and extending from the east line of the cemetery to Thirty-third Street on the west.

In the early settlement of Omaha, about five acres of land, on the crest of a beautiful elevation in what is now Shull's Addition, were used for burial purposes. practically " without leave or license." The improve- ments made recently in that locality, result- ing in the exposure of the remains buried here long years ago, caused the Messrs. Shull to set apart two lots to be used for a re-interment of these remains, which prop- erty has been deeded to the Lutheran Church. In this old burial ground, used for only a few years, Governor Cuming was buried, but the body was afterwards removed to Pros- pect Hill Cemetery, where it now reposes. Recently, in excavating for a building, an expensive iron casket, with heavy plate glass, was unearthed, and near by there was brought to the surface a coffin in which was the body of a man encased in a soldier's overcoat, with buckshot in the pockets. A pistol was also found in the coffin.

Early in the sixties a tract of several acres of land was purchased for cemeterial and school purposes by the Catholic Church, north of St. Mary's Avenue and east of what is now Twenty-fourth Street. In the northwest corner of this tract a considerable space was used for burial purposes for a few years, during which period the body of General E. O. C. Ord's father was buried there. The encroachments of the city caused an abandonment of this cemetery about 1869, and the bodies liave since been re-in-

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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF OMAHA.

terred in the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery, chiefly. This burial place contains forty acres-though but one-fourth of that amount has been dedicated to cemeterial purposes- and is located on the north side of Leaven- worth Street, about two miles west of the city limits. St. Mary's and Cassiday's C'em- teries are situated far outside the city limits, to the southwest, and have been used for many years by the Catholic denomination. They each contain about twenty acres, and in neither has there been much attempt to adorn, by the planting of trees or shrubbery, or in laying out the grounds in an artistic manner. The same may be said of the Holy Sepulchre Cemetery. The land now com- prised in Cassiday's Cemetery was entered at the government land office by one Sulli- van, who used a land warrant belonging to James Ferry, father of Mrs. John Rush. The tract comprised 120 acres, one-half of which was deeded by Sullivan to Bishop Meigs, of Leavenworth, for cemeterial pur- poses. Thomas O'Connor furnished the money to pay Mr. Ferry for his warrant, with the understanding that it would be promptly refunded by the Catholics of Omaha, a subscription paper having been previously signed for that purpose. But money was scarce in those days, and consid- erable time elapsed before Mr. O'Connor was able to collect the amount he had paid out.

In 1885 an act was passed by the Legisla- ture increasing the amount of land which could be owned by cemeterial associations, and the Forest Lawn Association was at once formed and a half section of land purchased of John II. Brackin at one hundred dollars per acre. It is situated seven miles northwest of the business center of the city, is admira- bly adapted to the purpose, with command- ing heights, lovely glades, a variety of nat- ural forest and a never-failing stream of water. Mr. Brackin was very active in se- curing the necessary legislation, and in form-

ing the organization afterwards, and it is a curious fact that the first burial in Forest Lawn was that of Mr. Brackin, September 1, 1886, his death having occurred in Califor- nia and the remains being bronght to this city for interment. About half of the 320 acres have been platted into lots and the grounds handsomely improved under direc- tion of skilled landscape gardeners. Up to October 1,1892, there had been 2,829 burials. A section is owned by Douglas County. in which there are 755 bodies buried. The Grand Army of the Republic, the Free Masons, and the Omaha Typographical Union also own burial places in the cem- etery. Following named are the officers of the association: J. J. Brown, president; S. T. Josselyn, treasurer; James Y. Craig. superintendent; II. I. Plumb, agent; J. C. Denise, C. H. Brown, S. T. Josselyn, James Forsythe, Herman Kountze, M. II. Bliss, F. B. Lowe, O. S. Wood, C. II. Brown and A. P. Wood, trustees.

The Mount Hope Cemetery Association- P. W. Birkhanser, president; II. Il. Benson. treasurer; F. L. Blumer, secretary; and F. W. Melcher, agent -owns 128 acres of ground about the same distance from the city as Forest Lawn, but farther west, in what is known as the Benson tract. The association was formed in 1888. A considerable sum of money has been expended in improve- ments, which have already added much to the appearance of the property.

North of the city, near Forest Lawn, is the Jewish Cemetery; and southwest, on the line of the Missouri Pacific, about three miles from the business portion of the city, is the Bohemian Cemetery; and on the Military Road, west of Fort Omaha. are Evergreen and Springwell Cemeteries-the latter owned by a Danish organization. All of these are small tracts, where but little has been done in the way of improvement or development.

Samuel mercer

CHAPTER XXXVIII.

THE MEDICAL PROFESSION -PRACTITIONERS OF THE DIFFERENT SCHOOLS MEDICAL COLLEGES.

[The following sketch of the regular physicians of the city is from the pen of Dr. W. F. Milroy.]

The space in this work allotted to a his- tory of the medical profession of Omaha renders it impossible to present a biograph- ical sketch, even though brief, of all those who have been identified with the growth of the city as practitioners of medicine. It will therefore be the aim of the writer to view the profession collectively, for the most part, restricting his narrative to sucli matters as have been of interest to Omaha's physicians as a whole.

Those who were first to locate in Omaha as qualified physicians were young men, car- ried hither by an ambition to gain a liveli- hood, while at the same time putting them- selves in a position to receive the advan- tages to come from the development of a new · country. Like others who constituted the community to which they came, they lived not so much in the present as in the future. At the close of the late war, several who had been in the medical service of the govern- ment located here. In later years, when the fame of Omaha went abroad, and her splen- did future began to be apparent, with the influx of business men of every variety the physician came also. Among these later ar- rivals were some who came directly follow- ing their graduation, and many who, having been in active practice for a shorter or longer period, had felt the need of a wider field for the exercise of their powers than was afforded by their residence in smaller towns.

The physicians of Omaha have, to a good

degree, been alive to their position and op- portunity, and have kept well abreast of their day, in respect to those discoveries and inventions in medical and surgical science which have been so fruitful of blessing to the race, in procuring a greater degree of health and duration of life. Omaha need feel no shame as she considers her represen- tation in the medical world.

The first physician to locate in Omaha was Dr. George L. Miller, who came from Syracuse, New York, in the fall of 1854, and practiced his profession until 1856, when he turned his practice over to Dr. A. Chapel, who located in Omaha that year. These gentlemen were both graduates of the New York College of Physicians and Surgeons. Dr. James II. Seymour, Dr. W. R. Thrall, Dr. William McElwee and Dr. B. T. Shelley -the latter the founder of the town of Niobrara, Nebraska-located in Omaha in 1855; but none of them became permanent residents. Dr. James P. Peck established himself here in 1856, and for more than thirty years was actively engaged in the practice of his profession, dying in 1889 universally esteemed. llis son, Edward Peck, is connected with the Omaha Elevator Company. Dr. Gilbert C. Monell, father of John J. Monell, and Dr. William McClel- land became citizens of Omaha in 1857. The latter was surgeon of the First Nebraska Infantry during the war. Dr. Monell went out of practice about 1870. Both of these gentlemen died several years ago. Dr. C. A. Henry, though not a graduate of any medical school, enjoyed a considerable prac- tice in that line in 1855-6, owing to the lack

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HISTORY OF THE CITY OF OMAHA.

of physicians and the fact that he was a druggist. Ile was an important citizen in many respects in those early days, and put up the first three-story business house in Omaha, the Pioneer Block on lower Far- nam Street.

March 25, 1855, the " Nebraska Medical Society " was incorporated by the following named physicians: George L. Miller, B. T. Shelley, M. II. Clark, Ilenry Bradford, J. C. Campbell, Joseph Venable, Josiah Craine, Samuel Wilson and James Stokes. They were authorized to establish county and dis- triet societies and also to appoint an inspec- tor " to examine and determine the quality and purity of all drugs and medicines of- fered for sale in the territory." This asso- ciation evidently did not materialize, for two years later the legislature chartered another " Nebraska Medical Society," naming as in- corporators : A. Chapel, W. R. Thrall, J. P. Peek, A. McElwee and George L. Miller, of Omaha; A. B. Malcolm, of Florence; John C. Campbell and A. Bowen, of Nebraska City; Andrew S. Ilolliday, of Brownville; and E. A. Donelan, of Plattsmouth. These gentlemen evidently realized the magnitude of the task of having an inspector examine all the drugs and medicines offered for sale in Nebraska, for the authority to appoint such an official was not given by their charter.

The first meeting of the physicians of Omaha was held about 1857 or 1858 to adopt a fee bill for mutual protection; and the first meeting looking toward an organi- zation of a medical society was held June 14, 1866. At this time Omaha had begun to attract attention in the States east of the Mis- souri, and as a result immigration was drawn to this point, and with it the physi- cians rushed in. The first to come were young men, who had in some capacity been engaged in the army, and after the disbandment in 1865 had resumed the study of medicine and been graduated the following year. Of these Dr. R. C. Moore and I. N. Rippey came in

the fall of 1865; Drs. C. HI. Pinney, S. D. Mer- cer, and George Tilden in 1866; Dr. V. II. Coffman in 1867. Dr. J. II. Peabody was stationed in Omaha as an army surgeon in 1863, and returned to permanently settle in 1866.

The Omaha Medical Society was organ- ized, with a constitution prepared to meet every emergency which might arise in the next fifty years, August 1, 1866, with the following membership: Augustus Roeder, I. N. Rippey, J. H. Peabody, C. H. Pinney, R. C. Moore, S. D. Mercer, L. F. Babcock, J. R. Conkling, J. P. Peck, William McClel- land, E. Il. Den, Enos Lowe, G. C. Monell. The following were the first officers, who were chosen November 12. 1866: President, Dr. Peck; vice-president, Dr. Roeder; secre- tary, Dr. Rippey; treasurer, Dr. Peabody.

At the preliminary meeting held .June 14, 1866, Dr. Enos Lowe was chairman and Dr. Rippey acted as secretary. The following preamble and resolution was adopted :

" WHEREAS, the regular practitioners of medicine in the City of Omaha, Nebraska, feel the importance of some organization for the advancement and promotion of medical science, as well as for the mutual protection and welfare of its members; be it

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History of the city of Omaha, Nebraska, Part 52

Author: Savage, James Woodruff, 1826-1890; Bell, John T. (John Thomas), b. 1842, joint author; Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899 Publication date: 1894 Publisher: New York, Chicago, Munsell & Company Number of Pages: 1020

Author: Savage, James Woodruff, 1826-1890; Bell, John T. (John Thomas), b. 1842, joint author; Butterfield, Consul Willshire, 1824-1899
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: New York, Chicago, Munsell & Company
Number of Pages: 1020