USA > New Jersey > Morris County > Morristown > The story of a parish : the first Catholic church in Morristown, N.J. ; its foundation and development, 1847-1892 > Part 2
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).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18
Ebenezer Hazard, writing to Rev. Jeremy Bel- knap, of Boston, June 27, 1780, says : " Soon after the Minister of France returned to Philadelphia he sent cards to a number of gentlemen, informing them that on such a day 'there would be a Divine Service at the Romish Church for the rest of the soul of Don Juan de Miralles.' I determined to at- tend, and upon going into the church I found there not only Papists, but Presbyterians, Episcopalians, Quakers, etc. The two Chaplains of Congress (one
17
CATHOLIC GOVERNOR IN NEW JERSEY.
a Presbyterian and the other a Churchman) were among the rest. I confess I was pleased to find the minds of people so unfettered with the shackles of bigotry. The behavior of the Papists in time of worship was very decent and solemn." (Belknap Papers, pp. 61, 62, Mass. Hist. Soc. Coll.)
In thus attending a Catholic service Congress was, no doubt, actuated by a desire to honor the memory of the Spanish gentleman, but likewise out of regard to the Minister of France, the ally of the United States ; and in some measure to conciliate the French Canadians, who had been made the an- tagonists and enemies of the struggling republic by the bigotry of John Jay.
At a memorial service in the Catholic Church there is erected a catafalque, having the appearance of a coffin. Nobody is deceived, as none was de- ceived years ago when the mock funerals, casket, hearse, pall-bearers, etc., traversed the streets of the principal cities of the Union, to the booming of minute guns and tolling of bells at the same mo- ment that his fellow-citizens in Springfield were bearing the remains of the martyr-patriot Lincoln to their last resting-place.
JOSEPH M. FLYNN.
P. S .- It may be of interest to know that two hundred years ago this coming Autumn John Ta- tham, a Roman Catholic, was elected to the highest position in the gift of the Proprietors, that of Gov- ernor of East and West Jersey. J. M. F.
18
THE STORY OF A PARISH.
The Journal of Dr. James Thatcher, Surgeon to the Revolutionary Army, contains a very graphic account of this the first public Catholic funeral in Morristown :
"29th April, 1780 .- I accompanied Doctor Schuy- ler to headquarters to attend the funeral of M. de Miralles. The deceased was a gentleman of high rank in Spain, and had been about one year resi- dent with our Congress from the Spanish Court. The corpse was dressed in a rich state and exposed to public view, as is customary in Europe. The coffin was most splendid and stately, lined through- out with fine cambric, and covered on the outside with rich black velvet and ornamented in a superb manner. The top of the coffin was removed to dis- play the pomp and grandeur with which the body was decorated. It was in a splendid full dress, con- sisting of a scarlet suit, embroidered with rich gold lace, a three-cornered gold-laced hat, and a genteel cued wig, white silk stockings, large diamond shoe and knee buckles, a profusion of diamond rings decorated the fingers, and from a superb gold watch, set with diamonds, several rich seals were suspended. His Excellency, General Washington, with several other general officers and members of Congress, attended the funeral solemnities and walk- ed as chief mourners. The other officers of the army, and numerous respectable citizens, formed a splendid procession, extending about a mile. The pall-bearers were six field officers, and the coffin
19
BURIAL OF DON DE MIRALLES.
was borne on the shoulders of four officers of artil- lery in full uniform. Minute guns were fired during the procession, which greatly increased the solem- nity of the occasion. A Spanish priest performed service at the grave in the Roman Catholic form. The coffin was enclosed in a box of plank, and all the profusion of pomp and grandeur were deposited in the silent grave in the common burying-ground, near the Church at Morristown. A guard is placed at the grave lest our soldiers should be tempted to dig for hidden treasure. It is understood that the corpse is to be removed to Philadelphia. This gen- tleman is said to have been possessed of an im- mense fortune, and has left to his three daughters one hundred thousand pounds sterling each. Here we behold the end of all earthly riches, pomp and dignity. The ashes of Don de Miralles mingle with the remains of those who are clothed in humble shrouds, and whose career in life was marked with sordid poverty and wretchedness (p. 193)."
The body of this distinguished nobleman was exhumed and sent to Spain, but in what year the most careful investigation has failed to ascer- tain.
Mr. John Gilmary Shea wrote to the keeper of the archives at Madrid, who furnished him much valuable information, but could not find any docu- ment relating to Señor de Miralles.
On the farm now occupied by the Hubbard family, about one-half mile from Whippany, on the
20
THE STORY OF A PARISH.
Troy road, very near the old homestead, which is perhaps older than Washington's Headquarters, are the graves of Captain Michael Kearney and his sis- ter Isabella.
It is said that at one time the doughty Captain owned nine hundred and ninety-nine acres; and this tract was called the Irish Lott. Here the courtesy and urbanity of the Captain attracted friends from far and near. His hospitality and good cheer made him hosts of friends, who crowded his stately man- sion; for such, indeed, it was in those days. The present occupant of the farm states that the hands from time to time come across the wells which were located near the dwellings of the Captain's servants and slaves. It is said that the King gave him as much land as he could traverse in one day on horseback. The grave-yard which contains his remains, the spot selected by himself, on a charm- ing knoll with pleasant views of hill and woodland on every side, is now in a sadly dilapidated condi- tion. On the huge stone which covers his remains is the following inscription :
2I
CAPTAIN MICHAEL KEARNY.
SACRED To the Memory of CAPTAIN MICHALE KEARNY of His Brittanic Majesty's Navy. He departed this Life at The IRISH LOTT The Seat of his Residence in Hanover On the 5 day of April A.D. 1797 Aged 78 years 6 months and 28 days.
In the Naval Service he was a brave And Intrepid Officer which secured to Him several marks of distinguished RESPECT and CONFIDENCE. In private Life he exercised the Virtues Of Benevolence, Hospitaety and Genteel Urbanity.
Adjoining this grave is that of his sister, and on her tombstone is the following :
J. K. J. K.
SACRED To the Memory of ISABELLA KEARNEY, daughter of Michael Kearney and Sarah Kearney, late Sarah Morris, of Morrisania, who died on the 14th of February 1806 at the seat of the late Captain Michael Kearny in the County of Morris in the 90th year of her age.
22
THE STORY OF A PARISH.
It does not appear that these Kearneys were Catholics. The descendants of Captain Kearney moved to Amboy, and one of them achieved fame in the United States Navy. It is claimed that Philip Kearney, the hero of Chantilly, was descend- ed from Captain Michael Kearny ; so, likewise, the present General J. Watts Kearney, himself a Catho- lic and all his family, has sprung from this illus- trious Celtic stock.
It was when Washington's Army was encamped in Morristown that the Father of his Country inau- gurated the first national celebration of St. Patrick's Day. These facts are taken from the Order Book, one of the many treasures to be seen in the Wash- ington Headquarters, Morristown, N. J.
General Orders issued to the Troops encamped at Mor- ristown, N. J., by Washington, March 16th, 1780.
HEADQUARTERS, MORRISTOWN, N. J. March 16th, 1780.
Officers for duty To-morrow :
Brigadier-General Clinton, Major Edwards, Brigade Major Brice.
The General congratulates the Army on the very interesting proceedings of the Parliament of Ireland, and of the inhabitants of that Country- which have been communicated, not only as they appear calculated to remove those heavy and Tyrran- nical oppressions on their trade; but to restore to a brave and generous people their ancient Rights
23
WASHINGTON AND ST. PATRICK'S DAY.
and Freedom, and by their operation to promote the cause of America. Desirous of impressing on the minds of the Army transactions so important in their nature, the General directs that all Fatigue and working parties cease To-morrow the seven- teenth, a day held in Particular regard by the peo- ple of that Nation. At the same time that he orders this as a mark of pleasure he feels on the Occasion, he persuades himself that the celebration of the day will not be attended with the slightest rioting or disorder. The Officers to be at their Quarters in Camp and the Troops of each State are to keep within their own encampment.
PENNSYLVANIA LINE,
DIVISION ORDERS,
March 17th, 1780.
The Commanding Officer desirous that the cele- bration of this day should not pass by without hav- ing a little Rum issued to the Troops, has thought proper to direct Commissary Night to send for a hogshead which the Colonel has prepared for this express purpose in the vicinity of Camp. While the Troops are celebrating the anniversary of ST. PATRICK in innocent mirth and pastime he hopes they will not forget our worthy friends in the King- dom of IRELAND who with the greatest unanimity have step'd forth in opposition to the Tyranny of Great Britain, and who like us are determined to be free. The Colonel expects the Troops Will con- duct themselves with the greatest sobriety and good order.
Signed : FRANCIS JOHNSTON Col. Com'd't 2d Penna. Brigade.
24
THE STORY OF A PARISH.
It will be seen by the above that in the Penn- sylvania Line were many Irish, both officers and soldiers ; and in the Official Register of the Officers and Men of New Jersey in the Revolutionary War, compiled under the administration of Governor Theodore F. Randolph by Adjutant-General Stry- ker, a cursory glance shows that many of the New Jersey Regiments contained a liberal number of Irishmen, over four hundred officers and soldiers with unmistakably Irish names being credited to the Southern Counties.
It is quite certain, then, that during the winters of 1779 and 1780 the number of Catholics in and around Morristown far exceeded the number of Catholics at present in our Parish, made up of the Irish Catholics in the Pennsylvania, New York, and New Jersey regiments, and the French and Polish officers attached to the line.
The condition of the faithful at this period was most pitiable. Owing to the suppression of the Society of Jesus, induced by the Bismarck of Por- tugal, Pombal, the tireless missionaries who had labored with so much zeal and fruit were powerless to continue their great work.
The Bishop saw and recognized the urgent neces- sity of faithful, God-fearing laborers for the Lord's vineyard ; but where were they to be found ? The French Revolution had sent the flower of the priesthood to England and some few to the United States, among them the illustrious Bruté, Cheverus,
25
A FLOCK WITHOUT A SHEPHERD.
Maréchal, Dubois, and Flaget. But what were these few in the harvest-field ? Our Catholic pre- decessors were scattered far and wide in almost every county of the State. Shipwrecked on the Jersey coast, the Irish emigrants settled on a spot known then, as now, as Irish Mills; thence they wandered into Salem, Camden, Hunterdon, and Mor- ris Counties.
Without Priest or Mass, except on very rare visits from Father Farmer, they were married by the Squire or Magistrate; and their children, if they themselves did not, attended the Protestant Church for the reason that it was the only one in the neighborhood. Their companions and associates were of an alien faith.
It is not surprising, then, that the Celtic names which prevailed in Morristown in the first quarter of the present century are not found on our Church Records.
With their faith the children lost likewise the distinctive character of their family names. McGee becomes in its filtered state Magee ; McCarthy be- comes Mecarty ; Kearney becomes Kerny or Kear- ny; Callahan becomes Callinan ; Raferty becomes Raverty. All these names still prevail in our midst and are the indices of both the country and re- ligion of their progenitors.
A list of letters, uncalled for in the Post-Office October 1, 1807, contains the following names : An- drew Darsey, Michael Flaherty, John Kelly. Who
26
THE STORY OF A PARISH.
were they, whence came they, or whither did they go, none knows.
It is just possible that they may have been sol- diers whose hearts, perhaps, were smitten by some fair maiden in Morris; for, as we know, the Celt's heart is very susceptible to Cupid's charms, and once in the meshes he falls a willing victim.
In a Morristown paper appeared the following amusing card, which points but too clearly to the nationality of the writer :
A COWARD.
Whereas, a certain little sharp-faced son of Vul- can has frequently challenged the subscriber to a single combat, saying "the Hibernian he could whip." And whereas, I have week after week wait- ed upon said bragadocia, and have always found that he had drawn in his horns: Now I do hereby pronounce him a coward and a mushroon, and shall in future think him beneath my notice.
HENRY BYRNE.
Morris Town, October 14, 1812.
Two years later appeared an advertisement :
FOR SALE .- That valuable Tavern Stand, most pleasantly located, situated on the West side of Morris Green.
ELIZABETH O'HARA.
January 13, 1814.
It is generally believed that the O'Haras kept this hotel during the Revolution.
27
A PIONEER CATHOLIC.
In a conversation, which the writer had in Feb- ruary, 1881, with a bright, motherly old lady, who with her husband came to this country from a little town in the County Cavan in 1816, the following interesting facts were gleaned :
" I shall begin my story with my arrival in New York. In those days two sail-boats served as a ferry to convey passengers from the City to Paulus Hook, now Jersey City.
" We crossed over to Paulus Hook, and hiring a wagon we started on our journey to Caldwell. There was only one street in Jersey City, called the Rope Walk. After an all day's ride we arrived in the evening at Caldwell. There was not a single Catholic in the neighborhood.
" You may imagine how we felt, and you will not be surprised that in a few months we moved to Macopin, where we heard there was quite a gathering of Catholics. A year or two before our arrival Charley O'Brien died in Newfoundland, some miles distant from Macopin. He went there to teach school, saved his money, bought land, built factories, and soon was the wealthiest man in that section. He owned as far as he could see, and was the first to build bark factories and an iron mill. Charley was taken sick, and sent to New York for a priest. The priest came all the way on horse- back, and the close-fisted sick man gave him five dollars for his trouble. He left him, however, fifty dollars in his will; but his heirs never executed the
28
THE STORY OF A PARISH.
wish of their father, and the priest never saw a penny of his legacy. But his possessions melted away, and eventually his only son died in the poor- house."
Thus ends the story of dear old Mrs. Littell, long since passed to her reward; always staunch in the faith, her hospitable roof sheltered more than one missionary, bent on his search after the lost and strayed sheep; generous and lavish in pros- perity, patient and cheerful in adversity, she was a type of the pioneer Catholic.
To Bottle Hill, now Madison, driven from their homes and land by the fury of the French Revolu- tion, came goodly numbers of French aristocrats known as émigrés, and to these were added other French families who were obliged to flee from the island of Guadeloupe when the slaves rose up in rebellion against their masters. Many of their de- scendants still with us were the seed of Catholicity in this county.
Van Schalkwick Beauplands, the Boisaubins,* Basmont, Roche-Fermoy, Cornet de St. Cyr, Blan- chets, Lavaal Duberceau, and Thébauds are names illustrious not only by their birth, but likewise for their robust faith. Amidst the prejudices which pre- vailed a hundred years ago they clung to the old Church, to its practices and its creed. Visits were occasionally made to them by the Rev. Anthony
* Vincent Boisaubin Beaupland, who is buried in Morristown, was an officer of the body-guard of Louis XVI.
29
FIRST MASS AT BOTTLE HILL.
Kohlman, S.J., and the Rev. John Power, pastor of St. Peter's Church, Barclay Street, New York.
It is said that one O'Hara taught a classical School in Morristown in the first decade of this century, which was the germ of the subsequent McCullogh School.
In 1825 Charles Berault, a Catholic and a native of San Domingo, lived in the Revere House on DeHart Street. He married a Mlle. Des Abbeyes, also of a wealthy San Domingo family. Another daughter was Madame Chegarray, who taught a fashionable Young Ladies' Academy, afterwards purchased by Bishop Bayley, and the cradle of Seton Hall. This is now the property of the Sis- ters of Charity on the old Convent road to Madi- son.
A certain Benjamin Douglas kept a Diary, now in the possession of the Brookfield family, his de- scendants, which contains the following entries :
" The first Roman Catholic service performed in the Township of Chatham was in the house of Lavaal Duberceau, at Bottle Hill, Sunday July 30th, 1825, by Rev. O'Donahue. Text, fifth chapter of Galatians."
Father O'Donahue visited Madison once a month from Paterson and said Mass in the upper part of the Academy. His Sunday evening instructions were attended by large numbers of non-Catholics. His light-hearted gaiety drew to him the hearts of all, especially the children.
30
THE STORY OF A PARISH.
Once when on his way to Macopin with Father Bulger, a furious down-pour of rain drenched them both to the skin. When they arrived at Mr. Lit- tell's the good host's wardrobe was rummaged and soon the priests were arrayed in picturesque cos- tumes more or less entire. Father Bulger was the more fortunate in finding a complete outfit ; and, while he sat near the big log fire reading his bre- viary by the canny light, Father O'Donahue in shirt- sleeves and very roomy trousers amused the young- sters with his feats of ventriloquism.
The early part of this century is for Catholics the period of the Dark Ages. The records, if kept, have been lost or destroyed; or, perhaps, hidden away in some musty chest. Almost all the grena- diers who planted the faith hereabouts, amid tears and bitter trials, have passed to their reward ; and the traditions have either utterly died out or be- come woefully entangled. At the Cathedral in New York there are no archives.
Paterson is the mother church of Northern New Jersey, and from this centre the priests made their round of duty through Passaic, Morris, Sussex, and Warren Counties. The best-known of these pio- neer priests is Father Bulger, who was at Paterson in 1822. His remains are interred in front of the old St. Patrick's Church, New York City.
3
REV. L. D. SENEZ.
CHAPTER III.
N 1834 the Catholics of Madison had the blessing of a resident priest, the Rev. Fa- ther Herard. The parish is reported vacant in 1839. On January I, 1840, the Rev. Richard Newell open- ed the baptismal and marriage registers of St. Vin- cent's Church, Madison; and his last entry bears the date October 16, 1842.
Dr. Newell enjoyed the confidence and esteem of his congregation. When he bade his flock fare- well the touching scene was one not to be forgot- ten. His voice trembled with emotion, and his words were scarcely audible amidst the sobbing and sighs of the congregation ; even now the old folks cannot recall the memorable day without emotion. He died quite recently. His successor was the learned Ambrose Manahan, afterwards pastor of St. Joseph's, New York, but resident in Madison until after April, 1844.
February 6, 1843, Amedée Boisaubin, the founder of the Church in Madison and its most generous benefactor, went to his reward. The religious ser- vice, both at the Church in Madison and at the grave in the Cemetery of the First Presbyterian Church, Morristown, was conducted by Father McCloskey, who was subsequently raised to the dignity of Bishop of Albany, Archbishop of New York, and Cardinal of Holy Church.
31
32
THE STORY OF A PARISH.
From August, 1844, to January, 1845, the Madi- son Mission was in charge of the Rev. Patrick Kenny, who died in the South. For five months a Rev. Father Joseph attended the spiritual wants of the parish, until the advent of the Rev. Dominic Senez.
Father Senez presents to his fellow-priests a well-rounded, laborious, and fruitful career. From the golden summit which he reached in 1890, when in obedience to his Bishop he yielded to a strictly local celebration of the fiftieth anniversary of his ordination, what a vista-from the Seminary of St. Sulpice to the sanctuary of St. Mary's, Jersey City -stretches out before him !
Cardinal Piè, the converted Jew Ratisbon, and hosts of other classmates who in every clime have added to the conquests of Mother Church, lustre to the venerable name of Jean-Jacques Olier, and other names to the roll of Martyrs, have fought the good fight and long since passed to their reward. Almost alone he remains, a living witness of the piety and zeal which, in Matignon, Cheverus, Bruté, Dubois, pierced the bigotry and anti-Catholic hatred of Puritans and attracted their respect and sym- pathy.
If Father Senez would consent to narrate the experience begun in the missions of Morris, Sussex, and Warren Counties, there would be no brighter pages in Christian annals. To pass to his reward without leaving to us this inheritance of his efforts
33
FATHER SENEZ IN 1845.
to keep the little flock within the fold of the Church, and to bring the light of truth to those who sat in darkness, would indeed be an irrepa- rable loss.
With almost no knowledge of the language of those entrusted to his care, without any other trea- sure than that garnered in the sacred precincts of the Seminary, he came among us in the Autumn of 1845.
This was for him the morning of an unclouded life. Late and early he bore the heat and burden of the day. He went to every gathering of the country folk-vendues, as the auction-sales in those days were called-and there searched for the price- less jewels of men's souls.
" The first time I saw Father Senez," said old Tom Degan, " was at a vendue near Madison."
" If I am not mistaken," said the good priest, accosting Tom and his wife in broken English flavor- ed with a strong French accent, "you are an Irish- man and a Catholic."
" And if I am not mistaken," replied Tom, "you are a Catholic priest."
This was their mutual introduction. There was no road throughout the three counties he did not traverse.
Sometimes while making inquiries about Catho- lics, or the road, he unexpectedly found one of the faithful. It was just this way when, arrived near the banks of the Delaware River, he discovered a
34
THE STORY OF A PARISH.
Catholic family living near Montague, and baptized the little ones. The oldest son is an honored and distinguished priest in New Jersey. Generally by carriage he made his visitation, owing to the fact that no railroad facilities existed. In his carriage, too, he slept; for the hostelries at that time, while maintaining a reputation for good cheer, put forth no claim for the virtue which ranks next to godli- ness.
Once, it is said, he sat down to a smoking-hot dinner of chicken pot-pie and all the accessories which tickle an appetite already over-sharpened by a long drive and a long fast, and was on the point of beginning the attack, when the Irish Catholic waitress whispered in his ear :
" Father, it is Friday."
" Well, now," laughed the priest good-humoredly, "why did you not wait to tell me after I had fin- ished my dinner ?"
At another time, near Mount Hope, he treated the faithful to the solemnity of a High Mass. The church was the shelter of the forest, whose stately trunks rose up on every side, whose interlaced branches formed the roof. Two of the men held up a sheet on the weather side of the altar, to shield the priest from the wind. The choir was the priest's serving-man, who sang the entire service un- assisted by instrumental or vocal accompaniment.
In addition to this field, Newark, Paterson, and Jersey City have been hallowed by his apostolic
35
THE PAST AND THE PRESENT.
zeal; and in these congregations still lingers the aroma of his spirit.
When he first visited this desolate and disheart- ening field there was but the one Church, that at Madison, erected by the generosity of a devout child of France. But Madison has been the fruit- ful mother of many children. No fewer than twen- ty-three Catholic Churches lift to heaven the Cross in the three counties which were the limits of Father Senez's first parish.
New Jersey now has two sees, Newark and Trenton ; two hundred and eighty-eight priests ; and a Catholic population of two hundred and forty-five thousand.
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.