USA > New York > Niagara County > Souvenir history of Niagara County, New York : commemorative of the 25th anniversary of the Pioneer Association of Niagara County > Part 6
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Town 15, Range 5-John Morrison, Amasa Darling, James Davidson, John Dunn.
Town 14, Range 7-William Howell, Isaac Taylor.
Town 14, Range 8-Philip Beach, John O. Prentice, Chapman Hawley, Adam Strouse, Eli Harris, Jesse Beach.
Town 15, Range 9-Elijah Doty, John Waterhouse, Silas Hopkins, Peter Hopkins, Obediah Hopkins, Coonrod Zittle, Ephriam Hopkins, John Clement, Robert Bigger, James Benedict, William McBride.
1804.
Town 15, Range 5-Daniel Brown, John Palmater.
Town 15, Range 6-Jedediah Riggs, Joshua Slayton.
Town 13, Range 9-Nicholas Whittinger.
Town 14, Range 6-Charles Wilber, Isaac Clark.
Town 14, Range 7-John Forsyth.
Town 14, Range 8-Joseph Howell, Joash Taylor.
Town 14, Range 9-George Armisted, James Powers, Hugh Hewitt, Jacob Pue, Benjamin Pomeroy, Elias Rose, Parley Wallace, Josiah Benjamin, Asahel Sage, Erasmus Enos, Robert Moore, Amasa Stoughton, Samuel Stoughton, Philip Beach, Daniel Totten, Henry Totten, Joseph Taylor, Asahel Taylor.
Town 15, Range 9-Ephraim Hopkins, Samuel Hop- kins, Peter Hopkins, John Freeman, John Wilson.
1 805
Town 13, Range 5-John Henry.
Town 14, Range 6-Nathan Clark, Reuben Lewis.
Town 16, Range 6-William Gordon, Rimmon Colton, Stephen Colton, Isaac B. Taylor, Burgoyne Kemp, Ira Potter, William Wisner, David Wisner, Francis Albright.
Town 14, Range 9-Benjamin Dickinson, Soloman Skinner, Jacob Bragbill, Frederick Bragwell, Reuben Hurd, Elias Blanchard, Solomon Gould.
Town 15, Range 5-Oliver Castle.
Town 15, Range 6-Nathan Toles.
Town 14, Range 7-Isaac Trowbridge, Garrett Stough- ton.
Town 15, Range 7-Moses Hutchins, William Cham- bers, John Armstrong, Digby Small.
Town 13, Range 8-Benjamin Kelso.
Town 13, Range 9-Zacharias Warner, Isaac Swain, Dennis Morris.
Town 15, Range 9-William Coggswell, Jonathan Jones, Samuel Shelby.
I806.
Town 13, Range 5-David Higgins.
Town 14, Range 7-John Griffith, John Freeman, Wil- liam Molyneaux, Ephraim Waldo.
Town 13, Range 9-Ezekiel Hall, Benjamin Hopkins.
Town 14, Range 9-Daniel Howell.
Town 15, Range 9-Peter Ripson, John Brown, Wil- liam McBride.
Town 14, Range 6-Leander Hamlin.
Town 13, Range 7-George Van Slyke, Eli Bradley.
Town 14, Range 8-Josiah Cooledge, Aaron Dennis, Joseph Howell, Sr., Charles Richards, Lewis Harris, James Burley.
AFTER 1806.
Turner gives the following list of the first half dozen settlers in our county in each of the following years. I have been unable to find the original papers of the Holland Land Company for those years and so cannot add to the lists of those who then took contracts :
1807.
Town 13, Range 8-Edward Smith, Solomon Wolcott, Marvin Judd, Thomas White, Daniel Judd, Ozias Judd, Ben- jamin Graham.
1808.
Town 13, Range 7-George Van Slyke, Peter Taylor, Peter Conley, Silas Pratt, David Sprague, Abraham Miller. 1 809.
Town 16-Range, 5-Daniel Kemp, Jacob Fitts, John Landers, Henry Palmer, Hezekiah Brace, Dorastas Chap- man.
29
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
1810.
Turner also gives the following list for 1810, but it is incomplete :
Town 13, Range 5-Clark Beach, William B. Smith, Semar Sinclair, Nathan Bradley, Silas Pratt, Patrick Grace, Lawrence McMullen.
Town 15, Range 8-Benjamin Burgess, Abner Baley, Stephen Sheldon, Cyrus Coats, David Wood, Martin Spar- beck, George G. Scrafford, Garrett Gray.
Town 13, Range 6-Palmer Utley, Daniel Hamlin, John M. Cole, Aaron Crego, John Stranahan, Abraham Flagg.
ADDITIONAL NAMES.
I have been able to add the following. Where Town- ships and Ranges are given, I have secured the names from the original "articles of agreement" with the Holland Land Company, or from the Niagara County Clerk's office. In other cases I have gathered them from many sources
1 803. Town 14, Range 9-Thomas Brown, Josiah Coalidge, James Brisbane.
Town 14, Range 8-Asabel Murray.
Hartland-Jehelan Barnum, Isaac Southwell, David Morrison.
Royalton-Varney Gaskill, William South. 1804.
Town 13, Range 6-Jacob Christman.
Town 15, Range 9-John McKerler, William Water- house, John Wilson, Robert Lee.
Town 14, Range 9-Sparrow Sage, Daniel Jones, Thomas Morfort, Christopher Van Sicklan, James Jones.
Town 14, Range 8-Joseph Hurst.
For Tuscaroras, Lewiston-Gen. Henry Dearborn.
Cambria-Walter Neal, Joseph Hewett.
Royalton-Alex. Haskins, Samuel Capon, Loudon An- drews, Benjamin Hale, Barnum Treadwell, Marvin Harward. Porter-Abraham Doty, Smith Sheldon, - McIn- tyre, Abraham Van Curtin, Andrew Van Curtin.
1805.
Town 15, Range 9-Joseph Smith. Town 14, Range 8-Anthony German. Town 13, Range 9-James Jones. Royalton-Abijah Perry, Stephen Bugbee, Stephen Hoyt, Andrew Brown. Porter-John Brown. Hartland-Abel Barnum, Jephtha Dunn. Newfane-Joseph Hewett.
Mile Strip-Benjamin Barton.
1806.
Cambria-James Prentice, James Harrison, Stephen Hopkins.
Lewiston-John Robinson, - Watson. Porter-William Cogswell, Jonathan Lutts. Lockport- - Plant, Klink.
1807.
Lewiston-John Latta, Benjamin Barton, Jonas Har- rison.
Newfane- - Cotton. Porter-Jacob Lutts, John Young. Mile Strip-Jacob Mancius. Wheatfield-John Harvey, -- Walton.
Royalton-Roy Marsh, Stephen H. Baldwin, John Dunn.
Hartland-Enoch Hitchcock.
1808.
Wheatfield-James Field.
Cambria-Russell Weaver, Joshua Cornell.
Wilson-Robert Waterhouse.
Lewiston-Reuben Lewis, Thomas March, -- Tif-
fany, Finch, Dr. Thaddeus Alvord. South Ridge-Harry Steadman. Newfane-William Howell. Pendleton-Martin Van Slyke. Porter-Robert Garnsett.
1809.
Lewiston-Jared Randall, Jacob Townsend, Sheldon Thompson, Aaron Childs.
Wheatfield-George Burgher, Jacob Stover, William Scott.
Somerset-Archibald Whitton, Philip Fitts, Truman Mudgett, David Mudgett.
Hartland-Benjamin Cowell.
Newfane-James Van Horn.
Mile Strip-Alex. Miller.
Porter-Michael Lutts.
Lockport- - Gregory. Wilson-Stephen Sheldon.
Town 15, Range 9-James Cuddeback.
Town 14, Range 6-Abel Bugbee.
Town 13, Range 8-Abraham Hostetter.
1810.
Wilson-Reuben Wilson, John Eastman, Gilbert Pur- dy, Erastus Barnard, -Goodman, George Ash. Somerset-Jacob Fitts, Zacharias Patterson.
Wheatfield-Joshua Pettit.
Lewiston-Andrew Sutherland, Dr. William Smith.
Newfane-Benjamin Halstead.
Hartland-Asa Crane.
Lockport-Thomas Miles, Silliman Wakeman, David Carlton, George Miller, Alex. Freeman, John Dye, Joseph Carlton, David Pomeroy, Thomas Mighells, Jabez Pomeroy. Town 14, Range 8-Amos M. Kidder, Jairus Rose.
Town 14, Range 7-Hugh Murphy, Joseph Murphy.
Town 13, Range 8-Andrew Gerber.
Town 15, Range 7-Henry Lockwood.
18II.
Royalton-Asher Freeman.
South Ridge-Aaron Beach.
Newfane-Levi Lewis, Joseph Pease.
Hartland-David Van Horn, Benjamin H. Benson.
Lewiston-Ackish Pool.
Wilson-Elijah Mallory. Porter-S. Deveaux.
Lockport-Alex. Freeman, - Odell, John Hurder. Cambria-Philo Cowell.
Town 14, Range 7-David Klink.
Town 14, Range 6-Stephen Wakeman.
Town 14, Range 5-James Lyman.
Town 13, Range 6-Samuel Bennage.
Town 13, Range 8-John Schenck, (Minister.)
Town 13, Range 9-Christian Witmer.
Mile Strip-John Young, William Mynderse.
1812.
Hartland-William Smith, Samuel Jenks, John Bates. Adam Bronson, James Lyman, James Shaw.
Mile Strip-Mathias Brown, James Emott, Augustus Porter, Mathias Bruen.
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
Pendleton-John Fulmer.
Town 15, Range 5-Nathaniel Thayer.
Town 14, Range 7-Gilbert Hinds.
Town 13. Range 6-Adam Fulmer.
Town 13, Range 7-Simon Bennage.
Town 14, Range 8-Samuel Carney, Phineas Burchard. Town 14, Range 5-James Wilder.
Even in those early days, when this county was a vast forest, and the settlers had to chop down the trees and clear the land, many pioneers were so well pleased with their new homes that they increased their holdings of land, buying sometimes near their original purchase and again in other parts of the county : probably in the latter case because set- tlement was progressing faster there. Hence the same name appeares some times as a settler in more than one lo- cality.
TOWNSHIPS AND RANGES.
The following table shows the relations between the Townships and Ranges of the Holland Land Company, and the boundaries of the present towns in our county. "T" stands for Township and "R" for Range of the Holland Com- pany survey. A very small part of T. 12, R. 8 (at the mouth of Tonawanda Creek) : parts of T's 13 in R's 5, 6 and 7 ; all of T's 13 in R's 8 and 9, and all of T's 14, 15 and 16 in R's 5, 6, 7, 8 and 9 were included in our present county
N. pt. T. 13, R. 5, Royalton. E. pt. W. pt. T. 14, R. 7, Cambria.
T. 14, R. 7, Lockport.
T. 14, R. 5, Royalton.
E. pt. T. 15, R. 7, Newfane.
IV. pt. T. 15, R. 7, Wilson.
N. W. pt T. 12, R. 8, Wheatfield. T. 13, R. 8, Wheatfield.
E. pt. T. 14, R. 8, Cambria.
IV. pt. T. 14, R. 8, Lewiston.
E. pt. T. 15, R. 8, Wilson.
IV. pt. T. 15, R. 8, Porter.
E. pt. T. 16, R. 6, Somerset.
T. 13, R. 9, Niagara.
W. pt. T. 16, R. 6, Newfane.
N. pt. T. 13, R. 7, Pendleton.
T. 14, R. 9, Lewiston. T. 15, R. 9, Porter.
Of settlers on the Mile Strip I have gleaned the follow- ing list of those who were there in
1806. At Cayuga Creek-"Big" Smith.
At Schlosser-Augustus Porter, Jesse Ware, James Everingham.
Between the Falls and Lewiston-William Miller, Wil- liam Howell, Joseph Howell. James Murray, Jacob Town- send, Stephen Hopkins. Philomen Baldwin, Isaac Colt, Erastus Parks, Joseph Hewett.
At Lewiston-Thomas Hustler. Joshua Fairbanks, Robert Fleming, Benjamin Hewett, William Gambol, Fred- erick Woodward, Harvey Beach, Jonathan Bell, William Hotchkiss, N. Leonard.
Near Niagara Falls, mostly on the Mile Strip, settled in 1807.
William Voluntine, Adoram Voluntine, James Fields, Joshua Fairchild, Jacob Hovey, John Sims, Gad Pierce, John M. Stoughton, Ebenezer Hovey.
1809.
Enos Boughton, James Armington, William Van Nor- man, William Chapman, David Lindsay, Ebenezer Brun- dage.
1810.
Parkhurst Whitney, James Cowing, Abram Witmer, Oliver Udall, Joshua Fish, Christian Young, Samuel Young, Ezekiel Hill. Ralph Coffin, John Young, John Witmer.
No doubt many persons of whom I have found no rec- ord settled here, both on the Mile Strip and elsewhere, prior to 1813. That any such names should be omitted I greatly
regret, but perfection in an article like this is an impossibil- ity. There are several records of land transfers in 1813 and 1814, the two complete years of the duration of the War of 1812, which was declared in June, 1812, and officially ended in March, 1815.
Indeed, it is even recorded in history that during the war, in many instances, settlers fleeing from the western por- tion of our county toward Batavia for protection, actually met and passed families who were making, and who contin- ued to make, their way westward, to settle in Niagara County, all undismayed by the war on its Canadian frontier.
During and after the War of 1812, up to fully 1825, possibly to 1835. many men who are justly entitled to be classed among our "Pioneers" came here.
EARLIEST DEEDS.
The earliest deeds recorded in Niagara County Clerk's Office, transcribed of course from Genesee County records, are :
I .- Holland Land Company to James Brisbane, of the County of Genesee ; dated October 1, 1803; recorded Octo- ber 5, 1804. Conveys 3381/2 acres, Town 14, Range 9; con- sideration $1, 184.
2 .- James Brisbane to Paul Busti; dated October I, 1804; recorded October 5, 1804. Conveys 3381/2 acres, Town 14, Range 9; consideration, $1, 184.75.
3 .- Holland Land Company to Henry Dearborne, in trust for the Tuscarora Nation of Indians; (Mr. Dearborne was Secretary of War of the United States); dated Novem- ber 21, 1804; recorded April 13, 1805. Conveys 2,221 acres in Town 14, Range 9; consideration, $10,752.92.
4 .- Holland Land Company to Ebenezer Cary of the County of Genesee ; dated December 1, 1805; recorded August 1, 1807. 500 acres in Town 15, Range 6, considera- tion, $I.
Many of the names that are and have long been prom- inent in our county are those of persons who came in what I term our secondary pioneer period. As they came after 1812 they do not appear in these lists. To try and enu- merate even the heads of each such family would be a long task, one that probably could not be accomplished without omissions, and therefore not a successful one. Most of those names will be found set forth in the separate histories of each city and town in this work.
As stated, I have attempted to write only of those who came here "before the war." And yet the debt of gratitude that we owe to those later pioneers is an enormous one, and is fully recognized by our Association. They supplemented and carried to a successful completion the settlement that their predecessors had commenced. They builded on sure foundations and their names are held in the highest honor, for they and their descendents have been prominent in every line of professional, agricultural and commercial activity in our county.
And so, in this incomplete and unsatisfactory manner, I present this sketch as a partial record of, and a partial tibute to, the men who braved the terrors of the wilderness, who endured many known and many unrecorded hardships, but whose faith and judgment in selecting this immediate section for their own homes, and for the prosperity and ben- efit of their descendants, has been so abundantly justified by time.
We do rightly in perpetuating and honoring the mem- ories of all those pioneers. They are enshrined in the hearts of those thousands who attend the twenty-fifth anniversary, the Silver Jubilee, of the Niagara County Pioneer Associa- tion.
T. 15, R 5, Hartland. T. 16, R. 5, Somerset. N. E. pt. T. 13, R 6, Royalton. N. W. pt. T. 13, R. 6, Lockport.
E. pt. T. 14, R. 6, Royalton.
W. pt. T. 14. R. 6, Lockport.
E. pt. T. 15, R. 6, Hartland.
W. pt. T. 15 R. 6, Newfane.
Churches of niagara County.
BY CLERGY OF THE COUNTY.
SPECIALLY fitting in a work of this descrip- tion, dealing so largely with the lives of the pio- neers, that there should be put on record the man- ner in which the religious faith of the fathers was woven into the history of the community. The pioneers were essentially men of piety and faith and as soon as the population of the rural communities was suffic- ient, the worship of Almighty God was set up in the western country that had so recently been reclaimed from a wilder- ness. The history of the various Christian denominations in the county has been written by representative preachers who are familiar with the progress of events along their de- nominational lines, from the time the cross was first set up on the Niagara Frontier until now, when there is a stated place for worship in every hamlet.
Roman Catholic Church. BY RT. REV. MONS. CANNON,
The first Catholic congregation established in Niagara County was that of St. John the Baptist, in the then village of Lockport. Its membership was made up for the most part of people who had followed the building of the Erie Canal, such as masons, stone cutters and other mechanics and laborers.
This handful of people, about the year 1840, undertook the building of a church, and in the course of a year suc- ceeded in erecting a stone edifice on Chestnut street, which at present forms the rear half of St. John the Baptist Church, as seen today. This work was done during the pastorship of Rev. Father Costello.
The Rev. Charles D. McMullen succeeded Father Cos- tello in May, 1842, as pastor of this church. Owing to a large increase in the membership of this parish, he soon found it necessary to increase the size of the church, and this he did by doubling its seating capacity and by lengthening the building almost to the street. He also built the pastoral residence near the rear of the church, on the lot adjoining it.
The Rev. Thomas McEvoy became the next pastor, Oc- tober 20, 1850, and was followed by Rev. Michael Creedon, November 13, 1852. Next came Rev. Peter Bede, on Sep- tember 6, 1856. He was succeeded by Rev. William Glee- son on November 17, 1860, who remained here till May, 1864, when he was called by Bishop Timon to fill the honor- able and responsible office of vicar general of the diocese.
On account of a large increase of the Catholic popula- tion of the village of Lockport, in 1856, by reason of the building of the New York Central Railroad, St. John the Baptist Church became far too small for its membership. It was also inconveniently situated for very many members of the parish, who were building their homes on the west side of the canal. Evidently it was necessary to build a sec- ond church, or at least a large one, to satisfy the growing needs of the parish.
Therefore, in 1856, with this intention, Rev. Michael Creedon, then pastor of St. John the Baptist, purchased two city lots, situated on the corner of Church and Caledonia streets, now occupied by St. Patrick's Church, intending very soon to proceed to the erection of a large and substan- tial stone building. But as Father Creedon was at this time sent by Bishop Timon to Auburn to do a similar work, the erection of the new church here fell to the lot of Rev. Peter Bede, his successor, who took charge of the parish in Sep- tember, 1857, and immediately set about the work. By the month of November, of the same year, the undertaking had so far progressed as to be ready for the laying of the corner- stone. This ceremony was performed by the Rt. Rev. John Timon, Bishop of Buffalo, on All Saints' Day, November I, 1857, assisted by a large number of the clergy, and in the presence of a great concourse of people. In the following spring the work was renewed and continued at intervals during two years until the building was roofed in. Soon after this part of the work was completed Father Bede was sent to Rochester, and was replaced here by Rev. William Gleeson on November 17, 1860. Father Gleeson, during the following three years, completed the work, and on the first day of November, 1863, the church was solemnly ded- icated to the service of Almighty God by Bishop Timon. In the following May, 1864, Father Gleeson was called to Buf- falo.
With the opening of the new church the parochial res- idence was transferred to it, and the old Church of St. John the Baptist ceased to be used for parochial purposes, and was turned over to the Sisters of St. Mary for a school, and continued to be so used for about two years.
After that time, owing to the continued increase of the Catholic population, it was found necessary to reopen the old church and to reconstruct that parish. Later on, during the pastorship of Rev. M. J. Darcy, that church was entirely completed by the addition of the facade, with tower and
32
SOUVENIR HISTORY OF NIAGARA COUNTY, NEW YORK.
spire, and it is now one of the finest churches in Lockport.
On the departure of Father Gleeson, Rev. Francis O'Farrell became the next pastor of St. Patrick's parish, and after a stay of about eighteen months he returned to Ireland, with the intention of remaining there for the rest of his life. He still lives. Father Michael O'Brien came next, and Father John O'Mara followed him during the next four years.
On July 12, 1869, the Rev. Patrick J. Cannon came to Lockport from St. Mary's Church, Niagara Falls, sent by Rt. Rev. S. V. Ryan, Bishop of Buffalo, to take charge of St. Patrick's parish.
After paying off an indebtedness of nearly $7,000, the work of building the great tower was commenced on June 23, 1872, from the foundations, and, together with the two turrets on the front of the church, was carried to completion in the course of ten years. A very large bell and a fine or- gan were added a few years later, and the old windows were replaced with new glass. The new stone porch was added to the church front in 1890.
The German Catholic parish of St. Mary's was organ- ized in 1860, and used first a frame church in Buffalo street, and in 1885 the present brick edifice was erected.
ST. MARY'S OF THE CATARACT.
Lewiston, Youngstown, and Niagara Falls in 1847 were formed into the parish of St. Mary's of the Cataract, Rev. John Boyle being in charge at Lewiston. Father Boyle built the old stone church on the site now occupied by the present one. This site was donated by Judge Porter at the request of Bishop Timon, who came to Buffalo to take up his work of oversight of the diocese in November, 1847. Previous to that time New York State comprised but one diocese. Bishop Timon was hence the first Catholic Bishop of the Diocese of Buffalo.
Father Nolan succeeded Father Boyle in charge of this parish in 1850. Rev. William C. Stephens followed in 1851, and changed the pastoral residence to Niagara Falls. He was transferred to Rochester in 1859, and for the next few years the Lazarist Fathers took charge of the Mission. In 1862 Father Stephens returned, but in five months died, and his body now reposes at the head of the center aisle of the church. After his return Father Stephens had charge only of St. Mary's parish at the Falls, as the Mission had pre- viously been divided.
The brick church at Suspension Bridge was built by Father Stephens about 1858. It was at first called St. Wil- liams, doubtless with some reference to Father Stephens' Christian name, William. The church was, however, subse- quently called St. Raphael's, and ten years ago, after the destructive fire, and when the church had been rebuilt by the then pastor, Rev. Thomas F. Hines, the name was changed to the Church of the Sacred Heart. For two or three years after the termination of the pastorate of Father Hines, several priests were consecutively in charge, until Rev. James J. Roche was installed, and Father Roche has continued a successful and progressive pastorate there ever since
Rev. Patrick J. Cannon succeeded Father Stephens September 16, 1862. By the fall of 1863 an enlargement of the church was begun and completed, and the first service was held December 13 by Bishop Timon, who on the same day consecrated the main altar.
The Academy property was purchased in August, 1864, from A. H. Porter for $10,000, $2,000 of it being collected in the parish by Father Cannon, and $8,000 being paid by the
ladies, who took charge of the institution and opened a day and boarding school for girls.
In the summer of 1865 the enlargement of the school was resumed, and the nave and side aisles were added to the part of the building put up two years before. The nave proper of the new church represents exactly the site and size of the old building. The enlarged edifice was formally opened on November 5, 1865, when the sacrament of confir- mation was administered to nearly 100 persons. A new or- gan was installed in the spring of 1869, at a cost of $700.
Rt. Rev. Bishop Ryan made his first official visit to the church on May 30, 1869, when he administered confirmation to 140 persons.
This same year was marked by the departure of Rev. Father Cannon to St. Patrick's Church, Lockport (July 12, 1869). He had been over the spiritual interests of the parish for nearly seven years, and after making the many improvements that have been noted, left only a debt of slightly more than $1,000. He was succeeded by Rev. P. Moynihan, who established a boys' parochial school, and completed the church by the addition of a new facade and towers, at a cost of $10,000, a debt of nearly $9,000 being as- sumed. A bell was purchased for $1,400, which sum was raised by a committee consisting of S. Geyer, president ; Matthies Federspeil, treasurer; Thomas V. Welch, secre- tary, and Robert Joyce and William Vaeny, collectors.
In 1860 a temperance society was founded in the parish, which has since flourished. In 1876 the Catholic Mutual Benevolent Association was formed by men who desired an- other organization in the parish, in which the temperance pledge was not an essential. Mr. Barrett was its first pres- ident ; M. Federspiel, treasurer, and James McKenna, secre- tary. The organization has since extended over a great part of the Northern States and Canada.
On account of his declining health Father Moynihan left for Genoa in September, 1878, where he died in De- cember of the same year. His remains were brought back to his native city of Batavia, where they were interred. On the same day the Catholic Mutual Benevolent Association, of which he was the founder, was holding its second annual convention at Niagara Falls. On behalf of his old parish. Michael Ryan, Jeremiah Callaghan and Thomas V. Welch were present at the obsequies.
Rev. James A. Lanigan, the Bishop's secretary, was the nexe pastor. In 1881 about $500 was expended on sacred vestments ; and a new altar, designed by the pastor, and built by Patrick Nolan, his labor being donated, was erected over the table of the old one. The brass repositorium over the tabernacle was given by the French delegates to the York- town Centenary celebration, the Marchioness De Rocham- beau making the presentation.
In the spring of 1883, after bringing the matter to the attention of the congregation, Father Lanigan secured sub- scriptions immediately of $2,200 for a new school house and hall for church purposes. At that time the debt of the church had been reduced to $3,500. A three-story building for the purpose was decided upon, to cost about $10,000, and was erected. Ground was broken May I, 1884; the building was completed October 25, and dedicated October 28 of the same year.
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