USA > New York > Ulster County > The history of Ulster County, New York > Part 37
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this diocese of New York (excepting the districts of New York and Albany, unless with the consent of Clergy serving those two districts) until further orders, or as long as I do not consider it necessary to recall said powers." "Jan. 29th, 1818 I answered the Rev. Arthur Langdill's three letters, and sent him said Indult (for the ensuing Lent), and ad- dressed the letter to the care of Mr. M'Intire, New Burg." He after- ward went to Paterson, New Jersey, while Father Philip Lariscy, who had said the first mass in that city, was commissioned to look after the missions on the Hudson in 1822. Father Lariscy was a priest of the Augustinian Order and a man of abundant energy, zealous and untiring, but somewhat rough and fierce. He talked Irish well and was in great demand. He traveled over all New England. He built St. Augustine's Church in Boston. Under his direction a chapel was started in New Bedford. He was a native of Cork, Ireland, and died at St. Augustine's, Philadelphia, in 1824, aged forty-two years.
A pleasing incident in connection with Ulster County may be recalled in the decision given by De Witt Clinton, identified with Kingston in a celebrated case, which was of much importance to the Catholic com- munity. Restitution had been made to a man named James Keating through the Rev. Father Kohlman. Keating had complained against one Philips and his wife, as having received the goods thus stolen, and as Keating testified that the goods had been restored to him through the instrumentality of Father Kohlman, the priest was cited by the Magis- trates to give evidence in regard to the person from whom he had received them. This he refused to do on the ground that no court could require a priest to give evidence in regard to matters known to him only under the seal of the confessional. De Witt Clinton thus summed up his decision : "We speak of this question not in a theological sense, but in its legal and constitutional bearings. Although we differ from the witness and his brethren in our religious creed, yet we have no reason to question the purity of their motives, or to impeach their good conduct as citizens. They are protected by the laws and constitution of this country, in the full and free exercise of their religion, and this court can never coun- tenance or authorize the application of insult to their faith or of torture to their conscience." The principle of this decision was afterward em- bodied in a statute, through Clinton's influence. "No minister of the Gospel or priest of any denomination, shall be allowed to disclose any
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confessions made to him in his professional character, in the course of discipline enjoined by the rules or practice of such denomination." Passed as part of the Rev. Stat., December 10th, 1828, and signed by N. Pitcher, Lieut. Gov .: Governor Clinton having died in February of that year.
Saugerties was the first place in Ulster County where Catholics settled in sufficient number to warrant the erection of a church. They were mainly Irish enticed to the neighborhood by the expectation of employ- ment in the iron works and paper mills and in the stone quarries which brought into existence the thriving village of Saugerties. The first Cath- clic priest who gave his services to them was the Rev. Philip O'Reilly of the Order of St. Dominic. The first two Bishops of New York from 1808 to 1825 were of the same order. Born in Scabia, County Cavan, Ireland, he was educated in Bologna, Italy. He probably came to New York about 1818. In 1829 he was stationed at Utica, and his active mis- sionary spirit prompted him to go in search of the scattered Catholics of Otsego, Chenango and Schoharie Counties. In 1830 he was deputed by the Bishop of the Diocese of New York (the Rt. Rev. John DuBois), to form missions and build churches on the banks of the Hudson River as far as his zeal would urge him. The diocese embraced all New York and half of New Jersey. He first erected at Cold Spring, on the cliff over- looking the Hudson River, the site being given by Gouverneur Kemble, the romantic church of "Our Lady" which Weir the painter portrayed, dedicated by Bishop Dubois in September, 1834. Mr. Kemble had also given generous contributions of money, for which he was denounced in the newspapers "for abetting the idolatry of the mass." Father O'Reilly gave new proof of his energy by laying the corner-stone of a church at Saugerties as early as 1833. He had visited Saugerties in 1832 where he at once held religious services in various private dwellings, one Sunday of each month. The welcome given him by the Catholic families is proved by the fact that a church was speedily erected large enough for the num- ber of people at the time. This, no less than the fame of the increasing prosperity of the industries, attracted many more Catholics to Saugerties until it was found necessary from time to time to make additions to the church, and in fact its formal dedication took place in 1843, though it was used in the preceding years for mass. The church has a commanding position overlooking the village of Saugerties and the valley of the Hudson, and the surrounding country for many miles. It is a handsome
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and spacious edifice. Around it have been buried several generations of Catholics in its beautiful cemetery.
The earnest zeal of Father O'Reilly is proved by his solicitude in behalf of the Catholic people that began to gather at Rondout then at the be- ginning of its development in consequence of the building of the Delaware and Hudson Canal. On the 22nd of September, 1835, the few Catholics of this hamlet held a meeting to express their anxiety to have a church ; their first contribution was $32.02. It was not a very large sum, but their effort was followed by a visit of Father O'Reilly on November 30th, 1835, to sanction and encourage their laudable desire. Father O'Reilly had also under his charge Newburgh and Poughkeepsie. In 1837 Father O'Reilly was appointed Pastor of St. John's Church in Paterson, New Jer- "sey, from whence he went in 1844 to Troy, New York, where he built the fine Gothic Church of St. Patrick. In 1851 he was at St. Peter and Paul's Church in Williamsburgh giving aid to the Rev. Sylvester Malone, from whence he went to St. Bridget's Church to aid the Rev. Thomas Martin, who like himself, was a member of the Order of St. Dominic. Worn out with nearly 40 years of hard missionary work in the States of New York and New Jersey, he died at St. Bridget's on December 7th, 1854. The Rev. S. Malone who died in December, 1899, pastor as he had been founder of the Church of St. Peter and Paul in Williamsburgh, was most enthu- siastic in his praise of the Rev. Philip O'Reilly, for his cleverness and geniality and wit. Cardinal McCloskey used to relate that Father O'Reilly had a great liking for military matters and would recite from memory the whole history of Napier's Peninsular War. He was a large and powerfully built man of commanding presence, good family and brilliant social qualities. Before he came to this country he is said to have been Chaplain of the Duke of Norfolk. Father O'Reilly's successor in Saugerties was, in 1837, the Rev. Patrick Duffy, who had already built a church in Paterson, New Jersey, and became pastor of Cold Spring with his missionary field extended to Newburgh, Poughkeepsie and Sauger- ties. His first recorded administration of baptism in the Saugerties Registry was on May 14th, 1837, and the baptized were James McDade, Sarah Ann Fallon, Mary Ann Shields, William Walsh, Francis Reynolds, Margaret Shea and Peter Branigan. Toward the end of this year New- burgh was made the center of a separate mission, and the Rev. Patrick Duffy was appointed its pastor. In Poughkeepsie during his brief ad-
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ministration St. Peter's Church had been dedicated in November, 1837, by Bishop Dubois, assisted by Rev. Wm. Quarter and Rev. Patrick Duffy. In Newburgh Father Duffy did good work in the erection of a church and school and the establishment of the cemetery. He died there after seven- teen years of pastorate in 1853, in the 59th year of his age; his name there is to this day held in benediction. On his appointment to New- burgh, Poughkeepsie was made a separate parish with Saugerties and Rondout as dependencies. The Rev. John McGinnis was in 1837 appointed by Bishop DuBois "because he could rely upon his prudence and zeal, pas- tor of Poughkeepsie, Saugerties and Rondout, with the instruction to dis- tribute his services, if they concurred, to the best of their abilities for his support, so that each should be attended at least once a month." He was in charge till the end of 1838. Being known for exceptional zeal and ability, he was then called to New York City where the rapidly increasing number of Catholic immigrants demanded the establishment of more churches. There he built the church of St. John the Evangelist, and was made pastor of St. Andrew's, New York, and afterward of Jamaica, Long Island, where he had hard missionary work. The Rev. John N. Smith became pastor of Poughkeepsie, Saugerties and Rondout in 1839. Born in County Tyrone, Ireland, he came to the United States in early youth in 1818, and was ordained about 1828; from 1833 to 1837 he did service in Alexandria, District of Columbia; he was assistant at St. Peter's, New York, in 1838, to the Rev. Dr. Power, V. G. He was an energetic, brusque and charitable priest. Among other works he erected a small frame church at Rondout. He was thoroughly devoted to his calling and mention is made of his trips to Rosendale in search of stray Catholics. He was active at Saugerties till 1842, when he was called to St. James' Church, New York, where he remained as pastor till 1848 in February, when he died a martyr to charity, having contracted the ship fever at the dying bed of the learned Father Mark Murphy, then at the quarantine station of Staten Island, taking charge of the immigrants. His successor as pastor of Poughkeepsie, Saugerties and Rondout in 1842 was the Rev. Myles Maxwell. Born in Ireland, educated for the priest- hood at Lafargeville and St. Joseph's Seminary, Fordham, ordained by Bishop Hughes on January 5th, 1841, Father Maxwell was for a short time assistant to the Rev. John Smith at St. James', New York, and was with him transferred to Poughkeepsie, succeeding him there as pastor.
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Father Maxwell was noted for his zeal, learning and fidelity to duty, as well as for his candor and winning simplicity. In 1845 Saugerties and Rondout were made an independent parish. In May, 1847, the diocese of Albany was established under the Episcopal charge of the Rt. Rev. John McCloskey, and Saugerties became a part of this diocese, because the line of division was fixed at the 42d degree north latitude, which falls about midway between Saugerties and Kingston. At the division of the diocese Father Maxwell, who had become in 1845 pastor of Saugerties and Rondout, residing in Saugerties, remained attached to the diocese of New York, and the care of Saugerties and Shandaken was, for more than a year, assigned to the Rev. Michael Gilbride, pastor at Hudson, who already had charge of Hunter, Middletown and Scienceville. This plen- tiful work did not prevent him from giving due attention to Saugerties and other places connected with it. The Catholic laborers, principally quarrymen of Fish Creek, known also as Clove, were accustomed to go on Sundays to Saugerties for mass, and not a few inconveniences and some- times disorders ensued, and Mr. Russell, the owner of the quarries, offered to Father Gilbride the ground for a church; he gladly accepted the offer, and erected St. John's Church. Father Gilbride's earlier missions had brought him to Ellenville, where he was the first priest to officiate, in 1844. He died as pastor of Waterloo, New York, in 1854. In 1849 the Bishop of Albany appointed as pastor of Saugerties the Rev. John Gilli- gan, who had charge till 1852. Under the Bishop of Albany the Rev. Lawrence Consadine had charge of Shandaken from 1849 to 1852, but had several other missions in different counties. In 1852 the care of Shandaken passed into the hands of Rev. Eugene Carroll, though his residence was in other counties. The Rev. Michael C. Power was in 1852 appointed by the Bishop of Albany, the Rt. Rev. John McCloskey, to be pastor of Saugerties. Father Power, born in Cork, Ireland, had been educated for the priesthood at the Irish college in Paris, and his abilities and theological knowledge were conspicuous. He wielded a strong influence and during his twenty-five years of pastorate from 1852 to 1878 his duties called him to every part of the town of Saugerties in consequence of the great increase of Catholics who were attracted by the prospects of work to the neighboring stone quarries. The Irish immigra- tion was at its flood tide between 1846 and 1858, and the strong arms of the Irish laborers, forced from their country by the cruel famine, which
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desolated it, were brought into play in the building of railways, the quarrying of stone and the digging of canals. A customary sight on Sundays was the marching of hundreds of men under the leadership of their foreman to the churches eight and ten miles away to hear mass. As can be fancied, some broke loose from the self-imposed leadership, and at times disorders marked especially their return journey. The vast outpouring of a people into a strange land is always accompanied by the loosening of family ties, and by consequent freedom of restraint of their home environments. Hence the few priests who could be secured for the care of these streams of humanity, were overburdened and overwhelmed by the vastness of the task assigned them. Oftentimes when the men had come to this country with their families they were compelled by necessity to leave them in the larger cities, especially New York, until they had gone out to earn enough to provide a permanent home for them. This gathering of large bodies of men without immediate family ties easily gave rise to disorders, to remedy which the country local authorities were often glad to call the priests' influence, which never was exercised in vain with the most stubborn Irish laborer, in whom is innate a deep respect for religion and its ministers. Thus it was that the Rev. M. C. Power's influence springing from his kindly sympathetic nature and the indefatigable work for his people was recognized by the whole community. He built a fine church at Quarryville. In 1864 when the Rt. Rev. John McCloskey was appointed Archbishop of New York, it was also decided to have the division of the two dioceses follow the county-lines, and Saugerties was annexed to the diocese of New York, and its pastor Rev. M. C. Power was transferred with it. His work continued till 1878, when he retired quite advanced in years to Wappinger's Falls, aiding there his friend and classmate Father Sheehan and continuing there till his death, under his able successors Rev. M. C. O'Keefe and the Rev. Dr. C. V. O'Mahony. There he gave a large piece of ground for a park around the church, and he also left a fair fortune to be used for re- ligious purposes by this last friend, whose hospitable care he had always received.
In 1878 the Rev. John F. Lynch attended to the spiritual wants of the Catholics of the township of Saugerties from February to October. On November 10th, 1878, the Rev. Denis Paul O'Flynn became pastor. He was a native of County Cork, Ireland, and had successfully made his
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studies for the priesthood at the famous University of Louvain, Belgium, where he obtained the degree of Licentiate in theology. His pastorate was earnest and vigorous, extending to the missions of Quarryville and Clove till they were erected on April Ist, 1886, into a separate mission and placed under the charge of Rev. Michael Haran. This enabled Father O'Flynn to direct his efforts to the building of a substantial church in Glasco, where there was a thriving industrious people first attracted by the Woodstock Glass Co. and later by the flourishing brickyards in the neighborhood. In 1889 on transfer of Dean Dougherty to New York, Father O'Flynn was appointed by Archbishop Corrigan at the synod in New York in November, Dean or Vicar-forane of the counties of Ulster and Sullivan. In 1892 the Church of St. Mary in Saugerties was seriously damaged by fire, and Father O'Flynn undertook its renovation and en- largement on an expensive scale, placing in it splendid marble altars, fine pews and other ornamental furniture. This was, however, done at a time of great financial depression when quite a large amount of the busi- ness of Saugerties was discontinued, and the burden of debt upon the church plant has hampered the efforts of succeeding pastors. Connected with the church he had built a fine rectory and a substantial brick school- house where four sisters of charity have since then been engaged as teachers. The Rev. D. P. O'Flynn in 1893 was promoted to the perma- nent pastorate of the important church of St. Joseph on Sixth Avenue in New York, where he continued till his death in August, 1906, to display the energy for which he was distinguished at Saugerties. Here he was succeeded by the Rev. M. J. Murray, who, ordained at Mt. St. Mary's, Emmittsburgh, Maryland, had been assistant at St. Joseph's, New York, and pastor for several years at Rhinecliff. During Father Murray's administration a hall was erected near the church which became the center of many social and dramatic gatherings of Catholics and non- Catholics attracted by Father Murray's personality. Glasco had mean- while become quite an Italian settlement, which necessitated the frequent ministrations of an Italian priest. It has had for several years the services of Rev. Henry Newey, whose education in Rome enabled him to deal with them very satisfactorily. He continues to do this even since the transfer of Father Murray to Riverdale, New York, under the pastorate of the Rev. John J. McCabe, who came to Saugerties in April, 1905. Strenuous efforts have been made to diminish the heavy load of debt.
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The Rev. John J. McCabe had been for many years assistant at St. Stephen's, New York, since his ordination at the Troy Seminary on December 21st, 1889, and has therefore been able to call upon his friends in that congregation for aid in his arduous task.
The Rev. Michael Haran was transferred to West Hurley in 1903, and was succeeded by the energetic assistant at St. Thomas', New York, Rev. Thomas Halpin as pastor of Clove and Quarryville. Besides the two churches already built at Clove of St. John the Evangelist, and at Quarry- ville of St. Patrick, he has for the convenience of the congregation set apart a chapel under the invocation of St. Thomas, near the rectory, be- sides renovating and refurnishing the two other churches.
RONDOUT.
The first record connected with a Catholic church in Rondout is "an account of names of men who subscribed towards the building of a Roman Catholic Church in Rondout, and its vicinity by order of the Rev. Mr. P. O'Reilly" on September 22d, 1835. The contributors were Thomas Penny, James Diamond, John O'Reilly, Terence O'Reilly, Patrick Don- nely, Patrick McCanna, James Melton, Larry Fallon, John McCarten, James Murray, Thomas Rigney, Roland Mulholland, Daniel Riordan, William Williams, Garrett Connolly, Michael Quin, Edward Moloy, Matthew Walsh, Edward Brown, Patrick Flanigan, Barney Daly, ODy O'Rorke. The amount of this first collection was $32.02. Another meet- ing was held on October 6th, when the amount contributed reached $72.99, one-quarter of which was deposited on October 21st, in the Ulster County Bank. By November 4th, the amount had been increased by eleven dollars, and the Rev. Philip O'Reilly came in person on November 30th, 1835, and he gave his sanction and encouragement to the effort made in these words: "As a clergyman deputed by the Bishop of the Diocese of New York to form missions and build churches on the banks of the Hudson River I do by these presents fully and entirely approve of the above manner of collecting money for the building of a church in this village of Rondout, as also of the manner used in depositing the sums col- lected in Ulster County Bank as mentioned above. In testimony of which, etc., Philip O'Reilly, Pastor of the Congregations on the Hudson River, Diocese of New York, Rondout, Nov. 30th, 1835." The moneys in bank were deposited by John Diamond, John O'Reilly, Thos. Rigney, Michael
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Quin and John Kenney. Frequent meetings were held by the people to advance the collection of the necessary amount. The next recorded visit of the Rev. Philip O'Reilly was on May 30th, 1836, when he met in John O'Reilly's house about thirty-three Catholics. At the end of this meeting the amount collected had reached $156.95. On August 18th he again visited Rondout, and left the following record: "I have on this day, Thursday, the 18th of August, 1836, audited the accounts of James Dia- mond and John O'Reilly with the Catholic Church of this village up to the present day and find them to be substantially correct. The amount in hand at the present time is 193 dollars and 38 cents which is deposited in the office of the Hudson and Delaware Canal Co. in the name of the Bishop as Trustee for the congregation Philip O'Reilly, Pastor of the congregations on the Hudson River."
Rondout at this time was little more than a hamlet. While the other stations were attended with fair regularity once a month on Sunday, Ron- dout probably had the benefit of any fifth Sunday occurring in the month, but it had to rely mainly on the visits of Father O'Reilly at long intervals on week days. Mass was said in various private houses such as John O'Reilly's and Thomas Penny's. On the Sundays the larger apartment of a blind and sash factory in the corner of Mill St. and Division St. (later Union Avenue, now Broadway), was kindly placed at the disposal of the Catholics for mass. As the greater number of the Catholics were em- ployed in connection with the Delaware and Hudson Canal and there- fore lived along the Wilbur Road, in January, 1837, a lot was there pur- chased for the $200 gathered up to that time, on which a church was to be built. Meanwhile, however, Rondout was made dependent upon the pastor of Poughkeepsie, the Rev. John Smith, who in 1838 thought it desirable to have the church erected on its present site, which was pur- chased from Abraham Hasbrouck on which payment was made of $100 on November 4th, 1839. At this time 77 names of men appear on the records as contributing toward the purchase of this property, and at Poughkeepsie on the same November 4th, 1839, is recorded "An article of agreement between James Crowley and the Rev. John Smith on behalf of the Building Committee appointed by the said Rev. John Smith for the purpose of building a Catholic Church in Rondout, Ulster Co., State of New York. The said James Crowley binds himself to build a church 40 feet by 24 feet in width, 12 feet high of sound materials, frame of
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which must be set on posts 3 feet high for the sum of $400 dollars, $100 of which must be paid before the work commenced and the balance as may be collected from the subscribers or paid in by the Building Committee to the said James Crowley, who binds himself to cover in the building in one month from the above date."
This gave a great impetus to the collection and by January Ist, 1840, $416.00 had been contributed by 87 persons, with an additional aid of a collection from Bishop Hughes, Rev. Starrs and Rev. McGurry amount- ing to $160.00. In this contribution are found the names of the first two women contributors, Mary Giddy, Ann O'Reilly. The new position of the church was thought to suit the convenience of not a few Catholics who were living further inland, toward and in the mountains. In fact there were probably scattered in a large territory about one hundred families, but in those early days not a few of the Irish Catholics working along the canal route in Rosendale and others in Stony Hollow were known to walk every Sunday the eight or ten miles to hear mass in St. Mary's Church in Rondout. The Baptismal Record of St. Mary's Church, Rondout, was begun by the Rev. John Smith in January, 1841, and the first name recorded is that of John Flanigan, born December 27th, 1840. The first recorded burials in the cemetery attached to the church was of two chil- dren of Patrick Malia and James Burke in February, 1840. In July, 1841, a second payment of $100 was made to Abraham Hasbrouck for the land on which the church was to be erected.
When the Rev. John Smith was in 1842 transferred to New York, he was succeeded as pastor of Poughkeepsie by his assistant the Rev. Myles Maxwell, whose duty it was to attend Poughkeepsie on two Sundays of each month, and on one, Saugerties, and on the other Rondout. He had this very arduous task till 1845, when Saugerties and Rondout were formed into a separate mission of which Rev. Myles Maxwell was ap- pointed pastor. His first recorded official act was on Sunday, July 24th, 1842, the administration of baptism to nine children.
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