USA > New York > Ulster County > The history of Ulster County, New York > Part 40
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EAST KINGSTON, ULSTER TOWNSHIP.
A minor offshoot of Rondout, sprouting at the same time as Port Ewen, is the mission of East Kingston, formerly known as Flatbush, where a small brick church was built by the efforts of Rev. M. C. O'Farrell in 1873, at a cost of $2,500. Father Coyle had begun to take an earnest in- terest in the welfare of its Catholic people as early as 1871. Since then the
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priests of Rondout had celebrated mass there on Sundays to 1890, when Rev. Dr. Burtsell came to Rondout. He, finding that the congregation had considerably increased, had at a cost of $2,000 a large addition put to the Church of St. Colman in 1891, and the now fairly extensive building was dedicated anew by Bishop Conroy, of Curium, formerly of Albany, the people having been so in earnest that it was out of debt for the occa- sion. Since 1890, whenever there was a mission at St. Mary's, about every three years, some of the missionaries stayed several days at East Kingston, to give the people the same aid as was given to the Rondouters. About 1900 a large number of Italians began to work in the brickyards in the neighborhood and not a few Italian families settled along the shore. For the benefit of these Dr. Burtsell called several Italian priests to give them due religious instruction with no little success. The church customs in the United States are very different from those to which they were accustomed in Italy, where religion sustained by donations of former generations is to the present as free as water, no demand ever being made for the support of religion. Hence, they find it difficult to realize why they should be called upon here for the erection and support of churches. As this becomes impressed upon them they are inclined to do what is necessary. As they are a people of more demonstrative habits, perhaps even more artistic than the Catholics found here, they are sur- prised at the lack of outward show, of processions, of statuary, and they need to be convinced of the reasons of the differences, which is the more difficult because of their previous absence of knowledge of any other world than their own small home villages. The immigrations on a vast scale, always involve emancipation from family ties, and moral environ- ments, especially for young and unmarried men, who are liable to think that the land of liberty opens the way to license and consequent relaxa- tion of religious restraints. The present pastor, Rev. Robert A. Weir, finds it difficult to provide for their spiritual needs at East Kingston, because of his lack of knowledge of their language and characteristics. In July, 1904, St. Colman's was erected into a separate parish, entirely free from debt. To erect a pastoral residence, Father Weir purchased a lot near the church and placed a mortgage of $6,000 on the church property.
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ELLENVILLE.
From 1828 to 1840 several Catholic families, attracted by the building of the Delaware and Hudson Canal, had settled in Ellenville and neigh- borhood. The Rev. Father Gilbride, who had been at Saugerties, is known to have paid visits there in 1844, celebrating mass at the residence of Michael Sheridan for several years. In 1842, the Rev. Edward Briody, educated in Montreal, was ordained by Bishop Hughes and appointed to the charge of Port Jervis, and other places within reach. Following the canal, Father Briody reached Ellenville, where under his management the old meeting house of the Reformed Church was pur- chased and removed to its present site, repaired and fitted up for Catholic service. This was done at an expense of $3,500. This building is still retained looking fairly neat. Father Briody was kept very busy by the large extent of territory attached to Port Jervis, where he also built a fairly large church. He had under his charge, in 1851, Port Jervis and Ellenville, Bridgeville, Fallsburgh, Mongaup Valley, Forestburgh, Calli- coon, Liberty, Neversink, Claraville, Grahamsville, Monticello, Parkville and Lackawack. Father Callan had care of Ellenville for a few months, and then, in 1852, the Rev. Daniel Mugan, educated at Mt. St. Mary's, Emittsburgh, and ordained in August, 1856, by Archbishop Hughes, took charge of Ellenville with Liberty and Wurtsboro as missions. He had been stationed at St. Peter's, New York, for a year, and his pastorate at Ellenville of nineteen years continued till his death in 1872. He had his residence near the church. His work was successful, though wearisome. Access was so difficult to Ellenville that the notification of his last illness did not reach any priest in time to administer to him the last Sacraments.
He was succeeded by the Rev. Peter J. Prendergrast, who had within two years come from Ireland. He was assistant for six months at St. Patrick's, Newburg, and another six months at the Church of the Epiphany, New York. He worked earnestly for three years at Ellenville, and then was transferred, in 1875, to Middletown, in 1888, to Rondout, and in 1890 to the Church of the Epiphany, New York, where for a variety of reasons he felt uncomfortable, regretting having given up the country parish of Middletown, where he had done his best work, and where his remains were taken for interment. The Rev. James F. Wester- man succeeded him in Ellenville for a year, and in 1876, the Rev. Bernard A. Goodwin, who had been ordained in June, 1871, became pastor, re-
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maining there fully ten years. The Rev. Joseph H. Hayne became pastor in 1887, who worked indefatigably till he had placed the parish in good shape. His successor, in 1894, was the Rev. John Weir, for seven years, who attended Mountaindale and Lackawack, Liberty and Wurtsboro, having been made for many years independent missions.
The present pastor, Rev. Michael Montgomery, ordained at the Troy Seminary in 1875, had been assistant at St. Columba's, New York, and pastor of West Hurley. In 1903 a dam above the village burst, and there was quite an inundation, apparently on the verge of carrying away St. Mary's Church, when providentially a floating barn was thrown against a tree in the rear. This diverted the waters from the church, which thus escaped sure destruction.
MILTON AND MARLBOROUGH.
The pastors of St. Peter's, Poughkeepsie, from an early day, gave attention to the scattered Catholics along the banks of the Hudson River, from Saugerties to Marlborough, and probably through Highland to the interior, as far as Rosendale, though later the Rondout Valley was found more accessible for this. As early as 1842, the Rev. John N. Smith, and again in 1844, the Rev. Joseph Burke, then at Poughkeepsie, had pene- trated to Rosendale. Their successors, Father Reardon, Rev. Dr. P. F. McSweeney and Father Nilan, kept up the good work by the assiduous administration of the sacraments to all who called for them, though in 1868, the Rev. Patrick Brady pastor of Rosendale, had in charge Modena, Milton, Esopus and Galesville.
The Rev. James Mee, in 1880, was the first resident pastor of Milton and Marlborough. He had been ordained to the priesthood at the Troy Seminary in June, 1870. He built a neat frame church in Milton, with an adjoining residence. At Marlborough he purchased a Methodist meeting house, which he turned into a church. He celebrated mass every Sunday in both places. He also attended Ireland Corners, better known as Gardiner, where in 1882 ground was secured and plans made for a church. In 1884, this was made a separate mission, with Wallkill and New Paltz attached, under the care of an English priest, the Rev. Charles Browne. The Church of St. Charles Borromeo was dedicated at Gardiner. In 1886, the Rev. Joseph L. Hoey, ordained in 1877, who had for seven years been an active assistant at Rondout, was made pastor of Gardiner,
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and on the transfer in 1887 of Father Mee to Rosebank, Staten Island, was appointed to the pastorate of Milton, with charge of Marlborough, Gardiner and New Paltz. In 1889 a church was built at Roseton, under the title of Our Lady of Lourdes, by the generosity of Mr. and Mrs. Vatable, and was placed under the care of the pastor of Milton. This en- tailed speedily a new division of these missions. The Rev. W. P. Kenny was given charge in 1894 of Milton, Marlborough and Roseton, till 1897, when he was succeeded by the Rev. E. J. A. Kenny, who, or- dained in Rome, had been an assistant at St. Gabriel's, in New York. He soon (in 1900) found it convenient for the better care of the people to remove to Marlborough and Roseton, and give the opportunity for the appointment to Milton of the Rev. James P. Dooley, with charge of Highland. Here he built a church, under the title of St. Augustine.
GARDINER AND NEW PALTZ.
Meanwhile, in 1892, the Rev. Bernard Duffy had taken charge of Gardiner and New Paltz. Here he was succeeded by the Rev. John B. McGrath, ordained at St. Sulpice in Paris. He in 1894, especially in view of the many Catholics studying at the Normal College, built the Church of St. Joseph in New Paltz. When appointed to the parish of City Island, he was succeeded in 1899 by the Rev. John J. Morris, who since his ordi- nation, in 1877, had been assistant at St. Joseph's, New York. An inter- esting feature of his pastorate was the advent to the Normal College at New Paltz of about thirty Cuban lady teachers, who had been invited by the United States Government to prepare themselves better for their calling by the training in American methods of education, that they might adapt them to their schools in Cuba. These teachers gave clear evidence of their practical catholicity by their assiduous attendance at all the services of St. Joseph's Church in New Paltz. Father Morris also on several occasions procured for them the services of a priest familiar with Spanish. In 1905 he was transferred to the larger field of Port Jervis, and the present pastor of Gardiner is the Rev. Wm. J. Stewart, who in a short time has by his energy considerably reduced the indebtedness of the mission and made important improvements.
GERMAN CATHOLICS IN ULSTER COUNTY .- ELLENVILLE.
The Very Rev. John Raffeiner, a German priest of great zeal, was recognized as the Apostle of German Catholics in the East. He was
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from the Diocese of Brixia, in the Tyrol, and came to the United States in 1833. This is the eulogy which Archbishop Hughes made of him at his funeral: "Many of you have no recollection of the spiritual destitution that prevailed in New York when the now populous Dioceses (1862) of Brooklyn, New York, Buffalo, Albany and Newark, were comprised in one. The German Catholics were then but few and totally devoid of spiritual aid. It was the good providence of God that at this particular period (1834) directed the steps of Father Raffeiner hither, where he entered most faithfully and earnestly on the work assigned him in supply- ing spiritual comfort to his needy countrymen."
Wherever there were German Catholics there would Father Raffeiner seek them out, and minister to them, being prevented neither by the win- ter's snows, the summer's sun, nor the inconvenience of travel in that day, from fulfilling the duties assigned him. He was appointed Vicar-General for the Germans by Bishop DuBois, and continued in the position by Bishop Hughes. Among the many places visited by him, Ellenville was one of the most difficult of access; yet he undertook the formation of a congregation there in 1850, and was able to assign to it a pastor in the person of Rev. John Raufeisen, educated in St. Joseph's, Fordham, and ordained on October 3rd, 1849, by Bishop Hughes. A small frame structure, at a cost of about $1,200, was built by him, and known as St. Mary's. He established a church at Ulster Heights, under the invocation of St. Michael and Wendelinus, and one under title of the Immaculate Conception at Woodbourne, where quite a number of Bavarians had settled. Father Raufeisen's pastorate in Ellenville extended until 1861, though meanwhile his zeal had brought him to visit, in search of German Catholics in 1850, Rondout, Bridgeville, Calicoon, Fallsburgh, Grahams- ville, Lackawack, Neversink, North Branch, Otisville, Stephen's Fac- tories and Woodbourne. He constantly preached at St. Mary's, Rondout, from 1857 to 1860, when he was able to establish a church for the Ger- mans in Rondout. In 1860, a Benedictine, Father Moosmueller, served the German church in Rondout, but Father Raufeisen, from 1861 until 1878, resided in Rondout, where the needs were much greater, though he continued to visit Ellenville till it received a new pastor in the person of Rev. George J. Veith, who attended Ellenville from 1864, though he resided in Jeffersonville, till he was succeeded by the Rev. Ferdinand Raes, in 1867. Not till 1871 did Ellenville again have a resident pastor for the
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Germans. Then the Rev. Constantine Van Droste was pastor from 1871 to 1873. Again for a year there was no resident pastor, till the coming in May, 1874, of the Rev. Franz Siegelack, who was succeeded in 1877 by the Rev. E. Henzel. In 1878, Ellenville and stations for the Germans were once more attended from Jeffersonville by the Rev. G. Huntman. Rev. Andrew J. Sauer became resident pastor in 1878, and under his administration a new church was erected in 1881, under the invocation of St. Andrew. His pastorate continued till 1891. Father Sauer had arranged with the public cemetery corporation to set aside a portion for Catholics to be blessed, a deed to be given when $1,000 had been con- tributed by Catholics. At each burial the pastor is to pay $5 to the ceme- tery from which he gets a deed for that grave, and gives a deed to the family of the deceased. The cemetery is kept in good order.
Rev. William Eckerth was pastor from 1891 to 1897, when Rev. John S. Braun, a native of New York, ordained at St. Joseph's, Troy, De- cember 22nd, 1888, was appointed pastor. Not far from Ellenville is the Napanoch prison, where Father Braun's zeal prompted him to go fre- quently to preach to the prisoners. On these occasions he took his choir with him. On other occasions he brought his phonograph, which was a source of great amusement to the prisoners. The piece most encored was one "of a negro kicked by a mule."
Father Braun was very tactful, having to meet at times murmurings that not rarely occur in German congregations made up from different states of Germany. The Rev. John Braun was called in 1905 to the charge of St. Boniface's, in New York, and was succeeded by the Rev. Dr. Edward J. Heinlein, who made but a year's stay, and the present pastor is the Rev. Theodore J. Bamberg.
ST. PETER'S CHURCH, RONDOUT.
In 1850, the Rev. John Raufeisen, immediately after his ordination being assigned to Ellenville, was also given charge of the German Catholics at Rondout. The Redemptorist Fathers from the Church of the Holy Redeemer in New York, paid several visits in the following years to Rondout. After 1857, and following years, Father Raufeisen made regular visits to attend to the spiritual needs of his fellow country- men, and he was welcomed at St. Mary's, where a collection was regularly taken to meet his expenses. He purchased a lot on the corner of Adams
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and Pierpont Streets, on which in 1860 was erected a fine brick church. A young Benedictine priest, Father Oswald Moosmueller, was sent from St. Vincent's Abbey, at Latrobe, Pennsylvania, to take charge. Though he remained but one year in Rondout, he always showed great interest in its welfare till his death, which occurred about 1900. Father Raufeisen con- cluded that he would do more good for the German Catholics by fixing his abode in Rondout, which he did in 1861, and then he continued to look after the German Catholics throughout the County of Ulster, and began to attend them at Plattekill. The desire of the Germans to have a school prompted him to erect, in 1871, the fine church on the corner of Wurts and Pierpont Streets, which under the invocation of St. Peter, was dedicated by Archbishop McCloskey on the Feast of Sts. Peter and Paul, June 29th, 1873. Rev. Oswald Moosmueller was interested in the new church, and had sent a Benedictine Brother, an artist, to make the altar in St. Peter's a facsimile of that of the Benedictine Chapel at Latrobe. The former church was turned into a school, which was placed for ten years in charge of German Sisters of Charity from Mt. St. Vincent. They were succeeded by others of the order, known as Sisters of Christian Charity. Father Raufeisen for twenty years remained pastor till 1878. He died in May, 1880, as Chaplain of a hospital in Jersey City. He was succeeded by the Rev. Franz Siegelack, who had been for some years pastor at Ellenville. He in turn was succeeded in 1887 by the present pastor, Rev. M. Kuhnen, who was ordained at St. Joseph's Seminary, Troy, in December, 1877, and had been pastor at Blauvelt. Father Kuhnen purchased the residence for the Sisters in the rear of the church. He also started the German cemetery, near the Wiltwyck Cemetery. The German Catholic congregation numbers about 1,500 souls. The debt on the church property is about $30,000.
POLISH CATHOLICS IN RONDOUT.
In 1893, Archbishop Corrigan appointed the Rev. Francis Fremel to start a church for the Polish Catholics of Rondout. Father Fremel was a Lithuanian Pole, who had been ordained in December, 1890, and after some months passed in New York, had been made assistant to Father Kuhnen at St. Peter's Church, which the Polish Catholics had been accustomed to attend, as many of them know or understand German. A discarded synagogue in Abeel Street was used for a church for some
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years, and property secured in North Rondout. Dissensions, not unusual among the Poles, occurred, perhaps because those not Lithuanians did not consider themselves duly considered, and Father Fremel, really a zealous but not diplomatic man, retired, and the present pastor, Rev. Francis Fabian, was appointed to direct the spiritual interests of the Poles. He worked so well that in the fall of 1899, the corner-stone was laid of a church in a very eligible part of the town. The Poles co-operated earnestly, and there are now a fine church and rectory. There are about 350 Polish Catholics in the vicinity of Kingston.
CATHOLIC INSTITUTIONS IN ULSTER COUNTY.
JESUITS' NOVITIATE-HOME FOR ITALIAN CHILDREN-BENEDICTINE SANI- TARIUM.
The English Jesuits had come to Maryland under the wing of Lord Baltimore about 1632, and again through James Duke of York some English Jesuits came to New York about 1685 to Governor Dongan ; these affiliated with those of the Maryland Province, and retired there in 1700, when the law was enacted condemning "Polish priests and Jesuits" to perpetual imprisonment if found in the province of New York. Yet there are evidences that some of the Jesuits did continue now and again to come to New York, even before that law was repealed. Thus we saw Father Farmer saying mass in New York in 1781-82, even during the British occupation. However, the Jesuits of New York had from an early day been under the jurisdiction of the French Province of A- -, through the sub-province of Canada. From Canada had come the mis- sionaries to the various Indian tribes which inhabited New York. Hence though the Jesuits who first were called by Archbishop Hughes to New York in 1846, were from Kentucky, there was speedily formed a direct union with Canada, whither American young men wishing to join their community went for their novitiate and studies.
About 1870, the Jesuits of New York obtained a special arrangement whereby there was opened a novitiate near West Park in Ulster County, under the name of Mauresa. A Novitiate for the Jesuits is similar to that of the other Religious Orders in the Catholic Church, that is, a course of probation of candidates for their community. The Jesuits have a special advantage through their colleges of picking out the best and cleverest young men who give signs of a disposition for the Religious
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life. But this is not enough-they must be tried especially in that rule of obedience to their superiors, which is made such an important charac- teristic of their society. It is easily understood that this obedience im- plies giving up the exercise of their own will in those things which are of themselves lawful. It would be absurd in the name of Religion to claim obedience to commands in any degree contrary to the law of nature, of God or of the Church of Christ. The obedience to their superiors in all things else is regulated by the clear written constitution of the Order which is placed in their hands, and may be easily obtained by any one else. A special feature of the Jesuits' Novitiate is to rest from their direct studies and give themselves wholly for two years to the study of the spiritual life as laid down by their founder, St. Ignatius of Loyola. During this novitiate they are obliged to give themselves up to the menial duties of life, even to take part in cooking and other tasks of the kitchen, the scouring of rooms. No one of whatever rank he may have been, is exempt from this kind of humiliation.
This Novitiate remained till the New York Province was united with the Maryland Province, when it was removed to Frederick, Md. Lately the Jesuits have brought back their novitiate even on a much larger scale to Dutchess County, between Hyde Park and Poughkeepsie. They sold their place at West Park to the missionary Sisters of the Sacred Heart, who came from Italy to take care of Italian waifs, and orphans, and to do other good works in behalf of their country people. They have branched out to the care of others also. In West Park their institution houses a dozen Sisters and about 100 children, especially from New York City, who receive thorough care and a fair education.
An important work undertaken by other Sisters, known as the Order of St. Benedict, is the excellent sanitarium in the City of Kingston, which has been the means of relieving great suffering and distress among the sick of Ulster and neighboring counties. Its official title is "Our Lady of Victory Sanitarium," but is more easily designated the Benedictine Sani- tarium. Its erection is due to the earnestness of a native of Rondout, a Miss Molloy, known in the sisterhood as Sister Aloysia. First established in two private houses on the summit of West Chestnut Street, it is now in a most eligible site towards the centre of the city, upon a hill whence there is a delightful view of all the surrounding country. The sick of all denominations find it a most healthful and hospitable resort.
Inn by F & Williams & Bro NY
Charles G. Ellis.
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THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
CHAPTER XXXVII. THE PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH.
By REV. CHARLES G. ELLIS, D.D.
P RESBYTERIANISM in its growth and influence in Ulster County can only be understood when we consider with it the growth and influence of the Dutch Reformed Church. For while differing in name they are practically one in the essentials of policy and theological standards. The Dutch Reformed is in reality the Dutch Presbyterian Church. The Presbyterian Church in the United States of America being that part of the Presbyterian Church in which the English, Scotch and North of Ireland people predominate. Since the early settlers in Ulster were Dutch, their's was the prevailing type, and, in the interior of the county, is still the only type of Presbyterianism. The documentary records of those years which immediately followed the revocation of the edict of Nantes show how kindly the French Presbyterians, commonly known as Huguenots, who settled in Kingston and vicinity, were wel- comed, with what assiduity they were instructed in Dutch, and how readily they were received into the Dutch church. Early records also show that the Dutch governors, in their reports on the state of religion in the colony, held the Independents and Presbyterians from New England who settled in New Amsterdam, in high esteem.
The Presbyterian Church as it is known in Ulster County to-day is the outgrowth of those later immigrations of English speaking peoples which took place in the eighteenth and first half of the nineteenth centuries. It is the history of a denomination cognate with the Dutch Church, supple- menting its work, and not of a rival crowding into a field already occupied.
During the fifty years immediately preceding the Revolution, many Presbyterians and Independents from Long Island and New England, as well as others from the old countries, settled in Southeastern Ulster and along the shores of the Hudson. The opening of the Delaware and Hudson Canal, and the development of the blue stone and cement indus- tries in the early part of the nineteenth century brought to the upper part
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of the county many more immigrants, particularly numbers of Presby- terian Scotch and Irish. The result was that where the ground was not already fully occupied by the Dutch Church, the newer congregations organized were Presbyterian.
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