USA > Ohio > Cuyahoga County > Cleveland > A history of Catholicity in northern Ohio and in the diocese of Cleveland from 1749 to December 31, 1900, Volume I, pt1 > Part 33
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the house of Matthew Patton. In the following year he repeated his visit to these settlers who formed the nucleus of the congrega- tion of Canal Fulton. These visits were made annually from Somerset, Perry county, O., by Father Fenwick, and later on (1821-22) by his nephew, the Rev. Nicholas A. Young, and the Rev. Thomas H. Martin (1822-25)-all Dominicans. January 13, 1822, Father Fenwick was consecrated first Bishop of Cincin- nati. Some time after, during the same year, he again visited the Catholics in Lawrence township, celebrated Mass in Matthew Patton's house, as he had done before, and administered confirma- tion to a few persons. Among them was Philip Patton, who died at Canal Fulton on November 11, 1884, at the age of 73; to him the writer is indebted for many facts in connection with this sketch and with the early history of Catholicity in Stark county. Between 1824 and 1828 the Very Rev. John A. Hill attended the Catholics in Lawrence township from Canton. After his death, in Septem- ber, 1828, they were attended from Somerset, by the Revs. R. P. Miles and Thomas H. Martin. until the appointment, in 1830, of the Rev. John M. Henni, as pastor of St. John's, Canton, where he remained till his transfer to Cincinnati, in 1834. Mass was cele- brated in private houses until 1831, when under the direction of Father Henni a log chapel, 30x40 feet in size, was erected at "Law- rence Cross-Roads," two miles from the present town of Canal Fulton, on a one-acre plot of land donated by Philip McGuire. The chapel was never completed but services were held in it, suc- cessively, until 1845, by the Rev. Fathers Henni, Martin, O'Meara, and McGrady, of Canton; and the Revs. Basil Schorb (1837- 42), Maurice Howard and Cornelius Daly (1842-45). of Doylestown, then known as Chippewa. The log chapel accommodated all the Catholics living in Chippewa, Baughman and Sugar Creek town- ships, in Wayne county, as also those residing in Lawrence township, Stark county.
In 1826 the Ohio Canal, from Cleveland to Marietta, was located through the present site of Canal Fulton and two years later it was opened for traffic as far as Massillon. This was the beginning of Canal Fulton, which was platted in 1826. With the growth of the town the number of Catholics also increased. This necessitated the building of a church in the town, proportioned to the means and size of the mission, and more cen-
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trally located than the log chapel above mentioned. As a result of an exchange of views on the subject between Father Howard and his people a site for the proposed church was secured by him in September, 1844. Three town lots were donated for the pur- pose by Mrs. Mary Fassett. A frame church, 37x64 feet in size, was erected thereon in 1845, at a cost of $1500. Father Howard was succeeded in this mission by the Rev. Philip Foley, pastor of St. Mary's, Massillon (1846-48). The church was dedicated by Bishop Purcell, August 24, 1847. Canal Fulton was next attended from Canton by the Rev. J. Vincent Conlan (1848-51), and by the Rev. A. Campion (1851-53). The mission was also visited a few times from Wooster by the Revs. George H. Brennan and Michael Healy, in 1853. From 1854 to 1862 the following priests attended Canal Fulton, as a mission from Doylestown: The Revs. N. Ponchel, P. Kohler, E. W. J. Lindesmith and Joseph Lais. Father Lais was appointed pastor of Canal Fulton in 1862 and remained till 1867. During his pastorate twelve lots were secured (Septem- ber 26, 1863), which with the three lots mentioned above, made the Canal Fulton church property the finest and best located in the town, with ample room for church, school, cemetery and pros- pective pastoral residence-all in one block. The Rev. Nicholas Kirch succeeded Father Lais in August, 1869, and remained till March, 1875. During this time the frame church, built in 1847, had become too small, so that a larger one was of imperative necessity. Father Kirch had plans drawn for the present brick church, of composite Roman-Gothic architecture, 45x100 feet in size. The foundation was laid in 1867. The church was brought under roof in 1868 and dedicated by Bishop Toebbe in 1869, under the patronage of Sts. Philip and James, Apostles. It cost $28,000 and is a very neat and substantial building, surmounted by a spire 150 feet high. It stands on an eminence commanding a view of the town and surrounding country for many miles, and is a monument to the people whose generosity made its erection possible. The Rev. Wimar Mueller succeeded Father Kirch in April, 1875. During his pastorate, which lasted until October, 1877, many improvements were made and the present 3000 pound bell, then the largest in Stark county, was bought at a cost of $1,300. The Rev. E. J. Vattmann was Father Mueller's successor. In 1878, at an expense of $3,000, he built the present very neat and
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IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH-SCHOOL, CANTON.
IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND. 337
commodious brick pastoral residence. He gave much attention to the betterment of the parish schools, and introduced congre- gational singing, which proved quite popular in the parish. He also had the church renovated and frescoed in the fall of 1888. Father Vattmann was succeeded in February, 1891, by the Rev. Jacob F. Kuebler, who in a short time paid off a considerable por- tion of the parish debt, in spite of the financial depression, which was felt throughout the country, but in a very special way in the coal mining district in which Canal Fulton is located. The present pastor, the Rev. Henry J. Gerhardstein, was appointed Father Kuebler's successor in June, 1898. In less than two years, aided by his generous people, he had the balance of the church debt cancelled. Although the congregation has had much to contend with financially, for some years, because of depression in the coal interests, its members have at all times cheerfully and generously responded to all calls in behalf of parochial improvements. Com- posed as it is of different nationalities it may truthfully be called a model "mixed" congregation where Catholicity and not nationality is the bond of brotherhood in the Faith.
CANTON, STARK COUNTY. IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH.
For more than thirty years the Catholics living in the southern part of Canton and the adjacent country ardently looked forward to the time when they could have a church and school in that vicinity. In fact, a lot had been purchased for them in that section, in the year 1869, to be ultimately used as a site for church buildings. But nothing further was done in the matter until the advent of the Rev. Clement Treiber, in September, 1899, when he was commissioned by Bishop Horstmann to organize a new parish in South Canton. In June of the same year he secured an elegant site on South Market street. For a short time he gathered his new charge in St. Peter's and St. John's Churches, and later in a hall near the site above mentioned. Meanwhile he arranged for the erection of a combination church and school building, the corner-stone of which was laid on October 1, of the same year, in the presence of a vast multitude of interested spectators. So
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rapidly was the work of building pushed that Mass was cele- brated for the first time in the basement of the edifice, on December 24, 1899. It was a day of rejoicing for the parish, which now had its own "roof tree." Without further delay the upper stories of the building were brought to completion, and on the 20th of the following May the edifice was dedicated by Bishop Horstmann. Again a great outpouring of people was present to witness the ceremony. The Rt. Rev. Bishop preached the dedicatory sermon in English, and Father Kaempker preached a German sermon on the occasion. The Rev. Chancellor Houck was celebrant of the first Mass in the new chapel.
The people composing this new parish, the third in Canton, are justly proud of their schoolhouse and place of worship, which is an ornament to the city and a credit to the diocese. The build- ing is of cream colored pressed brick, and has two stories and a fine basement. It cost about $15,000. The first story serves as a temporary church. The second is divided into well-appointed school rooms and the basement serves as a parish hall. In all its equipments the building is quite modern. Later, when the per- manent church is erected, the present temporary one will be changed into school rooms.
In July, 1900, additional ground was bought adjoining the former purchase. On it there was a frame house which was moved to the rear of the church and fitted up as a Sisters' residence. The school, with an attendance of over two hundred children, was opened in September, 1900, and placed in charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph.
Shortly after the purchase of the above mentioned ground another parcel of land was secured for $1,800, and the house on it transformed into a neat residence for the pastor. The parish now owns an elegant property with a frontage of three hundred and twenty feet on South Market street. Its formation did not in the least affect the other two parishes, and it has a bright future. Pastor and people are in full accord, and a healthy Catholic spirit prevails.
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ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, CANTON.
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CANTON, STARK COUNTY.
ST. JOHN'S CHURCH.
St. John's congregation, Canton, was the second organized in Northern Ohio, that at Dungannon having been the first. Its history as such dates back to 1823, when the Catholic settlers, in and near Canton, built their first church-a plain, brick edifice. It was finished in 1824, and cost $5,000-a large sum for that time and for the few people who composed the Mission. Prior to the erection of the church the Catholics of Canton had Mass at the residence of John Schorb, a short distance west of the present church. He was the first Catholic to settle at Canton, having come from Baltimore in 1807. Shortly after he was followed by his brother, Stephen, Andrew Meyer, Richard and James Moffitt, Joseph Trout, John Pirrong, Martin Zimmermann, John Gillig and a few others, whose names are now unknown. John Schorb was the chief promoter in the erection of the church. As the Catholics of and near Canton were unable to meet the expense of building, without help from other sources, Mr. Schorb went to Baltimore, and twice to Somerset, O., to collect for that purpose. He was quite successful in his efforts among his Baltimore friends. John Schorb and Basil Wells donated the ground for a church; it is the same that is in use today. The former also donated the land for the first parish cemetery. Whilst Mr. Schorb was engaged in bringing the church to completion he was killed by a falling timber. The church was built during the pastorate of the Very Rev. John A. Hill, a Dominican, who was the first resident pastor of Canton, from 1824 to 1828, with charge of surrounding missions in Stark and Wayne counties. Previous to his appointment other Domin- ican Fathers attended Canton from Somerset, Perry county, O., -Father Fenwick, the pioneer priest of Northern Ohio, his nephew, the Rev. Nicholas D. Young (1821-22), and the Rev. Thomas H. Martin (1823). After Father Hill's death at Canton, September 3, 1828, the congregation was without a resident pastor for nearly two years, but was again visited by the Dominican Fathers stationed at Somerset, among others by the Rev. Richard P. Miles.
In 1830 Bishop Fenwick appointed the Rev. John M. Henni
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resident pastor of St. John's, Canton. This charge, with a number of missions, he held until December, 1834, when he was transferred to Cincinnati. From 1834 Canton was again attended from Somerset by the Dominican Fathers, Vincent de Raymacher, C. P. Montgomery, P. Fochenkress, Anthony Fahey and Joseph S. Alemany; the first two lived at Canton, each for a few months, in 1835. All these priests had also charge of missions in the adjoining counties.
The following is a list of the priests who had pastoral charge of St. John's, Canton, from the time the congregation was organ- . ized, in 1824: The Very Rev. John A. Hill, from November, 1824, to September, 1828; the Rev. John M. Henni (1830-34); the Dominican Fathers, Vincent de Raymacher, J. O'Meara, P. Fochenkress, A. Fahey, C. P. Montgomery and Thomas H. Martin, all of whom attended Canton as a mission from Somerset, between 1834 and 1837, and the first two between 1828 and 1830. The Rev. Thomas H. Martin was also resident pastor of Canton from July to December, 1835. From October to December, 1836, the Rev. Stephen Badin, the first priest ordained in the United States, resided at Canton, and gave his assistance to the Dominican Fathers there as well as in the neighboring missions. In January, 1837, the Rev. F. S. Hoffmann, D. D., was appointed resident pastor of St. John's, Canton, thereby relieving the Dominicans of that charge. He was a learned and zealous priest, but finding the climate disagreeable to him, he resigned his pastorate in October of the same year and returned to Europe. During part of the time the Rev. Dr. Hoffmann was at Canton he had as his co-laborers in that part of Ohio, the Revs. Michael McAleer and Ferdinand Kühr, D. D. The former was stationed at Canton from January, 1837, to April, 1840, and the latter, from November, 1837, to April, 1839. In April, 1840, the Rev. Henry D. Juncker was sent to Canton as resident pastor. To the great sorrow of his parishioners his stay was of short duration, as he was transferred to Chillicothe, in August, of the same year. His successors were the Revs. Matthias Würz, who remained in charge from August, 1840, to September, 1844; John J. Doherty, September, 1844, to July, 1848. The Rev. John H. Luhr resided with Father Doherty from September, 1844, till June, 1847. During that time he attended
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the Catholic Germans of Canton, who had separate services in St. John's Church, till the completion of their own (St. Peter's) church, which was built under Father Luhr's direction. In August, 1848, the Rev. James Vincent Conlan succeeded Father Doherty. He remained pastor of St. John's till September, 1851. The following priests were his successors: The Revs. Augustine S. Campion, October, 1851, to November, 1853; Michael Kennedy, December, 1853, to August, 1854; Bernard Carragher, December, 1854, till his death, April 10, 1857; John Roos, May to September, 1857. St. John's was then attended from St. Peter's, until the appointment of the Rev. E. W. J. Lindesmith, as resident pastor, in February, 1858. In August, 1868, he was succeeded by the Rev. Francis Berthelet, who had pastoral charge from September, 1869, to December, 1875. The Rev. V. Arnould, pastor of St. Peter's, Canton, then attended St. John's during the interim, from January to March, 1876, when the Rev. John P. Carroll was appointed resident pastor. He in turn was succeeded by the present incumbent, the Rev. Patrick J. McGuire, in July, 1879.
During the pastorate of Father Berthelet it was decided to erect a new and larger church, the old structure having proved entirely too small, although twice enlarged. The corner-stone of the new edifice (60x144 feet) was laid on Sunday, July 10, 1870, by Bishop Rosecrans, of Columbus, in the absence of Bishop Rappe, who was then in Europe. About one year later the new and present church, with its interior unfinished, was opened for divine service. It is built of brick, and is of pure Gothic architec- ture, with a clere-story, and has the distinction of being one of the finest churches in the diocese of Cleveland. Exclusive of the spire and interior decorations, it cost $80,000. Bishop Gilmour dedicated the splendid edifice on Sunday, December 29, 1872. Father Berthelet had excellent taste as a builder of churches, but had little knowledge of business affairs. In consequence of this he involved the parish in a debt which taxed the energy of his successors and the generosity of the laity to their utmost to diminish and cancel. The latter was not done until during the pastorate of Father McGuire, in 1885. Together with paying the debt he added many improvements to the church. between 1SS7 and 1889, notably the spire, which is one of the finest in Canton,
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and cost $4,000. He also had the church frescoed in 1898, at an expense of $2,000. Besides these improvements, the church was supplied with a steam heating apparatus, and the beautiful sanc- tuary is graced with a splendid marble altar, the gift of Joseph Dick. It was consecrated by Bishop Horstmann, February 10, 1897. The church now vies with any in the diocese in point of architecture, beauty and decoration, and is a temple in which those, who by their generosity made its construction possible, have just reason to glory.
Father McGuire also looked after the best interests of the parish school. Its organization dates back to about 1845, but for some reason unknown to the writer it was closed two years later. It was reopened during the pastorate of Father Carroll, in 1876. He had a frame building erected as a temporary school, but it soon became too small. Father McGuire, therefore, enlarged it con- siderably in 1884, and again in 1894, to accommodate the rapidly increasing attendance. But his ardent desire, to have a school building worthy of so prominent a parish, was not realized until 1898, when the present splendid brick building, with modern equip- ments, was completed, at a cost of over $22,000. Architecturally it is the fitting complement of the neighboring church.
The school was for a number of years in charge of lay teachers. From 1868 to 1883 the Ladies of the Sacred Heart of Mary taught it. They were then succeeded by the Sisters of Notre Dame, who have had charge ever since and have been very successful. About 350 pupils were in attendance in December, 1900.
With the erection of the contemplated brick pas oral residence of modern design, to replace the present and rather antiquated building, the parish buildings of St. John's, Canton, will rank with the best equipped parishes in the diocese of Cleveland. And to the credit of pastor and members of the congregation be it recorded that the ownership of the splendid property is not clouded by debt.
ST. PETER'S CHURCH AND SCHOOL, CANTON,
أسترقم
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CANTON, STARK COUNTY. ST. PETER'S CHURCH.
Owing to the rapid increase of Canton's Catholic population after 1840 it was found necessary either to enlarge St. John's Church, or to build another for the use of the Germans who formed a considerable portion of the parish. After due deliberation the building of the new church was agreed upon as the proper alterna- tive. A committee, composed of prominent members of the pros- pective congregation, under the leadership of the Rev. Matthias Würz, of Canton, put the project into effect in 1843. The present site of St. Peter's was purchased, and the plan for the erection of a neat brick church (45x98 feet) was approved. Its corner-stone was laid by Bishop Purcell on Pentecost Monday, 1845. The church was dedicated by the same Prelate, to St. Peter, the Apostle, on August 29, 1847, although it had been used in its unfinished state
for over a year. At this time St. Peter's parish numbered about seventy-five families. The church cost about $4,000, and the lots $1,200. By the direction of Bishop Purcell St. John's congrega- tion gave $1,000 to St. Peter's, because at the time of the separa- tion the Germans had made the proposition, either to give $2,000 for the property of St. John's congregation, or to accept $1,000 and withdraw; the latter was mutually agreed upon. The last of the parish debt, amounting in 1853 to $1,500, was paid during the pastorate of the Rev. F. M. Boff.
Following is a list of the priests who had charge of St. Peter's parish since its organization, in 1845: The Revs. John H. Luhr, June, 1845, to February, 1853; Peter Carabin, February, 1853, to August, 1853; Felix M. Boff, August, 1853, to January, 1856; John B. Weikmann, about six weeks of January and February, 1856. Then St. Peter's was attended from St. John's until the appointment of the Rev. John B. Uhlmann as resident pastor in May, 1856. He remained till March, 1864. His successor was the Rev. John Hackspiel, March, 1864, to August, 1865. He in turn was succeeded by the present pastor, the Rev. Victor Arnould, who received his appointment on August 7, 1865.
Shortly after the advent of the Rev. Victor Arnould, St. Peter's congregation had increased to such an extent that, in 1869,
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it was deemed necessary either to divide the parish or build a larger church. The latter idea prevailed among a majority of the people. With that object in view, and the sanction of Bishop Rappe, a large plot of ground, 200x300 feet in size, located at the corner of Poplar and Navarre streets, was bought in 1870, for $3,800. But the financial panic of 1873 forced the pastor and people to abandon for a time the idea of building the needed church. The question was not again discussed until Bishop Gilmour paid his first visit to Canton, in 1874. It was then resolved that the congregation should not be divided, but that a larger church should be built on the old church site, bought in 1843. In April, 1874, Father Arnould called a meeting of the congregation, and the resolution was passed to build a large and beautiful church.
A building committee was elected, consisting of the Rev. V. Arnould and Messrs. Joseph Biechele, William Dannemiller, Joseph Schott, and George Gonder. A subscription was taken up, and in a few weeks the sum of $35,000 was subscribed, payable in four yearly installments. The plans for the new church were furnished by Architect Engelhardt, of New York. Preparations for the building began September 1, 1874, with the removal of the dead from the old St. Peter's cemetery, adjoining the church, to the new one, about one mile north of the city, in order to make room for the new church. On June 29, 1875, the corner-stone was laid by Bishop Fitzgerald, of Little Rock; Bishop Gilmour was then ill in Europe. The building was put under roof in the fall of the same year. Then the work was stopped, to be resumed in the beginning of September, 1877, when it continued without inter- ruption until the church was finished. It was dedicated before an immense concourse of people by Bishop Gilmour on Ascension day, May 22, 1879. The church, a brick structure, of Gothic architecture, measures 74x164 feet. The steeple, now raised to a height of 113 feet, will be 210 feet when finished. The ceiling in the nave is 60 feet high and is supported by sixteen beautiful columns. The sanctuary measures 25x69 feet and the gallery 25x74 feet. The church is one of the most beautiful in the dio- cese of Cleveland, and is an ornament to Canton. The cost of the building had been estimated at $80,000, but was reduced to $55,000 by advantageous contracts and reduced prices of
OUR LADY OF CONSOLATION CHURCH AND PASTORAL RESIDENCE, CAREY.
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building material and wages. The twelve beautiful windows of stained glass, valued at $2,300; the statues in the sanctuary from the celebrated works of Mayer in Munich; the baptismal font, the pulpit and communion railing are individual gitts of members of the congregation. The ninety elegant pews were paid for by the respective pew-holders. Some of the pews of the old church were retained for a short time, but have since been replaced by new ones. With gifts included, the church cost about $82,000. The beautiful high altar, of marble, was a gift of the late Benedict Dannemiller. It was consecrated by Bishop Horstmann on October 4, 1898.
The parish school was opened in 1860, during the pastorate of Father Uhlmann, under whose supervision the first school, a brick building, was erected. For many years the children were taught by lay teachers, among others by Mr. A. Lang, and his sister, Rose. They were assisted later on by the Ladies of the Sacred Heart of Mary, who had charge of the girls. The Sisters of Notre Dame succeeded them in September, 1883. The present school build- ing, a fine brick structure, 74x123 feet in size, with parish hall on the second floor, and accommodations for 1,000 pupils, was commenced in 1889 and dedicated by Mgr. Boff, V. G., in Novem- ber, 1890. It cost $30,000, and harmonizes very well with the parish church, under whose shadow it stands. In 1894 the old pastoral residence gave way to the present commodious brick building, which cost about $8,000.
According to the last Diocesan Census (1900) St. Peter's numbered nearly 400 families.
CAREY, WYANDOT COUNTY. CHURCH OF OUR LADY OF CONSOLATION.
Carey is a flourishing village about fourteen miles south of Tiffin. Until 1868 the Catholic families residing there were identi- fied with the congregations of Berwick and Crawfordsville. In that year the Rev. E. J. Vattmann, then pastor of Findlay, sixteen miles distant, was directed by Bishop Rappe to organize a congre- gation at Carey and to build a church on the two lots which had been bought for that purpose in October of the previous year. The proposition to build was very favorably received by the
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