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, pt2 > Part 26
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A HISTORY OF CATHOLICITY
Father Horst had the church re-roofed and painted, the pastoral residence repaired, and the church lots enclosed with an iron fence.
Captain C. Young deserves recognition as a special benefactor of the church, having at all times contributed most generously towards its support.
Although in past years Vermilion was a place of considerable importance as a lake port, it has lost prestige and population, and with that also a considerable number of Catholics. These at present number only about 28 families. It is a matter of only a short time when Vermilion will be reduced to a Mission and as such attached to Huron.
VIENNA, TRUMBULL COUNTY. ST. JOSEPH'S MISSION CHURCH.
The Mission of Vienna is composed entirely of coal miners, and was organized in 1871 by the Rev. J. T. Schaffeld, then stationed at Hubbard. In August, 1873, Father Schaffeld bought a one-half acre lot for $250, and built on it the present frame church, 26 by 48 feet. It cost $1,300, and was dedicated to St. Joseph by Bishop Gilmour, June 24, 1878. Between 1870 and 1880 the once flourishing Mission of Vienna numbered about 50 families, about one-half being French, and the rest Irish and German. Within the last few years the Mission has been steadily decreasing, owing to lack of employment in the well-nigh exhausted coal banks near the village. The Mission has now only six families, and is served on week days from Hubbard, from which place it has been attended since it was established. A parish school was opened in 1879, with an attendance of about 60 children, but for lack of means it was discontinued in 1881 and the building and lot were sold.
WADSWORTH, MEDINA COUNTY. SACRED HEART OF JESUS' MISSION CHURCH.
The Mission of Wadsworth, a town dependent largely on the coal mines, near by, was organized in 1886, by the Rev. E. J. Vattmann. In July of that year he bought a lot 50 by 160 feet on Broad street, a very desirable part of the pretty village. The present church was commenced a few days after the purchase of
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IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND.
the lot. The foundation was blessed by the Rev. Chancellor Houck, as the Bishop's delegate, on Sunday, August 29, 1886. On October 31, of the same year, the handsome little church was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Mgr. Thorpe, who was delegated for that purpose. The church is a slate-roofed frame structure, 26 by 48 feet, and with its furnishings cost about $2,000.
Wadsworth was attended from Canal Fulton by Father Vattmann until January, 1888, when it was attached to Medina as a Mission, and so remained until April, 1890. It was then assigned to the pastor of Wellington, from which place it has since been attended.
In 1897 the church was put in good repair and its interior was neatly furnished by the Rev. S. Weber, then in charge of the Mission.
The mine strikes and the financial depression in 1893 seriously affected Wadsworth, and greatly reduced its population, and with it the number of Catholics of the town. There are now but 25 families left, less than half the number when the Mission was established in 1886, but these few families cheerfully and gen- erously respond to all calls in support of their church. The Rev. L. Plumanns has charge of the Mission since June, 1898, attending it monthly from Wellington.
WAKEMAN, HURON COUNTY. ST. MARY'S CHURCH.
Wakeman is a village on the southern division of the Lake Shore railroad, about 12 miles east of Norwalk. The history of the parish dates back to November, 1853, when the Rev. M. Healy, then stationed at Elyria, visited for the first time the few Catholic families settled there, and on the farms in the vicinity. Wakeman continued to be attended from Elyria as a Station, until 1863, when it was assigned to the respective pastors of St. Mary's, Norwalk, until September, 1875. In 1867 the Rev. T. P. Thorpe bought an excellent site in the center of the village for the pros- pective church, but for some unexplained reason it was never used. Mass was celebrated in private houses until 1872, when the Rev. T. F. Halley sold the above mentioned lot, and with the proceeds
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A HISTORY OF CATHOLICITY
of the sale he built the present frame church, at that time 30 by 42 feet. The church was built on a one-acre tract of land, in the outskirts of the village. The land was donated for a church site by Horace Griffin, in April, 1869. In April, 1874, Father Halley bought the present cemetery; it is near the church and covers about one acre. The Rev. F: X. Nunan was appointed first resident pastor of Wakeman, in October, 1875, and shortly after his arrival he built the present parish house. His successor, in May, 1878, was the Rev. John Quinn, who remained until January, 1885, when ill health forced him to resign. Wakeman was then attended from Vermilion until January, 1886, when the Rev. A. Sauvadet was appointed pastor. He remained in charge until April, 1889, when the Rev. John Hannan succeeded him. In February, 1890, Father Sauvadet was commissioned a second time as pastor of Wakeman, but owing to ill health his stay was short- until April, 1891. Wakeman was then again made a Mission of Vermilion, until July of the same year, when the Rev. E. W. J. Lindesmith had temporary charge of the congregation. In the following month of August the Rev. James J. Quinn was appointed resident pastor. He found that factions had disturbed the parish, but by prudence, firmness and kindness he soon succeeded in restoring peace and harmony; and these have since remained. In 1892 he built an addition of 22 feet to the rear of the church, to serve as a chapel for week-day Mass; also a tower for the bell that had been bought some years before by Father Sauvadet. The church was entirely renovated, and made practically a new structure. These improvements cost about $3,000. The church was re-dedicated by Bishop Horstmann on October 9, 1892. The present pastor, the Rev. P. J. Shea, succeeded Father Quinn in November, 1893. During his pastorate he cancelled a debt of about $800, which was the balance due on the improvements made by Father Quinn. He also put in good repair the pastoral residence, added to the outfit of church vestments, etc., and beautified the church grounds and cemetery. There is now no debt on the parish property. The congregation numbers about 45 families, and is composed chiefly of farmers, of Irish birth or descent.
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675
IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND.
WARREN, TRUMBULL COUNTY.
OUR LADY OF MT. CARMEL'S CHURCH.
Warren, the county seat of Trumbull county, is one of the - oldest and prettiest towns in Northern Ohio. It was laid out in 1801, and its early settlers, who came from Connecticut, brought with them a Puritanic spirit that abhorred Catholics and their Church. This spirit prevailed at Warren for many years, and effectually blocked Catholic immigration there and in the whole county. By degrees however its influence waned and weakened, and gradually also Catholics began to settle there, though in sparse numbers, from about 1835 to 1880. The Rev. Patrick O'Dwyer was the first priest to visit Warren. At long intervals he came from Cleveland, where he was stationed from 1837 and 1839. There is no record of any priest attending Warren between 1839 and 1846. The Rev. James Conlon, pastor of Dungannon, then visited it as one of his many Stations, until 1849. From that time forward, until 1868, the spiritual interests of the few Cath- olics at Warren were looked after by the resident pastors of the following places: Randolph, (1850-53); St. Vincent's, Akron, (1854); Summitville, (1855-57); St. Columba's, Youngstown, (1857-65); and Niles, (1865-68).
In 1858 the Rev. W. O'Connor, then in charge of Warren, bought a lot on Quinby Hill, near the canal, for a church site. His successor (in 1862), the Rev. E. M. O'Callaghan, found the lot unsuitable and therefore sold it. In 1864 he bought two lots located at the corner of Franklin street and Park avenue. He had the frame Protestant meeting house (32 by 70 feet), which stood on one of the lots, remodeled as a Catholic church, which sacred purpose the building has since served. Prior to 1864 Mass had been celebrated in private houses, and for a short time, during the summer of 1855, in Freeman's Woods, near the town of Warren, in order to accommodate the large number of Cath- olic laborers then engaged in the construction of the Mahoning railroad.
In April, 1868, the Rev. E. J. Conway was appointed first resident pastor of Warren. He built the present parish house, a frame building, at a cost of about $1,000. His pastorate ended
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in September, 1869, when. Warren was made a Mission of Niles, from which place it was attended until October, 1870. The Rev. E. J. Murphy was then appointed to the pastorate of Warren. He enlarged the parish house, and added other improvements to the church- property. He also established a parish school, in September, 1872, but it was discontinued on his removal, in March, 1873, when Warren was again attended for a short time from Niles, as it was also from March to July, 1876.
In May, 1873. the Rev. A. Paganini was sent to Warren as resident pastor. He remained until May, 1875, when he received a leave of absence, to visit his native Italy. His cousin, the Rev. J. Paganini, meanwhile attended the parish-until January, 1876, when the pastor resumed charge. During his absence the church was involved in debt through the imprudent management of his reverend cousin, who had added a number of costly improve- ments to the church property, without authority or means to pay for them. The church was sold for the debt, in February, 1876, during the absence of Bishop Gilmour, then ill in Europe. On his return, in July, 1876, he was informed of the condition of the parish affairs at Warren. Immediately he took measures to have the church bought back, which he did by raising a loan for the amount paid by its purchasers. The loan was repaid by collec- tions in a number of parishes throughout the diocese, as also by several successful church fairs at Warren. To the Revs. W. J. Manning and F. M. Scullin much credit is due for their successful efforts in reducing the debt, which was finally cancelled, in 1883, by Father Scullin. This was the first and only time in the long history of the diocese of Cleveland that any parish defaulted its financial obligations; and in this only case the people were not to blame.
The Rev. A. Paganini was removed in March, 1876. He was succeeded in July, 1876, by the Rev. B. B. Kelley, who remained in charge until February, 1877. Since that time the fol- lowing priests were resident pastors of Warren: The Revs. M. J. Murphy, from February, 1877, to July, 1879; W. J. Manning, to July, 1882 ; F. M. Scullin, to February, 1884; D. O'Brien, to Sep- tember, 1884. Then, for the fourth time, Warren was made a Mission of Niles, whence it was attended until July, 1886. Since that time the Rev. Ambrose A. Weber has been resident pastor.
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IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND.
Father Weber had the church and parish house considerably improved between 1888 and 1890. In the latter year he also bought the large bell now in use, and had the church supplied with Stations, neat furnishings and a fair supply of vestments, etc. In September, 1895, he secured, for the sum of $1,700, six acres of land for a parish cemetery. In May of the following year he pur- · chased, at a cost of $3,000, a large lot, 70 by 202 feet, on High street, as the site for a new church. The final payment for the property was made in February, 1900. According to present indications the prospective and much needed church will be built within the next two years.
In June, 1900, Father Weber bought a two-story brick public school and its grounds for the sum of $3,500. He intends to have it fitted up and used as a parochial school, as soon as means are available.
When Father Weber took charge of the parish he found but 35 families. There are now about 125 families connected with it-principally of Irish birth or descent. For many years it had its internal struggles and difficulties, besides contending against the latent and open bigotry of Warren, one of the strongholds of Puritanism in the Western Reserve. All that is now of the past, and the prospects for Catholicity at Warren are of the brightest, and the spirit in the parish is excellent.
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WAUSEON, FULTON COUNTY.
ST. CASPAR'S MISSION CHURCH.
Although Wauseon is the county seat of Fulton county, and a thriving town, it has never attracted much of a Catholic popula- tion. There are only 35 Catholic families settled there at present. The Rev. N. Kirch was the first priest to attend Wauseon, which he did monthly from Stryker, between 1865 and 1867. Wauseon was then attended from Edgerton until 1872, as a Station, and then as a Mission, until March, 1873. In June, 1872, the Rev. C. Braschler, at that time in charge, purchased, for the sum of $300, one and one-half lots at the corner of Clinton and Jefferson streets. His successor, the Rev. J. G. Vogt, bought, in the summer of 1873, an old Methodist meeting house and had it moved on the lots, and renovated as well as refitted for its new
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A HISTORY OF CATHOLICITY
purpose. The property cost about $600, and was paid for by the end of 1873. As the Mission at that time had not more than 15 families, this is an evidence of generosity on the part of its people.
From March until May, 1873, Wauseon was attended from St. Mary's, Toledo, when it was again attached to Edgerton until November, 1875. Since that time it has been a monthly Mission of Archbold.
In 1888 the Rev. J. H. Muehlenbeck had the church put in good repair, which it greatly needed. On January 27, 1895, it was destroyed by fire. The loss was a severe blow to the small Mission, but soon successful efforts were made to build a far better and more substantial church than the old one was. Shortly after the fire Father Muehlenbeck took up a subscription for that pur- pose and received a generous response from his people, as well as from the non-Catholics of the town. In the summer of 1895 the foundation was commenced and on August 13th following the cornerstone was laid. The church was enclosed before the end of that year, and Mass was celebrated in it for the first time on February 3, 1896. The interior was brought to completion by August, and on September 6, of the same year, the handsome church was dedicated to St. Caspar by Bishop Horstmann. The church, 34 by 58 feet, is built of brick, with stone trimmings; the tower is 98 feet high. Including its neat furnishings, it cost about $5,500, and is an ornament to the town of Wauseon as well as a credit to the Mission.
WELLINGTON, LORAIN COUNTY.
ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH.
Wellington was attended from Elyria as a Station, from 1851 to 1856, and then as a Mission until 1862. In January, 1856, a small lot was bought in the outskirts of the town, and in the summer of 1858 a frame church, 24 by 30 feet, of very plain design, was built on it at a cost of $600. The church and lot are still in use. Prior to 1858 Mass was said in private houses by the visiting priests, of whom the Rev. M. Healy was the first. From 1862 to 1868 Wellington was attended as a Mission from the fol- lowing places: Grafton, until 1871; Shelby Settlement, to 1873; again from Grafton, until 1875; Shelby, until July, 1878, when the
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1. ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH AND PASTORAL RESIDENCE, WELLINGTON. Mission Churches-2. Our Lady of Lourdes', New London, 3. St. Francis Xaviers', Medina. 4. Sacred Heart of Jesus', Wadsworth,
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IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND.
Rev. J. L. Galvin was appointed resident pastor. He built the present frame pastoral residence, in 1884, at a cost of $700. He was succeeded by the Rev. G. J. Vahey, in January, 1888, who, however, was transferred in the following September to the Cathe- dral. Wellington was then made a Mission of Medina, and so continued until April, 1890. . Then the pastor of Medina, the Rev. N. W. Horst, was transferred to Wellington as resident pastor, where he remained until November, 1893. Since that time the following priests have resided at Wellington: The Revs. J. J. Powers, to December. 1896; S. Weber, to June, 1898, and since then the present pastor, the Rev. L. Plumanns. Welling- ton's Catholic population has always been small, never exceeding 15 families. As they alone could not support a priest, Wellington has always had a number of Missions attached.
WELLSVILLE, COLUMBIANA COUNTY. IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH.
Wellsville, charmingly situated on the west bank of the Ohio river, a few miles south-west of East Liverpool, is a busy and pros- perous town. As far back as 1830 Catholics began to settle there, but their numbers did not keep pace with the growth of Wellsville. The first priest to minister to them was the Rev. James Conlan, and his first visit was paid in 1835; there were then only five Catholic families in Wellsville. Father Conlan was at that time resident pastor of Steubenville, whence he came to Wellsville at long intervals, until 1842. He was then transferred to Dun- gannon, but continued to attend Wellsville as a Station until 1849. His successors at Dungannon did likewise, until 1858, when the attendance of Wellsville was assigned to the resident pastors of Summitville, until 1872. Mass was said in private houses, until 1867, and for many years in the house of Mr. Oliver Shearman, who also gave hospitality to visiting bishops and priests. In July, 1866, General J. W. Reilly donated to the Mission a small lot on Main street, and in the following year the Rev. P. J. McGuire bought 10 feet additional, thus making the frontage of the lot 60 feet. At a cost of $4,000 he built on the lot the present brick church, 37 by 65 feet. In 1872 the Rev. James Cullen was
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appointed first resident pastor of Wellsville, and two years later it was made a Mission of East Liverpool. With the exception of two months in 1879, when the Rev. E. J. Murphy, of Summit- ville, had temporary charge, it so continued until March, 1882. The Rev. M. B. Brown was then appointed pastor, remaining until August, 1883. Since that time Wellsville has had the follow- ing priests as resident pastors: The Revs. F. X. Nunan, from August, 1883, to September, 1884; W. F. Murphy, to May, 1888; N. J. Drohan, to July, 1889 ; J. C. Desmond, to March, 1893, and since then, the Rev. J. H. Halligan.
In March, 1888, Father Murphy bought two lots next to the church, and the two-story brick house which stood on one of them; the purchase price was $5,900. The house served as a pas- toral residence until 1891. During the summer of that year it was remodeled by Father Desmond, for a school and Sisters' residence, at a cost of about $1,000. The school was opened in September, 1891. It was placed in charge of the Sisters of St. Joseph, from Cleveland, who conducted it until June, 1900, when they were succeeded by the Sisters of Loretto, from Loretto, Ky. About 100 children are now in attendance.
In April, 1893, Father Halligan bought the cemetery now in use. It covers about four acres and is beautifully located and kept in excellent condition. The former cemetery, which was bought in 1883, and proved very unsatisfactory as a place for interments, was abandoned, and sold in 1893.
In December, 1894, Father Halligan bought an excellent property, 100 by 260 feet, for the sum of $14,000. It is bounded by Front, Eleventh and Main streets. The beautiful brick house situated thereon now serves as the pastoral residence, and the large grounds are intended as a site for the future permanent church and school. The people of the spirited little parish of about 95 families are justly proud of the purchase, and are gladly, as well as gener- ously, contributing each year towards paying for it, and will soon cancel the debt, which is now less than $3,000.
The church was enlarged by Father McGuire in 1881, by the addition of a sanctuary and sacristy. The interior has also been repeatedly renovated, notably during the pastorate of Fathers Murphy, Drohan and Halligan. Although its exterior is of the plainest, its interior is now quite attractive.
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IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND. 681
WEST BROOKFIELD, STARK COUNTY.
ST. BARBARA'S CHURCH.
The parish of St. Barbara, at West Brookfield, is an out- growth of St. Mary's, Massillon. It is composed at present of about 85 families, all more or less dependent upon the neighboring coal mines for a livelihood. St. Barbara's was organized as a Mission in 1867. In March of that year the Catholics of the village bought one acre of ground. Under the direction of the Rev. G. A. Verlet a frame church, 36 by 68 feet in size, and of plain design, was erected on the north end of the land, the south part being reserved for a burying ground. The Mission was attended from St. Joseph's, Massillon, until 1875, and from Navarre, until July, 1881. Without the knowledge or consent of Bishop Gilmour the laity built the present frame pastoral residence, thus trying to force the Bishop to send them a resident priest. This unwarranted act led to some trouble and misunderstanding which were finally settled. The Rev. J. H. Kleekamp was appointed first resident pastor in July, 1881. In December of that year he bought an acre of land for burial purposes, as the cemetery then in use was too near the pastoral residence. In November, 1883, the Rev. Joseph Horstmann succeeded Father Kleekamp, who had been transferred to Edgerton in August of that year. During the interval West Brookfield was again attended from St. Joseph's, Massillon. Father Horstmann's pastorate ended in December, 1885, and, until the appoinment of the Rev. N. Kirch, in August, 1886, West Brookfield was attended from Navarre. At a cost of about $650 Father Kirch renovated the church and built an addition to it, of 18 by 36 feet. The addition included the sanctuary and two sacristies. Father Kirch was transferred to another charge in January, 1886, and again West Brookfield was made a Mission of St. Joseph's, Massillon, until the following September, when the Rev. H. D. Best was appointed resident pastor. He was succeeded in November, 1891, by the Rev. P. L. Göbbels, who built the present frame school, a two-story frame structure, at a cost of $1,600. In 1893 he considerably improved the church and had it supplied with pews and a furnace at an expense of about $700. Father Göbbels remained in charge of the parish until his death,
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October 30, 1894. A few days later he was succeeded by the Rev. H. E. Boesken. The church was struck by lightning on June 4, 1896, but the damage was fully repaired by the insurance paid. The necessary improvements thus necessitated included the entire renovation of the sanctuary. By means of a successful fair in the fall of 1898 Father Boesken paid off the entire parish debt, besides leaving a generous sum in the treasury. He was succeeded in June, 1900, by the present incumbent, the Rev. J. B. Alten.
The parish school was organized in 1868, and is at present in charge of a lay teacher.
WESTON, WOOD COUNTY. ST. JOSEPH'S MISSION CHURCH.
The Mission of Weston was organized as a Station in 1874, and was always attended from Custar, five miles south. In Octo- ber, 1877, the Hon. W. P. Noble, of Tiffin, a Protestant, donated a town lot to the Catholics of Weston. They then numbered about 14 families, and in the same year built on the donated lot a small frame church, 17 by 25 feet.
The Mission, however, had no growth but, on the contrary, steadily diminished in its number of families until, in 1888, but four families were identified with it. As they felt unable to support the Mission they affiliated themselves with Custar. Weston was aban- doned in 1888 as a Mission.
WILLOUGHBY, LAKE COUNTY.
IMMACULATE CONCEPTION CHURCH.
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A number of Catholic laborers who had been employed in 1850 and 1851 in the construction of the present "Lake Shore" railroad through Willoughby, made that pretty village their home. They received priestly attendance from the resident pastors of Painesville, until 1864, the Rev. Peter Peudeprat being the first priest to visit them. He and his successors said Mass in the shanties of the laborers along the railroad, and later in private houses in the village.
In 1864 Bishop Rappe commissioned the Rev. A. M. Martin,
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IN THE DIOCESE OF CLEVELAND. 683
pastor of Euclid, to take charge of Willoughby as a Station, which then numbered about 40 families, all dependent for their support on felling the forests near Willoughby, for wood used by the rail- road locomotives. He faithfully, and often under great difficulties, attended it monthly for nearly twenty years. In 1865 Father Martin bought two lots on Vine. street, in the outskirts of the village. The lots cost $1,100 and were paid for in 1868. He then began the erection of the present frame church, but it was hardly enclosed when the wood-burning locomotives gave way to "coal-burners." This change put a sudden end to the employment of wood-choppers, and forced those so employed to seek other fields of labor. In consequence of this fact the Catholic population of Willoughby almost disappeared and the means for the comple- tion of their church had to be borrowed. Father Martin had only the most necessary work done on the building, to keep it safe and make it fairly comfortable, but made no attempt to ornament its interior. For ten years the Mission suffered from the loss of its original membership and was burdened with debt. But by degrees it rallied, and eventually cancelled the debt. In December, 1883, the Rev. J. A. TePas, Ph. D., succeeded Father Martin and attended Willoughby twice a month, from St. Mary's Seminary, until Sep- tember, 1887, when the Rev. W. Trumper, S. J., of St. Mary's church, Cleveland, took charge. His successor, in October, 1888, was the Rev. J. T. O'Connell, also of St. Mary's Seminary. In April, 1889, he bought two lots and a frame house next to the church for a future pastoral residence; the purchase price was $1,100. In 1892 he also thoroughly renovated the church in and outside, at a cost of about $1,600. Father O'Connell was suc- ceeded in the charge of Willoughby, in June, 1895, by the Rev. G. F. Murphy, D. D., who also attended it from the Seminary, until June, 1898, when the Rev. G. I. Bergan was appointed first , resident pastor. In October, 1898, Father Bergan commenced the erection of the present well appointed frame parish house; completed, it cost about $2,500. He also installed electric light- ing and steam heating in the church and embellished its interior. Although the parish now numbers about 50 families it has not been found possible to establish and support a school.
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