USA > Pennsylvania > Luzerne County > Wilkes-Barre > A history of Wilkes-Barre, Luzerne County, Pennsylvania : from its first beginnings to the present time, including chapters of newly-discovered early Wyoming Valley history, together with many biographical sketches and much genealogical material. Volume IV > Part 27
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In addressing himself to a period, roughly speaking, from 1840 to 1860 various unusual impressions will be gained by a student of the history of Wyoming. The old order was changing. From an agricultural community of small settle- ments, the picture gradually evolves itself into an industrial community of crowded and, in many cases, unsightly municipalities. For the once neglected and unharnessed Stone Coal of previous decades was to be crowned King.
The effect of this coronation on the once peaceful landscape, which had so often tempted the descriptive pen of scribe and poet, was not greater than a change wrought in the character of a population, which was to assist in the ceremonies.
Many other communities of a new country shared a like fate. Where industry settled by choice or by necessity upon a district, the face of things was altered.
If that industry was coal, men must be found to mine it. And families of these men followed the toiler wherever employment offered.
Necessities of the infant anthracite industry beckoned to all who would share the fortunes of that enterprise. They came from East and North and South, did those familiar with mining, and from the isles of the sea and populous dis- tricts of Europe.
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To supply the needs and luxuries of living of those employed in this occu- pation, there followed those of commercial training as well as those engaged in rendering professional and other services, just as sutlers follow an advancing army.
It is true that these changes were not thrust upon the community suddenly or with particularly noticeable effect in any single decade. They began to be noticed when transportation to and from the community was made easier in the stage coach era. Other elements of population filtered in during the con- struction period of the community's canal system. Still other elements appeared in the wake of railroad building. But back and through all these eras of growth was the insistent call of the great fundamental industry of the Wyoming Valley having root in its underground treasures of anthracite.
At the time of the Revolution, there was a definite American population in the country generally, knit together by over two centuries of toil in the hard school of frontier life. They were inspired by common political purposes, spoke the same language, acknowledged one sovereignty and complied with the man- dates of one common law. Through these influences they became a nation.
For nearly half a century thereafter, this original stock was comparatively free from admixture. It is estimated that between the first census of 1790 and that of 1820, only 250,000 immigrants came to America. The great bulk of these came after the War of 1812. The white population in 1820 was 7,862,166. In ten years it had risen to 10,537,378. This amazing increase, however, was due rather to the fecundity of native stock than to immigration. The pathfinder was composed almost exclusively of that stock. States admitted to the union prior to 1840 were not only founded by them but were almost wholly settled by this element.
When the first noticeable influx of foreign born began in the thirties, they found these trails blazed, municipalities established and the first terrors of the wilderness dispelled.
In 1900, the Census Bureau estimated that there were living in the United States, 35,000,000 white people descended from persons enumerated in 1790. Of these 35,000,000, if the proportions of ancestry of 1790 still held good, the result would appear as follows:
English
28,738,000
Scotch.
2,450,000
Irish .
665,000
Dutch.
875,000
French .
210,000
. German
1,960,000
All Others
105,000
In 1900, there were also 32,000,000 descendants of white persons who had reached the United States after the first census, yet of these over 20,000,000 were either foreign born or children of those born abroad.
No records of immigration were kept by the government until the year 1819 when collectors of customs were directed to submit records of such arrivals to the Secretary of State. These records disclose that in 1820, 8,385 aliens arrived, of whom 3,614 came from Ireland. Until 1850 this proportion of Irish immigrants to the whole was maintained.
In fact, this striking showing of one people in the mass of new seekers for homes in America was the first noticeable ground swell of alien born population. Since records were kept, over four and a quarter million Irish immigrants have found their way hither.
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The discontent of this element had a striking background in their own country. Famine, rebellion, restrictive legislation and absentee landlordism were the four fundamentals which caused migration. Even before the first census many had arrived. Thus we find St. Patrick's Day observed in Boston in 1737. Many of that stock were naturally found as officers and soldiers in the Revolutionary War. Unskilled, as a rule in handicraft, the great majority of arrivals in the thirties and later were forced to take jobs as laborers. In this capacity they first reached the Wyoming Valley in numbers during the period of canal building.
As the Irish wave of immigration receded, the Teutonic tide set in. In a work on the subject edited by Samuel P. Ortlı, published among the Yale Classics, an interesting reference is made to a wide difference in characteristics which marked the product of these succeeding waves.
"A greater ethical contrast" says this authority, "could scarcely be im- agined than that which was now afforded the plegmatic, plodding German and the vibrant Irish, a contrast in American life as a whole which was soon repre- sented in miniature on the stage by popular burlesque representations of both types." Reports of the Immigration Commissioner disclose that approximately four and one-half millions of Germans migrated to America between 1823 and 1910. Religious persecution and economic want accounted for the first ground swell of Teutons. They came largely to Pennsylvania.
The second swell which lasted well into Civil War times, was caused by economic conditions growing out of the Nepolionic Wars, coupled with political unrest which culminated in the revolution of 1848. Prussianism in the seventies and eighties inspired the last swell which continued, until the World War and its subsequent legislation placed all immigration on a greatly restricted footing.
A third element of immigration that had its marked effect upon many portions of the country at large in the period considered by this Chapter was the Jew. Of all countries and of no country, a city dweller abroad and a city dweller in America, Jewish immigrants have more readily adapted themselves to con- ditions in America than almost any other race which has reached our shores. The doors of this country have always been open to them. At the time of the Revolution several thousand Jews dwelt in American cities. By 1850 the number had increased to 50,000 and at the close of the Civil War, the number reported was well over 150,000. The cruel policies of Czar Alexander III in the eighties increased this number to 400,000. Today, at least one fifth of the 10,000,000 Jews of the world live in the United States.
These three elements of a new population had much to do with events in the Wyoming Valley in the period embraced in this Chapter, and each will be considered in turn. Concerned also in the development of the community were those of Welsh and English extraction who, having been miners at home, came to the valley for the express purpose of continuing their occupation under conditions offered in the anthractie field. There were no waves of either of the last two classifications in the sense that numerous arrivals of Irish, Teutonic and Jewish elements can be thus classified. But gradually through the later years has been a steady influx, particularly of Welsh arrivals, which have made a deep impress upon affairs of the community.
Heretofore, in speaking of the establishment of religious denominations in the Wyoming Valley, only the four churches have been considered which
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swarmed from the common hive in Old Ship Zion to church edifices of their own. Chronologically, of course, they antedated any others, the seeds of the congre- gations having been brought with the original settlers from New England and Pennsylvania. But even in the earliest history of the valley, the Catholic church, strongly represented in Maryland, began to look after the religious welfare of communicants of that faith in nearby districts. The first official visit of a priest appearing of record, was that of Rev. James Pallentz who reached the Wyoming Valley in 1787 and proceeded up the Susquehanna as far as Elmira. His voyage appears to have been rather in the nature of a survey of the field than for any other definite purpose, although he spent some time at Standing Stone and purchased a tract of land near that settlement. A Father Dilhet traversed much the same route in 1805, holding mass in the then dissolving settlement at Asylum, and doubtless ministering to such of his faith as he found in private homes along his course.
Earlier pages of this history make mention of the names of many Irish Catholics who came to the valley even before the advent of the first official visit of Father Pallentz. Abram Pike, Thomas Neill, Michael Kelly and others shared in the earlier hardships and dangers of the settlers.
In an address delivered by Rev. Father R. A. McAndrew before the school and congregation of St. Mary's when the old church of that denomination was used for the last time on December 27, 1805, the following history of the church in the Wyoming Valley was given:
"The official record of local church history begins with the visit of Father John O'Flynn, who came to Wilkes-Barré in 1828, and celebrated mass, heard confessions, baptized several persons and solemnized marriages. This priest died on the mission at Danville in the following year and his remains were taken up along the river to Wilkes-Barré and thence to Silver Lake where they were interred.
"A Father Clancy was appointed to the vacant mission which then included all northeastern Pennsylvania, and a single visit to Wilkes-Barré is all that can be accounted for until May, 1837, when Father Henry Fitzsimmons, afterwards well known here, paid a visit to this place as one of his outmissions from Carbondale. He was young, zealous and energetic and attended this mission three, four, or six times a year until 1840, when he came bi-monthly, and continued to do so until 1842. Mass was usually said at the house of a Mrs. Marr or Maher, on the corner of Canal street and the alley adjoining the old cemetery.
"The mines having now opened up, large numbers of Catholics came in from other parts, notably from Baltimore, then one of the important seaports. This influx of Catholics so aug- mented the congregation that it was impossible for them to hear inass comfortably at any house, and made it evident that a church building must be provided. To that end, in April, 1842, Father Fitzsimmons called a meeting of the men to be held immediately after mass, and the needs of the community were discussed. It was then and there decided to build a church, and they began forthwith to collect the necessary funds. The good priest appointed a committee to take charge of this collection. The committee was composed of Edward Birmingham, Patrick Nelson, James Dolan and Patrick Kieran. Then and there the first dollar ever contributed for the erection of a Catholic Church in Wilkes-Barré, by Michael Clinton, a sterling Catholic Irishman, a credit to his race and faith as are his children and grand-children, who are now among the best people, and among the foremost in church and other good work.
"Having started the matter, the work was not permitted to lag, the contract was given to Messrs. Anthony Mowery and Charles Ehret, and the same summer saw a commodious frame church erected on Canal street, just south of the present St. Mary's Parochial School. Growth of population being greater than anticipated, in one year it was found necessary to build an addition, which was done. It was as yet continued an out mission from Carbondale, but in 1845 it was sufficiently advanced to be considered a separate congregation, and the baptismal and marriage records were permitted to remain, the first records being entered by Father Fitzsimmons Sept. 28, 1845. The first child whose record was entered is now a lady much respected, the wife of one of the leading citizens of the city.
"In 1845 a brick church was built on South Pennsylvania Avenue by Rev. Father Fitzsimmons where the school is now. The congregation was mostly Germans and Irish, and in 1856 the members had so increased that it was deemed advisable to divide the congregation. The Germans took the wooden building and the Irish congregation the brick church, where is now St. Mary's Parochial School. The rectors of the German church were Fathers Schneider and Summer. Father Nagel, the present rector of St. Nicholas Church, came here in 1858, and conducted the first service in the then new church, now St. Conrad's Hall, corner of South and Washington streets.
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"St. Mary's Church, on Washington street, is the outgrowth of the little wooden church of 1842, under the ministrations of Rev. Henry Fitzsimmons. The present large and handsome building (St. Mary's) was erected in 1872, valued at $250,000. The old building became St. Mary's Parochial School in 1875. The pastors in the order of coming were; Revs. Henry Fitz- simmons, 1840-7; Prendergast 1847; Ethoffer 1848; John Loughman Shorb, 1849; Casper Burgess, Henry Fitzsimmons, 1856-69; Dennis O'Haran, 1869-89; Richard McAndrew, 1889, present in charge.
During the pastorate of Rev. Father O'Haran the parochial residence and St. Mary's Academy on Washington street were built and parishes were organized at Plymouth, Nanticoke, Sugar Notch, Plains, Kingston, Parsons and Ashley. During the administration of Father Mc- Andrew, a cyclone having wrecked the steeple and damaged the front of the church, repairs were necessary. Decorations inside were made by Scataglia and the painting by Costigini.
"A marble altar was built, costing about $5,000. The consecration took place Sunday, May 3, 1891. Cardinal Gibbons was present; evening services were conducted by Archbishop Ryan of Philadelphia. Present on this occasion were Bishops Phelan and McGovern, the latter saying mass. The church was consecrated by Bishop Phelan of Pittsburgh, who was substituted owing to the suden illness of Bishop O'Hara. Assistant pastors: Revs. James Jordan, William Nealon and John Moylan"'
Father McAndrew, some two weeks before his death, received temporal recognition of his splendid life work by being elevated to the dignity of a mon- signor in the Pope's household. He died November 17, 1909, at the rectory of his church in the twentieth year of his pastorate of that congregation .*
The Rev. Father McManus succeeded the Rt. Rev. Monsignor McAndrew in the pastorate of St. Mary's and upon the former's death, after serving his people faithfully for a period of nine years, the Rev. J. J. Curran was called from his East End congregation to the greater responsibility of the central city church on January 24, 1918. The wide acquaintance of Father Curran with people of all denominations, his official connection with affiliated organizations of the faith, the national recognition accorded him as an unbiased arbitrator of industrial controversies and his unfailing interest in welfare work of the community in its largest scope have combined to bring St. Mary's to the fore as one of the largest and most influential congregations of the Commonwealth.
The growth of the German Catholic congregation, from the time of the separation of the Irish Catholic element from the single frame church which, in 1856, housed all of that faith in the valley, has been one of surprising pro- portions.
*RT. REV. MONSIGNOR RICHARD A. MCANDREW was born in the city of New York December 11, 1852, the son of James and Mary McAndrew who had emigrated from Ireland the year before.
After spending a few years in New York they removed to Hawley, Wayne County, where the deceased spent his boyhood and attended school with the present Bishop Hoban.
After graduating from the high school, Father McAndrew entered Holy Cross College at Worcester, Massachusetts, where he completed his classical education and then entered the theological seminary of St. Charles Borromeo. Phila- delphia, where he studied for the priesthood and was ordained July 18, 1877. He was assigned to the Scranton diocese, where his work soon won the regard of the late Bishop O'Hara. After serving a few years as a curate at various parishes he was appointed rector of St Peter's Cathedral at Scranton, where he served for ten years.
On the death of the late Father Dennis O'Haran, who was pastor of St. Mary's Church for twenty years, Mon- signor McAndrew was named as irremovable rector of St. Mary's and served a pastorate of the same length as his predecessor.
His work for the church in this city is his most eloquent eulogy and will be his most lasting monument. He began by improving the church property until now it is one of the handsomest and most valuable in the diocese. He purchased the Mountain House for the sisters and built a chapel which later became the nucleus for the present flourishing St. Joseph's congregation at Georgetown. He also assisted other growing parishes which were taken from the original St. Mary's and worked zealously in the cause of religion and morality.
His greatest work, however, was the erection of the new parochial high school, in which he took a just pride and interest. The old school on South Pennsylvania avenue, which had been the original church half a century ago, was inadequate and wholly unfitted for school purposes, so, with the approval of the congregation, he sold that property and began the erection of the present new school.
Although its cost totaled over $100,000, he raised the money for its completion and furnishing, and before his death had the happiness of seeing the last dollar of debt wiped off the property and of being present when the mortgage was burned.
His labors among the poor and needy will never be known, his good works in this direction being done quietly and the many who were helped by his purse and counsel will tearfully pray for his repose.
He was a member of the Board of Visitation, appointed by the court to visit the various State institutions where children of this country are being cared for, and last summer spent a day with the members of the board. judges and commissioners in inspecting a site for the erection of a home for dependent and delinquent children in this county. For his own people, he encouraged the Sisters of Mercy in establishing a mercy house on South Washington street for working girls of the city, and also assisted in organizing the Catholic Gymnasium Association, for the erection of a building similar to the Y. M. C. A., for the mental, moral and physical improvement of the young men of his parish. He also took an interest in the Mercy Hospital and the work of the sisters at the local convent.
His church and parish activities were many and varied, and the esteem in which he was held by the members of his congregation and the citizens in general was strikingly exemplified by the notable demonstration in his honor at the public reception in the armory on the evening following his investiture as a monsignor.
REV. J. J. CURRAN.
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For the first two years of its struggling existence, this congregation was ministered to by Fathers Schneider and Sommer, missionary priests.
With the coming to Wilkes-Barre in 1858 of the Rev. P. C. Nagel,* a young priest, the real constructive work of the parish began.
This parish then embraced all of Luzerne, Lackawanna, Pike and Wayne counties. At the time of his arrival, the congregation had found its quarters too small for comfort and plans had been drawn for the erection of a larger struc- ture of brick on South Washington Street. This was completed in 1858, Father Nagel preaching in it on Christmas day of that year.
In 1866, Rev. Father Weninger, a Jesuit priest, conducted the first mission in the German Catholic Church of Wilkes-Barre and he found the church to be too small to accommodate the crowds that thronged to hear him. In 1867 the church building was enlarged to accommodate the needs of the parish, which was increasing every day, mainly because of the immigration of Germans to the valley, and the congregation began to prepare for the erection of a bigger building. The church could not be enlarged because the property would not permit it and galleries were built in' the church, which was still found to be too small.
Then it was that Father Nagel bought a new property 60 x 231 feet in size.
*The following biography of Rt. Rev. Monsignor Nagel was published at the time of the death, of the venerable priest, March 12, 1911:
MONSIGNOR PETER CONRAD NAGEL, aged nearly 86, the only rector St. Nicholas German Catholic Church, this city, has ever had, and the oldest priest both in service and in age of the Scranton diocese, died last night at 11:45 at St. Nicholas parochial residence. He had been in ill health for several years and his condition had been critical for several days past.
His death marks the passing of one who was a pioneer in ministering to the spiritual needs of the German Catholics of this section of the State, for in the early days of his work, his parish was a broad one, covering territory from Hones- dale to Hazleton. At the time of his death he was pastor of the largest German Catholic congregation in the diocese. He was not alone its only rector, but it was the only parish he ever served. On November 28, 1908, he celebrated his golden jubilee.
Monsignor Peter C. Nagel was born on the 25th day of May, 1825, in Grevenstein, a little hamlet south of Arustein, in Westphalia, Prussia. Owing to peculiar circumstances, he was somewhat advanced in years, being 34 years old when ordained to the priesthood. His parents were Frederick Nagel and Margaret Nagel nee Becker. Monsignor Nagel was the youngest of seven children, four boys and three girls, and was destined by his father to take up the only bus- iness in Grevenstein, namely, that of farmer. However, he was called to a higher vocation.
The desire to study grew more and more in him, as did his apathy towards work on the farm. In 1841 he began his studies at the Laurentian College in Arusberg. He graduated in 1847 at the age of 22 years. He next went to the Academy at Winister, where he studied theology and philogy. After three years' study at the Academy in Munster, he left for Paderborn to complete his theorlogical studies. However, after one year, he returned to Munster to serve in the army as volunteer. It seems the Monsignor was not quite sure of his vocation. Nevertheless, after one year of voluntary service in the 13th Regiment he returned to Paderborn to make his examination for priesthood, which he passed with high honors. Having passed the examination, he did not apply for a position as rector, but wishing to acquire still more experience, he took up a position as private tutor with a noble family in Poland by name Donimirski. He remained with this family until 1857. In the meantime his vocation had been definitely settled upon, and he had decided to spend his life in North America where German priests were in great demand. On the first of November, 1857, he embarked at Hamburg and landed in New York on November 17th. He applied to Bishop Newman of Phila- delphia for admittance into the Philadelphia diocese, which then also included Wilkes-Barre and Scranton. On Novem- ber 28, 1858, he was ordained priest by Bishop Newman and in the same year was appointed rector of the German Catholics of Wilkes-Barré and surrounding towns. And in those days of tedious travel on horse or by stage coach it can readily be understood that the monsignor's early years in Wilkes-Barre were anything but years of ease and leisure. Many parishioners of St. Nicholas still recall how they waited patiently in front of the old church on a Sunday morning till the monsignor returned from Pittston with his little black mare. Often he returned just in time to complete the holy sacrifice of mass before the noon hours.
Fifty-three years have passed since the monsignor came to Wilkes-Barre, and the city has grown very much, and with it also the St. Nicholas congregation. Monsignor Nagel built the new St. Nicholas Church, and the grand Catholic edifice is one of Wilkes-Barré's most beautiful buildings. The school built by Father Nagel has served its purpose and plans are now being made by architects Reilly & Schroeder for a new school, which is to be one of the most modern and artistic buildings in Wilkes-Barré.
Another great work of merit on the part of the late monsignor was the introduction of the Sisters of Charity into America. The mother house, Mallinckrodt Convent, being located in Wilkes-Barré.
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