USA > Pennsylvania > Allegheny County > Pittsburgh > A history of the Catholic church in the dioceses of Pittsburg and Allegheny from its establishment to the present time > Part 39
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"The number of Catholics found here, and in the other stations of this direction, far exceeded the Bishop's anticipa- tion and the general impression. Although Murrinsville has only four houses, thirty-five persons received communion and thirty were confirmed. The number of communions would
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DEATH OF REV. JOSEPH HANEY.
have been doubled had a second day been given to the Catholics of this neighborhood."
At length a church was determined upon, the contract for which was drawn up August 23d, 1841, although work was not commenced until the following April. The date of its completion and dedication is uncertain. The church is an unassuming stone building, 60 feet in length by 40 in width. From the summer of 1844 to that of 1850 Mass was usually celebrated on one Sunday in the month by the priest residing at Butler. But at the end of that time Rev. M. J. Mitchell was appointed first resident pastor. He was succeeded in April, 1854, by Rev. P. M. Doyle, who remained about a year. The church was then visited once a month from New Castle till October, 1859, when Rev. P. Hughes was appointed pastor. Having remained until December of the following year, he gave place to Rev. Thos. Walsh, who lived a short time at Murrinsville before taking up his residence at Brady's Bend, from which he visited it until March, 1863. From that date until the present the congregation has enjoyed the advantages of a resident pastor. Rev. J. C. Bigham was the first, then came Rev. C. V. Neeson, next Rev. Jos. Haney, who re- mained until about the beginning of 1871, when his health be- gan to fail, and he was transferred to a less arduous mission. But it was to no purpose, and he died at Carrolltown on the 6th of February, 1872, being in the 33d year of his age. His remains repose in the cemetery attached to the church there.
REV. JOSEPH HANEY was a native of Watertown, county Londonderry, Ireland. Having almost completed his studies in his native land, he came to America and attached himself to the Diocese of Pittsburg in the summer of 1862, where he was ordained on the 8th of the following February. He was at first appointed assistant to the pastor of the church at Johns- town, but before the end of a year he was transferred to the church of Brownsville, where he remained until sent to Murrinsville.
He was succeeded at Murrinsville by Father Neeson, who was pastor for the second time ; and he in September, 1876, by the present pastor, Rev. Jas. F. Tobin.
A farm of 160 acres lying about a mile from the church
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FAIRVIEW-PETROLIA.
was bequeathed to it by Mr. John Murrin. Father Neeson built a pastoral residence.
In the summer of 1855 there are said to have been seventy families, and the congregation has increased a little since that time in numbers and wealth. But owing to the absence of traffic and travel from the locality, the increase will be very moderate in the future. The people are farmers, and are for the most part descendants of the early Irish emigrants.
CHAPEL AT FAIRVIEW.
The little frame chapel at the village of Fairview, about seven miles south-west from Parker's Landing, has never been dedicated nor honored with the name of a saint. It was built by a Mr. Charles Collins about the year 1863, from a bequest of his father for the benefit of the few Catholic families living in that neighborhood. But the bequest sufficed merely for the erection of the shell of the building, and it remained un- finished, although Mass was celebrated in it on one Sunday of the month by the pastor of Murrinsville until a resident pastor was appointed for Parker's Landing, when it passed to his jurisdiction. Soon after the arrival of Rev. J. P. Tahany at the latter place at the close of the year 1871, he took measures for its completion. He then offered up the Holy Sacrifice in it occasionally until the erection of the church at Petrolia, next to engage our attention, which, standing but a short dis- tance off, drew away the little flock. Since that time Mass is seldom offered within its walls, and it may be said to be with- out a congregation.
ST. JAMES' CHURCH, PETROLIA.
Petrolia, about eight miles south-west of Parker's Land- ing, though of recent growth is the most flourishing town in the interior of the Butler County oil territory. The comple- tion of the Parker and Karns City narrow-gauge railroad through it, which took place in February, 1874, added con- siderably to its business and importance. Catholics were early found among its inhabitants, and Father Tahany, of
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Parker's Landing-to which the congregation has always been attached-rented a hall in the autumn of 1873, where he offered up the adorable Sacrifice every Sunday, riding from the one town to the other between histwo Masses. Measures were at the same time taken to purchase a lot and commence the building of a church with the opening of spring. It was done; the church was built, and, as we have seen, was dedi- cated by the Bishop, under the invocation of St. James, November 22d, 1874. It is a neat frame building of no special style of architecture, 75 feet in length by 35 in width, without a tower, but with a basement under the rear half that would serve for a school. Mass is celebrated every Sunday by the priest of Parker's Landing. The congregation was at one time as large and flourishing as the one of that place, but it will not be so permanent. It has already commenced to decline, and will soon be reduced to perhaps one fourth of what it once numbered.
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CHAPTER XXVI.
BEAVER AND LAWRENCE COUNTIES.
Visit of a French missionary-Sts. Peter and Paul's Church, Beaver-Death and sketch of Rev. James Reid-St. Cecilia's Church, Rochester-St. John the Baptist's Church, Baden-St. Joseph's Church, New Brighton-St. Rose's Church, Cannelton-St. Mary's German Church, Beaver Falls-St. James' Church, New Bedford-St. Mary's Church, New Castle-St. Francis Xavier's Church, Stonerstown-St. Teresa's Church, Clinton.
CATHOLICITY, although never in a very flourishing condi- tion in this part of the diocese, yet dates its history from a remote period. It is related that as the French retired from Fort Duquesne when the English obtained possession of it, in November, 1758, their chaplain passed up the Beaver valley on his way to the French posts in the north-western part of the State. While doing so, he stopped at Mount Jackson in the present Lawrence County, about forty miles north-west of Pittsburg and four from the State line, to visit an Irish Catholic family of the name of O'Brien. Having re- mained a short time and baptized three members of the family, he passed further north-east into the present Butler. County, where he visited a French family of the name of Crafiere. Soon after the commencement of the present cen- tury-to pass over the intervening time-Catholic families principally Irish, and, in the northern part, an extension of the Donegal colony, settled at different places in the valley, but principally at New Castle and Beaver, as will be seen more in detail as we proceed. The first to attract the attention of missionaries was the latter town.
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STS. PETER AND PAUL'S, BEAVER.
STS. PETER AND PAUL'S CHURCH, BEAVER.
The town of Beaver, the seat of justice of the county of the same name, is situated on the west bank of the Beaver River, at its confluence with the Ohio, and occupies a plateau about 100 feet above the level of the rivers. It is twenty-seven miles north-west of Pittsburg, and at the most northern point reached by the Ohio River in its course. It was laid out by David Leet in 1791, and occupies the spot formerly the site of Fort M'Intosh, a fort established for the defence of the frontier, and the scene of the last treaty with the Indians, whereby their claim to the soil of Pennsylvania was forever extinguished. It was incorporated March 29th, 1802.
A few Catholic settlers found their way into the town and surrounding country in the early part of this century ; and in 1830 the place became one of the regular missionary stations of Rev. Patrick O'Neil, of Sugar Creek. As the population gradually increased, a church became desirable. To second the efforts of the Catholics, whose resources were very limited, Mr. Jas. W. Hemphill, a Protestant gentleman of the town, donated a large lot of ground as the site of a new church. With this encouragement the Catholics commenced the build- ing of the church in 1834. It was not finished until 1837, when it was dedicated by Bishop Kenrick, under the invoca- tion of Sts. Peter and Paul. The building is frame, about 24 by 40 feet, and simple in style and finish. Rev. J. O'Reilly, of Pittsburg, visited it at distant intervals ; and afterwards it be- came a regular monthly station, attended successively from the same place by Rev. E. F. Garland, A. P. Gibbs, J. Powers, and Thos. M'Cullagh. In 1847 Rev. Jas. Reid was appointed first resident pastor, with the additional charge of the entire Beaver valley. His first care was to give the church and its surroundings a thorough repairing, and make it a more fitting place for the offering up of the adorable Sacrifice. The in- crease of the congregation was almost imperceptible, and the church, though so small, has never been unable to accommo- date the people. About the year 1854 Lawrence County was detached from Fr. Reid's mission, and received a pastor of its
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DEATH OF REV. JAS. REID.
own at New Castle. In his narrower sphere the good priest kept the even tenor of his way, till old age stole upon him and he was forced to seek repose. This took place in 1866, from which time one of the Passionist fathers from Pittsburg visited the congregation on two Sundays in the month. Fr. Reid continued to reside at Beaver, where, full of years and merit, he expired February 14th, 1868, in the 75th year of his age.
REV. JAS. REID was born at Carrickmacross, county Mona- ghan, Ireland, in the year 1793. Coming to this country in 1817, he taught school in Westmoreland County and in the academy at Butler, and in 1822 entered the seminary at Bards- town, Ky. Having finished his studies, he was ordained by Bishop Fenwick at Cincinnati on Easter Monday, 1832. Af- ter serving on the mission in various parts of Ohio, Virginia, and Maryland, he entered the Diocese of Pittsburg in 1846. Here he attended Pine Creek and Wexford, in the latter place finishing a church, and was in about a year transferred to the scene of the closing years of his life. His remains repose in the cemetery of the church he so long and faithfully served.
After the death of Father Reid, the church at Beaver was attached to Rochester and has continued so with the ex- ception of about a year. It is probable that the two congre- gations will eventually be merged into one with a new church midway between the present two. Mass is now celebrated every Sunday, except the fifth of the month, in each church, but the congregation of Sts. Peter and Paul is decreasing and will not number one hundred souls. For obvious reasons no parish school has been opened.
ST. CECILIA'S CHURCH, ROCHESTER.
The town of Rochester, which was formerly known by the name of East Bridgewater, lies on the opposite side of the Beaver River from the town last noticed, and like it is built on a table-land. In 1870 it had a population of 2091. A small number of German Catholic families settled in the town and surroundings more than twenty years ago, and not finding it convenient to attend the English church at Beaver, a separate
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ST. CECILIA'S CHURCH, ROCHESTER.
one was built for their accommodation by Rev. J. Stiebel, of Allegheny City, about the year 1857, but I have not been able to learn the date of its dedication. It is a frame building 46 feet in length by 25 in width, and has a small belfry. The interior is neatly finished and has one altar. Upon the com- pletion of the church, Rev. Michael Mühlberger was appoint- ed pastor in 1858, but was succeeded the following year by Rev. J. Reiser. But the congregation was too small to sup- port a resident pastor, and before the end of the year it was attached to St. Mary's, Allegheny City, from which it was visited generally twice in the month for nine years. The death of Father Reid at this time left a vacancy, and the churches of Beaver and Rochester were united under one pastor, in which state they have, with little exception, since remained. Rev. Adam Gunkle now became pastor, but the following year the Passionist fathers attended Beaver, and Rev. J. Zwickert was pastor of St. Cecilia's. Next came Rev. Julius Kuenzer, after whose departure it was reunited to St. Mary's, Allegheny, till, in 1873, Rev. Joseph Boehm was ap- pointed pastor. He was succeeded November, 1875, by Rev. James Rommelfänger, and he in October, 1877, by Rev. J. Kaib, who gave place to the present pastor, Rev. Fred. Stefen, in November, 1878.
The congregation has increased but little and its growth in the future will be no less tardy, unless the Pittsburg and Lake Erie Railroad, now opened, and which crosses the Ohio River at this place, induces manufacturers to locate there. St. Cecilia's was originally a German congregation, and at pres- ent that element predominates, but there is a sufficient num- ber of English to make it now a mixed congregation requiring a pastor conversant with both languages.
The church at Glenfield, as we have seen, was for a time ministered to by the pastor of St. Cecilia's, but is not at pres- ent. But he attends that at Baden, next to be noticed, and besides this has since 1868 visited Industry, eight miles down the Ohio, and Smith's Ferry, four miles farther, both of which are villages with half a dozen or more families, for whom Mass is celebrated monthly on a week-day. There are no Catholics whatever in that portion of Beaver County lying
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ST. JOHN'S CHURCH, BADEN.
south of the Ohio River, except perhaps two or three families opposite Rochester. St. Cecilia's congregation will not count more than perhaps thirty families; it has never had a parish school, nor does it own a pastoral residence.
ST. JOHN THE BAPTIST'S CHURCH, BADEN.
This little church is situated six miles east of Rochester and two north of the Ohio River. It was built in 1871 by about a dozen farmers, who had formerly heard Mass at Ro- chester, and is a neat frame structure about 50 feet in length by 25 in width. The pastor of the church at Rochester has always had charge of the little congregation, for whom he offers up the Holy Sacrifice once a month on week-days and on every fifth Sunday of the month. The people are all farmers. It is not probable that the status of the congrega- tion will undergo any considerable change for many years to come.
ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, NEW BRIGHTON.
The town of New Brighton is situated on the eastern bank of the Beaver River, three miles from its mouth, and is twenty- nine miles north-west of Pittsburg. The Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad passes through it, and on the same tracks the Erie and Pittsburg Railroad. It has a limited manufacture of wool and iron, and had in 1870 a population of 4037. The first Catholics of the town and vicinity heard Mass at Beaver, but in the fall of 1863 an old United Presbyterian church was offered for sale and was purchased by the Catholics at a trifling cost. It was a brick building, about 50 feet in length by 40 in width, situated on a large lot in the northern part of the town, and had been erected about thirty-five years before. The style of the building was rigidly simple ; Presbyterian in appearance as well as in the object of its erection. Having been interiorly renewed, it was dedicated by the Bishop, December 6th of the same year, under the invocation of St. Joseph. Rev. M. J. Mitchell was appointed first pastor to reside here and celebrate Mass alternately at
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ST. JOSEPH'S CHURCH, NEW BRIGHTON.
St. Joseph's and at St. Rose's, Cannelton. Having remained sixteen months, he was transferred to another field of useful- ness, and the church was visited once in the month by Rev. J. A. Shell, assistant at St. Mary's Allegheny, and afterwards by one of the Passionist fathers from Pittsburg. At length the present pastor, Rev. John C. Bigham was appointed, February Ist, 1866. Soon after his arrival he purchased a neat brick residence a short distance from the church, which he has since occupied ; for prior to that time the pastor lodged in a hotel. He also bought five acres of ground on the hill at the back of the town for a cemetery. The interior of the church was decorated, and a frame hall was built near it for fairs, etc.
But the old church was now too small to accommodate the increasing congregation, and was, besides, ready to fall from age and other causes. It became necessary to purchase property and erect a more commodious edifice notwithstand- ing the limited means at the pastor's disposal. A very eligible lot, 180 feet square, was purchased adjoining his residence, plans were procured, and the foundation of the church com- menced. The corner stone was laid by the Bishop November 12th, 1871. Work proceeded but slowly on account of the limited resources and the depression of the times, and it was not until the fall of 1875 that the basement was finished. It was dedicated by the Bishop on the 17th of October. The church, when finished, will be 106 feet in length by 53 in width, after a modified Gothic style, with a tower in the centre in front. The basement, which is finished at pres- ent, and will for a number of years be used as a church, is II feet high in the clear, has three altars, and is otherwise finished in a suitable manner. More than half is beneath the surface of the lot, the ground being removed for a few feet on both sides and the embankments supported by walls.
The old church and hall, together with a valuable circu- lating library, were burnt by an incendiary while a fair was being held, June 25th, 1876.
The congregation, although not in so flourishing a con- dition as it was a few years ago, is yet as numerous, and consists of about one hundred families, some of whom are farmers residing in the vicinity of the town, while others,
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ST. ROSE'S CHURCH, CANNELTON.
and perhaps the greater part, are employed in the public works, especially the cutlery manufactories at Beaver Falls, on the opposite side of the river, one mile above. A large number of Chinese were also employed in these works for several years, but the time for which they had contracted ex- pired early in the summer of 1877, and they all returned to California.
The distance at which the greater part of the congrega- tion lives from the church and other causes have prevented the opening of a parish school. The future prospects of St. Joseph's are good, although its growth will not be rapid.
Besides ministering to this congregation and to St. Rose's, Cannelton, Fr. Bigham also attended other stations at differ- ent places in the county, the principal of which were Industry and Smith's Ferry before they were attached, as we have seen, to Rochester. St. Rose's had always been, with little exception, attached to New Brighton from the time the latter became the residence of a priest until February, 1877, and the labors of Fr. Bigham in behalf of that church will next engage our attention.
ST. ROSE'S CHURCH, CANNELTON.
This church is situated in a country place about eleven miles north-west of New Brighton, six south of the Pitts- burg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad, and three east of the State line. Nearly all the land in that part of the county belongs to the Economites, a religious sect, founded by General Rapp, having all things in common. They are tolerant, however, of the religious views of others, as will ap- pear from the fact of their having donated an acre of ground to the Catholics as the site of a church. They own ex- tensive coal-mines in the vicinity of the church, and have constructed the Darlington and Cannelton Railroad from the mines to the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Rail- road. The time of the first settlement of Catholics in this part of the county is uncertain, nor is it known whether Mass was celebrated for them prior to the time at which the building of the church was undertaken. Their number was
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ST. ROSE'S CHURCH.
thought sufficient to justify the building of a church in 1861, and Fr. Reid, who then visited them, erected a miniature edi- fice no more than about 20 by 30 feet in the cheapest and sim- plest style, which he placed under the invocation of the Rose of America. He continued to visit it until the beginning of 1863. It was then attended once in the month for a year from New Castle. From that time it was attached to New Brighton, and visited on every alternate Sunday. In time the congregation increased and became too large for the church, so that in May, 1871, Fr. Bigham commenced the erection of a new building. It was finished in the fall of the same year, and dedicated by the Bishop on the 21st. of Oc- tober. The church is 57 feet in length by 25 in width, but without a steeple. The ceiling of the interior follows the in- clination of the roof, and the whole is neatly finished with one altar, frescoed walls, and stained-glass windows. A school was opened in the old church in September, 1873, but the panic set in, and it was soon after discontinued. In the same year a frame pastoral residence was built. Immediately be- fore the panic the congregation was in the zenith of its pros- perity, and numbered about one hundred families. But the panic reduced the demand for coal, so that work in the mines was almost suspended and many of the miners were obliged to go elsewhere. Work has been but partially resumed. In February, 1877, St. Rose's Church was cut off from New Brighton, and with St. Teresa's, taken from New Castle, now form a separate mission, with the pastor residing at the for- mer. Rev. Peter M'Mahon was appointed pastor, but was succeeded in May by Rev. S. P. Herman, and he in the early part of the winter by the present pastor, Rev. Thos. Devlin. The congregation at present contains about sixty families, a part of whom are farmers scattered about the county to a considerable distance from the church, and it is not probable it will further decrease, nor will it increase except slowly.
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The pastor also attends two stations on the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad once a month on a week- day, New Galilee and Palestine, the latter of which is in the State of Ohio and Diocese of Cleveland. But the number of families is very small in both places, and neither has a church.
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ST. MARY'S, BEAVER FALLS.
ST. MARY'S GERMAN CHURCH, BEAVER FALLS.
The few German families who located themselves at Beaver Falls a few years ago, and who were obliged to con- tent themselves with the English services at St. Joseph's Church, New Brighton, or travel to Rochester, determined to build a church for themselves. By an independent move- ment they purchased a site, and erected a frame church 60 feet in length by 36 in width, which they furnished very neatly in the interior, and which the Bishop dedicated, under the invo- cation of the Blessed Virgin, July 4th, 1872. But their labors were in a measure in vain, for the church was without a pas- tor for about two years. The Bishop then gave it in charge of the Capuchin fathers, Pittsburg, by whom it is visited on one Sunday in the month. There are about twenty-five fami- lies in the congregation, and as the cutlery works of the town -in which they for the most part find employment-are doing but little, it is not probable that the congregation will increase in the future, except imperceptibly. There are also about half a dozen French families at Beaver Falls who attend St. Joseph's Church, New Brighton, and who are perhaps the largest body of that nationality to be found anywhere in the dioceses. Measures are now being taken to build extensive iron-works, which will no doubt have the effect of increasing the Catholic population.
ST. JAMES' CHURCH, NEW BEDFORD.
The village of New Bedford is situated in the extreme north-western part of Lawrence County and of the Diocese of Pittsburg, and within half a mile of the State line. A few families settled in that part of the county at an early day, and one of them, Mr. William Murrin, donated a farm of 247 acres of ground to Bishop O'Connor for the use of the orphans, as we shall have occasion to show when treating of St. Paul's Orphan Asylum. The people were visited from the year 1838, but it is uncertain whether a priest offered the Holy Sacrifice for them prior to that date
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ST. JAMES', NEW BEDFORD.
or not. These visits were at first made at irregular intervals, but afterwards regularly once in the month. Among those who shared in this missionary work were Revs. E. F. Gar- land, A. P. Gibbs, and Thos. M'Cullagh. The last-named, seeing the number of families slowly increase and become more thoroughly organized into a congregation, thought it expedient to build a church upon the farm, for as yet the people had heard Mass in a private house. With this object in view he opened a subscription, but before he had collected sufficient funds with which to commence work the mission passed, in 1847, into the hands of Fr. Reid, of Beaver. He carried the plan of his predecessor into execution, and built, a short distance from the village, a frame church about 40 feet in length by about 25 in width in the simplest style, which he placed under the invocation of St. James the Apostle. He continued to visit the congregation once in the month, and to minister to the rest of the Catholics in the whole Beaver valley till the year 1854, when Lawrence County was formed, as we have said, into a separate mission with the pastor resid- ing at New Castle. From this time forward St. James' con- tinued to be visited generally once-though sometimes twice -in the month until it was finally relinquished, as we shall presently see.
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