USA > Pennsylvania > Northampton County > History of Northampton County [Pennsylvania] and the grand valley of the Lehigh, Volume I > Part 48
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Rev. Hugh McGlinn was appointed to succeed Father Dillon in 1885. He was born in County Tyrone, Ireland, and came to the United States quite young. Later in life he returned to Ireland, and studied at Carlo College, He then entered St. Charles Seminary, Overbrook, and was ordained at the Cathedral by Bishop Wood, June 22, 1865. Shortly afterwards he was appointed curate at St. Ann's, Philadelphia. In August, 1887, he left Easton to become pastor of St. Mark's, Bristol, Pennsylvania, and in November, 1888, succeeded Rev. Maurice Walsh, V.G., as pastor of St. Paul's, Philadel- phia. In 1891 he celebrated the silver jubilee of his ordination, and died on the twenty-second of August, 1894. During his short pastorate in Easton,
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Father McGlinn revived and reorganized church societies and maintained the splendid parish organization of his predecessors.
On the sixteenth of August, 1887, Father James McGeveran became the sixth resident pastor of St. Bernard's, Easton. He was born at Athlone, County West Meath, Ireland, in 1848, but was brought to this country quite young and was raised in Port Clinton, Schuylkill county, Pennsylvania, where he learned telegraphy. He entered Glen Riddle Seminary when twen- ty-four years of age, and after spending some years (1868-1873) in Rome, was ordained June 7, 1873, and by a singular coincidence died June 7, 1915. On his return to America he was assigned to St. Peter's, Reading, from 1875 to 1878; St. Vincent de Paul's, Minersville, 1878 to 1883; St. Paul's, Philadel- phia, 1883 to 1885, as curate. In 1885 he was appointed pastor of St. Am- brose's, Schuylkill Haven, with his former home of Port Clinton, a mission to that parish. He left here August 16, 1887, to become pastor of St. Ber- nard's, continuing so until his death in 1915, a period of almost twenty-eight years. During his absence, from June to September, 1906, on a European tour, Rev. John Clement McGovern, born at Altoona, Pa., November 21, 1869, and who came to Easton to live in 1871, administered the parish. Father McGovern graduated from the Easton High School in 1888, from Mount St. Mary's Seminary in 1892, and was ordained for the Harrisburg Diocese in 1896. After singing his first Mass at old St. Bernard's, and pursuing a post- graduate course at the Catholic University, Washington, D. C., he was appointed to a professorship in St. Mary's Seminary, Emmitsburg, Mary- land, the following year, and resigned in 1919 to become a pastor in the Harris- burg Diocese.
When Father McGeveran returned from his European trip in the fall of 1906, he received a great ovation from the people of Easton, irrespective of creed; when he celebrated the silver jubilee of his Easton pastorate in 1912, a similar remarkable demonstration of affection and esteem was given by four thousand citizens of Easton, at Bushkill Park; and he was presented with a substantial purse. One of his first acts when he became pastor of Easton was to care for the South Side Catholic Cemetery, belonging to St. Bernard's. This he enclosed with a substantial iron fence, and otherwise put in good order. In 1889 he made necessary repairs and improvements to the church, but on the occasion of his sacerdotal silver jubilee, he made extensive altera- tions and enhanced the former beauty of the church by building the present alcove to the Sanctuary, inlaying its floor with mosaic, wainscoting its wall with tile, and installing three costly marble altars, the main one being a replica of the much admired altar of St. Charles Seminary Chapel, Over- brook; oak pews, birdseye maple floor, and new stained glass windows were added ; a new vestibule entrance also, and to the Sacristy new entrances were made. The exterior was recast, and the interior beautifully frescoed. Baraldi, a noted artist, painted on canvas the pictures of the Holy Infancy, the Ascen- sion, the Immaculate Conception, and the Apotheosis of St. Bernard, all within the Sanctuary; ten medallions, over the windows and one of St. Ce- cilia over the choir. Imported Stations of the Cross, and Munich stained glass windows of the Annunciation, St. Mary Magdalene, St. Elizabeth of Hun- gary, St. Catherine of Alexandria, the Agony in the Garden, the Ecce Homo,
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and the Sacred Face were installed. Father Reardon's gift window was not disturbed, but the other windows were suitably altered. The opalescent window of St. Michael in the organ gallery and those over the side entrances were among the improvements. The expensive Mexican onyx top and ham- mered brass communion rail were also added, the sacristy was enlarged, and a complete renewal of vestments and altar service was made. The present gallery stairway was also designed. The debt thus incurred was fully liquidated, and in 1902 still further improvements were made, consisting of the installation of a fine reed organ, which was donated by the Blessed Virgin Sodality. An addition to the rectory, consisting of a third story and refec- tory, was also completed. The parish hall was later fitted up under the church, in 1910; new electric fixtures were installed. In 1909 the first school building was purchased from J. P. Correll for $11,000, and ten acres were procured in Palmer township for $3,000, for a new burial ground. The school was enlarged in 1912 at an expenditure of about $7,000. Before he could cancel these new debts, Father McGeveran broke down, and in October, 1914, repaired to a sanitarium in Lansdale, after a stay at St. Agnes' Hospital, Philadelphia, under Dr. McCarthy, a nerve specialist. He never returned to St. Bernard's until his corpse was carried in the day following his death, June 7, 1915. He was buried June 10, 1915, from St. Bernard's amid a great outpouring of citizens of all denominations, "because," as the Catholic Standard and Times of June 21, 1915, says, "of his kindly disposition." He was popular with Cath- olics and Protestants of Easton. He was buried in Mt. of Olives Circle, Geth- semane Cemetery, the burial place he had selected. It was his hope to live until all the debts were paid, and this hope was gratified, as his successor had wiped out most of the debt, and the cemetery had been consecrated April 25, 1915, by Bishop McCort. He willed $1,000 of the $3,000 life insur- ance he carried, and which was all he possessed of this world's goods, to the school he had founded. A mammoth granite cross is erected in the plot where his remains lie, the memorial of his grateful parishioners.
Rev. John E. McCann was appointed pastor pro tem, November 7, 1914, his 4Ist birthday ; and confirmed in the appointment permanently, June 12, 1915. He has kept the Catholic cause very much in the limelight, and has secured much recognition and aroused healthy interest in things Catholic. The newspapers have proved very receptive to all information, and publicity never heretofore con- sidered necessary is given to the large number of Catholic readers. As a tribute to his patriotism a number of citizens, headed by State Grand Army of the Republic Commandant Noah Detrick, presented him with a silk flag and standard during the Knights of Columbus War Drive in 1917, which he holds among his most valued possessions. A full account of his life and labors appeared in the local papers of November 8, 1915, the day following a recep- tion given in his honor to mark the first anniversary of his pastorate. His picture and activities appeared in the Easton Free Press in the fall of 1919 in the series of Easton's prominent citizens. He is now engaged in an effort to prevent the ruination of his school by outside forces and speculators. He has acquired, at a cash consideration of $8,000, the adjoining property to the south of the school, and had taken steps to acquire that to the north, in the interests of civic betterment and education, but fate decreed otherwise. He fathered the
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great project of Union Council, Knights of Columbus, of Easton, in establishing a home for themselves and ultimately a Catholic welfare center, a Young Men's Catholic Association along broad lines, kindred to their war welfare work, which has won the commendation of all Americans. Through his inspiration Union Council No. 345, K. of C., purchased for $25,000 the valuable Brown Mansion at Ninth and Lehigh streets for a local headquarters. He is also interested in the Boy Scout movement as conducive to Americanization work, and to an otherwise busy life adds active planning. It has been remarked that there is more activity at St. Bernard's in recent years than ever before in its long history of four score years; this has been possible to a large extent through the in- crease of the number of curates, whereby the congregation has been brought into closer contact with parish activities. He founded, at St. Bernard's, the Easton Catholic High School, where graduates of all local parish grade schools receive a four-year classic or three-year commercial course. In 1919 Father McCann was professor of Latin, Religion and English Composition.
Saint Joseph's Catholic Church-Three houses of worship have been erected by this congregation. A cut of the original edifice is found in the sketch of Easton in the history of the county published in 1877. The second church was destroyed by fire, and the third has but recently been dedicated and is now fully furnished except for a new pipe organ and the stained glass windows, which will be installed next year. All three churches were erected on the site of the present handsome structure. Up to the formation of this congregation and the building of the first St. Joseph's, the first national church in Northampton county, which will eventually under the new code of canon law, become in time entirely English-speaking, the Germans of Easton and vicinity belonged successively to Goshenhoppen, Haycock and St. Bernard's, Easton. When, in 1833, Bishop Kenrick made Northampton county one large parish, the first pastor was German-born, but American ordained, and all nationalities were equally included. There was no national parish in the county or in Easton, until the Germans organized St. Joseph's with the bishop's approval. The first national church in America was Holy Trinity in Philadelphia, which was erected and the corner-stone laid con- trary to the Bishop's approval, though he eventually sanctioned it. Bishop Carroll, our first American bishop, was opposed to national churches as early as 1783, and considered them a mistake in this country, a view which Rome has recently adopted in the new code. Father Francis Hertkorn, a South Easton boy, is now pastor of Holy Trinity, and some of St. Joseph's pastors were transferred from Easton to that historical church. The German Roman Catholic St. Joseph Aid Society of South Easton, Pennsylvania, was organ- ized on January 1, 1848, and the agitation for a separate church begun; which proved to be one of the pioneer German Catholic churches of the Lehigh Valley. Its pastors travelled as far as Wayne county, and made missionary visits to scattered congregations of Germans in Lehigh, Monroe, Carbon and Northampton counties up to the twentieth century. On August 22, 1851, two acres of land, "strict measure," were purchased for $200 an acre from Samuel Utt's farm of one hundred and twenty-eight acres. On this site are the present convent, church, rectory, and old cemetery. It adjoined St. Bernard's South Easton Cemetery land and was on the opposite
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side of St. Joseph street to land purchased by John Blatz et al., for use of the Society of St. Joseph's Brotherhood, which they later sold to the bishop for one dollar on condition of having a meeting place in the school building. This latter site was eventually disposed of, and another site selected for the school. A small brick church 30 by 50 feet was built and dedicated, and in 1852 Fr. S. Rudolph Etthofer became its pastor and remained about four- teen months. Immediately he entered upon a missionary career. Every third Sunday of his pastorate at Easton he visited the Germans in Hones- dale, Wayne county, some seventy miles distant. This parish included the mission of Canaan's or Clark's Corner, Cherry Ridge, Damascus, Equi- nunk, Turacco and Alderville, all in Wayne county; Janett's Hollow and Lacawaxen in Pike county. The following year Rev. Caspar Miller erected a German church at Honesdale, and the Wayne county trips from St. Joseph's were discontinued. His name appears on the baptismal records from June 20, 1852, to August 1, 1853. The first pastor of St. Joseph's, Easton, also made regular visits to St. Francis Church at Trenton, New Jersey, about fifty miles from Easton. From August 21, 1853, to September 15, 1854, Rev. Joseph Gostencnick, who in Catholic almanacs appears as "Gostenschnigg" and elsewhere "Gustenswacke," made monthly visits to Allentown, hitherto exclusively a mission to St. Bernard's, Easton. On these occasions he cele- brated Mass at the home of John Koehler, on Ridge avenue and Liberty street. In September, 1854, he was transferred to St. Joseph's, Milton, North- umberland county, Pennsylvania. Here he died May 18, 1861. From October I, 1854, to September 30, 1860, Rev. John Tanzer signed the St. Joseph's baptismal register. He visited Cherryville and Bethlehem monthly, and Stroudsburg occasionally. He built the Church of the Nativity at Bethle- hem, and organized St. Nicholas' Mission, Berlinsville. He died at St. Pat- rick's Church, Fort Hamilton, New York, December, 1892, when sixty years old. From November II, 1860, to June 4, 1861, Rev. John Vollmeyer; June 9, 1861, to August II, 1861, Rev. Joseph Stenzel; and September to October, 1861, Rev. Francis Joseph Wachter, followed each other in rapid succession. Then came Rev. John Baptist Frisch, whose first baptismal record is October, 1862, and his last May 1, 1868. He was driven out of Ger- many in the Revolution of 1848, and is said to have been a remarkable man. He loved children, and opened for them old St. Joseph's School in 1863, with an enrollment of seventy pupils. He procured the Sisters of St. Benedict for the school in September, 1874, who remained in charge till 1884. Like Father Tanzer, he attended the Monroe Mission at Stroudsburg, Pocono, and Oakland. Transferred to the Harrisburg Diocese, he died at South Easton, May 25, 1872, and is buried in St. Joseph's churchyard, where two other pastors, Rev. Maurus Graetzer, and Rev. James Regnery, were later interred. Rev. John Frederick Fechtel, ordained March 12, 1868, came shortly afterward to succeed Father Frisch. His name appears on the records from May 10, 1868, to September 19, 1871, when he was transferred to Phila- delphia. After other assignments he came to the Annunciation in Catasauqua in 1886 to 1887, where his mind became impaired and he returned to Ger- many, dying at his brother's home about 1905. Rev. Hubert Schick, or- dained April 5, 1869, signs the record from October 22, 1871, to September
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6, 1874. During this period he had temporary charge of St. Paul's Catholic Church at Reading, Pennsylvania, during the absence of its pastor, Father Bornemann, in Europe. Father Schick was succeeded by Father John J. Albert, who had charge of the congregation from December 13, 1874, to April 27, 1875, his death taking place about this time. He was the first resi- dent pastor of the Church of the Nativity, Bethlehem, from which he was transferred to South Easton. The vacancy caused by his death was filled temporarily by Father Schick. The latter went from Easton to the Church of the Holy Trinity, Philadelphia, and died pastor of the Church of St. Alphonsus, June 29, 1886, at fifty-two years of age.
Rev. Francis Kemmerling, ordained at Mechlin, Belgium, June 3, 1871, was appointed pastor of St. Joseph's to succeed Father Albert, his name appearing on the records from August 15, 1875, to 1878. In the latter year he was assistant to Father Schick at Holy Trinity, and later accompanied him to St. Alphonsus. After Father Schick's death he went to St. Paul's, Reading, where he died in his fifty-second year on March 15, 1889. Rev. Maurus Greatzer, a native of Switzerland, came to America as an exile, accompanied by his Ordinary, and became pastor of St. Joseph's in February, 1878. While attending a parish picnic held in Forest Grove, Wilson town- ship, July 20, 1885, he was stricken in the afternoon with a fatal illness and died at the nearby house, at 8:30 that evening. The last sacraments were ad- ministered by his fellow Swiss townsman and staunch friend, Rev. Alois Misteli, of St. Clair, Pennsylvania. His burial took place July 22, in St. Joseph's old cemetery. The Rev. Alois Misteli preached the funeral sermon, and Rev. Hubert Schick sang the solemn requiem.
Rev. James Regnery was subdeacon at the requiem at Father Greatzer's funeral and became his successor August 1, 1885. The new pastor came from Newton, and was there succeeded by a Northampton county curate, Rev. Hugh McGovern, who had been at the Holy Infancy from 1881 until he took charge of St. Andrew's, Newton, August 1, 1885, remaining until he died October, 191I. Father Regnery, shortly after the fire at St. Joseph's, removed to Phila- delphia, and died pastor of St. Elizabeth's, November 10, 1915. His remains lie within the shadows of St. Joseph's rectory, in the family plot which he had provided. As pastor of St. Joseph's he erected a new church, convent, and school, tore down the first church, and on its site built the one which was destroyed by fire March 10, 19II. It was the admiration of Easton, and young and old speak enthusiastically of its interior beauty and impressive- ness. The Liberty Hose Company offered the use of their house to the congregation after the fire, when Charles Magee, chairman of the school board, refused the use of the public school building. The Elks gave a bene- fit to raise funds for the rebuilding of the church. Father Regnery was loved and respected by Catholic and non-Catholic, and was a public-spirited priest and citizen. His only assistant, during twenty-six years, was Peter J. Fuengerlings, in 1909. Father Albert Korves, the present pastor, took charge November 4, 1911, and on May 12, 1912, Archbishop Prendergast blessed the new school, which is a credit to the congregation and the handsomest and best equipped school in South Easton. It is built like the church, of Stockton granite; with ample playgrounds on both sides. The large audi-
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torium was used as a temporary chapel until the new church was dedicated, May 12, 1918. Bishop McCort, then administrator, laid the cornerstone and dedicated the new church. Father McCann of St. Bernard's, and Father Fretz of South Bethlehem, preached in English and German respectively at the cornerstone laying, and Father Fretz in both German and English at the dedication. The congregation is composed of Germans, Austrians and Irish, who have intermarried or who prefer the German service.
The new church is among the handsomest in the county, and the entire property is valued at $150,000. It faces on Davis street, seventy-five by one hundred and forty feet, running westward on the north side of St. Joseph street. The school faces St. Joseph street on the east side of Davis. In this parish sixty-three young men entered the World War, of whom three paid the supreme sacrifice-Edward Albus, died in France; and George Kinsley and Joseph Wagner died in American camps. In the parish cemetery lie buried the following Civil War veterans: Johann Bauer, Anton Gier, Martin Goth, Clement Goodear, Joseph Harte, Franz Kies, Franz Ludwig, John Price, Franz Pfeffer, Hairbracht, Joseph Ruse, Charles Saylor, Maxi- millian Schmitt, Martin Schraff, John Bowers, Lewis Creamer and Chas. Crispie. Just before the signing of the armistice, the congregation raised a beautiful American flag, assisted by the troops from Camp Lafayette, city officials, and an outpouring of the patriotic citizens of the parish. The present pastor was born March 23, 1859, in Altenlinger, Province of Hanover, Germany, and is a brother of Rev. Bernard Korves, first pastor of St. Bernard's, afterwards Holy Ghost, German parish, South Bethlehem. Coming to America to escape military service, after completing his studies, he was ordained priest May 23, 1891. His first Mass was sung in Northampton county at his brother's church in South Bethlehem. After various assignments at East Mauch Chunk, South Bethlehem, Pottsville, and Reading, he became pastor, first of Allentown, then of St. Clair, whence he came to South Easton, where he recently cele- brated his silver jubilee of priesthood, and where he expects to end his days, as he has erected for himself a suitable monument and a lasting memorial to his zeal, piety, devotion and energy. He had the following curates: Frederick Fasig, Charles Knittel and Vincent Hillanbrandt.
St. Anthony's Roman Catholic Church provides for the spiritual needs of the Italians of Easton and vicinity, including nearby New Jersey towns; West Easton, Glendon, Lucy Furnace, and the townships of Palmer, Williams, Wilson and Bushkill. Before the arrival of John Garbarino, the first Italian in Easton, Father McGeveran, pastor of St. Bernard's, ministered to them. He was a Roman student and spoke Italian fluently. He also attended Roseto until Rev. Pasquale de Nisco was sent there in 1896. Father de Nisco came occasionally to St. Bernard's to care for the Easton Italians, and in 1908 also his assistant, Rev. Louis Fiorella. Rev. Antonio Londolfi in Octo- ber, 1909, appointed to organize St. Anthony's parish, opened a chapel and continued its pastor until 1914, when Revs. Paul Gentile and Carmine Cillo succeeded him successively. In the summer of 1914, Rev. John Dario became pastor and so continues, recently securing the assistance of Rev. Francesco Albanese, who came from Providence, Rhode Island. Father Pario built the present combination church and rectory, was very active in
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Liberty Loan and other war drives, his people taking $163,000 of bonds, and sixty-three of his parishioners joined the colors, three making the supreme sacrifice. Father Dario was a lieutenant chaplain in the Italian army, but when the war broke he became an American citizen and refused to return to fight under the foreign flag. He planned to visit his native land immediately after the war, and a farewell dinner was tendered him by leading citizens of Easton, including judges, city officials and business men of various religions. Father McCann, pastor of St. Bernard's, was toastmaster of the occasion and the judges and former district attorneys of the county extolled Father Dario's worth in endeavoring to advance the best interests of his people. Father Albanese was to hold his place until he returned, but the Department at Washington advised Father Dario that a trip at the time would be inexpe- dient and that a speedy return was problematical, and he reluctantly had to forego the visit till a later date. For a time he assisted as professor of French and Spanish languages in "St. Bernard's," Easton Catholic High School. He made hundreds of speeches for Liberty Loan campaigns among his people, and they rolled up a large score. The Immaculate Heart Sisters from St. Bernard's parish conduct school every Sunday and many of his young charges attend the parish school of St. Bernard's and St. Joseph's, some having graduated from the Catholic High School at Easton with honors. The parish has about three thousand Italians. Rt. Rev. Joseph Yasbeck, Syrian Chor bishop, monthly celebrates Mass in St. Anthony's Church for those of the Ma- ronite rite, of whom there are one hundred and sixty-five in Easton.
St. Michael's Lithuanian parish was organized about 1900. There were then only five families; today there are one hundred and fifty Lithuanian and Polish families in Easton and contiguous territory. Rev. Vincent Dargis of Minersville, Pennsylvania, is said to have been the first priest to visit them. Mass was celebrated sometimes in St. Bernard's, sometimes in St. Joseph's, by Rev. Anthony Milukas and Rev. J. Kaulakis. Rev. Albinus Kaminski made monthly visits from his Reading parish, and used St. An- thony's Church to gather his people together. The male members of the congregation organized, and purchased lots numbers 646 and 648 on Lehigh street, Wilson township, between Seventeenth and Eighteenth streets. These were thirty by one hundred and nine feet and extended south to Beach street, forming part of the plan of lots "of the Fairview Association." Eventually the diocesan authorities decided against the location and steps were taken by Father Gudaitis to purchase the Heptasoph Hall at Spring Garden and Sitgreaves streets, which was done in May, 1916. The purchase price was $18,000, and after alterations the edifice was dedicated August 5, 1916. Mon- signor Peter Masson, V. F., formerly president of Louvaine University, and since chosen to direct the rebuilding of those ruins, was delegated by Archbishop Prendergast to perform the ceremony. Rev. J. Rastutis was then pastor. Rev. J. Gudaitis, who bought the present church and who came weekly from Catasauqua before the appointment of Father Rastutis, preached in Lithua- nian, and Rev. W. Rakowski in Polish. Rev. Michael Bosco of Phillipsburg was deacon, and Rev. Francis Fasig of South Easton was subdeacon. Rev. John E. McCann and Rev. Charles Carmen of St. Bernard's were present. In May, 1918, Rev. Wenselaus Matulaitis was made pastor.
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