Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 52

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036

USA > Pennsylvania > Blair County > Altoona > Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens > Part 52

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At length the time arrived for the erection of the new church and it was begun on June 23, 1872, when the corner stone of the present church was laid. The panic of 1873 interfered with the progress of the work and it took three years to complete it. On the 30th day of May, 1875, the devoted pastor and good people of St. John's had the happiness of witnessing the beautiful church dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Domenec to the service of God. The church is of brick, 120 feet in length by 60 feet in width and is modeled somewhat after the gothic style in architecture. At the front cor- ners are twin towers of about 180 feet high.

Having proven faithful over a few things Father Tuigg was called to be placed over many. On the division of the diocese and the

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transfer of Bishop Domenec to the new see of Allegheny in January, 1876, Father Tuigg was named by the holy father as bishop of Pittsburg and was consecrated on the 19th of March of that year in St. Paul's cathedral, Pittsburg. After presiding over the diocese for thirteen years and being in feeble health he returned to St. John's to lay down his bur- den. Here he died December 7, 1889, and his remains rest among those whom he loved and for whom he labored so faithfully, in St. John's cemetery, Altoona. He was succeeded by Father John Walsh, of Hollidaysburg, who took charge of St. John's in April, 1876.

Father Walsh was appointed pastor of St. John's by Bishop Tuigg, his predecessor. For thirty years he had been the pastor of St. Mary's church at Hollidaysburg, and was well advanced in years when he as- sumed charge of St. John's. But he took up the work just where his predecessor had left it. He was deeply interested in Christian education. He found ample provision had been made for the education of the girls of

the parish in the convent schools, opened by the Sisters of Charity a few years before his appointment. The facilities for the ed- ucation of the boys were not quite so good. Hence he turned his attention to this im- portant matter. He secured property on the east side of town, the corner of Sixth avenue and Eleventh street, upon which was erected a suitable frame building for the education of the boys of St. John's. He was a life-long friend of the Franciscan broth- ers, and in September, 1878, he invited the brothers of St. Francis, from Loretto, to take charge of the boys' schools. The brothers remained in charge down to the time of the Very Rev. Father Bush, when the Sisters of Charity were entrusted with the training of both boys and girls. Father Walsh died June 8, 1880, after an illness of two years, during which he suffered greatly, of paralysis. His remains are· interred in the St. Mary's cemetery, Hollidaysburg. His pastorate extended, therefore, a little

over four years, from April, 1876, to June, 1880.

Father Walsh was succeeded by Father Thomas Ryan, of Gallitzin. He too, was well advanced in years, being almost sev- enty when he assumed charge of St. John's. His pastorate covered a little over three years. In that brief period he did a great work in building and equipping the present magnificent school building for the educa- tion of the boys of St. John's. The esti- mated cost of St. John's school is $40,000. Father Ryan died October 16, 1883, and was laid to rest in the Catholic cemetery at Gallitzin, among the people to whose serv- ices he had given almost his entire life as a priest.

On the death of Father Thomas Ryan, in October, 1883, there was a vacancy of six or seven years in the pastorate of St. John's. Some time before the death of Father Ryan, Bishop Tuigg, who had been stricken with a lingering illness, returned to Altoona, and remained at St. John's, where he died De- cember 7, 1889. During those years he made no appointment to the vacant pastor- ate, but practically administered the affairs of the congregation through the assistant priests of the church. Father Thomas Bri- ley, Father N. J. O'Reilly and Father Thomas P. Smith, as first assistants, were in charge. Early in the year following the bishop's death, Rev. E. A. Bush, who had spent a score or more years of his priestly life as pastor of St. Michael's, Loretto, Cambria county, was appointed by Bishop Phelan, rector of St. John's. The first rec- ord of Father Bush in the parish work is April 11, 1890. He remained in Altoona until in December, 1894, when he accepted the pastorate of St. Peter's church, Alle- gheny city, and on the 7th of the same month was succeeded by the Rev. Morgan M. Sheedy, D. D., the present permanent rector of St. John's. The appointment of Dr. Sheedy came as the result of an eccle- siastical concursus, the first ever held in the diocese, which took place in St. Paul's,

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Pittsburg, October 25, 1894. Under his pastorate St. John's has prospered greatly. He is a man of national reputation as an ed- ucator, clergyman and lecturer, and he has devoted his energies and high talents to the work of the parish. The work of education has received special consideration, with the result that the schools of St. John's take rank as among the best conducted in the state. He has also taken great interest in the temperance and all philanthropic move- ments, not alone in the community where he resides, but in the state and nation. He is much in demand as a lecturer and fre- quently appears before noted assemblages in various parts of the country.

St. Mary's German Church .- St. Mary's German Catholic church was organized in 1860. Prior to that year the German-speak- ing Catholics worshipped with the English in St. John's church, the former having at irregular intervals the ministrations of the Benedictine Fathers Clemens, Manus, Wendelin, and others, in the German lan- guage, whenever they visited the place. In 1860, however, the German Catholics formed a separate congregation with a resi- dent priest, Father Charles Schuller. He was succeeded by Fathers Michael Bierl, George Kircher, F. Rottensteiner, John Rosswog, Fra. Deuermeyer, John A. Schell and Dominic Zwickert. Father Schell took charge in 1871 and continued until his death in 1889, when he was succeeded by Father Zwickert. The corner stone of St. Mary's church was laid in 1860, and the church was in course of erection until 1874, when Father Schell completed it. It is lo- cated at the corner of Fifth avenue and Fourteenth street. Soon after the organi- zation of the parish a school was estab- lished, and the Sisters of St. Agnes took charge, and have since successfully con- ducted it. During his pastorate Father Schell erected a fine large brick school building, to which additions have been built during the pastorate of Father Zwickert, and during recent years a commodious

home has been erected for the use of the Sisters of St. Agnes. The Sisters of St. Ag- nes also conduct a school, called St. Jo- seph's school, located at Bell avenue and Second street, which is the foundation of what in the near future will be a parish.

St. Mark's Church .- The Rev. N. J. O'Reilly, who had been acting pastor of St. John's during the last years of Bishop Tuigg, was assigned to the work of organ- izing a parish in the eastern section of the city, and in January, 1889, he purchased the ground on which St. Mark's stands, and pro- ceeded, in June, 1890, to the erection of the present church edifice. It is a handsome brick structure, 62 x 118 in demensions, with capacity to seat 1,200 people and cost in the neighborhood of $40,000. It is neat and tasteful in design, handsome in appear- ance, finished in hardwood throughout the interior and well furnished. St. Mark's church has a membership of about 1,800 and ha's steadily increased in numbers and pros- perity under the charge of Father O'Reilly. In addition to erecting this church Father O'Reilly has established a school, building a fine three-story stone building adjoining the church edifice at Sixth avenue and Fourth street. The schools are in charge of the Sisters of St. Mercy, for whom a com- modious home has been built. The paro- chial residence of Father O'Reilly, adjoin- ing the church on Sixth avenue, is one of

the finest residences in the city. Father O'Reilly was born in County Cavan, Ire- land, February 28, 1858, and was reared in Newfoundland, receiving his education at Laval university in Montreal, Canada, from which he graduated in 1883. He came to Altoona the same year and became private secretary to Bishop Tuigg. Upon the death of the bishop he assumed full charge of St. John's and continued its pas- tor until 1890, when he was made pastor and organized St. Mark's. During the past year Father O'Reilly has been in poor health, and the work of the parish has devolved upon his assistant, Father Giblin. In 1901,

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largelv through the efforts of Father O'Reilly a mission church was established at Juniata and a parish, known as the Church of the Holy Rosary, was organ- ized, with the Rev. George Kim Bigley as the pastor. An attractive brick church edi- fice has been erected and the parish has prospered under the ministrations of Father Bigley.

The Church of the Sacred Heart .- To the Rev. Thomas P. Smith was assigned the work of establishing a parish on the east side of the city, south of Twelfth street, and on July 13, 1890, he held his first services in an old Meth- odist church on the corner of Seventh avenue and Twenty-fourth street. In a short time he purchased two lots extending 250 feet on Sixth avenue and 120 feet on Twentieth street. On this ground he erected the present hand- some. and commodious church edifice of the congregation of the Sacred Heart. This church is a brick structure, 60 by 120 feet in . dimensions and two stories in height, and is neat and tastefully furnished throughout. The lower story is used as a church, and has been furnished in the best of taste, with fine altars, elegant pews and a splendid organ. The up- per story is divided into six schoolrooms, in which the sisters of the order of St. Joseph have a parochial school of some 500 pupils. The corner stone of this church was laid March 19, 1891, and the work was pushed forward with such rapidity that it was dedi- cated on October 18 of the same year by the Rt. Rev. Bishop R. Phelan. It cost $28,000 when finished, while the handsome parsonage and convent make the value of the property worth $75,000. It is the intention of this parish to erect a new church edifice in the near future, using the present structure entirely for school purposes. Under the zealous and ener- getic labors of Father Smith, the Church of the Sacred Heart, which was organized July I, 1890, has increased in numerical strength until it now numbers about 2,000 members. The school, which is in a highly flourishing condition, was organized September 9, 1891, at Ninth avenue and Eighteenth street.

Father Smith was born in Gallitzin, Cambria county, August 28, 1859, attended St. Michael's seminary, Pittsburg, St. Vincent seminary, in Westmoreland county, and then entered Grand seminary, Montreal, where he graduated in 1882, being ordained July 6, 1882, by the Rt. Rev. John Tuigg, and was assigned to St. John's as assistant to Father Ryan. In 1888 he was made pastor of the church at Ebensburg, where he labored until assigned to the Sacred Heart parish in 1890. During the past six years Father Smith has had as his assistant pastor, his twin brother, Rev. Matthew Smith. It is probably the only instance in the history of the country where twin brothers have been associated together as are the Fathers Smith of the Sacred Heart parish. They are most earnest and zealous workers, and are greatly beloved by their parishioners. Father Thomas P. Smith is an able orator and is much in demand as a speaker on notable occasions.

The Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel. -Altoona has a considerable Italian popula- tion, most of whom are adherents of the Cath- olic church. Prior to 1906 most of these people attended St. Mark's church, where their spiritual wants were looked after by Father O'Reilly. As the numbers increased it became apparent that separate provision would have to be made for them and the Church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel was organized. A property was purchased at the corner of Eighth avenue and Eleventh street and the building remodeled, the first floor be- ing fitted up for church purposes and the sec- ond for a parochial residence. Father Pento was the first pastor, he being succeeded by Father William Cavallo, who labored most energetically and zealously for his people, striving to lift the debt that had been incurred in getting a place of worship during a period of business depression, when many of his flock were thrown out of employment. As a result of the severe strain his health was undermined and he died in March, 1909, after having completed arrangements to return to his native Italy in the hope of being there restored to

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health. He was succeeded by Father Nicholas Capaldo, who after a year's service was suc- ceeded by Fathers Jerome Zazarra and An- drew DeSanti, who came from St. Francis college at Loretto. The parish is now in a prosperous condition financially and has a large membership. A school is also conducted by American teachers, which is well attended by the children of the parish.

The Altoona Diocese .- Prior to 1901 the Catholic churches of Altoona and Blair county were embraced in the diocese of Pittsburg. In that year the diocese of Altoona was created by Pope Leo XIII, and the Rt. Rev. Eugene A. Carvey, D. D., of Pittston, Pennsylvania, was appointed bishop of the new see. The see of Altoona comprises the counties of Cambria, Bedford, Blair, Huntingdon and Somerset, taken from the diocese of Pittsburg, and the counties of Center, Fulton and Clinton, of the diocese of Harrisburg. Altoona was made the bishop's seat. In the three counties, Cen- ter, Clinton and Fulton, taken from the Har- risburg diocese, there are but few parish churches. In Center county there are parishes in Bellefonte, Philipsburg and Snow Shoe. Each of these parishes has outlying missions. The Catholic population at the time the see was created was about 50,000, and it is now in the neighborhood of 75,000.

Bishop Garvey was consecrated on Septem- ber 8, 1901, in St. Peter's cathedral, Scranton, Pennsylvania. The consecration was accom- panied by all the gorgeous and impressive cir- cumstances with which the Catholic church is wont to accentuate the solemnity of such an event. A prince of the church, Cardinal Mar- tinelli, the personal representative of Pope Leo XIII to the Catholics of the United States, was the celebrant of the mass. Within the chancel sat Archbishop Ryan, the metro- politan of the province of Philadelphia, Bish- ops McQuaid, of Rochester, Prendergast, as- sistant in the Philadelphia archdiocese, Fitz- maurice, of Erie, and Hoban, of Scranton. The preacher of the occasion was Father Kelly, S. J.

On the evening of September 24, Bishop

Garvey was installed as bishop of the new dio- cese of Altoona. He came to Altoona from Scranton. At Lewistown he was met by Rev. Morgan M. Sheedy and a committee of repre- sentative Catholics. When the train arrived the various Catholic societies, under the chief marshalship of Mr. Roger Morgan, escorted the bishop and the members of his party to St. John's church. Dr. Garvey was accom- panied to the city by Bishop Shanahan, of Harrisburg, Bishop Hoban, of Scranton, and twenty-two priests of the Scranton diocese. Nearly all the priests of the Altoona diocese were at the station when the train bearing the new bishop arrived, and they marched in the procession to St. John's church. Following the installation services in the church a recep- tion to the bishop was held in St. John's hall. The address of welcome on behalf of the' clergy and the people of Altoona was delivered by the Rev. Dr. Sheedy, whose concluding words were: "The last chapter of the Pitts- burg diocese in this mountain district is writ- ten. Today a new volume begins on whose title page is written, 'The Diocese of Altoona.' We thank Almighty God and the holy see for what has been done; and our prayer tonight is for you; that your vigor of mind and body may be long preserved, so that you ·shall re- main for many years a dignified, gracious, a devout presence among us, leading us as a kind, tender, faithful and far-seeing shepherd of souls to the fullness of faith, the service of fellow-men, and the worship and glory of our Father in Heaven."

Mayor Ellsworth F. Giles extended a warm welcome to the new bishop on behalf of the city, and Mr. C. A. Wood addressed the bishop as president of the Particular council of the St. Vincent de Paul society of Altoona and district.

Bishop Garvey responded happily to these adresses. He took occasion to say that he was proud of the fact that he was a native of Pennsylvania and educated wholly within her borders. Twenty-eight years of his pastorate had been spent in a neighbor- ing city, Williamsport. Although he came

LINCOLN SCHOOL. ALTOONA

ST. MARK'S CATHOLIC CHURCH AND SCHOOL. ALTOONA

PARK AVENUE SCHOOL, TYRONE

ROTHERT BUILDING, ALTOONA

GRACE REFORMED CHURCH, ALTOONA

ST. JOHN'S PRO-CATHEDRAL AND CONVENT. ALTOONA

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here as a stranger, a father cannot be a stranger to his children, and hereafter he is a spiritual father to the faithful of the Al- toona diocese. "With your assistance," he said, "good work can be accomplished. Es- pecially am I interested in the youth of the country, in good citizenship, in law and or- der." In concluding he thanked the mayor and the other speakers for the kind senti- ments expressed. Where he came from he enjoyed the friendship of all religious de- nominations and he hoped here to deserve the good opinion and win friends outside the church as well as in it.

Bishop Garvey was born in Carbondale in 1845. He secured his preliminary edu- cation in the Scranton public schools, and after completing his preparatory course, he studied at St. Charles' college, Ellicott city. At the age of nineteen years he graduated and entered St. Charles Borromeo semi- nary, Philadelphia. He was ordained to the priesthood in St. Peter's cathedral by Bishop O'Hara, in 1869. His first assign- ment as a priest was to Hawley; later he was sent to Athens, where he remained for six years. Bishop Garvey was then trans- ferred to Williamsport. While in the latter city he was made vicar general and a few years before his appointment as bishop he was transferred to Pittston. He was in- vested with the insignia of monseignor in January, 1901.

Bishop Garvey has fulfilled the highest expectations that attended his appointment as head of the new see. Within a year after he came to Altoona a magnificent Episco- pal residence was erected for him on Thir- teenth street, near St. John's church. Mis- sions have been established at various places, new parishes formed and probably a score of new churches built. Several years ago a magnificent orphanage was built at Cresson at a cost of upwards of $75,000. St. John's was established as the pro-cathedral of the diocese.

UNITED PRESBYTERIAN.

First United Presbyterian Church .- After some two or three attempts at inaugurating a United Presbyterian congregation at Al- toona, those in charge let the attempt rest temporarily, owing to the scarcity of those of this faith in this vicinity. However, in August, 1890, Rev. J. B. Jackson, of Elder- ton, Armstrong county, Pennsylvania, be- ing a delegate to the state prohibition con- vention at Harrisburg, stopped on his way to inspect the field and preached in Logan hall, August 17. This was the first United Presbyterian service ever held in Altoona. About thirty persons were present at each of the services held the during the day.

At a meeting of the Conemaugh presby- tery, held a Schlecta, September 9, Rev. Jackson stated that he believed the church should undertake to establish a congrega- tion here. The superintendent of missions was directed to arrange for preaching by members of presbytery on alternate Sab- baths until the next meeting. Accordingly, Rev. J. W. Johnson preached September 14 in Logan hall, and spent a few days here giving encouragement and counsel. Sep- tember 28, services were held in Earlen- baugh's hall by Rev. J. S. Hill, when a Sab- bath school was organized and officers were elected.

Services were subsequently held by Revs. Kingan, Telford, Greer, McMasters and R. A. and W. Jamison. In April, discourage- ments being many, the Sabbath school was closed, and a letter sent to a presbytery ask- ing them to consider the act of sending a stated supply. The body secured the serv- ices of the Rev. R. A. Hutchison, who began his services the last Sabbath of May, 1891, preaching in Kline's hall, at Sixth avenue and Fourth street. After that services were held in Earlenbaugh's hall again. From this on the church steadily grew until it was decided to build in 1893. The first chapel was dedicated July 1, 1893. Ten years later this chapel was extended to the corner at

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Howard avenue and Fourth street, giving the congregation one of the finest church edifices in the city, and making a combined auditorium and Sunday school room. The congregation was formally organized Sep- tember 12, 1891, with twenty members, and under the pastorate of Rev. Hutchison and his successor, it has had a remarkable growth, when it is remembered that there were but half a dozen United Presbyterian families in the entire city when the founda- tions of the congregation were laid. At the present time the church has a member- ship of 280. Rev. Hutchison was a pastor of extraordinary energy and his influence was felt in every good cause throughout the city. He served as president of the an- ti-saloon league, and in 1906 was the candi- date of the temperance forces for the legis- lature and polled a large vote, but not suffi- cient to overcome the normal republican majority in the city. The following year he was called to the chair of general secre- tary of home missions of the United Pres- byterian church of America and resigned the pastorate. He was succeeded by the Rev. H. A. Kelsey, who served from July, 1907, to May, 1910. At the time this is writ- ten the congregation is without a regular pastor.

The Second United Presbyterian church, located at Sixth avenue and Twenty-fifth street, was formed in 1906 as a mission of the First church. It was served two years by the Rev. H. P. Smith, who has been suc- ceeded by the Rev. Mr. Davidson, the pres- ent pastor. This congregation has a mem- bership of upwards of 100 members and has grown rapidly since it was formed.

UNITED EVANGELICAL CHURCH.

The United Evangelical church is quite strong in various parts of Pennsylvania, but prior to 1897 no effort had been made to or- ganize a congregation of the denomination in Altoona or Blair county, and the members who came here from other places usually drifted into other churches. At the meet-

ing of the Central Pennsylvania conference of the church, in March, 1897, the Rev. W. M. Sanner was appointed missionary for Altoona and Bellwood, and during the en- suing year he secured places to hold meet- ings and started the work. The following year Altoona was made a separate mission and the Rev. J. A. Hollenbaugh was ap- pointed to take charge of it. When he came to Altoona he found a congregation of thir- teen members, who were worshipping in a hall on the third floor of a building at Sev- enth avenue and Twelfth street. The same spring Rev. Hollenbaugh purchased from the Catholic church the property at Sixth avenue and Eleventh street, on which stood a building which had been used for a boys' school. The building was remodeled and made into the present neat and commodious church edifice. In 1901 the present attract- ive brick parsonage adjoining the church was erected. Rev. Hollenbaugh served the congregation four years, during which it had a rapid and healthy growth, and when he left in March, 1902, there was a member- ship of ninety-four, together with a flour- ishing Sunday school and missionary and aid societies. His successor was the Rev. M. I. Jamison, who remained four years. In 1906 Rev. M. A. Kennelly was sent by the conference. He was succeeded by Rev. W. B. Cox, who served one year. The pres- ent pastor is Rev. W. J. Campbell, who came in March, 1909. The congregation is now self-supporting and has a membership of 200.

During the pastorate of Rev. Kennelly a mission was formed in Juniata, and the fol- lowing year it was taken in control by the conference and Rev. M. C. Jacobs placed in charge. The mission grew rapidly and three lots were secured, upon one of which the present chapel, with a seating capacity of 300, was built. Rev. I. Sturger Shultz has been in charge of the mission the past two years and it is growing rapidly. It is the intention to erect a large church edifice in the near future.

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Twentieth century history of Altoona and Blair County, Pennsylvania, and representative citizens, Part 52

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872- Publication date: 1911 Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing Number of Pages: 1036

Author: Sell, Jesse C 1872-
Publication date: 1911
Publisher: Chicago, Richmond-Arnold Publishing
Number of Pages: 1036