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CHAPTER XXIX.


CHURCHES OF CINCINNATI—PAST AND PRESENT.


Cincinnati churches of 1840—eighty-five years ago—were as follows, as given by historian Charles Cist :


Roman Catholic, St. Peter's Cathedral, west side of Sycamore, between Sixth and Seventh streets. Very Rev. E. T. Collins, and Rev. Edward Purcell, pastors in charge.


The Church of the Holy Trinity, south side of Fifth, between Smith and Park Streets. This was occupied by the German Congregation. Clergy, Very Rev. J. M. Henni, Rev. Francis L. Huber, Rev. Francis Hammer.


Cincinnati was then an Episcopal see of the Roman Catholic Church, Rt. Rev. J. B. Purcell, bishop.


Protestant Church (Episcopal) known as Christ Church, north side of Fourth Street, between Sycamore and Broadway. Rev. J. T. Brooke, rector.


St. Paul's, south side of Fourth, between Main and Walnut streets. Rev. Henry V. D. Johns, rector.


Presbyterian—First, west side of Main, between Fourth and Fifth. J. L. Wilson, D. D., pastor.


Second Presbyterian Church, south side of Fourth, between Vine and Race streets. Dr. Lyman Beecher, D. D., pastor (father of Henry Ward Beecher).


Third Presbyterian Church, north side of Second Street, between Vine and Walnut streets. Rev. Thornton A. Mills, pastor.


Fourth—North side of High Street, near corporation line. Rev. Samuel R. Wilson, supply.


Fifth—Northeast corner of Elm and Ninth streets. Rev. John Burtt, pastor. These three churches were known as Old School General Assembly Presbyterian.


Sixth Presbyterian Church, south side of Sixth, between Main and Walnut streets. Rev. Jonathan Blanchard, pastor.


African Presbyterian Church, west side of Lawrence, between Symmes and Fourth streets. Rev. Benjamin Templeton, pastor. The last four churches are of the New School Presbyterian faith.


Reformed Presbyterian, south side of George, between Race and Elm streets. Rev. Samuel Robinson, pastor.


Associate Reformed Presbyterian Church, south side of Sixth. between Race and Elm. Rev. John C. Steele, pastor.


Baptist—Ninth Street Church, south side of Ninth, between Vine and Race. Elder S. W. Lloyd, pastor.


CHURCHES—PAST AND PRESENT - 401


First Baptist, southeast corner of Elm and Ninth streets. Elder W. H. Brisbane, pastor.


African Baptist—South side of Baker, between Walnut and Vine. Elder David Nickens, pastor. These above named were all regular Baptist churches.


Christian Disciples—West side of Sycamore, between Fifth and Sixth streets. Elder James Challen, preacher.


Methodist—Eastern charge. Wesley Chapel, north side of Fifth, between Main and Sycamore streets.


African Methodist Episcopal Chapel—South side of New Street, east of Broadway. Rev. E. W. Sehon, preacher in charge. Rev. M. P. Gaddis and Isaac Ebbert, assistants.


Western Charge—Ninth Street Chapel, Ninth, between Race and Elm streets.


Fourth Street Chapel—Northeast corner of Plum and Fourth streets, Rev. William Herr, preacher in charge.


M'Kendree Chapel, Fulton. Rev. Edward D. Roe, preacher in charge.


Northern Charge—Asbury Chapel, Rev. John W. White, preacher in charge.


German Mission—West side of Vine, between Fourth and Fifth streets. John M. Hartman, preacher in charge. The above are all Methodist Episcopal Churches.


Methodist Protestant—South side of Sixth, between Race and Vine streets. Revs. A. C. Barnes and Nicholas Snethen, preachers in charge.


Bethel African Methodist Episcopal Church—South side of Sixth, east of Broadway. Henry Atkinson, preacher in charge. Independent Methodist.


Friends' Meeting Houses—There were then two on the south side of Fifth, between Western Row and John Streets, occupied by different divisions of the society.


New Jerusalem Church—First Society, temple, north side of Long-worth, between Elm and Race, Rev. M. M. Car11, minister.


Second Society, Talbott's schoolhouse on College Street, Rev. Adam Hurdus, minister.


Third Society, corner of Sixth and Race. Rev. N. C. Burnham, minister.


First Congregational Society—Unitarian, southwest corner of Race and Fourth streets. Rev. John A. Gurley, minister.


First Restorationist Church—West side of Race, between Fifth and Longworth streets. Rev. Daniel Parker, minister.


United German—St. John's Church, north side of Sixth, between Walnut and Vine streets. Rev. F. M. Raschig, minister.


United German Protestant Church—Northwest corner of Vine and Thirteenth streets. Rev. Philip Hauser, minister.


Cin.-26


402 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE


German Lutheran—West side of Walnut, between Eighth and Ninth streets. Rev. William Seib, minister.


United Brethren in Christ—West side of Fulton, between Catherine and Kemble streets. Rev. Francis Whitcomb, minister.


Jewish Synagogue—East side of Broadway, between Fifth and Sixth. M. A. Moehring, parnas.


New Jews' Synagogue—South side of Third, between Sycamore and Broadway. James Levy, parnas.


Welsh Calvinistic Methodist—Harrison Street, east of Broadway. Revs. Edward Jones, pastor, David Rosser, assistant.


Welch Congregational Church—Corner of Lawrence and Symmes streets.


Bethel Chapel—South side of Front, between Lawrence and Pike streets. Rev. 0. S. Powell, chaplain.


Young Men's Bible Society of Cincinnati, Flamen Bali, secretary.


Cincinnati Catholic Society for the Diffusion of Religious Knowledge.


Ten years later the same authority (Cist's History) gave the following concerning the per centage of various religious denominations in 1851: Jews, three per cent ; Roman Catholics, thirty-five per cent ; Protestants, sixty-two per cent.


Denominational Membership—The following gives the present number of members for each religious denomination in Cincinnati, those of the white race appearing first :



No. Churches Members

No. Churches Members

Baptist

Congregational.

Disciple of Christ

Evangelical

Free Evangelical

Independent

Synod

Friends

Lutheran

Joint Synod

Ohio Synod

Methodist Episcopal

Methodist Protestant

Presbyterian Reformed

Presbyterian

United Presbyterian

Protestant Episcopal

Reformed

14

5

14

20

6

1

13

1

8

4

3

37

2

37

1

2

20

4

5,967

929

3,609

• • •

2,600

2,156

4,349

74

• • •

946

1,152

10,584

402

10,868

43

179

5,071

1,275

United Brethren

Total

 

907

51,296


(Colored Churches)

Baptist  

Disciples of Christ  

Methodist  

Presbyterian  

Protestant Episcopal  

Total

23

3

12

1

1

40

9,630

343

4,893

152

307

15,325


(Religious Census)

Jews (5)  

Roman Catholics  

Protestants (Evangelical)  

Other Religious Bodies 

Total

14,910

130,000

186,538

4,779

36,227





As a note for comparisons, the subjoined table is her annexed, showing churches and membership in 1870 and 1890:



 

NO. OF CHURCHES

NO. OF MEMBERS.

 

1870

1890

Increase

1870

1890

Increase

Per Cent

Baptist

Congregational Disciples

15

5

8

20

5

12

5

..

4

2,065

849

1,525

3,102

1,079

2,767

1,037

230

1,242

.50

.27

.82

CHURCHES—PAST AND PRESENT - 403

Episcopal

Methodist

Presbyterian

10

31

32

22

47

43

12

16

11

1,509

5,134

4,665

3,382

8,533

7,852

1,873

3,399

3,187

1.25

.66

.60

Total

101

48

48

15,747

26,715

10,986

.70



Present Day Church Organizations —Aside from some other religious denominations already mentioned in this chapter are the following :


Baptist Church —Of Chevoit, Rev. G. W. Argabright ; Columbia Baptist, 3714 Eastern Avenue ; Evanston Baptist, Rev. J. Stanley Mathews, Rutland Avenue ; First Baptist, Madisonville, Rev. Harry Mabie ; Hyde Park Baptist, Rev. J. A. More ; Immanuel Baptist, Rev. Samuel A. Stuice ; Lincoln Park Institutional Baptist, Rev. C. W. Atwater ; Linwood Baptist, Auburn Avenue, Rev. Robert J. White ; Ninth Street Baptist, John F. Herget ; Oakley Baptist, 3070 Madison Road, Rev. M. H. Bidwell ; Price Hill, Rev. R. D. Martin, Walnut Hills, Kemper Lane ; Walnut Street Baptist, Walnut Street, Rev. C. A. Menard ; First Romanion, Rev. Michael Costa, Whiteman and Dayton ; Bethel Baptist (Colored), Rev. L. W. Gray, Alms Place ; Calvary Baptist (Colored), Rev. J. W. Smith ; Corinthian Baptist (Colored), William Bradley, Wehrman Street ; First Baptist (Colored), 6515 Revere Avenue, Rev. Rollin Thompson ; First Baptist (Colored), S. J. Montgomery ; First Baptist (Colored), Park Avenue, Rev. Frank W. Green ; First Liberty Baptist (Colored), 76 Fifth Street ; Foot Washed Baptist Church, 1007 Gaines Street, Rev. H. C. Hicks ; Kennedy Heights Baptist (Colored) ; King Solomon Baptist, West Fifth Street, Rev. J. I. Saunders ; Metropolitan Baptist Temple (Colored), Ninth and Center, Rev. J. Franklin Walks ; Morning Star Baptist (Colored), 733 West Third, Rev. F. Glenn ; Mount Bethel Baptist, 441 Chestnut Street, V. L. Gains ; Mt. Carmel Baptist (Colored), 3101 Eastern Avenue ; Mt. Hebron Baptist, 747 Hopkins ; Mt. Lebanon Baptist (Colored), 911 West Fifth Street ; Olive Baptist (Colored), Charles Cartwright ; Mt. Sinai Baptist (Colored), 1 002 Front Street, W. W. Frisby ; New Hope Baptist, 708 West Court ; New Unity Baptist, 467 East Sixth, Rev. S. C. Smith ; Pentecostal Baptist (Colored), 923 West Fifth Street, Rev. John Turner; People's Missionary Baptist (Colored), Rev. J. E. Zellers, Kemper Avenue ; Pentecostal Baptist Power Church, 958 West Sixth, Maggie Colman, pastor ; Pilgrim's Rest Baptist, 951 West Sixth, Rev. J. S. Scott ; Pilgrim Baptist, 538 East Eighth Street, Rev. H. Miller ; Pilgrim Baptist Primitive Church, 802 Hopkins, Rev. Benne Zanders ; Rahmah Baptist (Colored), 2827 Preston Street, Rev. W. P. Chapman ; Revelation Baptist (Colored), 846 West Fifth Street, Rev. Wesley H. Thomas ; St. John Missionary Baptist, 942 Linn Street, Rev. J. T. Vernon ; St. Luke's Baptist (Colored), Madisonville, William Moore ; St. Luke's Baptist (Colored), 6o6 Jane


404 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE


Street, Rev. S. O. Shinnault ; St. Mary's Baptist Church, 532 West Court Street, Rev. W. D. Jameison ; Second Baptist Church (Colored), Madisonville, Lyman H. Ingraham ; Second Calvary Baptist (Colored), 617 Plum Street, Rev. W. R. Robinson ; Second Mt. Zion Predestinary Baptist, 816 Clark Street, Rev. Thomas Thompson ; Shiloh Baptist (Colored), 1068 Clark Street, Rev. Edwin Hazley ; Southern Baptist Church (Colored), 562 George Street, Rev. C. W. Williams ; Union Baptist (Colored), Mound and Richmond streets, Rev. Wilbur A. Page ; Zion Baptist Church (Colored), 430 West Ninth, Peter W. Edison.


Christian Scientist Churches —Church of Christ Scientist, No. 66, Odd Fellows Temple, Elm Street, Winifred W. Thiesing, first reader ; First Church of Christ, 2315 Park Avenue, 804 Atlas Block, Harry J. Logue, first reader ; Second Church of Christ, 2843 Clifton Avenue.


Congregational Churches —North Fairmount Congregational Church, Baltimore Avenue, Rev. Thomas M. Carson ; Plymouth Congregational Church of Glenway Avenue, Richard 0. Ficken ; Starrs Congregational Church, State Avenue and Warsaw Street, Rev. S. D. Wellwood ; Walnut Hills Congregational Church, Kemper Lane, Rev. Harry K. Eversull ; Welsh Congregational Church, J. T. Williams.


Disciples of Christ —Camp Washington Christian Church, Rev. R. G. Brunst, Sidney Avenue and Hoppie Street ; Carthage Christian Church, Seventy-third Street and Fair Park Avenue, Rev. W. F. Smith ; Central Christian Church, Ninth and Plum, Rev. Charles J. Sebastian ; Central Fairmount Christian Church, Fairmount, Rev. G. E. Roberts ; Christian Church, Prentice and Ward, Madisonville, Rev. Dennis S. Posser ; College Hill Christian Church, 1631 Marlowe Avenue ; Columbia Christian Church, Columbia Avenue, Rev. R. H. Lampkin ; Evanston Christian Church, Brewster Avenue, Rev. Peter Young ; Fourth Christian Church, 1821 Eastern Avenue ; Northside Christian Church, Rev. M. S. Kitchen, opposite Lingo ; Richmond Street Christian Church, Richmond and Cutler, Rev. D. E. Snyder ; Sixth Street Christian Church Mission, 1208 West Sixth, Rev. John Saxon ; Walnut Hills Christian Church, Rev. J. J. Castleberry ; College Hills Christian Church (Colored), Cedar Avenue ; Kenyon Avenue Christian Church (Colored), 718 Kenyon Avenue, Rev. Richard H. Davis ; Wehrman Avenue Christian Church (Colored), Martin F. Frazier.


Divine Science Church —No. 1216 East McMillan Street.


Evangelical Protestant Churches —St. John's, Mt. Auburn, Rev. Ernest Voss ; St. Mark's Evangelical Protestant, 947 Clark Street ; St. Martin's, Rev. Carl F. 0. Smith, 2652 Riverside Drive ; St. Mathew's, Carthage Pike, Rev. Walter R. Weitzeler ; St. Paul's, Fifteenth and Race




CHURCHES—PAST AND PRESENT - 405


streets, Rev. Paul C. Backeschus ; St. Paul's First English Evangelical Protestant, Huey Avenue, Rev. Carl F. O. Schmidt ; St. Peter's, Main and McMillan streets, Rev. H. Haupt ; Third Protestant Church, Walnut, between Eighth

and Ninth streets, Rev. C. L. Grauer ; Washington Evangelical, Sidney Avenue, Rev. Richard R. Fillibrandt.


Evangelical Synod —Columbia Evangelical Church, 4311 Eastern Avenue, Rev. Nathaniel D. Lehmann ; First Evangelical Church, Lock-land Avenue and Seventy-fifth Street, Rev. Robert C. Kuebler ; First German Evangelical Protestant Church, Rev. Henry Huebsch ; Immanuel Church, Tremont and Lawnway, Rev. Henry Sonnebar ; Martin Evangelical Protestant, Saffire Avenue, Rev. William F. Kohler ; Matthews Evangelical Protestant Church, East Epworth Avenue, Rev. Max F. Lutz ; Philipus Evangelical Church, Ohio Avenue, Rev. G. W. Grauer ; Price Hill Evangelical Church, McPherson Avenue, Rev. Walter E. Uhland ; St. Luke's Evangelical Church, 1014 East Third Street, Rev. Conrod Held ; St. Peter's German Evangelical Church, 612o Ridge Avenue, Rev. Paul C. Schnake ; Zion's Evangelical, Republic and Fifteenth streets, Rev. Fred H. Doellefeld.


Friends —Friends Meeting House (Orthodox), Eighth and Mound streets, Rev. Harry Summerhayes.


Greek Orthodox Church —St. Andrew's Church, 83o Dayton, Rev. Victor Four ; Holy Trinity, 124 East Third Street, Rev. Meletios Metaxas, priest.


Jewish Synagogues —Ansche Polen Congregation, Avondale ; Austrian Hungarian Congregation Jad Charuzin, 414 Clinton Street ; Beth Hamedroth Hogadel Jewish Congregation, 1018 Wesley Avenue ; Beth Jacob Synagogue, St. Lawrence Avenue ; B'nainin Israel, 428 Clinton Street ; Congregation Agudesz Schim, 4138 Spring Grove Avenue ; Holy Congregation Children of Jeshurum, Plum and Eighth streets, Rev. James G. Heller ; K. K. Adath Israel Temple, 658 Rockdale Avenue, Rev. Louis Feinberg ; K. K. Beth Tefyla Congregation House of Prayer, Eighth and Mound streets ; Ohav Shalem Congregation, Richmond and Mound streets, Rev. Joseph M. Levin ; Rockdale Temple, Rockdale Avenue and Harvey Avenue, Rev. David Philipson ; United Hebrew Roumanian Congregation, Hopkins and John, streets.


Latter Day Saints —(Mormons) in Hall at Seventh and Elm streets.


Lutheran Churches —Evangelical Lutheran Church of the Cross, Ravine and Valkert Avenue, Rev. W. F. Benzin ; First Evangelical Lutheran Church, 1210 Race Street, Rev. Jacob W. Knapp ; German Evangelical Lutheran Church, Emmaus Congregation, John and Bauer Avenue, Rev. Paul Dannefeld ; German Evangelical Lutheran Trinity


406 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE


Church, 1524 Race Street, Rev. Theo. Moellering ; Grace Lutheran Church, Verdin Avenue, Rev. Norman Snyder ; St. Paul's English Lutheran Church, Cook and Draper streets, Rev. Ralph A. Conrad ; St. Paul's Church, 5433 Madisonville Road, Rev. Walter A. Littmann ; Walnut Hills Evangelical Lutheran Church, Locust and Stanton streets, Rev. H. L. Meister.


New Thought Temple —Rev. James H. Pateman.


Presbyterian Churches —Avondale Presbyterian Church, Reading Road and Lee Place ; Bond Hill, California Avenue ; Calvary Presbyterian Church, Eastern Avenue ; Carmel (Colored), Ninth and Linn streets ; Church of the Covenant, Eighth and Elm streets, Rev. Stephens, pastor ; Clifton Presbyterian Church, Clinton Avenue, Rev. J. Shane Nicholls ; College Hill Presbyterian Church, Rev. Charles A. Austin ; Delhi Presbyterian Church, Rev. Albert G. Faith ; Elberon Presbyterian Church, Overlook Avenue, Rev. Harry H. Ferntheil; Evanston Presbyterian Church, Clarion Avenue, J. Herald More ; Fairmount Presbyterian Church, Baltimore Avenue, Rev. Henry W. Seibert ; First Italian Presbyterian Church, corner of Magnolia and Elm streets, Rev. Cyrus J. Scapellati; First Presbyterian Church, Walnut Hills, Rev. Fred W. McMillin ; Fourth Presbyterian Church, Orchard, between Sycamore and Main streets, Rev. G. W. Shields ; Hartwell Presbyterian Church, Parkway Avenue, Rev. Charles E. Walker; Kennedy Heights Presbyterian Church, Rev. John Kabisch ; Knox Presbyterian Church, Shaw Avenue and Erie Street, Rev. Herbert Hezlep ; Linn Street Presbyterian Church, Linn and Naeher, Rev. E. F. Cody ; Madisonville Presbyterian Church, Erie Avenue, Rev. Charles W. Blake ; Mt. Auburn Presbyterian Church, Rev. John W. Christie; Mt. Washington Presbyterian Church, Rev. Arthur E. Wilson ; North Presbyterian Church, Hamilton Avenue, Rev. Arthur Mattes ; Oakley Presbyterian Church, Thirteenth Avenue, Rev. William Price ; Pilgrim Presbyterian Church, 1222 Ida Street, Rev. William O. Jones ; Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church, Montgomery Pike, Rev. William L. Schmalhorst; Poplar Street Presbyterian Church, Rev. D. A. Green ; Rolls Hills Presbyterian Church, Baltimore Avenue, Rev. D. Wallace McMillan ; Salem Presbyterian Church, Mozart and Higbee streets, Rev. Fred. C. Heldner ; Seventh Presbyterian Church, Madisonville Road, Rev. Jesse Halsey; Sixth Presbyterian Church, between Linn and Baymiller streets, Rev. Ralph A. Armstrong; Trinity Presbyterian Church, Savoy Place, Rev. E. T. Swiggett ; Welsh Presbyterian Church, May and Crown streets, Rev. Hugh Rowlands ; West Liberty Street Presbyterian Church, Rev. D. Wallace McMillan ; Westminster Presbyterian Church, Grand Avenue and Price Avenue, Rev. Edwin M. Martin ; Westwood First Presbyterian Church, Montana Avenue, Rev. Bernard Lea Rice ; Clinton Street Reformed Presbyterian Church, Rev. Ernest


CHURCHES—PAST AND PRESENT - 407


M. Elsey ; First United Presbyterian Church, Sinton Avenue, Rev. Oscar T. Person ; Second United Presbyterian Church, Beekman and Sutter avenues, Rev. Oscar T. Persons.


Episcopal —Calvary Episcopal Church, Clifton Avenue, Rev. Albert N. Slayton ; Christs Church, Sycamore and Broadway streets, Rev. W. Nelson ; Church of the Advent, Kemper Lane, Rev. George C. Dunlop ; Church of the Epiphany, Stanton Avenue, Rev. Robert M. Hogarth ; Church of Nativity, Hamilton Avenue ; Church of our Savior, Hollister Street, Mt. Auburn, Rev. J. Hollister Lynch ; Church of the Redeemer, 3439 Edwards Road, Rev. Maxwell B. Long; Church of the Resurrection, Kirkwood Lane, Rev. Stephen H. Alliry ; Grace Church, Hamilton Avenue and Belmont Avenue, Rev. George McClicken ; Grace Protestant Episcopal Church, Reading, Rev. George Heathcoates ; Holy Trinity Church, Burns and Shelborn Avenue ; Holy Trinity Church, 5731 Peabody Avenue, Rev. J. D. Herron ; St. Andrews Episcopal Church (Colored), Eighth and Mound streets, Rev. Edward H. Oxley ; St. James Protestant Episcopal Church, Montana Avenue, Rev. Arthur L. Kenyon ; St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Findlay and Baymiller, Rev. Edward C. Boggess ; St. Marks Episcopal Church, 4023 Gilmore Avenue ; St. Paul's Cathedral, Seventh and Plum streets ; St. Philip's Episcopal Church, Kirby Avenue, Rev. Benjamin De Camp ; St. Stephen's Episcopal Church, Winton Road, Rev. Charles G. Reade.


Episcopal Society of Christ Church—This was organized in 1817 and its edifice is situated east of Fourth Street, between Broadway and Sycamore streets, and its cost was about $100,000. The present (1926) membership is 1686.


From an authentic history published by the society of this church this work is permitted to use the facts herein contained. Book No. 1 of the records of Christ Church, Rev. Philander Chase, rector of the Christ Church, Hartford, Connecticut, preached and performed divine service, according to the liturgy of the Protestant Episcopal Church, on May 18, 1817, in the town of Cincinnati. The following is copied from the records :


"Immediately after service he explained his views in coming to the State of Ohio and the success which had attended his labors in collecting and organizing churches to the glory of God and the good of human souls.


"Whereupon the following instrument of Parochial Association was drawn up for signature, viz :


"We, whose names are under written, deeply impressed with the truth and importance of the Christian religion and anxiously desirous to promote its influence, etc. etc., form a parish by the name, style, and title of the Parish of Christ Church in Cincinnati, Hamilton County, State of Ohio, in communion with the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America, whose Liturgy, Constitution and Canons, we


408 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE


do hereby adopt. Signed—Ethan Stone, Griffin Yeatman, William H. Harrison, Ar. St. Clair, Junior, James Taylor, Elijah Bemiss, Richard Fosdick, Thomas Danby, William Ruffin, Thomas Henderson, Edward Horrick, George Williamson, James Chambers, Joseph Walker, Jacob Baymiller, William M. Worthington, William M. Alexander, S. D. Baldwin, Luman Watson, William Jones, R. D. Richardson, Hugh Lloyd."


The rectors of this church have been as follows : Revs. Samuel Johnston, 1818-33 ; John Thompson Brooke, 1835-47 and 1849-51 ; Dudley A. Tyng, 1852-54 ; Clement M. Butler, 1854-59 ; Kingston Goddard, 1859-62 ; William A. Snively, 1867-69 ; Thomas S. Yocom, 1869-76 ; I. Newton Stanger, 1877-87; Richard Gray, 1865-8o (City Missionary) ; Robert A. Gibson, 1887-97 ; Alexis W. Stein, 1898-1900 ; Frank H. Nelson, rector from 1900 to the present time, 1926.


The first church edifice was erected in 1818 and was in use until 1835. To Mrs. Mary M. Emery must be given much credit for her liberality in building the present parish house and helping to furnish the same, besides donating the valuable lot on which the structure was built in 1905.


Reformed Churches - First Christian Reformed Church, Mulberry Street, Front and Vine, Rev. William Gouldberg ; First Reformed, Freeman Avenue, Rev. Arthur P. Schnatz ; Oakley Reformed Church, 4100 Taylor Avenue, Rev. Carl O. Schroer ; Salem Reformed Church, Sycamore and Orchard streets, Rev. Edward H. Wessler.


Salvation Army —Headquarters at Nos. 114 and 116 East Eighth Street.


Seventh Day Adventists —(Colored), Lincoln Avenue ; Seventh Day Advent Church, Locust Street, Rev. Roscoe Lindsey.


Unitarian Churches —The First Congregational Unitarian Church, Reading Road, Rev. John Malnick ; First Protestant St. John's Unitarian Church, Elm and Twelfth streets, Rev. Hugo G. Eisenlorh.


United Brethren in Christ —First German United Brethren Church, Clinton and Baymiller, Rev. Harry C. Shireling ; Hyde Park United Brethren Church, Erie Avenue, Rev. George W. Kopittke ; Mt. Airy United Brethren Church, Rev. Van Saun ; Norris Memorial United Brethren Church, Clinton and Baymiller streets ; Rev. Harry G. Clark ; Second German Church of United Brethren in Christ, Torrence Road, Rev. J. Assel; United Brethren Church, McMillan and Rohs, Rev. William M. Van Sickle ; Willey Memorial United Brethren Church, Borden and Weber, John C. Goodrich, pastor.


Universalist —First Universalist Church, Essex Place, Rev. John E. Price.


CHURCHES—PAST AND PRESENT - 409


Methodist Churches and Pastors, 1925 —The present pastors and churches that are now serving in the vicinity of Cincinnati and in the West Ohio Conference are as follows : Armstrong, Rev. Stanley W. Wiant ; Addyston, Rev. P. J. Brown ; Asbury, Rev. Fred L. Geis ; Avondale, Rev. P. H. Murdick ; Bond Hill and Elmwood, Rev. G. W. Keen ; Branch Hill, Brecon, Rev. H. C. Hershey ; California, Rev. W. B. Richards; Camp Washington, Rev. C. H. Reeves ; Carthage, Rev. W. L. Steffens ; Cleves, Rev. Wilbur Groby ; Clifton, Rev. C. T. Craig; Columbia, Rev. W. E. Putt ; Deaf Mute Church (meets in Wesley Chapel), Utten E. Read ; Delhi, Rev. W. P. Clark; Delta Avenue, Rev. W. Edward Roberts ; East Pearl Street, Rev. D. W. Clark ; Fairmount, Rev. E. D. Face ; Glendale, Sharon, Reading, Rev. Ralph Colton ; Good Will, Rev. R. E. Scully ; Hartwell, Park Avenue Church, Rev. W. E. Huber ; Hyde Park, Rev. Earl Hoon ; Linwood, Rev. Joel M. Wareing; Loveland, Rev. C. W. Harrison ; Madisonville, Rev. J. F. Olive ; Madison Avenue, Rev. Herbert Humble ; McKendree, Rev. J. F. Knapp ; Mt. Auburn, Rev. E. T. Waring; Mt, Healthy, Rev. B. R. Wilburn ; Miami-Harrison, Rev. J. F. McQuay ; Mt. Washington, Rev. 0. B. Cole ; Newtown, Rev. W. G. Neel ; North College Hill, Rev. W. W. Holland ; Northside, Rev. C. R. Williamson ; Norwood, First Church, Rev. R. J. Beard ; Norwood, Grace Church, Rev. William McK. Brackney ; Oakley, Rev. Fred Riley ; Pleasant Ridge, Rev. Bert Stevens ; Price Hill, Rev. W. R. Burton ; Riverside, Rev. I. G. Armbrust ; Rossmoyne, Madeira, Rev. L. C. Radley ; State Avenue, Rev. C. L. Myers ; Trinity, Rev. R. 0. McClure ; Walnut Hills, Rev. W. H. Wehrly ; Wayne Avenue, Rev. W. P. Castoe ; Wesley Chapel, Rev. Gervaise Roughton ; Westwood, Rev. C. C. Peale; Winton Place, Rev. A. S. Watkins ; York Street, Rev. Clifford Whitton.


Wesley Chapel Methodist Episcopal Church, of Cincinnati, was organized in 1803 by John Collins, a local preacher, and eight charter members. There are now upwards of four hundred members in good standing. There has been enrolled at one time 1,400 members in this church. The present pastor, Rev. Gervaise Roughton, has served as pastor since September, 1897, covering a period of twenty-nine years. The property of the society is valued at $1,000,000, the edifice of which later paragraphs will treat, is situated on Fifth Street near Broadway, in the heart of the city. Its history reads like a romance, as will be seen.


From the files of the Cincinnati "Enquirer," of 1903, the compiler of this work is permitted to use the following sketch of this old church, the same having been written by the well-known reporter, Mr. Homan


Old Wesley is regarded with veneration by Cincinnati Methodists as the "Mother of Cincinnati Methodism." The church has been the pastorate of as many as four bishops of the M. E. Church, Bishops Morris, L. L. Hamline, Randolph Foster and John Walden. The history of


410 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE


the church properly begins with the preaching of the first Methodist sermon in old Fort Washington in 1793 by a stripling preacher, one Francis Clarke. The next year an itinerant preacher, James Smith, preached the second sermon. In 1803 a local preacher, John Collins, visited Fort Washington to buy salt. Learning that there were some eight persons of Methodist faith in the vicinity he agreed to preach them a sermon. The result was that several weeks later the eight formed themselves into a class and appointed a leader. This organization, in 1803, was the first Methodist organization in Cincinnati and was the beginning of Wesley Chapel. It was three years before the organization grew strong enough to build a permanent place of meeting, and until that time they met at each other's houses. In 1805 Methodists had so increased that a location for a church was sought. One John Kirby, on September 25, 1805, deeded to five trustees of the Methodist organization the northwest corner of Fifth Street and Broadway. The original lot included the entire eastern portion of the block. On that lot in 1806 the first Methodist meeting house in the town was erected. It was a square, one-story, stone chapel and very picturesque. To the north, east and west the land stretched smoothly away while to the south it sloped gently to the river. Gigantic oaks and elms formed a grove about the little, church in the wilderness. To the southward, down the hill, lay the, most of the village on the eastern frontier. Such was the first "Wesley Chapel" of 100 years ago. Shortly after its erection, at short distances from it, arose a log cabin parsonage and a log cabin school house. A plot lying to the west was used as the graveyard in accordance with the customs of the times. At this time three sermons were preached on Sabbath. A peculiar feature was the old time class meeting, being held at sunrise, and known as the sunrise class meeting. In those days Chief Justice McLean and J. P. Kilbreth were the prominent members of the church. In 1809 the name "Cincinnati" first appears in the quaint, clear handwritten minutes of the trustees' meetings. In those days Wesley Chapel was the hall of the town, and was used for Fourth of July,, and Masonic celebrations and also for commencement exercises. In 1812, on a memorable Sunday, General Hull and his staff, in passing through Cincinnati, attended services at Wesley. The chapel was lighted as late as 182o with tallow candles set in tin sockets hung against the wall. On Christmas Day, 1829, the trustees decreed that old stone Wesley was too small. It was torn down and a second Wesley chapel, a handsome brick church, was built and dedicated Christmas Day, 1831. The minutes of the official board set forth quaint decrees regarding the church at this time. The right side of the church was set aside for women and the left for men. If men and women insisted on sitting together, side by side, the sexton was empowered forcibly to separate them and enforce the law. All persons were forbidden to leave the church during public wor-




CHURCHES—PAST AND PRESENT - 411


ship, to crowd into pews past persons sitting in them, t0 slam the door in going out of the church. The front rows of the church were reserved for aged members. In 1841 Wesley 0pened her doors for the funeral of a President, William Henry Harrison. As years went on, the church was greatly remodeled. In 873 W. I. Fee, whose wife inaugurated the woman's temperance crusade, was pastor. Among the many prominent preachers who have raised their v0ices in Wesley and whose names are well known in Methodist households are : Russell Bigelow, Trueman Bishop, John Durbin, Granville Moody, William Raper, John Pearson, and T. H. Pearne. But none of Wesley's pastors have been more God-fearing or c0nsecrated than Rev. Gervaise Roughton, present pastor 0f the church, who has kept alive its old institutions and added new ones.


Since 1895 this church has been known far and near for its being a tithing church—giving one-tenth of the income of its members so inclined. Hundreds 0f thousands of leaflets, showing the tithe and storehouse plan, have been distributed by this church, largely thr0ugh one of its officers, William G. Roberts.


The ministerial support is divided into fifty-two parts, and each week the pastor receives his equal installment, and has done so all these years. Likewise all the other current expenses have been paid promptly, and the benevolences have been increased manyfold. No debt has been incurred and nothing left unpaid at its maturity through nearly a quarter of a century. During about the same peri0d no suppers, bazaars, lawn fetes, or entertainments have been given by our people for the purpose of raising money. Often at socials and entertainments, refreshments are served, and luncheons are s0metimes given, but they are free to all who come. The church is supported by tithes, free-will and thank offerings.


The Presbyterian Churches —The First Presbyterian Church is the oldest church in the city of Cincinnati. Services have been held on the lot where the church now stands since the first settlers arrived in 1788. The church itself was 0rganized on October 16, 1790, almost six years before any other church in this territory ; the next in order being the Pleasant Ridge Church, which was organized in. October, 1796. The First Church was organized by Rev. David Rice, under a commission from the Presbytery of Transylvania. The original 0r charter members of this church were as follows : Daniel Kitchel, Joseph Reeder, Annie Reeder, Samuel Sering, Jonathan Tichenor, Sarah Sering, and Isaac Morris. The first minister was James Kemper, who served the First Church until 1796, when he became the minister of the Duck Creek Church, now known as the Pleasant Ridge Presbyterian Church. Since then the following have served as ministers of the First Church :



Rev. Peter Wilson

Rev. W. G. Wallace

Rev. Peter Davis

1797

1797-1804

A few months

Rev. John Davies

Rev. J. L. Wilson

Rev. S. R. Wilson

A few months

1808-46

1846-61

412 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE

Rev. J. E. Annin

Rev. W. C. Anderson

Rev. C. L. Thompson

Rev. G. B. Beecher

Rev. F. C. Montfort

Rev. H. W. Gilchrist

1862-64

1865-66

1867-72

1872-79

1881-88

1888

Rev. C. L. Work.

Rev. Sentz

Rev. Spiegel

Rev. D. McKinney

Rev. P. C. Morgan

Rev. G. Campbell Morgan


Stated supply

1920

1914-25

1925

1926




Rev. David McKinney, the pastor Emeritus, came to the First Church in 1914 after a long and faithful service of ministry in the First Reformed Presbyterian Church 0f this city. During his pastorate the church has rendered a great service to the city, and he ably maintained the great traditions of this fellowship. During Dr. McKinney's thirty-eight years in Cincinnati he has endeared himself, not only to those of this church and denomination, but also to a great host of friends in the community which he has served so long, and with such conspicuous ability. The new pastor, Rev. G. Campbell Morgan, who is assisted by his son, Rev. P. C. Morgan, can truthfully be termed a great preacher, as he has really outgrown strict denominationalism and has, for a number of years, traveled over many parts of this country, Canada and the British Isles as both minister and Bible teacher.


The church edifice of this Presbyterian parish is situated at No. 142 East Fourth Street, between Walnut and Main streets. It is therefore the most centrally located of all the city churches in Cincinnati.


The Presbyterian Church of the Covenant in Cincinnati was organized January 19, 186, and its beautiful stone edifice at the corner of Eighth and Elm streets is one of the landmarks of the city. Its property at present is valued at $700,000. The Sunday School has a membership of about 700 scholars, who are presided over as a superintendent by Dr. Carl A. Wilzbach. Among the noted ministers of this church was Dr. Lyman Beecher, father of Henry Ward Beecher and Mrs. Harriet Beecher Stowe, later connected with Lane Seminary. This has always been noted for being a down-town church with all departments of religious work and today stands for all that is modern in church activity. Its Sunday School, Bible School, young people's societies, social societies, missionary work and local charities all come in for their share. To the original church building a few years ago was added a handsome stone annex for Sunday School work. The church edifice is open daily for rest and prayer. Other improvements are now being made on the edifice.


Baptist Churches —Of the numerous white and colored Baptist organizati0ns within the city and its environments, the following account will give the reader a comprehensive knowledge of the general work of the denomination :


The Ninth Street Baptist Church was organized November 9, 1830, by Dr. Samuel W. Lynd, pastor, and nineteen charter members. Its present membership is not far from 2,500 communicants. The present pastor, Rev. John F. Herget, has served the church here since February,


CHURCHES—PAST AND PRESENT - 413


1904—twenty-two years ago. The church property occupies land from No. 15 to 25 West Ninth Street, which is valued at $500,000 today. Horace C. Drake is present Sunday School superintendent and the enrollment in January, 1926, was i,000. This parent church of the Baptist denomination also maintains five stations or branches in various parts of the city, with a Sunday School attached to each station.


From a brief history published on the ninetieth anniversary of this church many of the following historical facts have been used : The pastors of this church have been in order as follows : Rev. Samuel W. Lynd, 1831-45; Rev. E. L. Magoon, 1846-49; Rev. E. G. Robinson, 18491853 ; Rev. W. F. Hansell, 1854-58 ; Rev. E. T. Robinson, 1860-62 ; Rev. Wayland Hoyt, 1864-67 ; Rev. F. M. Ellis, 1868, January to November ; Rev. Reuben Jeffery, 1869-73 ; Rev. S. W. Duncan, 1875-1883 ; Rev. Johnston Myers, 1885-1895 ; Rev. Warren G. Partridge, 1895-1903 ; Rev. John F. Herget, February 19, 1904, and still pastor.


The records show that the Ninth Street Church was the outgrowth of earlier organizations of this denomination. Fourteen members from the Enon Baptist Church and five from the church on Sycamore Street, organized what was seven years later known as the Ninth Street Baptist Church.


The first pastor, Dr. Lynd, entered upon his duties the first Sabbath in 1831. Shortly after this the members of the First and Regular Church, which had been without a pastor for several years, united with the new church, and before the close of the first year they had increased financially so they could erect a church home of worship on Sixth Street, east of Walnut. The body was incorporated by special act of the Ohio Legislature February 6, 1832, under the name of the Sixth Street Baptist Church of Cincinnati, Ohio. During the first year what was known as Bethel, at the northeast corner of Elm and Ninth streets, was absorbed by the Sixth Street Church—hence we find four churches all forming the Ninth Street Church. It was soon found that more room was demanded than the Sixth Street location afforded, so that property was sold to a Presbyterian congregation and the Baptist people then purchased lots where their edifice now stands, between Race and Vine, on Ninth Street, and in 1836 building operations were commenced. The building was finished in 1837 and by reason of the change of location the corporate name was changed to Ninth Street Baptist Church. In 1849 the Walnut Street Church was absorbed by the Ninth Street, and in 1915 a majority of the members of the First Church united with the Ninth Street Church. In 1853 a Sabbath school was organized at Mt. Auburn and from that came the Mt. Auburn Baptist Church, which was formed in 1856 by nineteen members dismissed from the Ninth Street Church for that purpose.


In the autumn of 1867 the work of remodeling the edifice on Ninth


414 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE


Street was completed and in 1888 stations were established in different sections of the city, and these still exist, and are growing children of the parent church.


With the passing years many changes have been made on the main edifice, but little had been accomplished toward accommodating a larger Sunday school until 1920, when the beautiful law school, next to the church, was purchased by the latter and was converted into a Bible school building.


Numerous missions have been started and flourished for a time and some are still operating, but many went down or merged with churches.


The records also show that in 1830 the church started with its nineteen members and that when fifty years old it had 455 members ; on the seventy-fifth anniversary they enjoyed a membership of 1,221 ; and on its ninetieth anniversary it had a membership of 1,795.


Walnut Hill Baptist Church —This church was organized August 15, 1872, with Rev. S. A. Collins as its first pastor, who was at that time also pastor of the Third Baptist Church in the city. It purchased the lot and small building which had up to that time been occupied by the Methodist Episcopal Church, on Kemper Lane, just south of McMillan Street. The old building was removed, and a handsome stone church edifice was erected in its place in 1885, which structure at this date (January, 1926) is being replaced by a new structure. This will cost, when finished, with its organ and furnishings, $200,000.


The first stone church was erected during Rev. Linn Wheeler's pastorate and largely through the liberality of Mr. and Mrs. Hewett, members of the church, and dedicated free from debt in 1885.


The pastors, following Mr. Wheeler, were : Rev. A. W. Clark, Rev. George Williams, Rev. W. E. Loucks (1890-97), Rev. George R. Varney, and Rev. George W. Cassidy, up to 1901. Rev. Charles Sumner Brown became pastor in October, 1901, and remained sixteen years, until his death in 1917. The present pastor is Rev. Samuel H. Bowyer, D. D., who came to the church in 1918 from the great Central Baptist Church of Springfield, Illinois ; and it is during his pastorate that the present new building is being erected. It happens that all pastors, since Rev. Wheeler, have been graduates of the Rochester Theological Seminary.


It should be added that the present building operations have been possible through the gift of Rev. G. M. Peters, LL. D., a member of the church, who had been engaged in business, and of his wife, for $25,000 in 1917. It was planned before the late war but delayed.


The present membership is between four and five hundred. The church is centrally located for the large important residential district to the northeast of the business center of the city. Its location is in Walnut Hills, on Kemper Lane, south of McMillan Street.


CHURCHES—PAST AND PRESENT - 415


Lutheran Churches —Among the churches of this faith in Cincinnati are the following:

First English Evangelical Lutheran Church—This church was formed in 1841 and is now located on Race above Twelfth Street. It was organized by Rev. Abram Reck with twenty charter members. Its present membership is 96o communicants. The present edifice was erected in 1895 and is valued at $150,000. The present pastor is Rev. Jacob W. Knapp. From a booklet furnished by the pastor the subjoined facts have been gleaned.


Rev. Abram Reck, who came to Cincinnati December 8, 1841, succeeded in forming an organization the following December 19th. The church began services in the Engine House, located at the corner of Canal and Vine streets. They soon found better quarters in the hall of the Cincinnati College on Walnut Street, and the congregation began to worship there January 22, 1842. The church later took another location on Longworth Street. December 3o, 1844, a committee reported that they had purchased a property on the south side of Ninth Street, two doors east of Walnut Street. The amount paid was S5,500. Rev. Reck remained pastor four years.


The pastors have been in the following order : Revs. Abram Reck, 1841-45; W. H. Harrison, 1846-66; Joel Swartz, 1867-68; J. H. Helwig, 1868-73; R. W. Hufford, 1873-75 ; Ephraim Miller, 1875-78; H. W. McKnight, 1880-84 ; Ezra K. Bell, 1884-98 ; John A. M. Ziegler, 1899-1902 ; Jacob W. Knapp, 19o2, and he is still faithfully serving.


Under Rev. Harrison, who came in 1846, a splendid church edifice was erected on Elm Street. Under Rev. Bell, in the eighties, more room was needed and finally the present property was purchased and a building, costing $46,000, was erected, the same being dedicated in May, 1895.


While this church is situated in the down-town district, it is in no sense an exclusively down-town church, since it is made up of people living in all parts of the city.


The church held an interesting jubilee service in the month of May, 1916, when the organization was seventy-five years old. The past and present influence of this church is worthy of note and no doubt the future history will point to still greater influence.


Christian Churches—The Central Christian Church of Cincinnati was organized in February, 1829, with a charter membership of 150, which number, has grown to 450 and a constituency of 1,000. Its organizer was James Challen and its present pastor is Rev. C. J. Sebastian. With others, these ministers have served this church as follows : W. T. Moore, i866- 1878 ; George E. Flowers, 1878-79; David Walk, 1879-81; E. T. Williams, 1881-87; J Z. Tyler, 1887-92 ; J. A. Lord, 1892-95 ; A. M. Harvout, 18961905 ; J. L. Hill, 1905-08 ; C. M. Yocum, 1909-11; C. L. White, 1911-16 ;


416 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE


W. A. Moore, 1916-18 ; C. J. Sebastian, 1919 and present minister in charge.


The Central Church was formerly known as the Sycamore Street Church and later as the Christian Church on Eighth and Walnut streets. The Sycamore Street was originally a branch of the 0ld Enon Baptist Church, then located on Walnut and Baker streets, later styled the First Baptist Church of Cincinnati. The Enon Baptist Church was presided over for several years by Rev. James Challen. In the summer of 1828, Jeremiah Vardeman, a distinguished evangelist from Kentucky, visited the church and spent a number of weeks in earnest labor, and during his meetings a large number of converts were added to the church. Mr. Vardeman was known as a regular Baptist preacher and was intimately associated with Alexander Campbell. At that date n0 churches had as yet been formed by Mr. Campbell in western Ohi0 or Kentucky, in fact it was never Mr. Campbell's intention t0 ever form any distinct organization from that of the Baptists. He aimed to reform abuse from among them and to bring the church up to the apostolic standard or model.


James Challen first saw and heard Mr. Campbell in 1823, in Lexington, Kentucky, and became a constant reader 0f the "Christian Baptist." This was a paper edited by Campbell and which unfolded the principle he sought to carry int0 effect. He was soon in full sympathy with the reformatory movement which finally entered into the establishment of the Christian or Disciple Church 0f America.


As the Enon Baptist Church had become quite large, it was deemed best to form a new church. Accordingly, letters were granted t0 about a hundred and fifty persons. These called a council, in which a church covenant and articles of faith, quite brief and modernly Calvinistic, were adopted and the church was recognized as the Sycamore Street Baptist Church. They first met in the Council Chamber, on Fourth Street ; then in Talbot's school house on Fifth Street ; then in the upper room of the "Old Cooper Shop," on Vine and Columbia streets ; and in 1829 they entered their new house on Sycamore above Fifth. They so0n cast out the covenant and creed, erased the name "Baptist Church," which was inscribed on a stone tablet on the front wall, adopted the New Testament as their only rule of faith and practice and began more earnestly to plead for the principles of the Restoration Movement.


James Challen was the first past0r of the church, and continued his labors for many years, alternating at distant periods with D. S. Burnet and Walter Scott. Under these ministries the church received many additions and at one meeting, which continued three months during the winter of 1839-4o, there was an increase of 250 members. At this meeting Messrs. Rickets, Thompson, Moss and others assisted. As the congregati0n lived chiefly in the western part of the city, and as the chapel occupied was built on leased ground, it was deemed best to sell it and move




CHURCHES—PAST AND PRESENT - 417


further west. Accordingly, in the year 1845, it was sold, the Methodist Church South purchasing it.


The church soon secured a l0t on the corner of Eighth and Walnut streets and built on it. This was formally opened for public worship February 4, 1847. At that time the church numbered 368 members, and an excellent work was being accomplished. The drift of the congregation, however, was still westward, and therefore this building was sold, in 1869, and a lot was purchased on Ninth Street near Central Avenue. Work on the present building was begun in August, 1869, and in the meantime services were held at Union Chapel, on Seventh. Street between Plum and Central Avenue. The new building was formally opened and dedicated to the service of God February 11, 1872, under the efficient leadership of W. T. Moore.


This is the church edifice still in use ; it is opposite the city hall and it cost $139,000, but today, lot and all, would cost four times that amount.


Evangelical Protestant Churches—St. Peter's Evangelical Protestant Church, at the corner of McMicken Avenue and Main Street, was organized in Cincinnati in 1832, and on the occasion of their ninetieth anniversary they issued a brief history of their organization from which the writer is allowed to glean numerous facts as follows : The first document reads : "The Beginnings-1832-1848." One of the pages reads "This is the Church Book of the United Evangelical Protestant Church and Congregation of Cincinnati, wherein you will find the names of the children who have been baptized." The first membership consisted of thirty-nine members and they purchased a small house on Elm Street, between Third and Fourth streets. Soon it was felt wise to remove the building to the corner of Thirteenth and Walnut streets. The first minister was A. Hauser. The members paid from one to five dollars annually and the first great donation received was when Mr. Ritter died he left the church $95. Until 1840 the minister's salary was $240 a year. The church soon saw it to their advantage to own their own cemetery so they invested $1,500 in such an enterprise and none but members 0f the church were permitted to bury friends there. This was in 1840. This church was founded by religiously inclined independent German immigrants. Since 1925 this congregation belongs to the "Evangelical Protestant Conference of the Congregational Churches." The charter of this church, granted by the Legislature, had ninety days in which to sign their respective names and the total number was 302 persons, and each had to pay three dollars before signing, which seemed very 0dd to the German, who had always had the State pay all church expenses in his Fatherland.


During the cholera seas0n of 1849 the pastor of this church had 156 funerals. In 1871 times changed as regards the "despised German," and his victory over France in the Franco-Prussian war made them a popular


Cin.-27


418 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE


class of European emigrants to American soil. Many came and a larger church edifice must needs be had by this church. The corner stone of a large church was laid April 22, 1874, and a year later the edifice was dedicated. The pastor has been, since 1910, Rev. Hans Haupt, and the membership is Soo souls. The present (1926) Sunday School superintendent is Herman Becker.


The Salvation Army —Ex-President Roosevelt, in "The Outlook," compares the Salvation Army with the Franciscan order of the middle ages. He writes : "No history of the thirteenth century pretends to be complete unless it deals with the wonderful religious revival associated with the rise of the Franciscans, and no history of the nineteenth century, and probably no history of the twentieth century, will be complete that does not deal with the work of the Salvation Army. For many years the general attitude of cultivated people towards this work was one either of contemptuous indifference or jeering derision. At last it has won its way to recognition, and there are few serious thinkers nowadays who do not recognize in the Salvation Army an invaluable social asset, a force for good which works effectively in those dark regions where, save for this force, only evil is powerful."


The city of Cincinnati, through the Salvation Army workers here, has seen something of the same renovating and regenerating work which these writers describe. The army here is active and aggressive, and is accomplishing a vast deal, but it stands in need of the help and backing of the generous people of the city that its mission may be still more effective.


The Army has achieved here many notable deeds. It, from time to time, has had its greatest leaders visit it. General Booth himself has been here, and when on his visits has spoken in the churches as well as elsewhere, and has been received with high honors as among the foremost workers of the world for the benefit of humanity.


The Salvation Army long ago passed out of the stage of misunderstanding, among well informed people.


The spiritual purpose 0f the Salvation Army is paramount. It was founded originally for the religious enlightenment of the masses, and its primary and persistent aim still is to proclaim and exemplify, through song, word and deed the regenerating and revitalizing message of the Scriptures. It also has made tremendous advance in its social service work.


The Salvation Army was first organized in Cincinnati in 1888, a few years after its advent to America, and has been continuously at work here ever since its inception. It was not, however, until the year 1893 that a divisional center, or headquarters, was established, with offices, Rooms C and D, in the old Y. M. C. A. Building, Seventh and Walnut


CHURCHES—PAST AND PRESENT - 419


streets. It now has its own administration building at 114 East Eighth Street, in which one will find the divisional headquarters office, the character building department, the poor women's club department and the family case work department.


During the same year a training school for those training for officer-ship in the organization was established, and a station opened for religious meetings at Vine and Canal streets under the leadership of Adjutant and Mrs. James Bovil. The present divisional commander's wife was trained in Cincinnati in 1893. Meetings have been conducted almost nightly winter and summer on the streets by this organization since 1893. The Army, at the present time, has eight different points of contact with the people of Cincinnati.


Branches of work are :


1. Corps and Meeting Hall where religious service are conducted, located at 114 E. Eighth Street.

2. Corps and Meeting Hall where religious services are conducted, located on Pearl Street.

3. Fresh Air Camp where poor mothers and children are cared for during the hot summer months.

4. Relief and family rehabilitating department, 114 East Eighth Street.

5. Rescue Home and Maternity Hospital, 836 Beecher Street.

6. Rescue Home and Maternity Hospital, 712 West Sixth Street.

7. Emergency Home for women and children, 255 Pike Street.

8. Industrial Home and workingman's hotel, 1514 Freeman Avenue.


Here also is conducted the Transient Service Bureau, under the auspices of the Associated Charities—Salvation Army and the Bureau of Catholic Charities. The Army owns many of the properties in which their work is being done in Cincinnati and the value of same is about $240,000.00. Many hundreds of Cincinnatians are soldiers and adherents of the Salvation Army.


Plymouth Congregational Church —This church is situated in Price Hill and was formed with five charter members by Rev. S. B. Timmons. Its present membership is 457. The present pastor is Rev. Ralph L. Peterson who has served since January 15, 1926. A new church edifice was completed in 1913 and the same was enlarged in 1923 and a parsonage built in 1924.


In 1912 the following was written concerning the "Christian Science" church of this vicinity :


The Church of Christ, Scientist, has now two organizations in Cincinnati. About twenty-five years ago the people of this faith began in this city. They had at various times several organizations. About five years ago what is now known as the First Church of Christ, Scientist, in Cincinnati, was organized, inheriting the charter and members of previ-


420 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE


ous societies. Within recent years this s0ciety has gr0wn rapidly. It met for some time in an edifice in Avondale that was purchased from another religious organization. The increase of its membership compelled it to build a large and handsome church, which is on Park Avenue, Walnut Hills. This edifice was built at an expense of between $115,000 and $120,000. The congregation moved into it in March, 1911.


The Jewish Congregations of Cincinnati —The first Jew to arrive in Cincinnati was Joseph Jonas, a native of Plymouth, England, who, having heard in some way or other of the fertility and possibilities of the then new Ohio region, left his home to settle in Cincinnati, the very heart 0f the Ohio settlement. He landed in New York in 1816, set out from Philadelphia in the early part of 1817, and, after a long journey, arrived in Cincinnati at the close of the first week of March, 1817. Being a watchmaker by trade, he soon established himself and within a short time sent home word about the advantages of Cincinnati. Simultaneously with the arrival of Jonas in Cincinnati, one Phineas Johnson, of Portsmouth, England, had settled near what is now Connersville, Indiana. The glowing reports that Johnson sent home to his folks soon induced his brother, David Israel Johnson, to emigrate to Western America. This new immigrant, while passing through Cincinnati, met Jonas, who unsuccessfully endeavored to have him remain here. Johnson, however, joined his brother in Indiana, but returned t0 Cincinnati early in 1820, where he remained until his death in 1842, at the early age of 47 years. This David Israel Johnson was the father of the first Jewish child born in Cincinnati, the late Hon. Frederick A. Johns0n, who was born June 2, 1821, and who for many years was a justice of the peace of this township. His son, Simeon M. Johnson, is an honored member of the Cincinnati bar. D. I. Johnson was also the father of Edgar M. Johnson, for many years the law partner of the late Governor George Hoadly. Other English Jews soon found their way to Cincinnati ; these were undoubtedly attracted 0n purely personal grounds ; among them may be mentioned Lewis Cohen of London, Barnet Levi of Liverpool, Jonas Levy of Exeter, Abraham Jonas, Morris Moses and wife, Morris Symonds and wife, who came from Plymouth, and Solomon and Phineas M0ses from Portsmouth. In 182o some Germans arrived, Solomon Buckingham, Moses Nathan and Solomon Menkin. Between 182o and 1830 many English friends and coreligionists of the pioneers came to Cincinnati. During the same period some Dutch Jews, among whom were the Workums, some French—the Mayers—arrived. About 1830 the Polish and German Jewish immigration began, and soon we find such family names as Moehring, Alexander, Malzer, Heidelbach, Seasongood Milius, Sessel, Assur, Wolf, Bloom, Simon, Levy, Friedman, Barbe, Fechheimer, Frenkel, Goodhart and the like. After 1840 the German immigration soon outnumbered the English,


CHURCHES—PAST AND PRESENT - 421


and thenceforth, until 1882, the main immigration was German. In 1882 occurred the first great Russian exodus, caused by the inhuman persecution of the Jews by the relentless policy of the Czar. Since 1882 there has been a steady stream of Russian Jews pouring into Cincinnati. In 1900 the Roumanian persecution caused thousands of Roumanian Jews to leave their native land, and within the past few years a mere handful of these have settled in Cincinnati.


The Jews all the world over have been noted f0r their devotion to Israel's God. They have an abiding faith in the Thorah, Israel's sacred book of law, and wherever a few are gathered together, they assemble at least on the holy days of the year, the Rosh Hashonah (New Year) and Yom Kippur (Day of At0nement), which come in the early fall, and worship God as their ancestors did of old. The new immigrants brought with them this abiding religious faith that has ever, and it is hoped will ever characterize the Jews. In the fall of 1819, Lewis Cohen, Barnet Levi, Jonas Levy, Joseph Jonas and David Israel Johnson, who came over from Brookville, held the first Jewish services in the West. On the 4th day of January, 1824, at a meeting of Jews held at the house of Morris Moses, the following resolution was adopted : "Whereas, It is the duty of every member of the Jewish persuasion, when separated from a congregation, to conform as near as possible to the worship and ceremonies of our holy religion, and as soon as a sufficient number can be assembled to form ourselves into a congregation for the purpose of glorifying our God and observing the fundamental principles of our faith as developed in the Laws of Moses ; with these impressions the undernamed persons convened at the residence of Morris Moses in the City of Cincinnati 0n the fourth day of January, 1824, corresponding to the fourth day of Shebat, 5584." And on the 18th day of January, 1824, at another meeting at the same place, the Congregation Bene Israel (Children of Israel) was organized with Joseph Jonas, president, and Phineas Moses and Jonas Levy, vestrymen. In 1826 the congregation used a frame building 0n the west side of Main Street, between Third and Fourth. In January, 1830, was formed the Holy Congregation of Israel, "according to the form and mode of the Polish and German Jews of Cincinnati." Next they worshiped on Fourth Street between Broadway and Sycamore. In 1835 the corner-stone of a new synagogue on Broadway, between Fifth and Sixth, was laid and dedicated in 1836. What was styled the "Broadway Synagogue," was dedicated in 1852. By 1865 the congregation needed more room and built a new temple at Eighth and Mound streets, the same being finished and dedicated April 27, 1869. In 1903 the membership of this congregation was 370, receipts, $16,876.


The Plum Street Temple —About 1838 a number of young energetic German Jews, who were not in full sympathy with the English congre-


422 - GREATER CINCINNATI AND ITS PEOPLE


gation, Bene Israel, came to Cincinnati and in 1840 they met and organized an independent congregation which they named Bene Yeshurun. The first place of worship was on Third Street, between Sycamore and Broadway. The first general meeting was held September 19, 1841, at which Alexander Cohn was elected president. The earnestness, sincerity and energy of the young congregation is easily discovered in the first constitution ; the young and enthusiastic German Jews were already imbued with our glorious American institutions. On February 28, 1842, the congregation was incorporated under the name "The Holy Congregation of Children of Yeshurun." Of the original charter members, three are still living, J. H. Goodhart, Daniel Wolf, and Levi Friedman. In 1844 the congregation resolved to build a synagogue and in 1845 a lot on Lodge Street (now the site of the Columbia Theatre) was purchased, and on September 22, 1848, the new synagogue was dedicated. In 1847, Rev. James K. Gutheim was the minister of the congregation and under his regime some religious reforms were attempted, but the ultra-orthodox members were to0 strong for him and he soon resigned. He was succeeded by an Englishman, Rev. H. A. Henry, who in turn was succeeded by Rev. A. Rosenfeld. Gradually the anti-ultra-orthodox party of the congregation gained in strength and in 1853, after accepting Rev. Mr. Rosenfeld's resignation, the congregation invited Rev. Dr. Isaac M. Wise, of Beth-El Congregation, of Albany, New York, to name the conditions upon which he would accept an election. Dr. Wise named what he thought impossible conditions, viz : that he be elected unanim0usly and for life ; that he receive a salary which would make him independent and that he be permitted to enter upon his duties six months after his election. The congregation, on October 27, 1853, accepted all the conditions. This action of the congregati0n was a bold one for at this time Dr. Wise, who was personally known to few Cincinnatians, was being attacked fiercely and abusively in the denominational press ; he was denounced as a heretic and accused of being a disturbing element in Judaism. This action on the part of the congregati0n certainly showed whither its tendencies were directed.


Dr. Wise arrived in Cincinnati April 26, 1854 ; he had led a strenu0us life at Albany since 1846, and by his reform movement had brought down upon him the abuse of strict orthodox Judaism. In his "Reminiscences," he gives the following reasons for coming to Cincinnati : "The people there are young and aspiring and not yet cast in a fixed mold. Now, I understand what I have to do. I shall go to Cincinnati, start a new weekly journal, give Judaism a new and powerful impetus and avenge myself for the good of humanity on the narrow religious bigots so that they will think of me for a century."


With the advent of Dr. Isaac M. Wise, the Bene Yeshurun Congregation entered upon a new career ; it now became the banner bearer of


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reformed Judaism. Shortly after his arrival he abolished certain useless customs and prayers and introduced a choir and an organ into the synagogue. His success was immediate, and in 1855 the older congregation, Bene Israel, elected Dr. Wise as its rabbi with the understanding that he should divide his time between the two synagogues, but Bene Yeshurun would not consent and upon Dr. Wise's recommendation Bene Israel elected Dr. Lilienthal. In 1863 the congregation purchased a lot 132 by 100 on the southeast corner of Eighth and Plum streets, and erected a magnificent structure, now known as the Plum Street Temple, at the cost of $263,525. This temple was dedicated with appropriate ceremonies on August 24, 1866. This Alhambra temple, with its slender pillars and thirteen domes is one of the most handsome in the country. With the dedication of the new temple, the second period of the congregation's history ends. The actors in the great drama of quiet development were perhaps unaware of the grandeur of their work. The congregation had now abolished the strict orthodox practices, and was moving rapidly along the path of reform, with its light, its humanity, its enlightenment, and sympathy. Henceforth the congregation played the most prominent part in the affairs 0f that American Judaism that it had labored so sedulously to establish. The influence of the congregation now became national and was felt in all questions of congregational reform. Its fame was spread abroad by the fearless, earnest, enthusiastic work of its indefatigable and conscientious rabbi. During the years 1866-1900, he traveled in all parts of the country, dedicating new temples, delivering popular lectures, attending conventions, and conferences. In these assemblies, Dr. Wise was always the moving spirit and his personality and that of the congregation became inseparable. Aided and encouraged by the congregation, Dr. Wise established the Union of American Hebrew Congregations and the Hebrew Union College. In 1873 Dr. Wise received a call from the Congregation Ansche Chesed of New York, which elected him for life at $8,000 and house rent. But the Cincinnati congregation would not permit him to leave. His salary was increased to $6,000 and he continued to serve at that salary until his death, March 26, 1900.


While the reform element of the Cincinnati Jews is most prominent, there are still many orthodox congregations including Sherith Israel, organized in 1855. Sabbath Schools, the Hebrew Union College, Jewish church papers, of which the largest and oldest in the country is "American Israelite," established by Dr. Wise who continued to edit it until his death in 1900. Hospitals, homes for the aged, and the Jew's settlements are all indexes of the benevolence of these people. Again, the American Jew has ever been loyal to his country and politically he has served well in various official positions, in county and State. In the Chamber of Commerce the Jew has been a potent, intelligent factor in Cincinnati.


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The professions have a large number of excellent men within their ranks as lawyers and physicians. In Masonic, Odd Fellows and Knights of Pythias the Jew is found to be numerous and very active in fraternal matters.


CHAPTER XXX.


ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCHES*.


According to conjectural evidence the first celebration of Cath0lic worship in the Miami Valley 0ccurred in 1749, when, under the authority of the Marquis de la Galissoniere, governor ad interim of Quebec, Canada, an expedition was prepared by Celoron de Bienville to proclaim the sovereignty of France over the western territory of the United States. England, through her continental governors, had begun to claim this territory. To meet the attack, France determined to assert her right 0f previous occupation by an official expedition through the territ0ry in question. Accordingly, a number of French and Indians were assembled for the purpose at Quebec under the leadership of Celoron.


Our information of this expedition is derived from a report made under the orders of Celoron by Father Joseph Peter de Bonnecamps, S. J., who accompanied the expedition in the office of chaplain. Father Bonnecamps was the first to give us a good map 0f Ohio of that time and was the first priest, apparently, who offered the sacrifice of the mass in southern Ohio. The report was dated October 17, 175o, though it is given in journal form, telling 0f the events day by day during the expedition.


Comprising about 250 men, French and Indians, and occupying 23 canoes, the party left La Chine, near Montreal, on June 15, 1749. From Niagara, which they reached on July 6, they proceeded through Lake Ontario and entered Lake Erie. Thence they made their way via Chautauqua portage to the Alleghany River, which they entered on July 29. Here, at a place now known as Warren, Pennsylvania, on the south bank of the river, Celoron buried the first of a number of lead plates. By these notices he solemnly announced the sovereignty of France over the contiguous regions. Similar plates were deposited at five other points along the route, viz : below Venango (now French Creek), on the north bank of Wheeling Creek at its juncture with the Ohio, at the mouth of the Muskingum, on the south bank of the Ohio and the east bank of the Great Kanawha of Virginia, and at the mouth of the Great Miami.


The first meeting of some members of the party with Indians in Ohio came nearly being disastrous. Celoron had sent Joncarire and Niverville to the Shawanees in the village 0n the Scioto to announce the coming of the party. Their reception was anything but gracious. They were greeted with bullets, were made prisoners, and would have been executed except for the mediation of a friendly Iroquois. After Celoron came up*


* For a detailed account as well as for the authority for statements contained in this article, the reader is kindly referred to the work published by Frederick Pustet Co., Inc., entitled "The History of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, 1821-1921." written by Rev. John H. Lamott, S. T. D.


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he erected a fort opposite the Scioto ; friendly councils were held with the Indians on August 23, 24, and 26, while the English traders among them were ordered to withdraw from the territory.


Pursuing their journey down the Ohio, the party reached the Little Miami, where they encamped on the 28th and found a small band of Miamis with their chief, named "the Barrel." These Indians had established themselves here only a short time previously, having located their cabins, to the number of seven or eight, about one league from the river. They were persuaded to accompany Celoron to the village of "la Demoiselle" up on the Great Miami. The entire party embarked on the morning of the 31st and at 4 o'clock in the afternoon entered the Great Miami, where they buried the last plate on the west bank of the river. Ascending the river, they arrived at the village of the Miamis on Loramie Creek on September 13. This was the village under the leadership of "la Demoiselle" or "Old Britain," the friend of the English. La Demoiselle refused to yield to the entreaties of Celoron to return to the old settlements on the Maumee, but made his village a center of English trade and influence. A week was spent by Celoron on this spot, so it was not till September 20 that he resumed his journey northward by land. Without much loss of time the party pursued its way to Montreal and Quebec, reaching these towns on November to and 18 respectively.


We stated above that the first celebration of Catholic worship in the Miami Valley occurred on this expedition. On such expeditions as this of Celoron's, accompanied by Father Bonnecamps, it was customary for the chaplain to exercise the functions of his ministry for the members of his party. Though no mention of such administrations occurs in the entire relation, we think ourselves not at all stretching the bounds of great probability when we state that Father Bonnecamps celebrated the holy sacrifice of the mass whilst the party was encamped at the mouth of the Little Miami between August 28th and 31 st, and at the village of "la Demoiselle" on Loramie Creek in Shelby County, between the days of September 13th and loth.


This expedition of Celoron was really the beginning of Ohio history. We heartily endorse the sentiment of Rufus King when he writes : "The State may be proud of the auspices under which she first emerged from obscurity."


When the eighteenth century had closed Ohio had begun to assume a new aspect. Various settlements had been made in the State and invariably there followed the establishment of churches in them. The first Catholic settlement in the State 0f Ohio was near Somerset, in the valley of the Scioto. But quite early had some few Catholics found their way into the Miami Valley. As early as 1805 Michael Scott and his family had located in Cincinnati. There, just as at Somerset, was felt the need of a Catholic church with a resident pastor. In 1811 we find the


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first evidence of a desire on the part of the Catholics to have a Catholic church. On December 11th in that year appeared the following advertisement in the "Liberty Hall" of Cincinnati :


CATHOLIC MEETING.


As the Constitution of the United States allows liberty of conscience to all men, and the propagation of religious worship, it is earnestly requested by a number of the Roman Catholics of Cincinnati and its vicinity, that a meeting be held on the 25th of December, next, at the house of Jacob Fowble, at 12 o'clock a. m., when it is hoped all those in favor of establishing a congregation and giving encouragement will attend and give in their names, and at the same time appoint a committee of arrangements.


Repetitions of the advertisement occurred in the editions of December 18th and 25th.


No evidence has come down to us as to how many persons attended the meeting or what occurred at it, and since Father Fenwick, the first priest in Ohio, had not reached Cincinnati as early as 1811, we were at a loss to know the occasion of the advertisement until we chanced upon an obituary notice in the same periodical of an earlier date, October 16, 1811:


Died—On Friday evening last, after an illness of about thirty hours, Mrs. Margaret Fowble, aged 36 years, consort of Mr. Jacob Fowble, of this place, a few years since from the city of Baltimore. For fifteen years past, she has been the meek and humble follower of the Lord Jesus Christ. She had a confidence of her acceptance with her God and has gone to take her seat with the blessed. She was a tender and affectionate wife and mother, a sincere friend, and beloved by all who had the pleasure of her acquaintance; and has left a husband and several children to lament a loss that can never be made up to them in this world. A large concourse of friends and relatives attended her remains to the Methodist meeting house, where a solemn and impressive discourse was delivered by Bishop McKendree on the mournful occasion, to a very attentive congregation, whose countenances bespoke the share she held in their affections.


The sudden death of his dear wife without the last rites 0f the Catholic religion, the necessity of

her burial fr0m the Methodist Church, and the danger of a similar fate overtaking himself and his Catholic neighbors, aroused the energies of Jacob Fowble to consult with the other Catholics, few though they were, regarding the erection of a church.


A second attempt, which was to meet a similar sad fate, was made in 1817 by Michael Scott, at whose house Father Fenwick lodged on his visits to Cincinnati. Advertisements were inserted in two of the weeklies, the "Liberty Hall" and Cincinnati "Gazette," and the "Western Spy," both of which carried requests to the "Ohio Watchman" of Dayton to give three insertions. We quote from the "Gazette" in its issue 0f September 8, 1817:


A Catholic Church—The Catholics of the town and vicinity and those of the county of Hamilton, are requested to attend a meeting to be held at the house of Mr. Michael Scott, Walnut Street, a few doors below the Seminary, on Sunday, October 12th, for the laudable purpose of consulting on the best method of erecting and establishing a


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Catholic church in the vicinity of Cincinnati. They will likewise please to take notice that great encouragement is already held out to them.


"Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who, for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God." Hebrews Chapter 12-5-2.

Cincinnati, September 8, 1817.


Speaking of this meeting 0f 817 on the occasion of the cornerstone laying, in 1858, of St. Francis

Seraph Church, which now occupies the site of the First Church of Cincinnati, Rev. Edward Purcell, who had his informati0n no doubt from living witnesses, says that nine Catholic men, seven women and four children, answered the call of the advertisement. The undertaking had again to be abandoned for the time being, but a new impulse was given to the enterprise by Bishop Flaget the next May when he visited Cincinnati for a few days on his way n0rth. The Bishop arrived at Cincinnati on May 19 and spent two days there, urging the people to erect a chapel as the surest means of obtaining a priest. Writing of this visit to Cincinnati Bishop Flaget says :


"In the beginning of the spring of 1818 I left for Cincinnati, the chief city of the State of Ohio, taking with me Messrs. Bertrand and Janvier, whom I had to place with Mr. Richard, the cure of Detroit and the only priest in all Michigan. The eagerness with which the small number 0f Catholics of the city of Cincinnati received my visit persuaded me to remain there a few days in 0rder to give them the aid of my ministry. They are so poor they are unable to build a church, so that we held our meetings in one of their homes. My exhortations to them always concluded with the words that they build a church as a sure means of obtaining a missionary. They gave the most solemn promise that they would do so, and they kept their word, for a year later it was under roof."


It was as a result of this encouragement from the bish0p that a committee of Catholic men of Cincinnati, seeing themselves unable to pr0cure among themselves the means necessary for the building of a church, sent out an appeal for help to the Catholics of the East. When they had perhaps heard from the East, they called another meeting to be held this time in the house of John White. Notice was given in the "Western Spy" :


To ROMAN CATHOLICS.


A general meeting of the Roman Catholics of Cincinnati and the county of Hamilton is requested, at the house of John White, in Columbia street near Broadway, on Sunday, 7th of March next.


On business of importance.

By order of the Committee

February 26, 1819.

JOHN SHERLOCK, Sec'ry.


We are not left to conjecture long what this "business of importance" was ; it was none other than the organization of the congregation and the building of the church, for which m0neys were needed, as we may discern


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from the next n0tice inserted in the "Western Spy" of Saturday, March 13.


TO ROMAN CATHOLICS.


The Roman Catholics of Hamilton county are requested to forward to the Treasurer in the course of the next and the following month, as large a portion of their subscriptions as they possibly can, as the committee will thereby be enabled to have the church ready for Divine Service by next Easter Sunday.


By order of the Committee

MICHAEL SCOTT, Sec'ry.


The site chosen for the church was on lots one and two in a tract of land adjoining the northern boundary of the city of Cincinnati, which James Findlay had laid out into fifty-two l0ts and had denominated the Northern Liberties. Lots one and two are now occupied by the present St. Francis Church at the northwest corner of Vine and Liberty streets. The reasons prompting the Catholics in the choice of that site were that it was a more central site for the c0unty, as the advertisements given above show that the interests of the people outside of the boundaries of the city were also consulted ; secondly, the paucity of their members and their very limited means did not permit them to buy property within the city limits, as that property was to0 high priced. On the other hand they obtained very easy terms from James Findlay, who had advertised that he would sell under "easy terms." As a matter of fact, the congregation agreed to purchase the two lots from Mr. Findlay for $1,200.00 ; but on the day of the transfer of the property, they executed a mortgage to James Findlay for $750.00, a transaction which speaks for itself in reference to the poverty of the Catholics at Cincinnati.


In this connection it may be interesting to follow up the names of the early Catholics of Cincinnati in the Cincinnati directory of 1819:


Byrne, James W., 12 E. New Market (no occupation given) ; directory of 1825 says : brewer, water b. Main and Walnut ; Boyle, Wm., millwright, 47 Lower Market ; Cazelles, Peter, silversmith, 112 Main Street ; Fowble, Jacob, grocer, 21 Water Street ; Lynch, Edward, tailor, 20 East Front ; Moran, Michael, grocer, Congress b. Broadway and Ludlow ; Reily, Michael, house carpenter, Walnut b. Third and Fourth ; Sherlock, John, distiller, No. 56 West Front Street ; Walsh, Patrick, 57 Broadway ; Ward, Robert S., house carpenter, 60 Fifth, b. Walnut and Vine ; White, John, inn-keeper, Second, b. Sycamore and Broadway.


Three names, those of Thomas Dugan, John M. Mahon and James Gorman, signatures to a petition in 1820 to Archbishop Marechal of Baltimore, appear neither in the directory of 1819 nor of 1825. It is possible they lived outside of Cincinnati.


Taking advantage of an act for the incorporation of religious societies, passed by the General Assembly of the State of Ohio on February 5, 1819, these men organized themselves into a congregation of the Roman


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Catholic Church of Cincinnati to be known as Christ Church. Its five trustees were : Patrick Reily, John Sherlock, Thomas Dugan, Edward Lynch and Michael Scott.


The actual work on the church did not take much time. Mr. Michael Scott, a house carpenter by profession, prepared the plans which were given to Mr. William Reilly, of Alexandria, Kentucky, for execution. The latter tells us in his diary :


Having followed carpentering in Cincinnati, and having put up a number of frame buildings, I was employed by a gentleman of the denomination of Catholics, to build a frame Church, which I agreed to do. I got all the timber on my own land and framed it on my own premises, about eight miles east of Alexandria, hauled the timber to the river, rafted and landed it down low in Cincinnati. It was hauled out to a vacant lot, no house of any kind near it. We put up the house and they paid me honestly for my work.


The church was plain, measuring about 55 feet by 30 feet, was probably completed according to intention for Easter Sunday, 1819, and on that day mass was said in it for the first time. The congregation numbered about 300 souls. This was the first Catholic church in the Miami Valley. Before the second Catholic was built, Cincinnati had been chosen as the Episcopal see of the diocese of Cincinnati, which had been erected on June 19, 1821, and defined with the entire State of Ohio as the limits of its jurisdiction. Since that date four bishops : Fenwick, Purcell, Welder and Moeller, have ruled the destinies of the Catholic church in the Miami Valley. Before continuing the history of the parochial development we shall give a short sketch of each of these bishops of Cincinnati.


Bishop Edward Dominic Fenwick, O. P., D. D., the first priest to reside permanently in the State of Ohio, was born on August 19, 1768, in St. Mary's County, on the Patuxent River, Maryland. His parents were Ignatius Fenwick of Wallington, a descendant of Cuthbert Fen-wick of the Fenwicks of Fenwick Tower, Northumberland, England, through the cadet branch of the Longshaws, and Sarah Taney, daughter of Michael Taney and Sarah Brooke. Of both of his parents he was bereft before the age of fifteen, but was sufficiently provided for by the large paternal estate in Maryland. In the fall of 1784 he was sent to Holy Cross College, Bornheim, Belgium, which was conducted by refugee Dominican monks from England. Upon the completion of his studies in the humanities, he entered the Dominican order at Bornheim on September 4, 1788, and was professed therein on March 26, 1790. After a study of theology, he was ordained priest in the order, probably on February 23, 1793. His first charge was that of teacher in the college. When the advent of the French revolutionary troops in the spring of 1794 caused the English monks of the convent to take flight to England, he was made procurator of the convent, as it was thought that his American


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citizenship would protect him and the convent from harm. Taken prisoner notwithstanding, he effected his escape to England, where he joined his confreres at Carshalton, county of Surrey. He remained in England until September, 1804, when he sailed for the United States, where he planned the establishment of a branch of his order. The site eventually selected for the foundation was St. Rose's, Springfield County, Kentucky, whither, after two years' labor on the missions of Baltimore, Father Fenwick betook himself in July, 1806. In Kentucky he exerted himself not only in the erection of the necessary convent buildings, but also in the neighboring missions. The latter work seemed to be his work of predilection. Having had his attention called to some Catholics near Somerset, Ohio, he visited them first in 1808 and then yearly or twice a year as he found it possible for him until 1816, when he took up his residence permanently near Somerset. Here, with the aid of the Dittoe and Fink families, he constructed the first Catholic church in the State of Ohio. From Somerset he visited also the incipient congregations throughout the State. When the diocese of Cincinnati was erected on June 19, 1821, he was chosen the first bishop of Cincinnati, for which office he was consecrated at St. Rose's, Kentucky, 0n January 13, 1822. In the following March he took possession of his see at Cincinnati.


His first enterprise was to move the Catholic Church, which was then located beyond the corporation limits of Cincinnati, at Vine and Liberty streets, to Sycamore Street, between Sixth and Seventh streets, where now stands the St. Xavier Church. This was effected before the winter of 1822, as the church had seen service on the new site by December 5th of that year. This church, which up till then had borne the name of Christ Church, was now called St. Peter's Church. As a building it was practically the same old frame building which had stood at Vine and Liberty streets. An attempt had been made to transfer it in its entirety to the new site but failed, as after it had begun to fall apart, and it had to be broken up and put together once more on Sycamore Street.


A years' residence at Cincinnati sufficed to convince the bishop of the necessity of outside help. His co-laborers were few, calls for their ministrations many, his flock widely scattered and in most instances poor in the possessions of this world. At Cincinnati there were about '00 persons from whom he could manage to receive but two or three dollars in the Sunday collections. This was all the support that he received. On the church property at Vine and Liberty streets there was a mortgage of $750 whilst he had bought the lot on Sycamore Street on credit. Difficulties, too, arose from the apportionment of dominicans to Kentucky and Ohio. Bishop Fenwick resolved, therefore, to lay his case before the authorities at Rome ; to resign his heavy office, if permitted to do so ; if not permitted, to appeal for European aid in his missions. Leaving Cincinnati on May 30, 1823, he arrived at Rome September 26. On the


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following October 6th he was received in audience by the newly elected Pope Leo XII. From this audience dates the beginning of the great amount of alms which was showered upon the diocese of Cincinnati. The Pope led in the charity which he urged upon the cardinals, bishops and laity of Italy and the other countries of Europe. Ten to twelve thousand dollars, ecclesiastical furnishings and paintings inestimable were the fruits of this European quest, which was carried through all of Europe during the year 1824.


When the bishop returned to his episcopal city in the spring of 1825 he began at once the erection of a cathedral to replace the structure on Sycamore Street. The plan was drawn by Mr. Michael Scott, a Catholic builder of Cincinnati. The corner-stone of the building was laid on May 19, 1825, and the dedication of it in honor of St. Peter was made on December 17, 1826. For a description of this building, which attracted favorable comment generally, we refer to the following communication of a subscriber to the "United States Catholic Miscellany" on May 3, 1828 :


"The cathedral is a neat and elegant building of about 100 feet by 50 feet, distinguished on the outside only by the regularity of the brick work, fine gothic windows, a large cross formed by the pilasters in front, and a small spire, not yet finished, designated to support a clock ; a handsome gate and railing separated from the street. The interi0r is remarkable for grand simplicity and chastness of design, finished in the Gothic order. The altar, pulpit, and bishop's chair are handsomely finished and richly decorated. The effect produced by the splendid bronze tabernacle, surmounted by a beautiful crucifix, in the midst of ten superb candlesticks of the same material, is truly imposing. There is nothing light, frivolous or gaudy to be seen ; dignity is sustained thr0ughout, and imparts an awful solemnity to the performance of the divine service. Thirteen large and choice paintings, presented to the bishop, I understand, by his Eminence Cardinal Fesch, uncle of Napoleon Bonaparte, embellish the walls. There is a handsome well-toned organ in the gallery; on each side of which I perceived the confessionals, where the priests attend to discharge that awful part of their ministry. The floor of the church is paved with tile, which must render it cool in summer, and prevents the great noise occasioned by walking up the aisles, which is a considerable annoyance in churches, where the floor is of wood. The good bishop assured me that he was wholly indebted to the Common Father of the faithful, and to the benefactors in Europe, for his establishment in Cincinnati, which is, in turn, like himself, modest and unaffected ; he has, doubtless, made a judicious, economical and prudent application of the funds which he received from his trans-Atlantic friends ; he has received none from any other source. 'No prophet is received in his own country.' "


A building which soon arose to be the companion of the cathedral


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was the Athenaeum, the plans of which had been drawn by Mr. Alpheus White. The cornerstone of the structure was laid on May 14, 1830, whilst the opening occurred on October 17, 1831.


In caring for the needs of the city of Cincinnati, Bishop Fenwick did not neglect the rest of the State nor even the State of Michigan, the spiritual administration of which had been entrusted to him. These parts he visited regularly during the summer months of the year. It was in the performance of this exacting task that the final summons came to him. He was on his return to his episcopal city after several months visitation of cities in Ohio and Michigan, when he became violently stricken by the cholera, which was then raging along the Great Lakes. Having left Canton, Ohio, on September 25th, 1832, for Wooster, he succeeded in reaching Wooster, where he had to retire immediately, so acute had become the pains from which he was suffering. Near noon on the following day he passed away, unattended by any priest, as none could reach him in time. A faithful Catholic neophyte was his companion in his last hours. His remains were interred at Wooster, but in the next year were transferred to Cincinnati, where they are deposited in the mausoleum at St. Joseph Cemetery, Price Hill.


The successor to Bishop Fenwick was the Rt. Rev. John Baptist Purcell, D. D., who was born on February 26, 1800, in the town of Mallow, County Cork, Ireland, son of Edward and Joanna Purcell. After a classical course at Mallow, John wished to pursue his studies for the priesthood, but was unable to do so with the means at his disposal. He betook himself, therefore, when but eighteen years of age, to America, expecting to be able to attain his object there within a brief period. His excellent talents and classical education enabled him to obtain from the faculty of Asbury College a certificate of qualification to teach. Upon the strength of this he became a private tutor in the family of Dr. Wisson, resident of the eastern shore of Maryland. When two years had been spent in this manner he applied for and obtained admission as a student in St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg. Finding him an apt student his superiors at Emmitsburg decided to have him prepare himself to occupy a chair in that institution after his ordination. Accordingly, he was sent, on March 1, 1824, to the Seminary of St. Sulpice, Paris. At the end of his theological course, on May 20, 1826, he was ordained priest by Archbishop de Quelen in the Cathedral of Notre Dame, Paris. Two years were spent in further study at Paris before his return to his alma malty at Emmitsburg, where he became professor, then vice-president in October, 1828, and president in November, 1829. He was occupying this last position when the summons to Cincinnati came to him in 1833. Having been nominated bishop of Cincinnati on February 25, 1833, he received the brief of nomination on August 2d at Emmitsburg. His consecration to the new office occurred on October 13, in the Baltimore Cathedral at the


Cin.-28


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hands of Archbishop James Whitfield. A month later, on November 14, he arrived at Cincinnati to be inducted into office by Bishop Flaget of Bardstown.


This was the beginning of an episcopate which was to continue for nearly fifty years. When these fifty years had passed Catholicity in the Miami Valley and in the State of Ohio had assumed an enviable position. The might of the intellect of Bishop Purcell had won to his cause many of the most influential men of the city of Cincinnati as well as the entire State. His influence in affairs of every kind had become of first importance. His labors, despite small physical strength with which he had been endowed, were so extensive as to conduce most highly to the development of parishes throughout Ohio. As a consequence of this development the original diocese of Cincinnati suffered a necessary division in its territory ; once in 1847 when the entire northern section of Ohio was erected into the diocese of Cleveland, and again in 1868 when the southeastern section was erected into the diocese of Columbus. In 1850, when the diocese of Cincinnati was raised to the dignity of an archdiocese, Bishop Purcell became the first archbishop of Cincinnati. During his forty-nine years of episcopate, numerous occasions caused him to journey to Europe, where he prosecuted the cause of Catholicity in his own diocese and where he became kn0wn in all influential circles. Both at home and abroad his name was respected. It was, therefore, with great sorrow that the news of the financial failure which became associated with his name was received throughout the world. The failure sapped the strength of the archbishop, who then retired to the convent of the Ursuline nuns at St. Martin's, Brown County, to spend his last days in preparation for the day of his death, July 4, 1883. The cemetery of the Brown County convent covets the remains of this great archbishop of Cincinnati.


Immediately upon his death Bishop Elder became the archbishop of Cincinnati, as he had been coadjutor to Archbishop Purcell since January 30, 1880. William Henry Elder, son of Basil Spalding Elder and Elizabeth Snowden, was born on March 22, 1819, at Baltimore, Maryland. After a private school education in Baltimore he was sent, at the age of twelve, to Mt. St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, where he continued for the next six years, graduating from the classical course in June, 837. In the fall of the year 1837 he entered upon his philosophical and theological studies in the seminary at Emmitsburg. Like his predecessor at Cincinnati, he, too, was destined for a place on the staff of the faculty of the college, for which reason he was sent to the college of the Propaganda towards the end of 1842. There he was ordained priest on March 29, 1846.


Returning to his native land and archdiocese he was at once appointed professor of dogmatic theology in his alma mater, a position which he


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occupied until his resignation in 1857, when he was appointed bishop of Natchez, Mississippi. His consecration as bishop of that see occurred on May 3, 1857, in the cathedral at Baltimore, where Archbishop Kenrick, assisted by Bishops John McGill, of Richmond, and James F. Wood, of Philadelphia, performed the ceremony. In the diocese of Natchez, where he labored until his coming to Cincinnati in 1880, Bishop Elder won the hearts of all his faithful by his labors and unceasing charities. In the Civil War he was virtually imprisoned by Union officers for failure to comply with their mandates to order prayers said in his churches for the Union officials and the success of the Union arms. Upon his appeal to Washington the iniquitous sentence was revoked.


At Cincinnati Archbishop Elder had before him the embroglio of the financial failure of 1878. To bring order out of chaos was his most arduous task, wherein he displayed great prudence. He continued his work almost up to the time of his death, which occurred at Cincinnati on October 31, 1904. His body was borne 0ut to St. Joseph's cemetery, where it lies in a grave on the priests' lot.


The day of Archbishop Elder's death ushered in the fourth bishop of Cincinnati, Archbishop Moeller, who had been the coadjutor to Archbishop Elder since April 27, 1903. Henry Moeller was born in Cincinnati on December 11, 1849, of Bernard and Teresa (Witte) Moeller. After a primary education at St. Joseph's School, he was sent to St. Xavier College, where he continued for six years. He was sent then to the American College, Rome, for his philosophical and theological studies. Upon the completion of seven years of study in these branches he was ordained priest in the basilica of St. John Lateran on June 10, 1876. In the following September he received his first appointment in his native diocese at Bellefontaine, Ohio. He was summoned to Cincinnati in October, 1877, to become professor in Mt. St. Mary Seminary, Price Hill. In November, 1879, he was granted leave of absence from the diocese in order to become secretary of Bishop Chatard of Vincennes, Indiana, but when Bishop Elder came to Cincinnati in the following spring, he was charged with the same office of secretary to Bishop Elder at Cincinnati July 14, 1880.


At Cincinnati he was appointed chancellor in 1886, and in that position he continued until his consecration as bishop of Columbus, Ohio, on' August 25, 1900. On June 26, 1903, he returned to Cincinnati to take up the duties of his new office, that of coadjutor to Archbishop Elder. Since the death of Archbishop Elder, Archbishop Moeller has governed the archdiocese of Cincinnati.


Returning to our consideration of the beginnings of the parochial development of Catholicity in the Miami Valley, we direct our attention to the parish of St. Martin's in Brown County, which was the second Catholic parish in the valley. The first sign of Catholic activity in


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Brown County is seen in the following letter, which was addressed to Bishop Carroll, of Baltimore, on September 25, 1820, by several Catholic inhabitants of Cincinnati :


Cincinnati, Ohio, September 25, 1820.


We the Roman Catholic committee of this city, beg to inform you, that about thirty miles from hence, on the east branch of the Little Miami River, there have several families of the Catholic faith established themselves on a body of fertile lands, purchased by them from William Lytle, Esq.; who in order to encourage settlers of our faith has with that liberality for which he stands distinguished, granted a considerable tract of land for the use and benefit of a Roman Catholic Church to be established there, in addition to which several of the settlers have contributed portions of land contiguous to the same, so as to form a respectable fund for the above pious purpose.


It hitherto having been a matter of deep regret and bitter disappointment to many of our countrymen, that on settling in the western wilds of this country, they have been deprived of the comforts and benefits arising from the exercise of our holy religion, we consider it of prime importance to give information to such persons as are inclined to emigrate hither, that on the extensive tracts of land, of first rate quality now on sale by Mr. Lytle, all of which are situated on the waters of the East Branch of the Little Miami River, and are easily intersected by, or contiguous to, the State Road from hence to Chillicotha, they may have the opportunity of augmenting the number of Roman Catholic settlers under well-founded hopes, that a regular and permanent establishment will speedily be made, of a church and pastor, so much to be desired by every sincere Christian.


It may be farther necessary to state that Mr. Lytle is determined to make that settlement strictly (give every encouragement to Roman Catholic) and that he appears to us disposed to give the most liberal encouragement to the purchasers of our communion as well on his lands above alluded to as on his other property. And also, that we have lately succeeded in the establishment of a respectable Roman Catholic church in this town which unhappily had been so long deprived of that important benefit.


Our object, therefore, in this and similar addresses is to inform emigrants of these circumstances, in order that they may not by religious considerations be deterred from endeavoring to better their fortunes by coming to the western country, either by settling on the above lands as agriculturists or in this town as mechanics or men of business.


To the Right Revd. Catholic Bishop, Baltimore, Md.


P. REILLY,

JOHN SHERLOCK,

JOHN WHITE,

JAMES GORMAN,

WILLIAM BOYLE,

THOMAS DUGAN,

JAMES W. BYRNE,

P. CAZELLES,

MICHAEL SCOTT,

MICHAEL MORAN.

EDWARD LYNCH,


It required a little time before affairs became pr0mising. On August 12, 1823, in keeping with the promise of a donation of land for church purposes, Mr. Lytle transferred the title of 200 acres of land to Rev. John Austin Hill, 0. P., who in turn, on November 2, 1826, transferred it to Bishop Fenwick. Another 100 acres of land was transferred for like purposes to the bishop by Michael Scott. The priests of Cincinnati visited the place as occasion offered, but not until 1829 could a priest be stationed there permanently. This priest was the Rev. Martin Kundig,


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who had been ordained early in that year. After two years' work Father Kundig completed the brick church which he had begun at St. Martin's.


The third Catholic parish to be formed in the Miami Valley was at Hamilton, Butler County, where in response to the preaching in 1829 of Bishop Fenwick and Father Mullon the inhabitants of the town, though there was but a solitary Catholic man in it, took up a subscription for the purpose of buying ground and building a Roman Catholic Church in their midst. The ground was bought, the deed of conveyance presented to the bishop, and a building to cost $2,000 begun in 1831. For some reas0n or other, the building was not completed until 1836, when it was dedicated in honor of St. Stephen.


The fourth Catholic parish to be organized in the Miami Valley was that of Holy Trinity, Cincinnati. However, to render our treatment of the subject more methodical, we shall defer a consideration of that parish to the place where we shall show the development of the first parish of Cincinnati.


The fifth parish in the valley was the Church of Emmanuel at Dayton. In December, 1833, Father Edward Collins was visiting Dayton, all prepared with the necessities for celebrating mass. The organization of the church, however, was due to Rev. Emmanuel Thienpont, who, in 1825, was collecting money in the town to erect a church on a lot 96 by 156 feet that had been given to the Bishop of Cincinnati by Mrs. Prudence Pierson. As in Hamilton, the Protestants came to the assistance 0f the Catholics, and that not unstintingly, as $1,300 had been donated by them in 1835. It required two years, however, before the church could be dedicated to God under the title of Emmanuel.


At about the same time was started the parish of Petersburg, Auglaize County, one mile south of Freyburg and two and a half miles northeast of Botkins. A log church was built in 1836, but just as elsewhere, the formal organization did not occur until later. It was on January I, 84o, that the parish, counting seventy-two families, was organized by Father Horstmann. The church, which was blessed under the invocation of the Apostles Peter and Paul was to serve as the central point for the German Catholics at Freyburg, Botkins and Rhine.


A group of French Catholics had settled about the present towns of Frenchtown, Versailles and Russia, in Darke and Shelby counties. Thither Bishop Purcell dispatched Father Louis Navrron upon that father's arrival at Cincinnati in 1839. As none of the places alone could support a church and to give opportunity to all, a site between Frenchtown and Russia, three miles northeast of Versailles was selected, in Darke County, where a log church was built and dedicated on December 4, 1840, under the patronage of St. Valbert, a saint chosen to gratify the donor of the ground, Mr. Marechal.


About these churches may be grouped all the churches in the Miami


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Valley. Beginning with the first church in the valley at Cincinnati, St. Peter's Cathedral, located in 822, on Sycamore Street, the first parish to be organized from it was Holy Trinity Parish on West Fifth Street. In the early twenties Cincinnati had received a number of German Catholic families, who for want of proper attention had affiliated with the Lutheran Church. The advent to Cincinnati in 1824 of Rev. Frederick Rese, a native of Germany, proved propitious to these Germans so that they came back into the fold of the Catholic Church. In 1827 separate services began to be held for them in the cathedral. In 1833, when they numbered 5,00o souls, it was realized a church had to be built for them. The new bishop, the Right Rev. John B. Purcell, on March 1, 1834, decided to proceed with such a building. A lot was procured on West Fifth Street, where the Church of Holy Trinity was built, and then dedicated on March 5, 1834. This church was to serve as the mother church of all the German-speaking parishes of the city of Cincinnati. The third parish of Cincinnati was organized in 1839, when plans were laid for the transfer of the parish on Sycamore Street to the Jesuits and the building of a new cathedral at Eighth and Plum streets. This building was completed and dedicated on November 2, 1845. Around these three churches may be grouped all the churches of Cincinnati and Hamilton County. We shall arrange them in the order of the time of their organization.


From the old cathedral parish, now the parish of St. Francis Xavier, are descended, directly or indirectly, the parishes of All Saints, 1845 ; St. Thomas, 1852; Holy Angels, 1859; St. Jerome, 1863; Assumption, 1872; St. Andrew, 1874; St. Mary, Hyde Park, 1898; Holy Name, 1904; St. Cecilia, 1908; Annunciation, 1910. From the new cathedral parish are descended, directly or indirectly, the parishes of St. Augustine, 1852 ; St. Patrick, Cumminsville, 1852; St. Vincent de Paul, 1861; St. Boniface, 1862; St. Edward, 1864; Blessed Sacrament, 1874; Our Lady of Perpetual Help, 1878; St. Clare, 1909; St. Pius, 1910; St. Bernard, Winton Place, 1919. From Holy Trinity Parish are descended, directly or indirectly, the parishes of St. Mary, 1840; St. John, 1844; St. Bonaventure, 1844; St. Philomena, 1846; St. Joseph, 1846; St. Michael, 1847; St. Paul, 1847; St. Francis de Sales, 1849; St. Augustine, 1857; St. Francis Seraph, 1858; St. Anthony, Madisonville, 1858 ; Immaculate Conception, 1859 ; St. Anthony, Budd Street, 1860; St. Rose, 1867; St. Stephen, 1867; St. George, 1868 ; St. Lawrence, 1868 ; St. Louis, 1870 ; Sacred Heart, Camp Washington, 1870 ; Holy Cross, 1872 ; St. Henry, 1873 ; Holy Family, 1884; St. Leo, 1886; St. Mark, 1905; St. William, 1909; St. Monica, 1910; St. Teresa, 1916; Resurrection, 1919.


Traceable to the churches of the city of Cincinnati are the following churches in the rest of the county of Hamilton : Our Lady of Victory, Delhi, 1843; White Oak, 1844; St. Bernard, 1850; SS. Peter and Paul,


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Reading, 1850; Harrison, 1851 ; Mt. Healthy, 1854; Glendale, 1859; Dry Ridge, 1860; Bridgetown, 1866; Taylor Creek, 1867; St. Aloysius, Delhi, 1868; Carthage, 1869; Sacred Heart, Reading, 1874 ; St. Elizabeth, Norw00d, 1884 ; Wyoming, 1886; North Bend, 1886; Elmwood, 1887; Deer Park, 1891 ; Bond Hill, 1892; Westwood, 1902 ; St. Matthew, Norwood, 1906; SS. Peter and Paul, Norwood, 1906; Chevoit, 1911 ; Pleasant Ridge, 1917; Sharon, 1919.


Around the second parish of the valley, St. Martin's, Brown County, may be grouped the churches at Fayetteville, 1837; Arnheim, 1837; Stonelick, 184o; Milford, 1854; Owensville, 1856; Greenfield, 1857; Loveland, 1859; Lebanon, 1883.


The third Catholic parish in the Miami Valley served as the mother parish of the congregations in Hamilton, Piqua, Sidney and Middletown. At Hamilton the following churches were organized : St. Mary, 1848 ; St. Joseph, 1865; St. Veronica, 894; St. Peter, 1894; St. Anne, 1908. Oxford and Eaton were organized from St. Mary's Church, Hamilton, in 1853. The parishes of St. Mary, Piqua, and Holy Angels, Sidney, were established in 1844 by the pastor of St. Stephen's, Hamilton. To the former must be referred the foundation of a second parish, that of St. Boniface, in 1855, at Piqua itself, and of the parishes at Troy and Tippecanoe in 1858. To Sidney must be assigned the formation of the parish at St. Patrick, Ohio, in 1862. Holy Trinity, Middletown, was formed in 1852. It served as the mother parish of St. John's, Middletown, 1872, and of St. Mary's, Franklin, 1854.


From Petersburg were formed the parishes of Wapakoneta, 1839; Freyburg, 1849; Rhine, 1856; Botkins, 1865. From St. Vavert's, Jacksonville, were formed the parishes at Russia, 846; Frenchtown, 1846; Greenville, 1839 (1863) ; Newport, 1858; Versailles, 1864; North Star, 1892; Osgood, 1906.


To the sixth Catholic parish in the Miami Valley are to be referred all the remaining parishes in the northern part of the valley. Emmanuel Church, Dayton, served, first of all, as the mother parish of all the following parishes in the city of Dayton : St. Joseph, 1847; St. Mary, 1859; Holy Trinity, 1860 ; Sacred Heart, 1883 ; Holy Rosary, 1887 ; St. John, 1891; Holy Angels, 1902 ; Holy Family, 1905 ; Corpus Christi, 1911 ; St. Anthony, 1913 ; St. Agnes, 1915 ; St. James, 1919; Resurrection, 1920. Next from it was organized the parish 0f St. Raphael, Springfield, 1849, which in its turn became, directly or indirectly, the parent of the churches in the city of Springfield, namely : St. Bernard, 1861 ; and St. Joseph, 1882, and of the Catholic churches in the following towns : Urbana, 1849; Xenia, 1849; Morrow, 1852; Bellefontaine, 1853 ; Yellow Springs, 1856; South Charleston, 1865 ; Wilmington, 1866; Jamestown, 1871 ; lastly, the parishes in Miamisburg, 1852 and Osborn, 1868 are related to the Church of Emmanuel, Dayton.


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Parochial development, however, was not the only kind of activity displayed by the Catholic Church in the Miami Valley. In keeping with the history of the universal church in her earliest existence, from the days when her members supported the indigent by their combined alms, the Catholic Church of Cincinnati undertook to provide for the various social needs of her members also. She has provided a place for the care of mothers and of foundlings, homes for the orphans, schools, academies, colleges and universities for the training 0f youth. Also literature for all classes, homes for the homeless working boy and girl, charitable associations to assist the poor, to lift up the down-trodden and the outcast, missions for the deaf-mute, hospitals for the sick, asylums for the aged and infirm, and even hallowed cemeteries under the shadow of the Cross of Calvary for the departed.


From the beginning the Catholic Church in the Miami Valley endeavored to erect and maintain parochial schools for the primary education for her children. The first two bishops of Cincinnati considered the necessities of such schools as a matter of course, so that wherever Catholic churches were built Catholic parochial schools were sure to follow, if, indeed, they had not already preceded them. The erection of parochial schools became the subject of earnest and effective legislation in the synods and provincial councils of Cincinnati. As early as 1825, four years after the establishment of the diocese of Cincinnati, there was a Catholic school at Cincinnati, conducted by a Sister of Mercy and Miss Powell. From the days of this first school Cincinnati never lacked its Catholic school. In 1848, when Cincinnati enjoyed the privilege of nine parochial churches, each of these parishes boasted of its school. In 1854 nearly every church in the entire diocese of Cincinnati, which then extended over two-thirds of the State of Ohio, enjoyed connection with a Catholic school.


To give her children opportunity for higher education under Catholic auspices, the Catholic Church of Cincinnati began, in 1830, a college named the Athenaeum, on Sycamore Street. This college was transferred to the Jesuits in 1840, by whom it has continued ever since, to be conducted under the name of St. Xavier College. For like purposes the St. Joseph College on West Eighth Street was chartered by the Fathers of the Holy Cross in 1873. At Dayton St. Mary's College, which like St. Xavier College, developed into a university in 1920, was begun in 1850 by the Brothers of Mary. Girls were always more favored than boys in the number of academies and colleges conducted for them. The first Catholic academy in the valley was opened by the Sisters of Charity in 1836, at Third and Plum streets, Cincinnati. It was known as St. Peter's Academy. The same sisters opened Mt. St. Vincent's Academy on Price Hill, in 1853, St. Mary's Academy at Sixth and Park Streets in 1853, and Mt. St. Joseph Academy in 1870. The Sisters of Notre Dame founded the


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Young Ladies' Literary Institute and Boarding School on Sixth Street, near Broadway, in 1841. Other establishments at Cincinnati were made by them at Reading in 1860, at Court and Mound streets in 1867, and 0n Grandin Road, Walnut Hills, in 1890. These sisters also conducted academies at Franklin and Ludlow streets, Dayton, and at Second and Washington streets, Hamilton. In 1845 the Sisters of St. Ursula began the St. Ursula Literary Institute at St. Martin's, Brown County. These sisters likewise conduct the Ursuline Convent of Our Lady of Victory at Oak Street and Reading Road. A branch of this society opened the St. Ursula Convent and Academy on McMillan Street in 1910. The Sisters of Mercy opened their first academy in 1860 on Fourth Street, near Central Avenue, where they continued for forty years. They then opened their new academy of Our Lady of Mercy on Freeman Avenue. A recent development of these sisters has been the Mother of Mercy Villa, at Westwood. The college and academy of the Sacred Heart, Clifton, was begun in 1869 by the Ladies of the Sacred Heart. St. Joseph's Academy, Mt. Washington, was begun in 1915 by the Sisters of St. Joseph, of Bourg, France.


Having provided well for the instruction of youth, the Catholic Church of Cincinnati has likewise been the promoter of good Catholic literature and has sought by periodicals in the two languages spoken by the majority of the people of the diocese of Cincinnati to foster Catholic intelligence. Cincinnati has a double honor in the two periodicals which it established. The "Catholic Telegraph," which issued its first number on October 22, 1831, is today the oldest Catholic periodical in the United States, whilst the "Wahrheitsfreund," which appeared for the first time on July 20, 1837, and for the last time on June 19, 1907, was the first Catholic German periodical published in the United States.


In the realm of social relief, hardly an avenue of sorrow remains which some Catholic Good Samaritan has not trodden to pour in wine and oil to heal a festering sore or a gaping wound. In many instances Catholics have not hesitated to admit to their charities other than themselves, even though the burdens which they bore weighed heavily upon them. To afford a haven of refuge to distressed and unfortunate mothers, there was instituted, in 1873, the St. Joseph's Maternity and Infant Asylum, conducted by the Sisters of Charity, at Norwood, Ohio. To care for the orphan girl, St. Peter's Orphan Asylum was begun in 1829 on Sycamore Street, transferred in 1836 to Third and Plum streets, and again in 1854 to Cumminsville. The name of St. Joseph was substituted then for that of St. Peter. For the orphan boy, the St. Aloysius Orphan Society was organized in 1837. After being located at several places in Cincinnati, the institution became permanently established at Bond Hill in 1856. For like charities have been established the House of Mercy for Destitute Children, conducted by the Sisters of Mercy at Freeman Avenue and


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Kenner Street, and the St. Joseph Orphan Home on St. Paul Avenue, Dayton, conducted by the Sisters of the Precious Blood. To provide a home for the homeless working boy and girl, the Boys' Home was founded at Cincinnati by Father John Poland, S. J., in 1885 ; the St. Vincent Home for Boys, established in 1868 by the Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis Seraph ; the Fenwick Club, opened in 1915 by Rev. Charles Baden ; the Sacred Heart Home for Girls, begun by Miss Margaret McCabe in 1882, but conducted at present by the Sisters of St. Joseph ; the Mt. Carmel Home for Working Girls and Women, managed since 1905 by the Sisters 0f Mercy ; the Loretto Guild for business women, conducted by Dominican Sisters at Dayton, Ohio. To care for homeless and wayward boys the Brothers of the Poor of St. Francis Seraph opened the Protectory for Boys on Lock Street in 1868, and moved it in 1870 to Mt. Alverno, Delhi. The same kind of charity is undertaken for wayward girls by the institutions of the Sisters of the Good Shepherd at Cincinnati. Of very special, yet most beneficial purpose have been founded the Santa Maria Institute for work among the poor Italians of Cincinnati and the St. Rita School for the Deaf.

The first Catholic hospital in Cincinnati, St. John's, was established in 1852 by the Sisters of Charity at Broadway and Franklin Street. This was the beginning of the present Good Samaritan Hospital, now situated at Clifton and Dixmyth avenues, Clifton. The Sisters of Charity are likewise in charge of Seton Hospital on West Sixth Street. The Sisters of the Poor of St. Francis conduct the St. Mary's Hospital at Linn and Betts streets, begun in 1859; the St. Francis Hospital, Fairmount, begun in 1888; and the St. Elizabeth Hospital, Dayton, founded in 1878. The Sisters of Mercy took charge of Mercy Hospital, Dayton, in August, 1892.


To provide a home for the aged, poor and infirm, the Little Sisters of the Poor were invited to Cincinnati in 1868. They opened their first home on George Street, transferred it to Lock Street, then in 1873 built the Home for the Aged on Florence Avenue. In 1889 the sisters built their second home for the aged poor on Riddle Road, Clifton Heights. To care for the poor whom institutions cannot reach, societies of St. Vincent de Paul have been established in most 0f the parishes.


That all this social and charitable endeavor might be coordinated and secured from abuse, a Bureau of Catholic Charities was established in 196. Finally, there too, may be found a Catholic cemetery, where the bodies of the once living temple of the Holy Ghost may find sweet repose until the day of resurrection.


St. Peter's Cathedral, in Cincinnati, at the corner of Plum and Eighth streets, was at the date of building, in 1839-44, accounted the most elegant and interesting church edifice in the city. Local historian Cist comments on it thus : "Not a drop of spirits was consumed in the erection of the cathedral, and notwithstanding the unmanageable shape and


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size of the materials, not an accident occurred in the whole progress of the work. Every man employed about it was paid off every Saturday night ; and, as the principal part of the labor was performed at a season of the year when working hands are not usually employed to their advantage, much of the work was executed when labor and materials were worth far less than at present. The Dayton marble alone, at current prices, would nearly treble its original cost. The heavy disbursements have proved a seasonable and sensible benefit to the laboring class. The entire cost of the building is $120,000.



It is in size 200 by 91 feet, with a remarkably graceful and symmetrical spire 221 feet high, springing from a colonnade of 18 freestone columns, 33 feet in height and 3 in diameter. The tower and spire alone cost $25,000. The altar is of Carrara marble, with two sculptured angels on each side, from the chisel of Hiram Powers. A fine organ, with forty-four stops and twenty-seven hundred pipes, occupies the east end. Among the numerous fine paintings, some of them by celebrated artists, which adorn it, may be seen Murillo's "St. Peter Liberated by an Angel," taken by the French from the Spaniards during the Peninsular War, and presented to Bishop Fenwick by Cardinal Fesch, uncle of the first Napoleon. St. Peter's contains the only chime of bells in the city—a set of which, with the great clock attached, was presented to the church in 185o by Mr. Reuben R. Springer, the benefactor of the Music Hall.


St. Mark Parish—Founding and Growth —This Catholic Church is situated at the portion of

Cincinnati known as Evanston, the same being established as a parish in 1905. On March 9th of that year a committee was appointed on permanent officers, who presented the following ticket, which was elected unanimously : President J. A. Frantz, First Vice-president L. Steigewald, Second Vice-president Edward Harten, Recording Secretary L. J. Froelicher, Financial Secretary Joseph Gardner, Treasurer J. Brockman, trustees, E. J. Nolan, F. Cook and William Sullivan.


The appointment of a committee followed to canvass the territory bounded by Hewitt Avenue, Hudson Avenue, Norwood, and Duck Creek Road by petition, to be presented to the Most Rev. Archbishop Henry Moeller. At the completion, a total of 127 families, of 514 souls, were found. The following committee was appointed to present this petition to His Grace, the Most Rev. Archbishop : Messrs. Nolan, Gardner, Steigewald, Downing, Campbell, Franz and Froelicher, Mr. Nolan to make the appointment with His Grace for a hearing. At this meeting His Grace referred them to Rev. Father August Quatman, pastor of St. Francis de Sales Church, for a hearing on jurisdiction lines, etc. A meeting was arranged for April 6th, at the residence of Rev. Father Aug. Ouatman, at which Father Conway of Assumption Church and Rev.


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Father Varelmann, of St. Elizabeth's Church, Norwood, were present, and the different locations were discussed. On May d the same year, the archbishop was again visited, and he agreed to view the grounds on May 8th, donated by Miss Mary Klinckhamer.


On June 22, the committee was informed that a priest 0f the Precious Blood Society would be appointed to take charge of the parish about July 1, and this was indeed glad news. June 30th Rev. Father M. A. Hamburger, C, PP. S., was appointed pastor, and at the meeting of July 12th the newly appointed pastor of the congregation was present and introduced by President John A. Franz. The first pastor, the one just named, came from Holy Trinity Church, Coldwater, Ohio.

Steps were immediately taken to obtain temporary quarters in which to hold services and a committee was appointed for that purpose. Miss Mary Klickenhamer, the greatest benefactor of the parish, had already donated the ground consisting of two lots aggregating 00 by 50 feet, and offered the use 0f the two front rooms in her own residence on Montgomery Avenue for a temporary church ; first services being held 0n August 15, 1905, the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin. Soon these rooms became too small and a cheap frame structure 24 by 64 feet was constructed ; first mass read September 17th and first high mass sung December 25th.


Soon plans followed for a combination church and school building. The church was named after St. Mark, the Evangelist.


The first wardens were : Ed. Harten, secretary ; Edwin Gerdes, treasurer; collectors, Frank Cook, John Brockmann, Joseph Thieken and Louis Wille. October 17th ground was broken for the temporary church building—the combined church-school building located on the Duck Creek Road ; the corner-stone was laid April 29, 1906; the day was ideal and thousands of people were present. This building was dedicated October 28th, by His Grace Archbishop Henry Moeller, D. D. The building was 76 by 111 feet and two stories high. The parochial school was opened in October, but its attendance was only 97 on account of various delays. The school was placed in charge 0f two Sisters of the Precious Blood. Matters went on well until the parish was overtaken in 1922 by a fire which destroyed the handsome church-school structure. However, the parish grew and so extended was its mission that an assistant pastor had to be provided in the person of Rev. Vitus A. Schutte, C. PP. S., who began his duties in March, 1908. He was succeeded in 1909 by Rev. Father Cantious Faist, who served two years. Next came Rev. Father Sebastian Kremer, C. PP. S. The parish kept expanding and a larger church was needed, and great was the problem as to how to secure funds. In 1914 it was decided to organize a Building and Loan Association, which was carried out successfully. Parishioners deposited their funds in the association while the children started collecting pennies and


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depositing them in a specially constructed small barrel ; this collection was taken care of by Assistant Pastor Father Kremer. On June 9th the first spade full of earth was dug by the pastor upon the site of the new church.


A juvenile brass band was formed, which was indeed a happy hit for the new parish. It was composed of 26 members and took many prizes for its musical efficiency.


The following were members of the building committee when the present church edifice was erected : Joseph E. Sullivan, secretary ; Ed. Bronner, Daniel O'Donnell, Sr., Edward Gerdes, William Luning, Sr., George Lampe, treasurer ; B. F. Steinkamp, associate architect.


This handsome edifice is 99 feet wide and 118 feet high, not including the heavy iron cross of 12 feet in height. The seating capacity of the building is g00, aside from the galleries and two chapels. Its total cost was approximately $150,000. The number of families in the parish is in excess of 600. The completion of the new church was set back some on account of the World War in Europe. It was, however, dedicated Sunday, June 16, 1916. The services were presided over by His Grace, The Most Reverend Henry Moeller, D. D.


Rev. Louis A. Tieman, pastor of the Church of the Sacred Heart of Cincinnati, has occupied this incumbency since March 1, 1918, during which time he has endeared himself greatly to his people. He was born March 4, 1870, at Cincinnati, a son of John G. and Mary A. (Brunklaus) Tieman. John G. Tieman was twenty years of age when he came to the United States, in 1825, and, from his landing at Baltimore, went to Cincinnati, where he subsequently became a mechanic in the employ of the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railroad, a road with which he was connected for thirty years. Louis A. Tieman attended St. Lawrence's parochial school as a lad, and later went to St. Xavier's College, the theological studies of his educational period being pursued at Mt. St. Mary's Seminary of the West, Price Hill, Cincinnati. He was 0rdained December 8, 1893, his first charge being as assistant at Holy Trinity Church, Cincinnati, where he remained for two years, and at St. Augustine's Church for a like period, and March 1, 1900, became pastor of St. Rose's Church. He remained there until coming to his present position as pastor of the Church 0f the Sacred Heart of Jesus, March 1, 1918. This parish was organized July, 1870, Rev. Joseph Goebbles being appointed pastor. A lot was secured at the corner of Marshall and Massachusetts avenues, with a frontage of 106 feet on the former and a depth of 200 feet on the latter. A combination two-st0ry church and schcol building was erected on this site in the same year. In February, 871, Rev. H. Kemper assumed charge. During his pastorate, the priest's house was built on the corner of Massachusetts and Heywood. In May, 1875, Rev. H. Paul was appointed pastor and worked hard during difficult


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and troublesome times. Father Paul died March 29, 1884, and Rev. J. M. Feldmann was appointed his successor. He found a debt of over $9,000 resting on the parish, which was wiped out in less than two years. As the parish was growing steadily, and a new church, together with grounds for a new school, was a necessity, an adjoining lot was purchased on Heywood Avenue, 94 feet front by 100 feet in depth. The new church was erected in 1888-89. A new ten-room schoolhouse was erected on the adjoining Heywood Avenue property in 1894. In the meantime a property on the southwest corner of Heyw00d and Massachusetts avenues was bought and a large sister's house was erected on the site. The Sisters of St. Francis of Oldenburg, Indiana, took charge of Sacred Heart School on September 6, 1886, and resided at No. 1051 Marshall Avenue until their home was erected in 1891. The teaching force, which began with only 3 sisters, now numbers 18. In 1870 there were 32 pupils and 0ne class room, and there is now 15 rooms with 600 pupils. The year 190 was the golden jubilee year of this parish. On April 25, the fiftieth anniversary of the Men's Society was an inspiring celebration ; a procession of over 1,000 men around the block was a memorable feature. October 17, the Most Rev. Archbishop and numerous priests participated in the golden jubilee mass of thanksgiving. The church debt, which was $23,350 on March 1, 1918, when father Tieman took charge, was wiped out and, moreover, improvements amounting to $18,000 were made, including a modern school toilet station which cost over $8,000 in 1920.


In 1921 a fine stretch of property, 55 by 225 feet, on Heywood and Colerain avenues, was acquired. Marvelous improvements marked the year 1924 in this progressive Camp Washington parish. The Marshall Avenue School, erected in 1870, was demolished and a children's playground established ; the interior of the handsome church was refrescoed at a cost of $7,000 ; the Heywood School was remodeled at a cost of $20,000 ; above all, a beautiful auditorium and new school addition, costing $100,000 was built and paid for. The teachers' residence was overhauled in 1925, making it one of the most commodious in Cincinnati, and with its pretty chapel, one of the most complete. The school enrollment is 632 children. Sacred Heart Parish, Camp Washington, numbers about 600 families and 3,000 souls. Father Louis Tieman has accomplished wonders during his pastorate here since 1918, not only spiritually, but in keeping up his church and attracting people to it, moreover, he is the recognized leader of his community and the friend and counselor of every member of the parish, as well as many outside of his parish. His "hobbies," his friends aver, are all humane ones, viz: Education, helping the needy, good theatrical shows and good literature. Few priests in Cincinnati have been able to secure a vast amount of money for religious purposes and charity with such ease as Father Tieman. A fine civic compliment to him is paid by one of the 0fficials of Sacred Heart Parish, who writes :


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"Father Tieman is keeping up this dear old section of Cincinnati by keeping up a first-class school and church." A former popular assistant was Rev. Lieutenant M. H. Hinssen, who became pastor of St. Sebastian's Church, Mercer County, Ohio, September, 1924. The present capable assistant is the Rev. F. Bernard Iding, born and educated in Cincinnati. Ohio.


Holy Cross Church —The Passionist Fathers settled in Cincinnati May 23, 1871, taking up their residence at the Immaculate Church, Mt. Adams. This was done at the invitation of His Grace, Most Reverend Archbishop Purcell, who personally conducted the fathers to their new home. The following year, February 22, 1872, the Passionists purchased from the city of Cincinnati the site of the old observatory. The old building was remodeled in the summer of 1872 and at the same time a frame church was erected on the north side of the monastery for the use 0f English-speaking Catholics. This building was go feet long by 4o feet wide, and seated 35o persons. Three altars were set up in arched recesses which were neatly frescoed. Over the main altar was placed a valuable crucifix, carved out of cedar of Lebanon, which dated back to the year 475. This crucifix was secretly carried out of the East to escape the destruction caused by the Iconoclasts. It was brought to Rome and finally was given to the Passionists by their old friend, Canon Bertinelli. It now forms the center of the crucifixion group in the Calvary Chapel.


The monastery and church were dedicated under the title of the Holy Cross, June 22, 1873, by Most Rev. Archbishop Purcell. The dedication was a gala day, over six thousand people making their way to the Mount for the celebration. This dedication may properly be considered the definite foundation of Holy Cross Parish. The church and parish were founded for English-speaking Catholics, who, up to that time, worshiped at the Immaculate. The first pastor was the Very Rev. Father Guido, C. P., rector of the Monastery.


In the course of time the parish grew and the church became too small for the congregation, hence a new church was planned. Easter Sunday, March 25, 1895, witnessed the last service in the little frame building. On the following day, the altars were transferred to the school hall, which was fitted up as a temporary church. On Sunday, June 18, 1894, the corner stone of the new edifice was laid by Very Rev. Father Albrinck, vical-general of the Cincinnati arch-diocese. Father Mackay, rector of the cathedral, preached the sermon for the occasion, many of the local clergy and a great c0ncourse of people were in attendance. The new church was dedicated to the service of God on Sunday, August 25, 1895. The event was an era in Catholicism in this city, and the scene of the dedication was visited all day long, by thousands of people, while during the services the church was crowded to its utmost capacity. The


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priesthood was well represented, there being delegations from New York, New Jersey, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, and Kansas. Among the notables were Archbishop Elder of Cincinnati, Bishop Maes of Covington, and Bishop Watter of Columbus.


The new building is of Roman style of the Renaissance. It has an arched ceiling and is 6o feet in width without columns or pillars. It is 90 feet in length, from the door to the sanctuary. The foundation is of cut stone, the superstructure of brick, with a slate roof.


The boundary of the parish at the present time (1919) are Hill Street on the east, Baum Street on the south, a line from Elsimore Avenue on the west, and a line from said avenue through Eden Park to Hill Street on the north.


The parish school of Holy Cross was built in 891 and is conducted by the Sisters of Charity of Mount St. Joseph.


The fathers in charge of the parish reside in the monastery ; the parish thus being saved the cost of the erection and maintenance of a parsonage. The first pastor was Very Rev. Father Guido, C. P. The parish has always been under the care of the Passionists Community, who employ two men for the exclusive care of the congregation.


During the years that have elapsed since the founding of the parish, Holy Cross has been served by many men who have won renown in the annals 0f the Passionists congregation. The founder was Rev. Guido Matassi, C. P., a Roman patrician. Under his guidance, the Passionists settled at the Immaculata. Later he negotiated the transfer of the Long-worth property, where the present church and monastery are located. He remodelled the observatory, and began the foundation of Holy Cross Parish. His name is still revered, and one of the streets on the hill-top bears his name, Guido Street.


Space forbids the details of the workings of each pastor, but they have served in the following order : Father Guido was succeeded by Very Rev. Alphonsus Rossiter, from 1878 to 1881 ; Very Rev. Fr. Timothy a part of that year, resigning in October ; then came Very Rev. Liberatus, until January, 882 ; then came Very Rev. Frederick Lang, who held the 0ffice until 1887 and was followed by Very Rev. Hughes. May I, 1890, was marked with gloom, for on that day Father Alexander was found lying on he floor in a dying condition, due to a sudden stroke of apoplexy. He was buried in the cathedral cemetery.


From 1890 to 1893 Very Rev. George Basel served, and he built the new School of the H0ly Cross, at a cost of $17,000. It was commenced in 1891.


In 1893 Very Rev. Stephen Keeley became pastor, and under him was the first assistant pastor—Rev. Andrew Kenny. In 1896 Very Rev. Albert Phelan became pastor and remained for six years. From August, 1899, to August, 1901, Very Rev. George Bosel returned as rector and he


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was succeeded by Very Rev. Grennan, and in turn, in 1905, he was followed by Very Rev. Jerome Reutermann, who had charge for three years, assisted by Rev. Daniel McGuire and Rev. Agatho Clifford, who died in 1907 and was buried at Dunkirk, New York, his boyhood home. Father Jerome was succeeded in 1908 by Very Rev. Casimir Taylor, who was rector three years. From October, 1911, to September, 1914, the Very Rev. Eugene Creegan guided the destinies 0f Holy Cross Church and made many improvements on the buildings. He was followed by Rev. Daniel McGuire from 1914 to 1917, when came Very Rev. Silvan McGarry and served until 1919, when Father Ferland took charge of the parish. In September, 192o, Very Rev. Brady was elected pastor of Holy Cross Monastery. In August, 1923, Very Rev. Michael O'Brien succeeded him. Prior to that he had been vice-rector of Sacred Heart Retreat and priest at St. Agnes' Church, Louisville, Kentucky.


Located here (November, 1926), doing missionary work are the following priests : Very Rev. Bertrand Abell (rector), Rev. Stephen Kendrick (vicar), Frs. Aurelius Hanley, Edwin R0nan, Anselm Secor, Luke Callahan, Alexis Quinlan, Justin Smith, Leo Scheibel, Clement Carroll, Christopher Link, Mark Hoskins, Colman Hannon, David Ferland. In charge of Holy Cross Parish are : Rev. Justin Smith (pastor), and Rev. Christopher Link (assistant pastor).


The funds for building the church were obtained at that time by donations from various Passionists throughout the country. Also personal friends donated liberally. The school and sisters' house were paid for by the efforts of the parishioners of Holy Cross. Most of the foregoing history has been taken from the archives of Holy Cross Monastery and Church.


St. Edward Church —Through its trials and triumphs, its changes and vicissitudes, St. Edward Congregation remains today one of the substantial parishes of the Catholic Church in Cincinnati—with a people strong in faith and devotion ; with a loyalty which is as constant as it is admirable. The need of an English-speaking parish in the northwest portion of the city was almost imperative and on February 23, 1864, Archbishop Purcell bought from the Wesleyan Female College a lot on Clark Street where, in the same year, St. Edward Church was opened for service by the pastor, Father Bender.


One writer says : "The need became more urgent and pressing because St. Augustine Church was sold June 14, 1857, to the German-speaking people of that district for $15,000 and placed under the pastorate of Father Hengehold."


The "Catholic Telegraph," of February 10, 1864, said : " Notwithstanding the large number of churches in the city and suburbs—eighteen spacious churches besides the chapels belonging to religious communi-


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