Sunday, October 17, 2010

Beginning of St. Thomas Parish as told by James Connelly

James Connelly Recounts Beginning of St. Thomas Parish

James Connelly, who supplies the Herald with the following history of St. Thomas church, is a resident of Duluth, residing at 5711 Huntington street.  He was 84 years old on the 26th of March.  He located at St. Thomas in 1857 and is probably the only surviving person who can recall the beginning of the parish.  He left St. Thomas 45 years ago, but retains vivid memory of the early days in and around St. Thomas.

            In the spring of 1857, Mrs. John McGukin, who was living with her husband in John Cairy’s cabin in Section 21, Derrynane township, was taken seriously ill, and Mr. McGukin sent word to Bishop Cretin of the St. Paul diocese, requesting him to send a priest to administer the sacraments to her.
            The Bishop secured a Benedictine priest from St. John’ College, Collegeville, Minn., whose name was Fr. Heindel, and he arrived at the settlement early in April.  He administered the sacraments to Mrs. McGukin and on the following morning celebrated the first mass that was ever celebrated in the settlement, in John Cairy’s cabin, and after mass he baptized Ann Connelly, “age thirteen months,” and she was the first person baptized there.
            Fr. Heindel continued to come to the settlement at intervals until the latter part of 1857, when he was succeeded by Fr. Cornelious Whitman, also from St. John’s, who attended the parish until 1860, when he was succeeded by the Rev. Fr. Reis, who was also from St. John’s.
            In 1858 the Catholic population undertook to have the parish organized.  They held several meetings, which were not always harmonious in regard to where the church would be located.
            The Sullivan faction wanted to have it located in their locality, which was near the Scott county line, but they were beaten by the votes of those who favored a location farther south.
            Michael Connelly and James Hickey offered to donate two and one half acres each at the northwest quarter of Section 17, Township 112 North, Range 24, west and at the same time, Patrick Ronan and Patrick Cassin offered to donate seven and one-half acres each “at the present location” which was part swamp and meadow lands and that offer was accepted.
            At a meeting of the proposed parishioners they voted that the parish would be six miles square, comprising the west half of Derrynane and the east half of Tyrone townships.
            They delegated Michael Connelly to go to St. Paul with their petition for the new parish, together with the plat of the same, to present to Bishop Cretin, which he did, and the Bishop granted their petition and the parish of St. Thomas was organized.
            The parishioners cleared part of the land, hewed logs, and built a log church about 36 by 60 feet, which had a shingled roof and board floor but no sanctuary rail or pews.
            The front door faced the west with the altar attached to the wall in the east end of the church.
            After the church was built, services were held in private homes in the winter time, because they had no way of heating the church.
            Most of the time the services were held in John Hickey’s place, which was afterward known as “Moses Murphy’s old place,” and it was not until late in 1862 or 1863 that the parish secured a heating stove for the church.
            The priests who took charge after Fr. Reis were:  Fr. Kazelberger in 1862 to 1863, from 1863 to August 1866; Fr. Theodore Venn, August 1866 to December 25, 1867; Rev. Alexander Berghold, September 1868; Rev. Fr. McGenty (three months) spring of 1869; Rev. T. C. Kennedy until 1882; Rev M. Cauly until August 1889, when Rev. T. C. Kennedy took charge gain.
            The parish was a mission until Rev. M. Cauly was pastor. 
            During the summer of 1867 the frame church was built under the supervision of Rev. Alexander Berghold.  He was the architect himself.
            The present church and parsonage were constructed during Rev. M. Cauly’s time in the parish.
            The following is a list of the names of the early settlers of St. Thomas commencing in the year of 1855:

Edward Nestor
Bill Sullivan
Patrick Griffin
Owen Riley
Timothy Shea
Richard O’Connell
Michael O’Connell
John O’Connell
Patrick Cassin
Martin Dunn
John Murry
John Carry
Hugh Doherty
Dennis Connelly
Hugh O’Neil
Thomas O’Neil
Timothy Burns
Daniel Burns
Mike Griffin
James O’Leary
John Clifford
Thomas Clifford
Patrick McKeary
John Shea
Dan Doyle
Patrick Moran 
               Michael Connelly
              James Hickey
              John Hickey
              Dan Fowler
              Con Reardon
              Con. Carny
              Patrick Ronan
              Con Ronan
              Con Regan
              William Regan
              Michael Murry
              Mike Courtney
              Pat Courtney
              John Donahue
              Morris Donahue
              John McGukin
              James McGukin
              Jeremiah Sullivan
             “2 Dan” Sullivan
              Thomas Duffy
              Morris Flemming
              Cornelius Regan
              John Murphy
              James Sullivan
              George Connelly
              John Holloran
              Richard Heatherston


Belle Plaine Herald, November 1, 1934

Tuesday, October 12, 2010

How Tyrone Township Got Its Name...


Wm. Kahlow Tells How Tyrone Township Received Its Name
By Win V. Working for the Belle Plaine Herald, June 18, 1925
         
William Kahlow, the 88-year-old pioneer, who opened as a claim in 1854 the farm now owned by F. Maltz in Blakely township, reminiscing recently, recalled the meeting held to name Tyrone township.
“I’ve have forgotten the year,” said Mr. Kahlow, “but I think it was in 1858.  Hogan Dougherty was a sort of leader in the township, which was pretty well covered with heavy timber and was sparsely settled, in those days, and he told me a few days before the meeting to bring out some whiskey.  It was the custom then to have liquor at all elections.  I didn’t know much about what they would want, so I brought out ten gallons.
          “Doughterty appointed me ‘officer of the day,’ for I was big and strong then, and sometimes there was trouble at elections.  There was sixteen men there and, although there was plenty of whiskey, nobody drank too much and there was a lot left.  We met in a log shack where the Logan schoolhouse now stands.  There was a little trouble when Sam Epperson and a man named Andrews announced their intention of voting the Republican ticket.  Tom Hayes vowed no Republican votes would be cast at that election.  He and Epperson started to scuffle, but I told them they would have to fight outside.  They went out and Dougherty called to me, ‘What’s the matter with you, Kahlow, ain’t you the officer of the day?’  I separated the boys and then we went in to attend the township meeting.  The question of naming the township came up and there was considerable discussion.  It had been called Hillsdale, but the settlers decided it should have a new name.  Bill Corbett got up and said, ‘Boys, this here township needs a name and as many of us came from old Tyrone, the best county in Ireland, I suggest that we name this township Tyrone.’  There was some argument, as those from other parts of Ireland claimed Tyrone wasn’t the best county in Ireland.  But finally it was put to a vote and Bill’s suggestion was carried unanimously, the Germans among us shouting as loudly as the rest.
          “After the meeting we found that the punchoon floor had been broken down and several window lights smashed.  I recall that Sam Epperson and Tom Hayes, who had disagreed over the voting, rode home on the same horse, and it was Epperson’s horse at that.  Epperson then lived on the old Dan Ryan place.”
The date of the meeting fixed by Mr. Kahlow—1858—undoubtedly is correct, the records show that the county commissioners officially changed the name from Hillsdale to Tyrone at the January meeting in ’59.  The pioneer recently left for his home in Okanagan, Wash., but plans to return soon to make his home in Minnesota.



Saturday, September 25, 2010

Some O'Connell Ronayne Women and ???

The adult row:  3rd from the left, Lizzie O'Connell Ronayne; 2nd from the right, Ellen O'Connell Ronayne.
Children:  2nd fro the left, possibly Ann Mary O'Connell; right Alice O'Connell.
      No information about the date or the occasion.

Thursday, September 23, 2010

Party for Ray & Jay Kilduff



     Ray and Jay Kilduff are the sons of Cornelius Kilduff and Dorothy Connelly.  Cornelius is the son of Cornelius Kilduff and Mary Ellen Murphy.  Mary Ellen is the daughter of Mary Shea and Moses Murphy.  Cornelius is the son of James Kilduff and Rose McCreary.

Wednesday, September 15, 2010

Young Life Lost...Brown Descendant

Jed T. Brown
    This passage from the "St. Thomas News"  (6 September 2010) says it all:
Hushed tones spoke volumes as people left church after 5 pm mass Saturday at St. Thomas... sad news of a fatal, Friday night ATV accident, that took the life of 15-year-old, Jed Brown, of Shakopee. Funeral Service is at St. John's Lutheran Church and Jed will rest at the Catholic Cemetery in Shakopee. The good-looking, blue-eyed, and curly-haired lad loved every-kind of sport and is remembered for his infectious grin, quick wit, his humor and fun-loving nature. Jed is on the James C (1889-1967) and Margaret Sullivan Brown (1893-1921) branch of our St. Thomas tree, a son of Tim Brown and grandson of Dorothy Brown and Sylvester “Bud” Brown (1917-1980). Jed's Aunt Theresa is laid to rest with our Dearly Departed here at St. Thomas. Our deepest sympathies to Jed's family, especially his Mom Tracy, his Dad Tim, brothers, Behn and Drew, aunts Sharon and Kathleen “Tootie” and Jed's loving Grandma Dorothy. The Labor Day weekend will never be the same for them.

Saturday, September 11, 2010

The Old Regan house...

The house in the background belonged to Regans.  Does anyone recognize the fellows in the picture?

Monday, September 6, 2010

Dalby Database

      John Dalby and his wife walked many cemeteries to collect data.  As they built their database, they also received contributions.  If you have relatives buried in the St. Thomas and surrounding areas, check out the Dalby Database--Cemeteries.

Friday, September 3, 2010

Tyrone and Derrynane Voters 1874

In the Miscellaneous Documents of the House of Representatives by The House of Representatives, First Session of the Forty-Fourth Congress (1876) there is a record of the disputed election of Cox v. Strait.  As part of the investigation, information regarding poll lists and election judges was collected.  If you follow this link, you may find your ancestor by doing a name search when you reach the Google digitized version of this volume.  You can also search by Derrynane or Tyrone Township.

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