John Lucey, a son of Jeremiah Lucey, wrote an early history of
St. Joseph's parish in De Witt for a small news flyer for a fund drive
to build a new school for the parish. John sent it to his niece Mary
(Shannon) McDermott in 1900. This history was later reprinted in
"Campaign News", a Clinton Co. newspaper Oct. 3, 1954. I (Dennis
Nicklaus) also received a summary of this article written by Eleanor
(Farrell) O'Connell. In 2003, I received a third copy from the St. Joseph's
centennial book. It took all three copies to get the whole article.
My notes are in braces [notes].
Transcribed 1999-2003 by Dennis Nicklaus. dnicklaus(at) yahoo (dot) com
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SHOWS STRUGGLE, SACRIFICE, SUCCESS
Copy of manuscript: History of Catholic Church, DeWitt, Iowa, by John
Lucey, Sr., Sutherland, Nebraska.
In the early part of the spring of 1850, Paul Edward Gillen, a highly
educated Irishman left his winter quarters at Notre Dame, Indiana to
renew his occupation of soliciting young men as scholars to attend
College, also young ladies to attend the Young Ladies Seminary near
there. He was also Western Traveling Agent for the Boston Pilot for
all the territory west of Ohio. He had a pair of horses that he
called Bony and Royal Charlie. The next year he traded Charlie to John
Hamilton west of Lyons for a mare that he called Grannale.
He had a light spring wagon loaded with a full line of religious and
story books published by Patrick Donahue of the Boston Pilot. Early
in May, 1850 he came to Dubuque, Iowa and from there he started his
course for Davenport. He made it a point to visit all Catholic
families that he could hear tell of, which often took him far off his
course. He frequently wrote very interesting letters to the Boston
Pilot describing the country he travelled through.
Early in June 1850, he arrived in Clinton County and the first
Catholics he found were Thomas Reed and Patrick Lawler who lived
together on what is now Old Hickory (looks like Vickory) Farm. [There
is a handwritten note in the margin reading "John was right it is
Vickory."] They showed him over the wild prairie. He then called on
the Catholics tributary to De Witt. After looking over the country he
wrote a letter to the Boston Pilot describing it in glowing terms and
advising the Catholics to leave the small worn-out Eastern farms and
the crowded cities and come to Clinton, Iowa.
This letter was the cause of increasing the first Catholic settlement
around De Witt. William Horan came to De Witt in 1843 and brought lots
situated in the northwest corner of the block south of the Public
Square. Mr. Horan built a log house on the same. It stood north and
south about 30 feet from the street about equal distance between North
Line and South Line of the land which was inclosed by a board
fence. The only door I remember was on the west side about the center.
The house was about 16x20 one story with joists across to hold the
upper floor which was rough boards laid in place without nailing.
After living in the house a few years he entered some land on the
prairie near the northwest part of Round(?) Grove and was living there
in 1850 and was renting the House in De Witt.
In July, Jeremiah Lucey (my father) came from Freeport, Illinois.
About two weeks later John Black came from Mobile and brought his
family to live permanently in March 1852. About the first of
September 1850, Thomas Reed wrote to Bishop Loras (The first Bishop of
Iowa) requesting him to come and see the people in regard to sending
them a Priest occasionally when he could spare one. In reply the
Bishop named a date in September when he would come.
The people met him in De Witt. Mr. Horan gave them the use of his log
house. The Bishop celebrated Mass, perhaps the first was celebrated
in the country. The Bishop told them he would send them a Priest about
4 times a year. And all it cost was his fare on the Stage which was
$8. The Bishop had but a few priests in the Diocese and he kept them
on the Mission most of the time.
During September, Patrick Pendergast and family came to De Witt also
Michael Desmond and Cornelius Boyle, John Francis Brogans, also
Michael McLaughlin came. Most of the newcomers told of others that
intended to come and the result was that they decided to have a church
though small as it might be. They finally priced Mr. Hogan's
property, sent for the Bishop he came in November, purchased the
property (and I believe dedicated it,) and celebrated first Mass in a
Catholic Church in Clinton County, Iowa. As the building had been
rented for a few years and had poor care and needed repairs before
winter.
The wind was coming in through the side walls, and in at door, down
through the shingles and up through the floor. The congregation on
that day agreed to meet in a few days, and bank up the house, plaster
the cracks between the logs and remove the board partition. On a
bright warm November morning the following persons met at the
church. William Horan, Malachi Galvny, Thomas Reed, Patrick Lawler,
Jeremiah Lucey, Michael McLaughlin, Patrick Pendergast, Thomas
Pendergast, Michael Desmond, Cornelius Boyle, John and Francis Brogan.
[There is a photo here with the caption "Rev. J.P. Maher."] Mr. Boyle
being a carriage and wagon maker, built a rude table for an altar, and
then made a good plain cross, which was raised and nailed in place and
painted the same evening. It was about 5 or 6 feet high above the
roof. John Brogan and Thomas Pendergast are the only living of that
12 now.
[Photo of a building with the caption, "Early School In St.
Joseph's Parish, This School Year 1889 And Was Destroyed By Fire In The
1920s"]
The first children baptized in the Church was on that Sunday in
November at the time they purchased the Church. Their names were
Margaret Hamilton (now Mrs. Grace living in Des Moines, Iowa) and Hugh
Winters, -- Julia Lucey Shannon being one of sponsors for Winters.
The first priest that celebrated Mass in the Church was Father McAvoy
about the latter part of February, 1851.
I don't think any priest came until November as the summer months were
very rainy and the roads were almost impassible, the mail being
carried on horseback part of the time and the balance of the time on
the hind wheels of the stage they used for a cart, and could only
carry one passenger.
The first marriage was in September when Thomas Reed and Mary Flannery
were married. They went by stage coach to Dubuque and were married by
Bishop Loras.
The first wedding in DeWitt Church was Patrick Burke and Mary
Pendergast in June, 1852. In November 1851 Father Jean came to DeWitt
and then went to Lyons permanently. In January 1852 the Bishop sent
Father Francis McKenna to DeWitt permanently. His parish extended
within 10 miles of Lyons and took in all the remainder of Clinton
County and some of the north part of Scott County. The first church
music was played by Paul E. Gillen on his violin. Mr. Gillen continued
to visit us until July, 1855. He then went and finished his studies
for the priesthood. He was ordained and served as Chaplain during the
Civil War. He visited DeWitt in the summer of 1867, which was the last
I heard of him.
In June, 1853, the congregation had increased so the church would not
hold them. Then they sold the church property in June to Mr.
Schooley, and old neighbor of my father, from Michigan, and in the
fall of 1854, Mr. Schooley sold it to someone else and went away. The
congregation then purchased the site for a new church on the
north-east corner of the second block west of the old church. They
began to build a new church immediately, and had it enclosed before
winter, but did not have it plastered until fall of 1855.
In the spring of 1854, the first Mass was celebrated in the new
church, during the time we had no church and in the cold weather until
it was plastered. Patrick Pendergast, Cornelius Boyle, Doctor Kelly
and Henry Grobbon gave the use of their dwelling houses for the
celebration of Mass. In September, 1854, Bishop Loras paid his last
visit. In July, 1857, Father McDermott came to DeWitt.
The Bishop divided the parish giving Father McKenna Center Grove and
all of Deep Creek County, and Sugar Creek, and he gave Father
McDermott DeWitt, Toronto and Walnut Grove in Scott County.
Walnut Grove had built and dedicated their first church in August,
1853. In December, 1857, Father McDermott administered First Communion
in DeWitt. It was my good fortune to be one of that class. In
February, 1859, the Bishop removed Father McDermott and sent Father
O'Byrne(?) in his place.
In October the same year our new Bishop Smith administered the first
Confirmation ever in DeWitt. It was a large class, as quite a number
came from Deep Creek and Center Grove. It was my good fortune to be
one of that class. Father Brazell of Belvue was one of the assisting
priests. In October, 1859, Bishop Smith removed Father O'Byrne and
appointed Father James Scallon in his place. This was his first
parish as he was recently ordained. The Bishop sent another priest to
take charge of Walnut Grove. I think it was in the same year in
November that Father McKenna died and the Bishop gave Father Scallon
charge of Center Grove and Deep Creek in addition to Toronto and
DeWitt.
In September, 1863, Bishop Smith confirmed his second class in
DeWitt. In September, 1864, the first Sisters opened their school.
Early in 1853, the non-Catholics presented the congregation with two
acres for a cemetery. Previous to this July 1852 two children of
David Powers, were buried about one mile north of Silver Creek bridge
on the west side. Two or three years later they were removed to the
cemetery. In November, 1853, the first person buried in the cemetery
was a young man named Jeremiah Garrigan. He died on the old Calico
Railroad, north of Elvira.
NOTE: This manuscript was received from Mrs. James McDermott on
October 25, 1927 by the writer, C.F. Griffith. It was composed by John
Lucey, Sr., Sutherland, Neb. The original envelope bears and Omaha
stamp cancellation dated Dec. 17, 1900. Mrs. James McDermott lives at
Charlotte, Iowa --- C. F. G. copied the manuscript entirely 11-6-27.
[The original author, John Lucey included the following additional
information in a note added to the original manuscript and sent to
John's niece, Mary "Mame" (Shannon) McDermott in answer to her request
for data on founding of 1st Catholic church in Dewitt Iowa. (also
reprinted in the same paper):]
Sutherland, Nebraska
December 17, 1910
Dear Niece,
After a long delay I now send you a short sketch of the history you
requested. Although 60 years a long time the circumstances and dates
I have given I am positive are correct. It was my father's privilege
for a time to help raise a log church on the grounds near where the
College of Notre Dame, Indiana, was soon after built. We lived in
Mishawaka but attended church at Notre Dame. It being the first built
in St. Joseph's County, Indiana, the date being 1842. Then again in
1860 he helped build the first church in Boone County, Iowa.
(Throughout the above article all peculiarities regarding spelling,
etc. have been copied. C.F.G)
[According to his obituaries, Jeremiah moved to Boone County in 1865.]
[Hand written notes at the end, by Cleo McDermott, I believe: "This
copy was made from Centennial Book of St. Joseph's Church, Dewitt Iowa
1952? Book compiled by Fr. C.F. Griffith, St. Ambrose, Davenport,
Iowa."]
[Note by D. Nicklaus, 1999: The farm referred to as Old Vickory or Hickory
above is probably the land referred to in the following land transaction,
Found in the Clinton Co., Iowa General index to deeds, Volume 2 1852--1854:
Justus Vickeroy to Thomas Reed March 16, 1853 Mortgage book A Page 374
SE NW Sec 2 twp 81 rng 3
W 1/2 SW & SW NW & NE SW & NW SE Sec 36 Twp 82 Rng 3
SW NE & SE NW Sec 36 Twp 82 Rng 3
]
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