The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1877-09-21
The Late Father Nc ElrOU.
HIS LONG AND EvENTFUL LIFE AS PoR-
TRAYED IN HIS OWN WORDS.

Rev. Father John McElroy, the oldest
Catholic priest in America, whose death ut
Frederick, Md, Wednesday, the 18th
inst, is noticed in our editorial department,
narrated the following facts about himself
Ill a private conversation held i'll May, '65
! II was born in the Province OF Ulster, the
most northern province OF Ireland, in the coun-
( ty Fermanagh. in l1s2 ana am ~ present the
J oldest Catholic priest in the United States and
have been FOR five years :ne oldest Jesuit in the
eths and neroS G pa 'ns i M,
Josuits throughout the world, and hence
able 10 make the Stat emcnt with accuracy. At
the. time of my birth Catholic emancipation
had made no headway in Ireland. and hence I
was given to Catholics nj that time. l LEFT Ire
land Tor America in 1903, when twenty lone
years old. O'Conneii had just made his debut
in the charact of mn emancipator. and Ind
given thus far but little promise of that extra
I ordinary ViVor and power OF controlling pOpC-
lar sentiment for which he afterward became
! so famous. landed frst in Baltimore. and
was President of the United States when |
landed. have met him several times, and Of
ten had occasion to admire his republican SIM
pitGW,tyy; ptWyan tool, ~. s,one :, p.,,,,oro :, oo
( to Washington it old, rickety wagon,
with leather curtains Hopping in the wind anc
lii and Saw the cattle browsing about Penn. Penn
syivania avenue | asked when would get to
Washington hnd w.s surprised TO learn maj W..
were there already. The Presidents house was
the only place worth looking at in the city.
There was an old post office W here the Patent
Office is now. and a colony o: Irish had squatted
on the hill. who couldn't speak word y: Eng
lieh. GEORGETOWN was much more active
place Of business than Washington and AIex-
andria WAS far more important than either.
White House. He told me ne intended to put
another story on the building, but Washington
did not approve OF it. When came this
country the Jesuits had been suppressed.
They were suppressed by Clement XIV, in
l11f aud not formally restored until the restor-
alton OF Plus VII; TO his functions in 1SI4-
Archbishops arroii, Neal and n number of 9TH
cfs went 10 Europe IN the eighteenth century
To study at Jesuit college; but upon their
suppression these all returned. Jcsuits. YOU
VIII understand, cannot accept any houors, but
they are obliged 10 obcy the prders of the Pope.
BothArchbishops Carroll aud Neal we're Jesuits
carroll was Ht the mead OF the Church when
reached America, ANA the only archbishop in
the country. Neal was at that time b!shnp and
president of Georgetown College, 1 knew
Archbishop Carroll well. He WAS above the
medium height, very grave and slow in speech.
out very nmiable and Interesting and very re-
fned aud yentIenanly in his manners. He and
Carroll. OF Carroiiton were first cousins. aud
not brothcrs. as hHs been erroHeou>iy supposed
by many: The family was from the county OF
Snrk, IN ireiand; There was but one Catholic
church III Ne" York at that time and, indeed,
Tor long time afterward. l said mass hate
as 1918 in St. Peters. the old chu rcl, i'm Barclay
street, St Patrck's church being then in course
oil cnhet uction. aud there were only
was the only Catholic church in Philadelphia,
1t was in this church that Washington and his
STAN STAN asSemhisd after the Battle of Trenton to
near mass; Now there are as many churches
in Phiadciphia as there are in New York.
| Il went to Georseto~n, as told you, and
entered into commercial lite. just about this
time Archbishop Carroll WAS directed quietly
a TIC nl
at Georgetown College 1t continued there Tor
ABOUT two years. and was removed To White
quently it removed TO Frrderck Tor a
| short time; after wdich il was again removed
gave up mercantile Iife TO 20 To- th, college
i'll Georarinwn. 1 went there as treasurer, and
Tor eighI or nine years. studied during my
leisure and was ordained priest In May, 1917
ago remained III Georgetown four years
hiiinE the same Office occupied before / was
I f.,tt ~ =
oer ls-2 The noyitinte here tFrederck) COM
m-noed at the end OF the last century. When
| l came here. in ls.2, there was small center
bicinR. The first old church, which il now
inc1riointcd with the main building, was erect
! ca 3y Father DUBOIS, one OF the great pioneers
OF The church in this country, the father who
donndrd Mount ST. Mary's aud st. Josephs
remained here until l545 During that time
VISITATION, Over the way. for the Sis1nrss OF OF
Charity The V tsitatinn Sisters arterward took
lite tSf. John'sl paid on IL before left as5sH
was remove from here in 1si5 {" take charge
OF a church in Georgctown, OF which was nus.
. tor from September 10 May.
Inc Mexican war having broken out, Presi-
gent POLK cnlled upon the Bishops for a chap
lam Tor the army. had the honor of being Sc
q ieeted by them, and was sent with Father Raw
: To the army: We were the only chapiaips in
the army, a fact which created much dissenslon
a, ana bad feeling among the other denomina-
tons at the time, but the President said the
/ Mexicans were all Catholics and must be con
ciiiaied was with Gen. Tayior's part OF the
army. ana became quite intimate with him
, ! sent Tor Ray to come and assist in preparinv
SCOTS s army Tor their departure from Mata,
'noras, and never heard of him a ter ne ar. p,
ed DOUBTLESS he was ussassinated by th,. Nex.
leans. Itylor was AT BraZos Santiago, getting
ready ms nat boats or rufts. Ii was s,,pDosed
e by the Mexicans that he would attack the fort
he went by wen sd ,neS ex5 dfsmed mpregnable, bu,
r WITH ihe army as chaplain for one year In
/ patrick He offered me a church and nv nrn.
r N,nciai consented. In October following wa
e there were about $4,000 souls under NV cha,nn me
% NY NE IN Boston was ut times somewhat tein
pestuous. but it pleased the Almighty to hlass
l ny ,aoors ahindanily. can never forv.t the
: c,sions ny persons of Il totally different wnv
e Oh thinking from myself, and whose p,,biiyy
: POSITIONS made them shining marks for The ~,
G vious and discontened. immediateiy e se, ~, y,
, w6H r wna puli, a number Of schools At length
{ ; iIr sa'e; where formerly stood the Jail the o
onnti', *, NC Inc land was purchased ..y
r a hent tiehiati Tor bullding purposes, and an.
I ceeded in inducing him to part with n n,rs. , suc-
: ..T ri NY ryr, purpose was To erect college
0 pre- prt1udiceh AGAINST the Catholics. eren, buhn
of CnIrct ,r rr consequence o The cry raised
,o a. sine, ne 3rp9nents OF the Catholics res.;rted
bonph, Z. device They said the land was
: ahc dwelling houses were to be buiit u,,
the spr struggle ensued. Finally To ouie,
ne te3n9hf lot almost entire square. To-,
that erected college, which is st s,, n-., ana on
, s, very hourishing condition. violent nre, IN
with e"i,ena r,.t against granting a charter
C UI GeneraI Gushing. whom / had Know, ICES !.
Mexlco. lie introduced me to the Isg;s,m, ~
ard v my mdS,.ss Mas recgiyed with Kindness
on thls occasion that was first introd IL 4. was
, 1--WE bim ,,na nmarew who Informed me il wouJ
as it passed the LegIsiature subsa1s se as soon
Immsn, and uedlcated In 1861 the Church of ny
Itacuiate Itns.n conception. the finest church uo i
D n;st 3sson. ~ was consecrsted u few ,a~s q u u,
tnn ''mposing ceremonies. Since ieayi1 Rs Rnso
a1n ! nave been engage Il in the ordinorr tI nos-
"a ne nn'stry. my failing sight hayjou
I. ness "u 'nhsa'red hs To great extent my usafni
, uess, sun say mass and preach hers " I
mouuhte, out am unable to tra Vol ,,',L az .ne
J 49, Jue, anu that would be making two DO ph
! III OF one i have often known orc ~ - 'ne
.,u mork OF two or even three, but thin ~ 10
: G SUI vi the rule would be unprontai,ie "e
mus spoke the old man more tb.n
, year ago. and bis words will now becomo