The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1880-10-18
A cErrENARIAN GONE.

Mercy Hospital, near TINS city, CatuTuay
noorning.in the one hundred and nth year
of his age. Rev. Father George Brophy
has passed away. Think of the progress.
the advancement in human progress he
has witnessed. A sketch OF the career OF
such man must prove of more than ordi-
nary interest. He had personal acqualnt-
ance with some of the greatest men 10 his
tory.
George Brophy was born near the city
of Kilkenny. in Ireland, in August. l775-
the same year that gave birth to Daniel
| O'Conneil, He was one of family OF
twelve sons and one daughter, His father
was an ardent Irish patriot, and took part
IN every outbreak that occurred II his
time, which had for its object the liberia
ton of Ireland In the great revolution
of 1898 he was soldier on the patriotic
side, aud after the battle OF Vinegar Hill,
was captured by the British and executed
With him was captured the Father of Car
dinal Cullen; he was also condemned to
death, but escaped that penalty at the last
moment.
Young George Brophy was early Intend
ed for the priesthood, and was carefully
| educated to that end. After graduating
at Carlow college. he went to Paris to pur
sue MS theological studies, but there was
so much Gisauiet aud danger there because
OF the effects of the bloody revolution, .that
III less than year he removed to Madrid.
and there remained until ready for the
priesthood. Then he returned to Paris and
was ordained as priest in 1898. lie
was proficient in the French, Spanish.
and Italian as well as in the English Ian
guage, and so entered upon a career of
missionary duty in Paris and vicinity,
seeking the families who had wandered
81 Eoi1 ha nj cd
of the revolution. He said several years
ago that he remembered distinctly many
of the leading incidents of the terrible
reign Of terror 10 Paris. 10 1893. and had
seen OaDton, Robespierre andtMarat-and
speaking OF them said they were human
fiends without parallel in history"
Father Brophy saw and conversed with
the first Napoleon aercat nun Der of times
|, 10 1915, when Napoleon was about tt
leave France for his Helena prison
Father Brophy was among the concourst
that listened to the last address on Frerct
soil OF The man of destiny. Again, il
1888, when the remains of the great EN-.
peror we're brought from 81. Helena 4
France the Father assisted at the obse
uues. which be described in the enthusi
astic manner Of a Frenchman as til,
grandest spectacle that could be conceived
Of 4 week after this imposing event wa
the attempt upon the life OF the kin.
! Louis Philippe, by Franchi. Fathe
Brophy was standing upon the Boulevard
when the immense procession passed. A
: the king came IN front of a certain building
terrible internal machloe, which haC
, been prepared for that purpose, wa
discharged 1t killed not the king. bu
: one of his ministers who was riding by hi
his side.
Father Brophs was at & bedside o
I Lafayette tor a week before his death
which occurred on the Goth Of May. 1924
Father Brophy and Arch bishop Dupentol
+, were bis last spiritual attendants. and th
former sat ut the bedside OF tho dyin
: statesmen night after night, until the sou
took it's flight. The father used to expires
the most exalted opinion of the abilit
virtues and devotion to noble principle o
. that brilliant Frenchman.
a He left France about year IS43. an,
> came to America He landed in Nes
Y 0rk. and became pastor CT st. Paul
church there, and afterwards had charg
0 of other parishes in that city. He bull
n no less than nine churches there, and wa
constantly exerting himself to the utHos
70 promote the interests OF his denomina
: ton. He thsrs had very large az,
r valuable library. In his parish was tn
d Rev. Mr.. Bayley, rector OF an Episcopa
: church. The priest and the rector met b.
chanca, and an acquaintance, warm an
friendly, was the result. Their favorit
q and never exhausted theme was religio
= and their difference of beliefs Their
! were learned and prolonged discus
sioDs between the two, The Protestan
had become warm friend of the priest
and spent a very large share of bis time il
e the library o. the latter. Finally, one
q morning, the minister came into Father
Brophy's presence with the announcement
D that he had studied and thought the who'll
T subject over. earnestly and prayerfully
0 and had come TO the settled conviction
o that the Roman Catholic religion was til,
only true faith, and that he would hence
{ forth be Catholic. By Father Brcphy'.
= advice he went to Rome, and was there
t baptized and received into the church
Such were the circumstances of the con
version from Protestant 10 Catholicism Of
the eminent and renowned Archbishop
i3ayley, o: the diocese of Baltimore, whose
death took place only few years ei1oe
Father lSrophy was on terms of friend,
E ship with Presidents Tyler. Polk, Fillmore
I Pierce, Buchanan. and Lincoln He mel
Lincoln at the Astor House, New York
when on his way to Washington to be-
ioaugerated, and gained an excellent opin
lou of him He used to say that as pat
riot, a man of lofty aims, devotion to
duty and country, and as au honest man
he vas at earpassinR Importance and
worth, President more like WASHINGTON
| than any other ever elected. Van Buren,
andssfyler he thought little of, but went
} into raptures, almost. over Buchanan,
whom be regarded as one Of the most
scholarly, dignfed, courteous aen of the
century. He had heard Buchanan speak
in Paris. while minister to st Petersburg,
and pronounced him to be one of the most
polished speakers he ever heard. Buchanan
was thorough scholar, and was greatly
esteemed by the French people.
/ Father Brophy came to Iowa in 1865,
having purchased land in Boone county,
with the idea of establishing an Irish col
ouy there: but the project failed for some
reason and in course OF time his land de-
creased in value as the flush time passed
away. He came to Mercy Hospital three
or four years ago, to spend his remaining
years, bis little property enabling him to
live at ease, there. He was very simple in
| his habiIs Tlrea years ago he was able
| 20 read without speGtao!es, and his MEM
Org was surprisingly acute aud accurate
Ia the fall Of II he iourneyed. to Boone,
attended to some sales Of land and return
ed-ali without any attendant, HI retain-
ed his mental faculties we'll until about
1 H..