Daily Republican., 1880-05-15
EARLY wORsMIPPERs.
The Oldest Catholic Church I'm
Dolaware-The sab etuRry a. Cof-
Fac N nn

fee Ban.
In Mill Creek Hundred, mile or two
distant from Brandywlne Springs and
situated in the heart of beautiful
country of green fields and tumbling
PERCEPTIONS hills is situated the Oldest
Catholic church in Delaware. Coffee
Run church it was called at first, but
since then the name has been changed
to st. Mary's. The church has passed
through varied history. Since it was
founded, hundred and fifty years ago,
many changes have occurred. The
country which at first was wild and
thinly settled, has improved until
homssteads dot the hill sides, and the
whole neighborhood possesses an ap-
pearance Of general prosperity.
Exactly when the church was built
Is not certain. Certainly as early as
1880. The founders wers q party Of
Jesuits frcm Maryland. These people
in establishing the church evidently
did 80 to secure more congenial place
for their labors, for in Maryland they
had been suppressed, and went by the
name of ths Sesulsr Clergy Of the dio.
csss of Maryland. As early as 1880, it
Is certain, the first Catholic family
moved into the neighborhood. That
was Cornelius Hollehan, wealthy gen
tlsman from Cork, Ireland. He set.
tied there just previous to 1880. His
residence was at Cuba Rock (Mt. Cuba)
on Red Clay Creek. This he purchas-
ed from Laetitia Penn, and it was part
of the manor given by her father, vii
liam Penn. A little congregation
sprung up and before long the Secular
Clergy came along and gave their as,
sistance. This formed tie nucleus from
which Coffee Run church finally
sprung. The first church structure
was an humble and unpretentious one,
being built Of rough logs. Since then
it has been rebuilt twice and new has a
pretty and invitingssappsarancs.
In the grave yard hard by, in which
"the rude forefathers of the hamlet
Sleep" are tomb stones from the face
OF which the storm, beating upon them
for years, has dsfaeed the lsttsred legend
and left but mumbling shaft. There
are stones here embracing dates plainly
~ far back IS 1885.
An interesting little bit Of local his
tory is called up by all this talk about
Coffee Run church. The land upon
which the church stands was bought by
the Maryland clergy, since a deed is
still extant signed by the Rev. Robert
Molyneux, a well-known Missionary of
the Society Of Jesus. The property
comprised about one hundred and
sixty acres of land. Father WhaIen
was the first pastor and was succeeded
in 1896 by Rev. P. Kenney. At the
time the land was owned by Mr.. Holle-
han. Here in the warmth Of his hos
pitable Irish nature he entertained
the Catholic clergy, and was very
popular. Father Kenuey, it is said,
was a very scholarly man. He had
been educated in France and spoke
French much better than English.
About this time Wilmington began to
grow apacs and small house on the
corner of Sixth and West streets, was
used by the Catholics as church.
Those who met here were OF French orr
gin, having fed from San Domingo at
the time OF the insurrection. In 1904
Father Ksnney took definite charge of
the church in Wilmington. He also at.
tended church at Concord and West
Chester and preached two Sundays at
Coffee Run, when five occurred in the
month.
The land belonging to the church
was conveyed to Father Kenney. When
the reverend father came to die in the
fulness of his old age and at peace with
the world, he made a will, signed al
the bottom Of each page, excepting the
last. This made the will illegal. In
this will he left the land for the benefit
of the female orphans Of the Catholic
church in Delaware il the charge of the
Sisters Of Charity. The land of course
was taken by the State of Delaware.
The Legislature, however, upon petition
of Right Reverend Bishop Becker, made
good the will upon all its conditions.
From the proceeds derived from the
sale of this land the Orphan Asylum at
Sixth and West streets was built.