The evening world., 1888-01-17

was becoming urgent.
The plot where the present structure
stands was purchased for $11 900. but the
financial panic coming on at that time, nc at
tempt was made to build. and in fact it was
as much as Father Donnelly could do to save
the property he had purchased.
Services were held for several years in o
small chapel in the rear of the property,
which was opened on Sept: 20, 1857. The
basement of the church, which had been
commenced meanwhile. was completed and
rooted over in 1861, and after that time ser
vices were held there until 1854, when that
part of the church was finished and dedi-
Gated by Archbishop Hughes, on April 10,
1864.
After the death of Archbishop Hughes,
Father Donnelly went abroad for his health,
and on his return he raised money to buy adj
ditional lots, and the building of the pro-
posed ediice was then carried on to its COM
pletion in 1868. when it extended from street
to street, with an imposing frontage on Ninth
avenue.
1t was rededicated on May II of that year
by Archbishop McCloskey.
Connected with the church are the paro-
chial school buildings, for boys and girls,
the Sunday school, the attendance of which
has been built up to l 200, and q theological
school, the Young Mems Lyceum, and the
Association of st. Michaels. The cost of the
church and its buildings was over $500, 900,
and the debt, which at one time reached
$133, 272, was entirely eXtinguished in 1885,
when the ceremony of conservation took
place. The entire expenditures of the
church from its foundation up to the present
time have amounted to nearly 81, 200, 900.
The Rev. Arthur j: Donnelly, who has
been the pastor of the church since its
foundation, was born Jan. 10, 1920, in Attry,
County Kildare, ireland. His parents came
to New York in 1927. and he was educated at
the school of st. Mary's Church, in this city.
His parents intending him for business, he
entered, at the age of fourteen, a dry-goods
house in Paterson, where he remained some
time, and then went into the store of Ford d
Taylor, at that time located in Catharine
street.
In 1884 he entered into q c~opartnership
with his cousin, David p, Canpion, and they
opened a ~dry-goods store in Newark under
the firm name of Campion 4 Donnelly.
He abandoned commercial life, however,
for the church in 1916, and began in that
Seminary under the Jesuit Fathers, and was
ordained a priest by Archbishop Hughes at
st. Patrick's Cathedral Oct. 6, 1852. His
first work was to organize the parish of the
Annunciation in Manhattanville, which he
successfully accomplished. and in October,
1855, he was transferred to Fordham, where
he assumed the procuratorship of st. Joseph's
Seminary.
His remarkable executive ability was
shown early in his career, and when two
years later he was assigned to the parish of
st. Michael's. he was able to exert his talents
in a wider field. Tn success of his efforts is
shown by the present prosperous condition
of st. Michael's Church, which is probably
the most influential parish on the west side.
Father Donnelly has for many years been
a member of the Advisory Council of the
Archbishop, and last year was appointed
Quinn, who died while travelling abroad last
summer