Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1889-05-04
ST. PETERS CHURCH.
An Interesting Sketch of the Oldest
Church Building in the District.

Church Building i'm the District.
The Washington correspondent of the Coato
iic Mirror, Mr.. n. T. Taylor, gives an interest
ing history Of st. Peters church OH Capito
Hill, which is now being torn down TO make
room for a handsome new building. st. Peter,
was the oldest church in the District of Column
bia, the only one ante dating it, st. Patricks.
which was erected in 1874. having beer
demolished some years ago, and been replaced
by the imposing edifice on 10th street. The
new 81. Peters, however will be erected on the
same site as that which has been occupied by
the old building since 1920. In that year it was
found that church east of the capitol was
needed and to that end the following COM
mittee was appointed to receive subscriptions
for this object:V Very Rev. VIM. Matthews, Dan'l
| Carroll, of Duddington. VIM. Brent. James
| Hoban. Nicholas l.. Queen. James Peter Callan.
Edward Mattingly, James Spratt. and James
| David Barry. OF this committee Daniel Carroll.
OF DuddIngton. was made chairman. as he was
really the originator of the enterprise. Dud-
| dlngton Manor was the most conspicuous house
east OF the capitol. and to-day it stands as a
solitary landmark of the Revolutionary period
| In that section of the city. being located two
squares southeast of st. Peters church. Two
| hundred and twenty-seven people subscribed to
| the building fund, and Daniel Carroll donated
| the ground upon which the church stands; the
church afterward purchased additional prop
erty adjoining.
| THE FIRST PASTOR.
| Rev. JAS F. NJ Lucas was the first pastor of
st. Peters, and he took charge September l..
| 1921. The first baptism that of child
| named Edward Augustine johnson, on Septem-
Der 23. 1921. The second and third to be bap-
| tized were two colOred children named Emile
| and Ann, on the same day. The first mass was
said October Ii. 1921, and on November 4 fol-
lowing the church was dedicated to St. Peter
by Rev. John Tessier. superior of St. Mary's
Theological seminary, Baltimore. When Father
Lucas first took charge of St. Peters he lodged
end boarded with Mr.. Samuel p. Lowe, on
New Jersey avenue, between and NJ
streets south. In 1922 he took up his
abode at the old Diggs house. on the site
of the present Providence hospital. The
first convert to Catholicism received into
the church was Mr.. Thomas Bayne, who
was conditionally baptized by Father Lucas
August IA, 1922. Mr.. Bayne was then but
bishop Marechal visited st. Peters. and for the
first time administered confirmation to a class
of over 200. The only known survivors of this
first confirmation class are Mrs. Dooey. then
Miss Ann E. Hanna, and Mrs. Bayne. then Miss
Matilda Clements. Miss Mary Hickey, after
ward Mrs. John Fitzpatrick, whose daughter
married John Russell Young and Mrs. Thomas
Bayne were among this class.
On November 10, 1924, Rev. John F. McGerry
was appointed
THE FIRST ASSISTANT PASTOR OF ST. PETERS,
and when Father Lucas joined the Jesuit order
at Georgetown college, Rev. Matthew F. Dea-
gle, who had come to st. Peters as assistant in
October, 1925, succeeded Father Lucas as pas
tor. He was an uncle of Rev. Father Walter.
the present pastor of st. Patrck's. He re-
manned pastor until his death. October q. 1891
He was buried under the sanctuary of st.
Peters, and eight years later, when the body
was exhumed to be transferred to Mt. Olivet,
1t was found to be in perfect state of preser-
vation. Rev. James Hoener was Father Dea-
giles assistant. and on his death became pastor
in 1882.
Rev. Peter Stanislaus Schneider came to st.
Peters in January. 1892, and was the pastor
from October. 1882. until December, 1888 He
was succeeded by Rev. P. yelmans, Belgian.
in December, 1888. who was pastor for five
months. Father Van HOrseigh became the
next pastor. July, 1884. During his pastorate
the present pastoral residence was built.
Father Van Horseigh died September. 10, 1S49.
as is inscribed on the memorial tablet near the
entrance to the south aisle of the church. His
remains were first
BURIED UNDERNEATH THE ALTAR.
but were afterward removed to their present
abode on the south side of the sanctuary at the
foot Of the steps leading from the sacristy to
the presbytery.
Rev. Peter b. Lenaghan came September,
1S49 as assistant, and became acting pastor
until December, 1851, when Rev. Edmund A.
knight, the new pastor, arrived. During his
pastorate the late John c. Fitzpatrick and
Thomas Bayne went to Baltimore and pur-
chased the present bell, which bas rung out
the calls to worship for the past forty years.
Rev. Bernard j. McManus. afterward the mon
signor, succeeded Father Lenaghan as assist
ant. The next assistant was Rev. Robert ).
Lawrence, followed by Rev. Charles c. Bren-
nan. Father Knight died in September. 1862.
In his will he remembered the church as well
as his brother clergy.
Rev. Francis E. Boyle succeeded Father
Knight as pastor, and continued such until
April l. 1873, when he was transferred to st.
Matthew's to succeed Rev. Charles 1. White.
Father Boyle died at Providence hospital,
March Is, 1882.
Rev. jeremiah O'Sulivan succeeded Father
Boyle at st. Peters, and was pastor until he
was made bishop of Mobile in 1885. Rev. Geo.
W. Devine succeeded him. and remained pastor.
with Rev. James +. Donahue assistant, until
his transfer to the pastorate of it. Johns.
Baltimore. when
THE PRESENT PASTOR, REV. JAMES o'BRIEN,
took charge. Father O'Brien's assistants were
Rev. NJ. p. Sullivan and Rev. James Roger
Matthews
Among the present Pensioners of St.
Peters are the families of Mr.. Robert Blaine.
brother of the Secretary of State; Mr.. Andrew
Devine. official stenographer of Congress: Mr..
Henry Hayes, Mrs. MOsher, formerly Miss
Brent: the only living daughter OF Daniel Car
roll. Miss Jennie Carroll. the aunt of the widow
of Capt. Burritt; Miss Emily Brent. sister of
the late John Carroll Brent; the Watemeyers,
Harbins, Boiseaus, Wellers, Repettis, Costaginis,
Donnellys Landvoights, Castells, McMenamins
and Barrys.
The new church will cost $40 O00 and it is
Father OBrien's intention to push the work
forward with the hope of getting into the base
ment by Christmas. In the meantime the con-
gregation will worship in the parish school
house.
e. The local circulation of The EVENING
STAR is not only the largest and fullest, but it is
also the BEST, since the paper goes not alone
! into the hands of the people of the District of
Columbia as body, but regularly into their
homes,-into the families of all classes. and
into those of the money-spending as well as
| the money-earning portion of the community.
| An advertisement in its columns therefore
reaches the eye of everybody worth reaching.
A Lovers Quarrel.
| Was 1t all mistake: All, fold your arms closer,
And press my head nearer your breast;
For my brain has grown weary with thinking and
weeping,
Was 1t all a mistake when within your dear
|