Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1895-06-15

built in the northwest corner of what
i, now St. Mary's cemetery, chiefly bv
the efforts Of some ladies, promine. t
among whom were Mrs. Robert PattoI ,
of Spring Bank, and Mrs. James Pa $
ton, English ladies, whose husbands
were Alexandria merchants. It is GER
tain, also, that probably before the cree
ton of the church, Mass was said in
the house on Pitt street, just behiI d
the Alexandria Infrmary, now the
residence of Mrs. Julia Monroe, by
Rev. Father Eden, private chaplain to
Mrs. Rozier, who had come over, with
large number of servants, from Prince
Georges county, Md. Father Neale
may, however, be fairly considered the
founder of st. Mary's Church. The
church on Washington street extended
was soon found to be too far out of
town and chapel the Methodists had
erected on Chapel Alley, just where
the rear of st. Mary's now is, was pur-
chased by him and altered for Catholic
worship. This was about 1909 or 1910.
A house on the site of the rectory was
also purchased from Rev. VIM. Wat.
tiers, prominent Methodist minister OF
that day, and pious old French man
named Ignatius Junigal, having left his
whole property to the church. Large
additions were made to it and bell
tower erected in which was hung the
small, but sweet-toned bell now in the
cupola of St. Mary's Hall. This was in
or about 1917. Soon after the reestab-
shment of the Society of Jesus in 1914
Rev. Roderick Baxter, an English Jes-
nit celebrated for his ability and elo-
quence, became pastor, though he lived
at Georgetown College. He had
brought with him from England Rev.
Joseph VIM. Fairclough, young man
in deacon's orders, who was or.
dained priest in 1918, and be.
came the first resident pastor.
He served the congregation faithfully
about twelve years, buying the lot
hack of the church on Royal street and
building in 1926 new church 60 by 40
feet in size, three of the walls of which
are yet standing and compose about
half of the present church. Soon after
discussions arose, and Archbishop
Whitfield placed the congregation
again under the charge of the Jesuits,
by whom Rev. John Smith, an eloquent
and popular Irishman, was made pas
tor. He brought the Sisters of Charity
to Alexandria and established them in
the old house at the southwest corner
of Duke and Fairfax streets, where
they opened st. Francis Xavier's Acad-
envy. He also established st. Johns
Academy. In 1887 he was succeeded
by R. Stephen L. Dubuisson, native
of st. Domingo, but reared and edu-
Gated in France, where he became an
officer of hussars under Napoleon. He
was very able man and was partic-
ularly devoted to the religious educa-
on of the children of the congrega-
t on. His memory is held in great
Y,neration by such OF them as survive.
His health failing, he went back to
France in 1S41 and was succeeded in
rapid succession by Rev. James Power:
Rev. James Moore and Rev. Roger
Diets. In 1912 Rev. Benjamin A.
Young, born in the District of Colum-
bia, at Lower Giesboro, between Wash
ington and Alexandria, became pastor,
but his health was bad and he died in
the last days of 1874. Rev. Charles II.
Stonestreet, Marylander from Charles
county, succeeded him temporarily,
serving seven or eight months most &C
ceptably to the congregation, when
Rev. Ignatiu5 Coombs, another Mary
lander from St. Mary's county, took
his place for short time, and was sue
ceeded by Rev. John F. Aiken, Ten
nessean and convert to Catholicity,
who was a veritable father of the
poor" and made many converts. After
a dangerous illness in 1850 he was re-
moved to Trinity Church, Georgetown,
and his place supplied by Rev. Joseph
NJ. Finotti, an Italian of noble birth,
who soon made himself popular with
all classes of people. both Catholics
aud Professionals. In 1852, much against
the wish of the congregation, he was
removed, and Rev. George Villiger,
Jealous Swiss priest appointed in his
place. He raised 5000 towards build.
ing new church, but, before he could
realize his wish, he was succeeded, in
1854, by Rev. John E. Blox, cordial
and energetic Belgian, who, in 1856 ex-
tended the church twenty feet in front,
built the tower which has just been re-
placed and the galleries just removed,
purchased the bell now used, erected |
the beautiful marble high altar, mod.
ernized the pews, and purchased new
organ. He was devotedly loved by the |
congregation and made very many con-
verts, but was removed in 1858 to st. |
Johns Church, Philadelphia, where he
soon after died. His successor was
Rev. Peter Kroes, very learned, but |
somewhat eccentric Hollander, who |
served until 1872, and endeared himself |
To his own people and our citizens gen.
orally. Under his administration st. |
Mary's Hall was built by the Young
Catholics Friend Society, which, as |
well as the Sodalities of the Blessed |
Virgin, had been established by his pre-
decessor and built small chapel for
the daily mass in winter on the south
east corner of the church. AS pastor
during the war, his prudence and good
saved st. Mary's from
seizure as a hospital, as we'll as the
First Presbyterian Church, and though
he was of decided southern sympathies,
he was respected and esteemed by the
federal officers and men. Towards the
close of his incumbency, he purchased
the building on north Fairfax street.
now occupied by st. Mary's Academy,
and established that school and male
and female naronhia1 cebooJo ond |