Evening journal., 1897-05-03
SOME EARLY HISTORY.
Interesting Excerpts From St.
Peters Church Records.
PROMINENT FAMILIES NAMED


MOST OF THE FIRST WHINING
TONIANs SEEM TO HAVE BEEN
FRENCH-BAPTIsMs AND MAR
RIAGES A CENTURY AGO.
Few Wilmingtonians are aware what
mines of history of Wilmington IN
early days are treasured in the records
of some of the old churches hereabouts.
Perhaps the most prolific in incidents
relative to the people who made Will
mingtOn are the records OF st. Peters
Pro-Cathedral, which contain the regis
try Of all of the births, deaths and
marriages of early Catholic Whining
tonians.
The first extract from the registry
of the church gives the first baptism
of Catholic in a Wilmington church.
but does not give the name The bap-
tism was performed by Rev. Etienne
Faure, French priest. with authority
of Bishop John Carroll. of Baltimore
The witnesses were Jean Garesche Du
Rocher, j. p. Garesche and NJ. " NJ.
Garesche. The names of the sponsors
were probably members of the family
for which Garesches lane is named.
In November of 1896 another bap-
tism is recorded. No more are recorded
until April IA, 1897, when a member
of the Dupont family was baptized.
She was probably the first DUPONT born
in Wilmington. Her name was Marie
/ Francoise Jeanne louisa Angelique,
born at Wilmington, August 25, 1885.
/ She was the daughter of Pionre Henry
/ DUPONT de Gault of ST. Domingo. and
Marie Catherine Elizabeth. Both were
/ refugees from st. Domingo. This bap-
tism was also performed by Father
Faure.
BY March g. 1897, a new priest seems
to have arrived, for on that date the
entry of a baptism by Rev. p. Bauduy
is made.
On November 1897, there was q
baptism at which the sponsors were
! Alexander Francois Breton Des-
chapelles and Euale Breton Des-
chapelles, Bauduy Breton Deschapel.
les, Breton Deschepelles Bauduy ant
John Heating. These names, excep
the last, are now apparently extinct il
the city.
On the same day a marriage, the frs
recorded in the city, is noted. Tn,
groom was Francois Brenie of whom
it is recorded that he was in business
in Philadelphia, and Jeanne Vidal.
On October Is. 1897, Marie Michel,
negress Of the Mandingo tribe, 20 year
Old slave to Mr. Lally de la Melville
of St. Domingo, who was given he
freedom in reward for her faithful ser
vices, was baptized. Elizabeth Care
sche stood sponsor for her.
John Heating, son of Valentin
. Keating and Sarah Creager, was mar
ried on December IL, 1897, to Eulali
Nictoire Mathuriu Claudine Bretto
Deschapelles.
On November 10, 1893, Father Cibol
vice-prefect apostolic and superio
3 general Of the missions OF the north O
st. Domingo, refugee from tina
island, was deputed to baptize in VIII
mington by Bishop Carroll. Whining
ton a. this time seems TO have con
tanned a large number of refugees fror
st. Domingo among its inhabitants.
In June, 1900, Father Cibot Marie
James Devinney, an Irishman, an
Mary WinterbOttOm, an English
woman. The witnesses were Joh
Keating and John McGuirk.
In March, 1915, Anne Caroline Hor
sey, daughter Of United States Sen
. ator Outerbridge Horsey, was bar
tized.
4 On September 10, 1918, the first bar
tism that took place in St. Peter
Church was held. Anne McDermot
daughter of John and Rosanna Nj,
d ( Cusker McDermOtt, who was born q
n du Plantys mill, Christiana hundred
\ was the person baptized.
d On April %. 1895, the first confirm;
+ tion recorded is made by Bishop +.
IS Kenrick.
L On June 1, 1923, this note appears O
g the register: Rev Mr. Maguire's {,
[. Quebec. Canada) father, John McGuir
;. lived before the Revolution near Che
ter county pOOrhouse, Brandywin
and withdrew from there with Il
British on their retreat. John Nj
, Cures brother, Andrew, who settle
. in Londonderry township, Chest'
county, died about fifteen years as
and left issue James, John, GeOrg
=, Mary and Susan, all living in the san
Il place, first cousins TO the above Re
Mr. Mcguire, of Canada There are
number of old tombstones in the grav
lyard adjoining st. Peters but no dat