The Jersey City news. (Jersey City [N.J.]) 1889-1906, 1898-07-09
SIXTY YEARS PROGRESS
History Of St. Peters Parish
Since It's Establishment
in 1894.
IT'S EARLY
Liberality Of the New Jersey
Associates Among the
Churches.


the corner of Van Worst and Grand
streets. is one of the oldest Catnohe
churches in Jersey City today. 1t was
first organized in 1884 by the Rev. William
Byrne, who was assisted by q small con
gregation ana by means OF collecslohs
taken UP by him chiefly from laporers oi
the Morris Canal ana at Albany, SINS
Sing. New Yorkland Boston. The site OF
the first st. Peters Church was where
st. Aloysius, Academy now stands 9n
Grand street. 1t was 100 feet square, anu
was one Of the four plots which the COM
pany of the Jersey Associates Literally sci
apart on Sussex, Grand and YORK streets
for places Of public worship. At the nliiag
in or grading Of the lots preparatory TO
the erection of st. Peters, Mr.. Jonathan
Jenkins, who was then ~errynaste Sc
cured free transportation for the men,
vehicles and horses to and from NE"
York. Mr.. Samuel Cassidy rendered M
portant services, as did other benefactors
and non-Catholics who SHOULD be grate-
fully remembered by the col ~gregation.
on November u, 1874, Bishop Hughes app
pointed the web known Rev. John Kelly
pastor of st. Peters. At that time the
Catholic population in the city did not
number over 6o0 people. The congrsga-
ton. encouraged by the good priests Who
preceded Father Kelly and who had al
ready done good work in erecting ana
enclosing the church and most OF the
pews. made vigorous efforts 10 bulld up
the parish.
When Father Kelly took charge the
debts Of the church were large, and even
enormous, considering the times and inc
circumstances. These debts
to 81. 100. and the church was not entirely
finished. There was no choir and there
was no ecclesiastical horne, the passor
being obliged to board. But under Tue
control of Father Kelly these dlilcullies
were soon overcome. The church "As
completed, the grounds around II "eie
filled in, fences were made, payenAehss
laid and vestrnents and sacred VESTS
procured. On october q, 1S45 a school WIS
established and a school society ihsti-
tuted. The object Of the society was iof
the support of the Catholic sehool OF the
city. Each member of the society hau
as his district Il street or part O d
street. He collected from eacn lanilis
the sum Of a shilling a month. mus rae
school was supported for the iirst Ten
years.
The income Of st. Peters Chureh lor
the year 1916 amounted TO less thah $4'oo''
and yet the church was completed Nhe
school kept In a flourising condition. ana
a number of other details attended 70 De
sides all his the erection OF q pasto'sl
residence, costing $1,000, was commences
in this year. TO pay these heavy expenses
the pastor Of st. Peters had TO depend
mainly upon the voluntary contrlputloAs
of the few poor but generous laoorers %
his congregation. AS the population g
Jersey CITY increased SO also was 81,
Peters parish greatly augmented uh'll "a
1s51-52. when the city inhabitants num-
bered about 1858, 1t included nearly two
thousand adults who attended mass regu-
larly.
In 1853 the sisters of Charity came and
took charge of the education OF the sHis
of the congregation. The immense GOOD
these spiritual daughters Of 81. vincent ee
paul lid in this parish is too wei known to
need mention. The pastoral house alops-
side the old site of ST. Peters, which IS
now used as a home for aged women was
erected at the cost of over $1,000. In lsH3
The valuable lots on which the school
house now stands at Van Worst and
york streets were bought, and the same
wear saw the building completed. IA
l&H3 the seven tOlS u StCN
now stands the present church were Fur-
chased. In 1854 the costly and immense
work Of piling was executed. The cost
and labor expended in procuring the
ground ana in preparing the foundation
for the magnificent ediice were sufncleht-
ly great.
Before the first brick was placed n
the walls of the splendid new ehruch and
IL and 3 n rnartGr ever
entered upon their contracts, the sum OF
saa Gao was expended. In 1865 the wallis
began to rise and rise rapidly. That year
was a aifficnlt one to carry on a great
work Of this kind. The Rebellion in this
wear was at its height, the currency WAS
depreciated. labor was dear, materials
were dear. everything was dear, vet
higher and higher it grew, astonishing
every one with the rapidity with which the
work was being pushed. The corner stone
was laid in August and the structure
rooted and protected from stormy weather
before the middle of December at a cost
of about $40.0 600 more. 1t was opened for
service on December 16. 1865. During the
winter monthsslS65-G6. the completion OF
the church went on gradually and nearly
sf5.o 600 more were expended in those
months.
The property upon which the church Is
built was owned by the Henderson es-
tate and they refusing to sell. it was
used as a Catholic church. It was bought
bv Mr.. Aneas Fitzpatrick. The piling
cost $4,000. and the lands about $4,000 In
1869 a committee appointed to investigate
and to Toxic measures to reduce the debt
Of the church. they concluded that the
income OF the old church was so low that
it was vel to sell it. The revenue was
absl,t $500 when it should have been ST.
400. and the damages attached to letting
It OUT amounted to $3.50 in a year. The
property was bought in by the Sisters of
Charity. including the cottage and lot,
for the sum of $4,000. This amount went
towards the completion Of the church.
The income Of the church was greatly
benefited by the sale Of pews in the
church, which added about s1,4o0 to the
income. 1t was estimated in 1863, that the
church cost s150.Q00.
The present rector, Father Harpes, and
his faithful assistant. Father Hariin, like
their predecessors, have worked faithful-
" and today st. Peters stands almost
uneoua1ed in the history of Catholic
Churches throughout this State. At
present d new school hall and Lyceum are
being erected on York street, and WI
cost fully $60. 600 when finished. The above
-Ar-