The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-10-09

Early in the first settlement Of Cam
ton were several very excellent Catho-
lie families that came here from Balti-
more. John Shorb and family and An
drew Meyer and family were of this
number. They came here as early as
1908 or 1910, and very soon after the war
of 1912 other Catholic families Joined the
settlement. Andrew Meyer invested
very largely in land, several thousand
acres, which included the whole Of the
popular resort still known as Meyers
lake. Efforts have been made by other
owners since that time to change the
name to Reymann's lake, but the public
would not adopt 1t, so that the only
proper name is Yet Meyers lake.
Among those Catholics who came here
from 1912 to 1918 were, think, Pirrong
brothers, John and Francis; Joseph
Trout, Sr., father Of the late
Joseph Trout; the Cassillys. Owens,
Grimes, McCormicks. George Hosso-
fross, Adam Rider, the Pieros
and many others. Catholic mis-
sionaries occasionally held services in
Shorb's grove and also in the house,
The house is part of the same building
still standing, occupied by Miss Harriet
A. Shorb, at 719 West Third street-who
is a granddaughter Of the John Shorb
first referred to. These missionaries
came here about twice year, and the
proclamation of their coming was made
throughout the country and beyond, so
that pilgrimages were made to these
meetings by many living five to twenty
five miles away.
am told by well-informed Catholics
in this city that st. Johns church in
Canton is the oldest Catholic church in
the Cleveland diocese.
John Shorb and wife were especially
active workers in the Catholic church.
The first house of worship, brick struc-
ture, from which this picture was taken
was begun in 1923 and finished in 1924.
While this was being built Mr.. Shorb
was assisting in placing some of the tim
bers in position, when they fell, SO in
juring him that he died therefrom in
a few days. About forty-five years ago
Father Lindesmith built an addition to
the west end of the church which gave
the building the appearance most famil-
lar to the majority Of our older citizens.
The addition is shown in the above pic
ture. although originally the building
was only 40x90 feet and had a pointed
spire running up from the belfry. The
parsonage, or priests house, was in the
east end of the building facing on Nc
Kinley avenue, while the auditorium
was always at the western end, the en-
trance facing the old cemetery. The
house stood near the south east corner
Of their lot. The present large and
handsome building used by the st.
Johns congregation as their place Of
worship, stands some distance further
north than the old building and also q
little further west.
The cemetery near the church never
was very large and was we'll filled up
before the opening of the large new st.
Johns cemetery on North Cleveland
avenue In Plain township. Adjoining
the old burying ground near the church
was a small additional burying ground
owned by the Shorbs and their relatives
which was not open TO general burial.
The last burial that know Of in this
Shorb plot was that of the late John
Patton few years ago. His first wife
was Frank" Shorb.
Among the noted women of early days
In the Catholic church was Grandmother
Shorb, who for years had been attentive
upon the sick. Wherever she went
among Protestants as well as among
her own people, she was beloved and
looked UP to as an angel of mercy and
benevolence. Then there was Mother
Grimes, who was the foster mother of