The Savannah morning news. (Savannah, Ga.) 1900-current, 1904-03-27

Loi several years afterWard, the ST.
vincent de Paul Society, was in 1872
Its quarters were on Congress, be-
tween Bull and Whitaker streets. and
between then and the time the asso-
c1auon obtained possession of its pres
ent sue-sometime in the early eighties
1t had quarters in several places.
The first president of the st. Vim
cent de Paul Society was Father Domi-
mic, young priest of the Savannah
diocese, who served but a few months
when Mr.. Joseph Copps became presi-
gent. remaining a it's head until 1873
In that year Richard Roe, now de-
ceased, out then prominent among the
younger Catholic men, was elected
president, and served until 1880. Mr.
j. f. Crohan was president in 1901
and was succeeded by P. ]. O'Connor
Esq.
In 1882, succeeding Mr.. O,Connor
another young lawyer, who has since
attained prominence in his profession.
was elected president This was
Needham c. Collier, one time United
States judge at Albuquerque. N. M
ana now residing in st. Louis.
from 1883 to 1899 the destinies of
the association were presided over by
the lamented Patrick F. Gleason. For
sixteen years Mr.. Gleason was the
president, and the moving spirit in
the work of the organization, and
probably to him, more than to any ono
Individual, is the association indebted
Tor It's progress and it's present splen-
did condition.
Later Day Omcers.
Mr.. ]. ]. Higgins, always prominent
In the work of the association. was
president 1S99-19OO, and Mr.. John !
Powers, also one of the old members
and even now a hard worker. served
from 1900 to the following year. To-
seph w. Heffernan was president 1901
03.
No history of the association. how
ever brief, would be complete without
mentioning the names of some of those
VINO, In other official capacities, and
IN the ranks, when the association was
In Its early and middle life and when
the work was all uphill, labored
increasingly for the organizations well
fare and growth. Some of these are
John j. Connolly, M. A. O'Byrne.
James p. Doolan, r. f. Pepper. J. r
mccarthy W. P. Bowling, P. Brennan.
John ID. Robinson, Jr., and in more re-
cent years ]. B. Maddox and c. v.
Robinson. Even these are not all, but
they are the names that come most
readily to mind.
The present board of officers of the
! association is as follows:
President-John F. Harry
Vice President-R. A. Crawford.
Secretary-T. NJ. Ray, Jr.
Treasurer-F. I. Barry.
Board of Directors-M. ]. Kava-
naugh. DR.. J. H. Collins, C. A. Nc
Carthy, James Leacy. j. F. Nc
/ Carthy, Jr., James r. Maddox. ]. q.
Maggioni, F. H. Golden, Thomas F.
Walsh and Joseph w. Heffernan
Prior to the erection of the old Ca
thredal of st. John the Baptist which
was destroyed by fire, the building
which formerly stood on the present
site of the Catholic Library Hall was
used as church and was known as
the Cathedral" There the Bishop of
savannah, Rt. Rev. William H. Gross
and his priests. held their services.
and the Catholics of the city attended.
Even after the building of the Cathe-
ural the old church was used for serv-
ices, being known as St. Benedict's.
After the abandonment of the build
ing as church, the Catholic Library
Association rented the rooms and about
1885 purchased the property. 1t was
remodeled at a cost of $4,000, and the
rooms were handsomely fitted UP. the
| rooms OF the association up to this
time being but meagerly furnished.
How Property Was Secured.
The manner in which the association
secured the property, or was enabled
TO secure it, is in itself interesting.
This was done by the organization of
! a nail association, separate from the
/ Library Association. Capt. John Flan-
merry was president and $4,000 stock
was subscribed In shares Of 500 each,
! the stock being taken by the members
/ OF the association and their friends.
The stock paid a nominal dividend
and was 10 be taken up by the ASSOC
citation a. Il was able 10 do so. In
/ 1897 plan by which the association
I took up All OF the then outstanding
, stock was mutually agreed upon, and
I the association came into possession
I 81 the property, including the four
houses in the rear ~ the hail. without
the ala which the Hall Association
and the men who were responsible for
the plan, there IA no doubt that the liz
bfary AfsOciafiOn would not be near
- well on ~ II De- now.
The history ~ the association Of a
social nature, particularly with AZ
fairs connected with the Catholic
Church, VISA n0f lees prominent than
90 part ii took ~ matters ~ other
kind
a n0fabis occasion waa fhs reception
. figen on NoY ~ 1853 20 Mosf Rev.
/ william h pfofs Afrhbifhop ~ Port.