The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1906-01-29

/ cally .penniless. having devoted his large
/ fortune to church work.
/ Was Mahone's Chaplain.
Rev. Matthew oKeefe. the chaplain
of General Mahone's famous brigade OF
! the Confederate army; the warm personal
| friend of Jefferson Davis and General
| Robert Il. Lee. yellow fever hero and
| member OF the Legion OF Honor OF France.
] WAS born In the city Of Waterford. Ire
land. on May IL, 1928, and In January OF
| 1902 celebrated the golden jubilee OF his
/ ordination as a priest. For thlrty-f,ve
| Years lie was stationed at Norfolk. Va.
! where he built the finest church edifice
| south OF Baltimore.
! He has been q priest OF the Catholic
| Church for fifty-four years, and was one
Of the most widely known clergymen OF
! the archdiocese. He was ready debater
| and "a quick clear thinker. He was edu
! Gated Mt st. Johns College, at Waterford,
! Ireland where. after his graduation. he
! served three years az professor of theoi-
| ogy and philosophy. In his native town.
/ when he was In the twenty-fourth year OF
/ his age, he was ordained priest by
| Bishop Foran Several months aftcrwnrd
| he came to Baltimore and WAS assigned
to Frostburg, being the first pastor OF
! that parish He was there only a short
| time. and although his work promised rich
| results. he was recalled and sent 20 assist
/ in the Diocese OF Richmond, then under
| Bishop John McGill. He wls placed in
charge OF the work ut Norfolk, where ne
| ,c.l,alrod fnr thirtr-five wears.
4 In 1875 the llow f7ver bro<c ont In
Norfolk ana Portsmouth. jus across
,srer. II was du ing this plague inst
Rather. o'Keefs did the work that made
his name famous throughout tire south.
He worked among the peop'e like n nero
nursing the sick. administering TIE last
rites of tho church 10 the diving ana bury
in. the dead. He buried more than " II
his congregation during the ep'demlcfs
In 1S53. the year af er the yellow fevfr
placue. his church est. Patsick'sl was
burnt down, but he rebuilt 1t. a. also
commenced the present s.. Mays Chur h
i OF the immaculate Conception.
His Gift From Napoleon.
An incident occurred in h $ career IN
1869 which was recognized in the mo
substantial manner. a French irisate ar
rived In Hampton Roads from the SHan-
ish Main with yellow fever on board.
Father OKeefe was gent for to attend
the sick He responded Immediately. nj
roma ned en- toard the isa'e severa'
DAYS. only going ashore to bury the dead.
He turi d ~ nr % OF the officers and crew
OF the frg tie at s. welrs~ Point, near
Newport News. The dread of the fever
was still in the town. and Father o'Keefe
! was 10 hidden to return to Norfolk, II
! being Jared that he would bring the
/ tarriile disease with him. He TOOK all
( proper pre- buttons to prevent the fever
spread ng and came to Baltimore. whlc
he remained two wesks and then re-
turned to his parish. In the meantime.
] the aimirai of the FIR nch fleet arrived
I In Hampton Roads looking 20 the fever
ship.
| He was Informed wat Father O'Kcete
/ had done, and when the priest returned.
thlre were two letters for him from z c
French admiral. One was n private note,
in which the admiral expressed his per-
son9l thanks fos- what the priet lad
done; the other was an otilc al letter
thanking him. In the name OF the gov
ernment. for his serves to It's navy
1 when in distress.
In the following spring Father O'ke fe
rec sived tilrolgh Hon. Hamilton Fish, The
Secretary VI Safe. Il magnificent gold
watch and chain f. ON tie EmIe or Ma
poeon. with a letter expressing his graf :
tude for Father O'lSs efes services. The
i va.le of the watch and cllin Is rot less
\ than $500. The watch is deliberately chas-
ed, bearing the imperial crown. on e
4 side is engraved in bod relief this in
I scription: Presented by the Imperial
I Government OF Frame to Rev. NJ.
tO'Keefe cure Of Norfolk, Va, for se.-
4 vices rendered to the Imperial Marine,
4 1850 tie was also enrolled as II menfer
! of the Legion of Honor of France.
Father O'Keefe served as chaplain OF
! Mahone's Brigade, having been apprspted
! to the position by the 4NonteueVale sc re-
! tary in 49,
In 1887 Father Q, ISeefe returned to Bal
| tlmore and was appointed by Cardinal
| Gibbons to the charluincy of the More
| Bsme Convent and pastor OF st. Francis
| Church Towsoa. In ad sition to his pas
to.al duties, he has ken great interest
| in parochal schools and WAS until re-
| cent superintendent of schoolsAfor the
!, Archdiocese of Baltimore.
| Growing Work of Life.
(! II was at Towson that Father . 1Seefe
performed the browning work OF his
notable life He erected there the Catho-
Ilic Church of the Immaculate. magnlfi-
cent marble building, trimmed with finest
brownstone. and considered by many tne
most beautiful church in Maryland. 1t
vas built largely out of Father O'keefes
nri,ate nurse, The interior of the walls
az the. building are adorned with frescoed
stae, nnncls There are u number OF fine
stained glass windows, and In the front
| ar the church Il mammoth window, on
| which there is an artistic representation
/, Of the Resurrection of Christ. Thereiia
five beautiful marble affairs, The main
! altar costs $2OG0o, and is made of the
lanest Italian marble. The church Is of the
Gothic style Of architecture and Is To-
Gated on a beautiful slope over 600 feet
aboye the level of the sea and overlook
mo tho beautiful Dulaneys Valley and
Itl,e surlountllng country, and can be seen
| fnr many miles. In this beautiful church,
\ ii, ~ aerond of the kind, which he erected
| Wlll he the tomb of the venerable priest.
! rather O'Keefe has lived a most
austere life, and spent his large private
| roll nihll, nm.