The diamond drill. (Crystal Falls, Iron County, Mich.) 1887-1996, 1907-08-24
HISTORY OF The
CATHOLIC CHURCH
or IRON RIVER TAKEN FROM FATHER
RezEHS BOOK.
with NAMES OF ALL PASTORS
First aas Vas Said in the School honss
and First Church Erected in
1880.

AT the same time that iron was dis
covered on the Paint River parties
were searching for similar ores west OK
Crystal Falls, firmly believing that
nature has deposited her gifts also In
it's section. In'this they were not mis-
taken. One OF the first 10 find iron on
the Iron River. was Richard l. Selden.
a native Of Connecticut. who came TO
the Upper Peninsula with the railway
survey. About the same time the
MacKinnon Brothers discovered an
out-cropping which afterwards became
the Nanaimo mine. Notwithstanding
the failures Of several mining enter
prises to develop profitable mine dur
ing the first years, IL was clear 10 the
mind Of the public that iron was there
and in plenty That these opinions
were right Is proved by the fact that
today large mines exist right over tine
once abandoned pits. Faith in the
future of Iron River never faltered.
The MacKinnon Brothers laid out dur
ing the summer OF 1882 u town which
has had steady growth ever since.
The same year the North Western
railway people extended their line from
Florence to Stambaugh and since then
10 Watersmeet making connecting
link with the Gogebic.
The territory Of this new mining
district was concluded in the Ely
township with the seat Of government
at Republic. Upon petition two new
townships, that OF Iron River and OF
Crystal Falls were formed. Patrick f..
Dunn became the first supervisor OF
Crystal Falls and Donald &, Mackin-
non Of Iron River These two town
ships embraced enough territory TO ac-
commodate European monarchy.
hence three more townships were Great
81. Mastodon, Stambaugh and Bates,
and then the agitation for new
county began. In 1884 the Legislature
established the county of Iron leaving
il 10 the popluar vote 10 decide where
the county seat should be located. On
account Of the restriction not to erect
any county buildings for FIVE years this
question Was allowed TO rest until 1889.
The Crystal Falls people evidently be-
lieving in he old axiom possession Il
nine points to law one winter Z
night carted away all the records Of
the county from Iron River A bitter
contest. closely resembling contest
for a new church site, ensued IN the
spring election the Crystal Falls people
worked hard and won
For religious services Iron River a
well as Crystal Falls depended at first
on Quinnesec and then on Iron Noun.
tain Father Faust made periodical
visits until November 1888 when Rev.
Antole O. Pelisson was given charge Of
the entire new district He had neither
house nor church In either place anc
the number OF Catholics Was 10 limit
ed TO think Of building church a.
most of them were just making homes
for themselves So he said Mass in
the school house and staid where chari
table people opened door for him.
Being the holder of pass on the Nortf
Western railway, IL Is said that b,
rode many time all day long on the
cars. in order not to be too much OF q
burden to the good people Later, ar
rangement we're made with Mrs
Mestelle, how charitably disposed
looked after the wants OF the stationary
priest OF these there were severa
before they had their own home
Father Pelisson staid about one yeai
after which the place fell back upor
the services Of Father Faust In May
1888. Rev Ch Raphael came but h,
ba.ely served ont that calendar year
he f/a suooseded in January 1886 by
Rev Fabian s Maroeau and in june
~ the same year Rev J. r. Strut
followed During mis- short stay OF
tlf.e months he finally made = start
for the building OF church From
the MacKinnons he obtained piece oi
Land le0xi0O feet. With the material
on the ground ready TO begin building
Father strut was called 10 Marquetts
September 20. 1885. Rev Joseph Haa,
came. October 7th. and put mp The
church. but without plastering the In.
terror. Nevertheless hes said Mass In
it. On October 10. 1897. Rev Joseph
Barron became pastor, but he slaid only
few weeks, and for the remainder Of
that year the congregation was served
by Father Chapuis who made his re.
sidence at Crystal Falls. In January
1883 Rev. NJ. j Van straten received