Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1907-09-06
AT RIPE OLD AGE
Dean of Roman Cath 1lic Clergy
In America RAISES On
DID MUCH FOR HIS CHURCH
Archbishop Williams, a Native of
Boston, Labored Long In That
/ City and Became Head of F blowers
of His Faith In New England


/ City and Became Head of followers
of His Faith In New England
Boston, Aug. 31.-Death came last
night to Most Rev. John j. Williams,
archbishop of the Boston diocese, dean
of the hierarchy of the Roman Cath
Ollie church in America and for a gen
Grafton or more the spirited head of
that faith in New England.
Following u recent visit at Lake
Hemlock, Rochester, at the summer
home of Bishop McQuade of that do
cese. the venerable Boston prelate was
taken seriously ill with stomach
trouble. This, with complications that
would naturally result in so aged "a pa
tient, gradually became worse.
Although some announcement of the
archbishop's illness had been made
earlier in the week, it was not until yes
terday afternoon that alarm was pub
licly expressed regarding his condi-
ton.
The last sacraments of the church
were administered yesterday by Rev.
Dr. Mullen, the rector of the cathedral.
After this ceremony the archbishop was
Amounted
In the early evening it was an
nounced that the archbishop's condition
was very low and that his demise was
only Il matter of hours. From then OH
he gradually passed away, dissolution
being so gradual that the attending
physicians were not positive of the very
moment when the end came. 1t was
between $50 and o'clock.
At the prelate's bedside there were
present when Archbishop Williams
died many prominent clergymen. includ
ing Bishop Allen of Mobile, Rt Rev
Mgr. O'Callahan of South Boston and
Rev. DR.. Mullen.
Archbishop Williams was born in this
city April ~, 1922. He began his
studies at the Cathedral Parochial
school here and completed them in
Montreal. He took Il course in the
ology at the seminary of st. Sulpice in
Paris and was ordained priest in 1910
in that city. He returned to Boston
almost Immediately and began his work
in the priesthood as assistant rector It
the Cathedral of the Holy Cross, which
position he held until 1850, when he
was made rector. Two years later he
went to st. James church, also of this
city. but returned to the cathedral N
1866 as bishop of Boston. He was ere
1, I,f. ~
: metropolitan in 1915.
When Williams undertook the direc.
ton of the affairs of the church in this
city the denomination was weak in
numbers and the remarkable growth
since that time was largely due to the
work of organization he planned
The infirmities of age made it neces.
sary three years ago to have an assist
ant appointed and Rev. DR.. O'COnnell,
bishop of Portland, was elevated to the
position of archbishop coadjutor
O'Connel succeeds the deceased pre-
late as the head of the archdiocese.
Since O'Connell's appointment Will
Jams has appeared seldom in public
except on important occasions. and
curing tHe past lew HOuluS ne Huu
been feeble. although not suffering from
any organic disease.
Following the announcement OF
Archbishop Williams death the new,
was spread abroad by the tollng of III,
cityS fire alarms, a mark of respectful
honor seldom given. The electric bell,
in all the stations of the fire depart
A off
81 times simultaneously with the bell,
and whistles on the engine houses in
the outlying districts of the city.