New-York tribune., 1907-08-31
OBITUARY.
ARCHBISHOP JOHN J. WILLIAMS.

Boston. Aug. 3o.-Death came shortly before 9
O'Clock tonight the Most Rev. John j. Williams.
Archbishop of Boston, dean Of the hierarchy OF the
Roman Catholic Church in America, and Tor a
generation the spiritual head or that
Church in New England
Following a recent visit at Lake Hemlock, New
York. at the summer home of Bishop McQuad OF
the Rochester Diocese, the Archbishop became Sc
riously i'll with stomach trouble with which he had
long been afflicted. He gradually became worse
Although announcement Of the Archbishop's illness
had been made earlier in the week, 1t was not
until this afternoon that alarm was publicly ex-
pressed regarding his condition. The last sacra-
ments of the Church were administered to-day by
the Rev. DR.. John I. Mullen. the rector of the ca
thedral.
In the early evening IL was announced that the
ArchbishOps condition was low and that his demise
was only question of hours. From then he grad
ually passed away, dissolution being so gradual
that the attending physicians were not positive OF
the very moment when the end came 1t was De-
tween $50 and o'clock
At the prelates bedside at hts home. at Harrison
avenue and Union Park there present when
he died many prominent clergymen, with whom ne
had been intimate friends, including Bishop Ed
ward p Allen OF Mobile. the Right Rev. Denis
OCalahan. Of ST. Augustine's Church. South Bos-
ton, and the Rev Dr. Mullen
John Joseph Williams was born in Boston on
April q. 1922. His parents were Irish Catholics
who had come direct to Boston from County Tip
perary in 1918. At that time. besides Bishop Chew
erus, there only two Roman Catholic priests
the city. Young Williams first attended Miss
Newmarch's school. In Bedford street. and then
spent five years under the tuition of Father Fftton
IN the school conducted by Bishop Fenwick, under
the old cathedral in Franklin street At the age
eleven years he entered the college of the Sui
picians in Montreal, where he completed his philo-
sophcai course at the age of nineteen years He
then went to France and studied theology at the
Grand Seminary of ST SuIpice in Paris. where the
celebrated Able Hogan was his fellow student and
intimate friend
In 1S45 at the Trinity ordinations. he was eevat-
ed to the priesthood by Archbishop Afie, of Paris.
and, returning to his native city, he appointed
assistant in the cathedral and placed in charge
of the Sunday school In 1855 he became rector Of
the cathedral and two years later he was made
vicar general and rector OF ST James's parish.
After filing this dual office for nine years he was
named coadjutor bishop with Bishop Fitzpatrick.
with right of succession and the title of Bishop OF
Tripoi.
Bishop Fitzpatrick dying before the Papal bulls
for his coadJutor's conservation reached Boston.
DR.. Williams was consecrated as fourth bishop or
city, on March H. 1866 by Archbishop Nc
Closkey OF New York. His see at that time incfud-
ed the whole OF Massachusetts, While In Rome
in 1870 in attendance at the Vatican council Bishop
Williams succeeded obtaining the erection of the
diocese of Springfield and in 1875 his diocese
was raised to a metropolitan by Pope Plus TX
Cardinal McCloskey conferred the palum on him
in the new Cathedral of the Holy Cross on May
of that year. in the presence of the Papal able
gate. Monsignor Cesar Ronetti
Archbishop WilIiams's administration of his do
cese was marked by wonderful growth and develop
nlent his branch OF the Church in Boston. while
his piety, wisdom and judicial temper won for
him the love the Roman Catholics and the re-
spect OF the other citizens OF the CITY, the adira
ton of the Catholic hierarchy In America and the
confidence and approval of the Holy See and the
Sacred College In Rome