Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1909-10-14
STRICKEN WITH APOPLEXY
Rev. James Okeefe Pastor
Point, Dies Suddenly on Saturday Morning
POINTED DEAN BY BISHOP SCHWERACH
Funeral Held TuesdayBura
Priests Attended he Servic


Rev. James O'Keefe was stricken with
apoplexy on last Saturday morning, IN
the store of W. J. Jeuck & Brothers in
this city. He was talking in a iovial
manner to the proprietors, as he was
accustomed to do, and was apparently
IN the best Of health, when he leaned
forward and fell to the floor. A physi-
clan was summoned and found that he
was dying. Father Weyer, pastor of
st. Mary's Catholic church, was also
summoned and administered the last
rites Of the church to the diving Priest,
who never regained consciousness and
whose life closed without a struggle.
The news that Father O'Keefe was
dead caused profound sorrow every
where. 1t seemed impossible to believe
that his earthly career had closed.
Father O'Keefe had gone out and in
among the people of Mineral Point for
more than thirty nine years.
Rev. James O'Keefe was born in the
city of New York on July 30, 1915. He
removed with his parents to Milwaukee,
Wis, in 1848, and, in 1852, to Portage
City, Wis, at which place he attended
the public schools. In October, 1857,
he entered the seminary of st. Francis
at Milwaukee, where he remained until
he completed the classical course Of that
institution, together with philosophy
and metaphysics. He then went to
Europe and pursued his studies at the
University of Louvain, Belgium, a few
miles from the city of Brussels, one of
the greatest institutions Of learning in
Europe. There he perfected himself in
Latin, Greek, French and German, and
completed his studies of canon law and
theology, being in the same class with
Bishop Spaulding, of Peoria, ILL.,, and
Archbishop Seghers, of Portland Ore
gon. During his vacation while in
Europe, he visited Paris, Cologne,
Frankfort and other European cities.
He sailed up the Rhine and visited many
places Of note, thereby acquiring a
knowledge of European life and Gus
toms, that can only be obtained by years
of observation. While in LOuvain, he
received minor orders at the Cathedral
of st. Rhombauld, in the city of Ma
lines, from Cardinal Stercks, Primate of
Belgium, on June g. 1865. In the year
1866, he was recalled to st. Mary's
University, Chicago, at which place he
took a position as Professor Of Latin
until the fall Of 1867, when he returned
to ST. Francis Seminary at Milwaukee
and accepted a prOfessorship, which he
retained until Jan. 30, 1868, when he
was ordained Priest and assigned to the
pastorate of Elba, Wis. Shortly after
ward, that mission was divided, and he
was removed to that portion of it in
Guiding the city of Columbus, where he
took up his residence and became its
first pastor. Here he really began his
missionary labors; the church was in
debt and there was no parsonage. AL
though he remained but two years, yet
during that time he succeeded III paying
off the church debt, and in purchasing
for the church a fine brick house and
several lots. Having displayed marked
ability as a fnancier, he was removed
to the city of Madison and took charge
of that important mission. While
there, he erected one of the finest Cath
Olic school buildings in the State. Here
the duties and labOrs were so great he
was compelled to apply to Archbishop
Henri for an assistant, but, failing to
secure one, and Mineral Point having
become vacant by the death of Rev. f.
McGann, he applied for removal to
Mineral Point, which application was
granted, and, in 1870, he removed there
and took charge of that mission, includ-
ing WaIdwick and Ridgeway. He sue
cessfully conducted these three churches
until 1875, when he built a residence at
Ridgeway, and applied to the Archbish-
op that Ridgeway be separated from
his mission and a priest sent there.
This was done, which left him in charge
of Mineral Point and Waldwick, the