The Newtown bee., 1909-08-06

Church in the New England States"
 published in 1899, these interesting
 facts are given concerning St Roses parish: "The ancient Indian name of Newtown was Pootatuck. The
 town was incorporated and received
 its present name in 170S. The first
 Catholics to reside in Newtown came
 not voluntarily, AS years after.
 They were four Arcadians, who were
 billetted on the town by act of the General Assembly, January, 1756.
 The records are silent as to their
 fate. Perhaps they were among the
 240 fortunate eXiles who gathered at
 Norwich in 1767, and were carried
 to Quebec in the brig Pitt" But
 if they remained they and their des-
 cendants lived and died without the
 corsoling ministrat;ons of ancinted
 priests. IF. 17S1 the French army,
 under Count Rochambeau, encamped
 at Newtown on it's march from
 Providence to the Hudson. They re-
 mained here from June 2S to July l. and as the. latter date fell on Sun
 day, it may be ayerred that one or more of the chaplains offered up the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass on that day Statements as to the time. and Icelebrant of the first mass in New town vary, ra Some are, certain that the Divine Mysteries, were t offered here, for the. first time. by Rev James ESmythe, one, of the pioneers of the diocese. in .1S41,s while. others con- tend for six years later, According to the adherents of thls latter view
 the first Mass, was said in Peter Leavy's house, which stands now near theTdepot9 9ons the N. Y, ~. h.s & H. .R.R., and-.that Rev John Brady was the celebrant. y The first Catho- lies fto establish homes in, Newtown were Michael yLeayy, Peter t7Leavy, John Cavanaugh, Patrick: Gavanaugh, James Carley, William Gilpins An drew Egan, Ds niel Quinlivan, sThom- las Bradley Bernard Donlon5 Richard Reilly andg Patrick Gaffney. / The first resident pastor of NewtoWn was the Rev Francis Lenihan, who, organ ized the parish on August 1; 1859. Before the appointment of Father Lenihan lNeWtoWn was served by priests from Danbury. Father Leni- han purchased the | first Z cemetery but it was not blessed until the, pas .torate ofs his successor. the Rev James. Daily, who came here in March, 1862. Father Daly served the. parish six years, leaving in; July, 1868. Rev Jonn Rogers then. be- came pastor on July 22, 1868, and remained until July, 1S73. His sue cessor was Rev James McCarten, who came about August 1, 1870, and died in January, 1889. The present church was erected during his pas torate in 1882. The cornerstone was laid in May of that year by Bishop McMahon, and the sermon was preached by Rev Lawrence Walsh. The old church had been a Universal ist meeting house and was pur- chased by Rev. John Smith about 1858. It was 38X4S, but an addition enlarged it to 3Sx7S Rev Patrick Donahue followed Father McCarten in January, 1889, and remained until February 13, 1891. The present in cumbent, Rev P. Fox, became pastor
 on February IS, 1891. In 1896 Father Fox built the parocnial school at Sandy Look. The corner stone was laid on June g, by Very Rev John A. Mulcahy, " G., in the absence of Bishop Tierney, who was in Rome, on, his ad limina visit. The sermon was preached by Rev w. Rogers of Stamford. The new ceme- tery was also purchased during Father Fox's pastorate, May 16, 1891. It was blessed by Very Rev James Hughes, V. G., the Rev Will liam Maher, n D.0D., preaching the sermon. The number of Catholics present at the nrst Mass was about twelve; when the church was bought by Father Smith the number had increased to 100. The first marriage solemnized in Newtown, of which there is record, was that between Jeremiah Cavan and Bridget, Hayes on November 4, 1860. The first baptisms were those of Charles: English, son of William English and Bridget O'Connell, on August g.; 1859. Charles English now resides in Bethel.
 9-f5F z.a 4. s'