The Clarksburg telegram. [volume] (Clarksburg, W. Va.) 1874-1926, 1912-11-07
In the Catholic Encyclopedia
Which is Just Of the
Press.

A complete and authoritative his
tory OF the Diocese of Wheeling will
appear in the fifteenth and last vol
ume OF the Catholic Encyclopedia
which has Just come from the press.
The following excerpts are Of interest:
The Diocese OF wheeling COM
prises the state OF West Virginia ex-
cept the following counties. which are
in the Diocese of Richmond: Pendle-
ton, Grant, Mineral. Hardy, Hamp
shire. Morgan, Berkeley and Jefber-
son; also the counties of Lee. Scott.
Wise. Dickinson, Buchanan, Wash
ington. Russell, Grayson. Smyth.
Tazewell, Carroll. wythe. Bland. Floyd
Pulaski, Montgomery, Giles, and a
portion of Craig county. in Virginia;
square miles in West Virginia. al,S55;
in Virginia. 1917: total 80, 172. The
Diocese of Wheeling was formed from
the Diocese of Richmond by Apostolic
letters dated July %. 1850. The Rt.
Rev. Richard Whelan. D. D.. at that
time Bishop of Richmond, was trans
ferred to Wheeling as the first bishop
Of the hewly-created see. He had been
consecrated the second Bishop of
Richmond, March 81. 1874.
The earliest record preserved in
the Wheeling chancery sets forth that
the. Rev. Francis Rolf was appointed
pastor of Wheeling in 1929. There is
evidence OF priests having visited
| U-hoolf,r. ~ - ~ ,Ifh,. 5a.n IL 80
cords baptism performed by him on
November. 1928. Wheeling was estab-
llshed as town in 1895, and one
vague tradition has it that 1t took its
name from certain Father whelan, a
Catholic priest, who came occasionally
30 minister to the spiritual wants Of
the members of his flock.
| THE western part of Virginia,
which in 1868 became the State of
West Virginia. had newer many Catho-
lie settlers. nor does IT appear TO
have had many PROCESSING religion.
In 1912 the Catholic population was
estimated at about $4,000. and the
total population at 1000, 900. A let
ter preserved in the archives OF the
Diocese of Wheeling dated Baltimore,
10 April. 1882, and signed James
Withheld Archbishop of Baltimore.
states the inability of securing a priest
to be stationed at Wheeling, but the
letter goes on: I desired the priest
who attends a congregation, on the
way to Wheeling. about 40 miles on
this side, to go and give church once
or twice month.-He seems to say
that he would comply. as far as he
could, with my wish
From February, 1899, to January
| /, 1874. the Rev. James Hoerner was
in charge of the Catholics in the
Wheeling district. He was succeeded
by. the Rev. Eugene Comerford, who
was in Wheeling till the arrival of
the Rt. Rev. Richard Welan. Bishop
of Richmond, in November. 1916.
I The Bishop took charge of the mis-
sionary work in the Wheeling portion
of Richmond See till he was trans
ferred as the first Bishop OF the new
Diocese of Wheeling. The zeal of
Bishop Whelan in laboring under the
most difficult and trying clrcum-
stances for a period of twenty-fo,S.
years is still remembered by many of
the faithful, and often referred to as a
striking example of genius sanity
piety. He did much manual labor in
addition to the other duties Of his
episcopal office.
The present Wheeling cathedral
was planned by him. and built under
his supervision. He was architect and
supervisor, and did much of the aetu-
al work in building the edifice. He
also established seminary of which
he took personal charge. and some Of
the priests who were educated by him
are still laboring in the diocese. St.
Nincent's College for laymen was also
instituted under his auspices. Bishop
Whelan had among his self-sacrific-
ing clergy one especially conspicuous
for his sanity life, the late Rev. II. II.
Parke, Y. C. This servant Of God
met tragic death by being crushed
under the ruins of falling building,
April 8, 1895. Bishop wheIan (died
July Z. 1870, was succeeded by the
Rt. Rev. John Joseph Kahn, D. D.,
who was consecrated the second Bish-
op of Wheeling. May 20. 1876. In
1898 Bishop Kahn was appointed CO.
adjutor to the Archbishop of st. Louis
Mo, and became archbishop Of that
see, May 81, 1895. He died on oeto-
Der Is, 1908. During the eighteen
years of Bishop Kain's administration.
the work. so we'll begun by his able
predecessor, was continued and made
rapid progress. He was consecrated
at the age of thirty-four and devoted
his talents and energy to the in
crease Of clergy, the establishment Of
new missions, and the building OF
churches and parochial schools, so
that, at the time of his transfer, the
diocese was well established, although
1t was still greatly in need of priests
about thirty-five OF whom covered an
area Of 2s,172 square miles. The
CathntinS uara r,uch ,aL4.s