Morgan County Democrat. (McConnelsville, Ohio) 1886-1943, 1933-05-18

we have always tried TO see places
and things OF interest. Many times
we have been unable TO give our
readers a pencil picture that did
Justice For many years we have
passed the Catholic church at Hack
ney, and as yet we have never seen
the inside-but We hope to before
we conclude this history of the old
church. Let us tell you here that
for many years we had the idea that
only folks who were OF that belief
were allowed to see the inside of
these churches, when in fact we
were and have always been welcome
when we had occasion to enter their
houses Of worship.
To tell of this church, we must
start before even the church was or
ganized in McCOnnelsyille, which is
known as the st. James.
The first record we find of these
church folks dates back to 1922. In
fact the first entry in the record
bears date of April l 4 of that year,
when Father Young Of the Domini-
cans made trip through the valley.
Perhaps we should stop here to tell
you that this was an order of mis-
sionaries who made about four trips
a year. Services We're held in some
home Of the adherents OF the faith.
Through the kindness of Rev. Faith :
er Louis 3. Preston, we have the
names of the men who served the
work, as follows: Fathers Young. De
Raynaiker. T. X Marshall Mullen.
Daniel O'Leary, Clarkson, J f. Bull
lock, J. d. Brock, T. F. Mattingly
1S82-87: John Meade, 1SS7-96. And
here we find the McConnelsyille
church was organized, or perhaps we
should say Father Meade was the
first pastor following the organiza-
tion Of the church. 1S96-97 Ed
ward Clark. j. H. Wagner. 1897
1902; John F. Lang, 1902-06 Mich
ael Fagan, 1906-07 John Byrne,
190S-12; William Sullivan. 1912
Is; Francis Mueller, 191S-2S. Then
Father Maloney was supply pastor
for 10 months, and was followed by
Rev Father Louis b. Preston. the
present pastor. who assumed the
pastorate after the first OF the year
1929.
The exact date Of the completion
of the church at Hackney seems to
be uncertain We learn that a con
firmation service was neld in the
barn on the Jas. F. Sherlock farm in
1895, and it is said the church was
ferred to is still standing, and in
Sherlock and sisters Agnes and
Celia.
The late Jas. Taylor showed Fran
els where the altar was placed in the
barn. At that service folks were
present from all over the country.
The Choir
AT one time they had a choir i'm
the church that must have been
away above the ordinary church
choir, Judging from the reports of
the younger set who now tell of
them The names as given us by the
Sherlocks and Hooks are as follows:
Victor Craig. Joan Sherlock. Eliza
Sherlock, Katie Catherine Sherlock,
Edward Sherlock, Rowland Pilking-
ton, Edward Pilkington, Jane pix
ington Molyneux. Dan Miller
We find the first service held by
the Catholic church folk in the
reighborhood, was held in the old
log house a the Duffey later known
as the VIM Nelson farm, now own
ed by Miss Dora Nelson, on little
Meigs creek north of Unionyille;
then in the homes around in the
neighborh00d until the church
building was completed
At the time Of the building OF the
church the government was building
the locks and dams along the river,
ard manESof the workmen, as well
Is the uperiMtendents We're Cath .
c.ics, and they donated to the build
ing fund. and we find there were
several deaths among these peO-
pie during that time. and they are
buried here Thus il IL impossible
to learn anything OF the earthly I,
career of most OF them But we find I.
an item Of interest in connection
McCune, and her husband. whose
name we believe was James They
had a son to whom some of their
relatives at their old home in North
Carolina sent a mare that was in
foal The colt was a stud. After
the death of his wife, and the com
pletion Of his work. Mr.. McCune
gave the colt to Jas. F. and Patrick
Sherlock, who kept the horse for
some time When they went out to
collect the insurance they were not
very successful, so they sold the
horse to a man by the name of Bris-
ter, and from that time that breed
of horses has borne the name of the
owner of the stallion
The history of this church is to a
great extent the history of the
Do not misunder-
stand us-all the folks We're not
Catholic. but this church was the
only house of worship in the i'm
mediate neighberhood.
Through the kindness of Mr. and
Mrs. Dolph Hook and Jas. Sherlock,
we have the following names of the
early settlers in the neighborhood,
with the date of the coming of some
of them, as follows: Patrick Sher- ;
lock, 1918; James Kennedy, 1925;
Martin Kennedy, 1925; Michael Kel-
ly, 1926; Patrick Waters and broth I
er, 1926; Patrick Callahan, Thos.
Cahill and Jas. Magers, 1927, all of (
whom were born in Ireland; Ed
ward and Rowland Pilkington. I
Thomas Pedicord and Susannah his |
wife. We want to stop here to tell
you that our friend Amelia Leland
told us that following the death of !
Mrs. Pedicord. Mr.. Pedicord then an
Did man would come on horse back !
10 the cemetery. and go to the grave