The Wrangell sentinel., 1940-05-31
Dedication Of
 St. Rose Church
 Sunday Morning

The following information on
 the early history of the CathO-
 Lie church in Wrangell, brought
 up to the present day with the
 dedication of the church of St.
 Rose of Lima. now to be known
 as the church of St. Rose of
 Lima and St. John, on Sunday,
 was prepared by 4. B. Cain, Ed
 itor of the Alaska Catholic, in
 collaboration with Father Mc-
 Namara, local pastor.
 The ceremonies dedicating the Church of St. Rose of Lima to be held in Wrangell on Sunday. June 2, emphasize the outstanding im- portance of Wrangell as the Grade of Gatholieity" in Alaska. On Mo- vember 23, 1878, Rev. John Althoff, aged 24, arrived in Alaska from his native Holland. He was the first resident Catholic missionary in Alas ka His appointment by Archbishop Charles J. Seghers of Victoria. who had jurisdiction over Alaska at that time, is the first entry Tn the record book left us by this priest. He was made missionary priest to the whites and natives of the Mission of Alaska and the town of Wrangell where he resided was placed under the pat ronage of St. Rose of Lima, the first saint of the American continents.
 A small church was built in Wrangell which Bishop John B. Brondel, Archbishop Seghers' suc- cessor in Victoria, blessed on May 30. 1880, just 50 years ago.
 Father Althoff was successful with the inhabitants and baptized many Indians. The first name on tthe Baptismal Record is John Gelos, a Hyda native. The first girl to be called after Saint Rose of Lima was Rose Flour 'kgmotzen from the Sti- kine country. Father Althoff was esteemed and loved and was Father" to everybody. He was jealous priest and capable execu- tive.
 Early Names
 Names that appear on the early records of Father Althoff are: Bar onoyich, Skil-tas-lash, Kgit-quod- tor-us, Zael-ka, Davis, Ga'-kwo, Trayers, Ignaee, Buckley, Millevich, Williams, Lachert, Choquette, Gib- bons, Lynch. Hollywood, Sullivan, Clark, Scar, Case, Wigg, Young, Swanton, Moss, Clarke, Loftus, Pres colt and Johnson.
 Wrangell, at that time, was an important trading and shipping point. It was the outfitting place for miners who joined in the gold rush up the Stikine River to the Cassiar placer mines. Father Althoff con- tinued to reside in Wrangell until 1882 when he went to Juneau, which was then a bustling mining camp following the discovery of gold in 1880.
 During the long interval before the appointment of another resident pastor in Wrangell the town was visited by priests from either Juneau or Ketchikan. The names appearing on the records are familiar to the oldtimers still living here. The name of Fr. John Rene, s. J., Pre- feet Apostolic, appears immediately after Father Althoff's name. Then follow the names of these members of the Society of Jesus: Fathers Treca, Bougis, Mahoney, Kern, Tur- nell, and Swere, deceased, and P. J. Deignan of Santa Clara University, William Shepherd of Blessed Sac rament Church, Hollywood, and His Excelleney, Bishop Joseph R. Cri- mont who will bless the church on Sunday.
 New Church Built
 The first church in Wrangell hay ing served its purpose for number of years was replaced by another through the zealous work of the residents of Wrangell under the leadership of MT P c. Mccormack and his nephew, Leo.