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Saint Aloysius Catholic Church

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Date: [unknown] [unknown]
Location: Morgan Land, Clearfield County, Pennsylvaniamap
Surnames/tags: Morgan_Land Clearfield_County Catholic_Church
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This profile is part of the Morgan Land, Pennsylvania One Place Study.
Saint Aloysius Catholic Church, approx. 1918
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The Irish Catholic immigrants who lived in Morgan Land built a church for their community.

Most of the early Pennsylvania Catholics were poor emigrant farmers. Pennsylvania offered more religious freedom and tolerance that other colonies due to William Penn's Charter with a specific Law of Liberty and Conscience. While Pennsylvania was a colony of the British Empire it was under the British rule, which excluded Catholics from public office and prohibited Catholics from public worship. Following the Revolutionary War and the formation of the United States all these discriminatory laws were ended and the First Amendment of the Constitution in 1789 stated "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or prohibiting the free exercise thereof."[1]

Four acres of land for the church and cemetery were donated (sold for $1) by Edward and Elizabeth (English) Gilligan to Rt. Rev. Michael O'Connor, the Bishop of Erie, who acted for the Catholic Church, on 2 Mar 1854. Issac Haines and Elizabeth Fagan acted as witnesses for the transfer. [Get reference to deed]

It is interesting to note that Bishop O'Connor, the first Bishop of the newly formed Diocese of Erie, was a native of County Cork, Ireland.)[2] Since all Irish immigrants at this time spoke Gaelic, it's likely this tranaction was conducted in their native Irish language.

This indenture made the Second day of March in the year of our Lord on thousand eight hundred and fifty four Between Edward Gilligan of Emper. in the township of Jordan in the County of Clearfield and state of Pennsylvania and Elizabeth his wife of the first part and Rt. Rev. Michael O'Connor D.D. Bishop of Erie ... in consideration of the sum of one Dollar lawful money.
[Get reference to deed]

"Emper. in the township of Jordan" likely refers to the name of the Gilligan farm or tract of land. The legal description of the land:

All that certain Lot or Parcel of ground situate in the Township of Jordan County Clearfield & State of Pennsylvania aforesaid bounded on the North and East by other land of said Edward Gilligan on the south by land of Hames Ray and on the West by the old state road having twenty six and two thirds percens front on said road and running back twenty four perches and containing four acres strict measure (being part of a larger tract of land for which the said Edward Gilligan is now lawfully [owned].

Edward and Elizabeth signed with their mark since they could not read or write.

According to J. E. Rorabaugh, Jordan Township, school teacher and journalist, the Roman Catholic church was built in the year 1845 on the Edward Gilligan farm.[3] If this is correct, it means they built the church before Edward and Elizabeth Gilligan deeded the land to the diocese.

Description of early years of St. Aloysius Church and Cemetery

All the records for the St. Aloysius Church and Cemetery have been lost. This page is dedicated to the information we can find.

Morgan Land / St. Aloysius Church

St. Aloysius Church was under the supervision of the Diocese of Erie, which was established in 1853.[4] St. Aloysius was not large enough to have it's own preist, so one came from larger churches in the area.

Saint Aloysius Roman Catholic Church became a mission of Saint Basil the Great Catholic Church of Coalport (along with Janesville, from 1886 to 1922) from 1886 to 1926.[5]

The following are details of St. Aloysius and how it was attended by other Catholic Churches.

Several Catholic Directories were consulted to find when and how St. Aloysius was recorded. There seem to errors or contradictions about the St. Aloysius Church in the early years of the Catholic Directories. The name and even county location of the church are sometimes in error. The church is referred to as St. Stanislaus for a few years. At least once, it is referred to as St. Francis. (There is a St. Francis church in the city of Clearfield, but there is no St. Stanislaus church in Jordan Township.) In the Metropolitan Directory, the location of the church is listed as "Jordan," for Jordan Township; in the Sadliers Directory, the location of the church is listed as "Morgan Land."

[I have records going back to the founding of the church. I will update this list as soon as I have time.]

  • 1871. Morganland, Clearfield Co, St. Aloysius, attended from Osceola.[6]
  • 1872. Morganland, Clearfield Co., St. Aloysius, attended from Osceola.[7]
  • 1873. Morganland, Clearfield Co., St. Aloysius, attended from Osceola.[8]
  • 1874. Morgan Land, Clearfield County. St. Aloysius, attended from Osceola.[9]
  • 1874 - 1877. Rev. Martin Meagher was appointed rector of the Church of the Immaculate Conception at Osceola Mills, and subsequenlty had charge of the churches in Jonesville, Morganland and Coalport in Clearfield County. He was born in Ireland in 1846, a son of Thomas and Mary Meagher, who lived their whole lives in Ireland. He came to the U.S. in 1868 and because a student at St. Michael's College in Pittsburgh from 1868 to 1871. In 1871, he was ordained a priest in the Catholic Church.[10]
  • 1875. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended by Osceola.[11]
  • 1876. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended by Osceola.[12]
  • 1877. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Osceola. [13]
  • 1878. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Houtzdale[14]
  • 1879. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Houtzdale[15]
  • 1880. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Houtzdale. [16]
  • 1881. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Houtzdale.[17]
  • 1883. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Houtzdale.[18]
  • 1884. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Houtzdale.[19]
  • 1885. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Houtzdale.[20]
  • 1886. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Coalport[21]
  • 1887. Morgan Land. Clearfield County. St. Aloysius, attended from Coalport[22]
  • 1888. Morgan Land. Clearfield County. St. Aloysius, attended from Coalport.[23]
  • 1889. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Coalport. [24]
  • 1890. In Nov. 1890 Rev. M. J. Desmond was given charge of the Catholic Church in Coalport, Clearfield County, and during the six years he resided there also had "charge" of the congreagtions at Janesville and Morgan Land, and Lloydsvilee, Cambria County.[25]
  • 1890. Morgan Land. Clearfield County. St. Aloysius, attended from Coalport[26]
  • 1891. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Coalport.[27]
  • 1895. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius, attended from Coalport.[28]
  • 1896. Morgan Land. Clearfield County. St. Aloysius, attended from Coalport[29]
  • 1897. Morganland, Clearfield Co., St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield Co., St. Anthony's). Missions of Coalport, Clearfield Co., St. Basil the Great, Rev. Michael O'Sullivan.[30]
  • 1898. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield County, St. Anthony's), Missions of Coalport, Clearfield County, St. Basil the Great. Rev. Michael O'Sullivan.[31]
  • 1899. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield County, St. Anthony's), Missions of Coalport, Clearfield County, St. Basil the Great. Rev. Michael O'Sullivan.[32]
  • 1901. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield County, St. Anthony's), Missions of Coalport, Clearfield County, St. Basil the Great. Rev. John J. Fox, rector.[33]
  • 1905. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield County, St. Anthony's), Missions of Coalport, Clearfield County, St. Basil the Great. Rev. John J. McKallen, rector.[34]
  • 1906. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield County, St. Anthony's), Missions of Coalport, Clearfield County, St. Basil the Great. Rev. John J. McKallen, rector.[35]
  • 1907. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield County, St. Anthony's), Missions of Coalport, Clearfield County, St. Basil the Great. Rev. John J. McKallen, rector. [36]
  • 1909. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield County, St. Anthony's), Missions of Coalport, Clearfield County, St. Basil the Great. Rev. John J. McKallen, rector. [37]
  • 1910. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield County, St. Anthony's), Missions of Coalport, Clearfield County, St. Basil the Great. Rev. John J. McKallen, rector. [38]
  • 1912. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield County, St. Anthony's), Missions of Coalport, Clearfield County, St. Basil the Great. Rev. John J. McKallen, rector. [39]
  • 1914. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield County, St. Anthony's), Missions of Coalport, Clearfield County, St. Basil the Great. Rev. John J. McKallen, rector. [40]
  • 1919. Morgan Land, Clearfield County, St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield County, St. Anthony's), Missions of Coalport, Clearfield County, St. Basil the Great. Rev. John J. McKallen, rector.[41]
  • 1920. Morganland, Clearfield Co., St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield Co., St. Anthony's). Missions of Coalport, Clearfield Co., St. Basil the Great. Rev. John J. McKallen, rector.[42]
  • 1921. Morganland, Clearfield Co., St. Aloysius (along with Jaynesville, Clearfield Co., St. Anthony's). Missions of Coalport, Clearfield Co., St. Basil the Great. Rev. John J. McKallen, rector.[43]
  • 1922. Morganland (and Jaynesville). Missions of Coalport, Clearfield Co., St. Basil the Great. Rev John J. McKallen, rector.[44]

Acknowledgments

Thank you to The Reverend Father Justin Patrick Pino, S.T.B., M.Div.; Pastor, Saint Leo Magnus Parish - Ridgway, PA; Archivist, Diocese of Erie, PA; and Vice-President for Catholic Mission and Identity, Elk County Catholic School System for finding this only known photograph of the St. Aloysius Church.

Sources

  1. ↑ Pennsylvania's Catholic Pioneers. Blanche McGuire. Gathered Fragments. The Publication of the Catholic Historical Society of Western Pennsylvania. Vol. XI, No. 1, Spring 2000. p. 1.
  2. ↑ Bishop Michael J. O'Connor. Office of the Bishop. Diocese of Erie. https://www.eriercd.org/bishop/oconner.html
  3. ↑ Pennsylvania County Histories. https://archive.org/details/pennsylvaniacoun28unse/page/114/mode/2up
  4. ↑ Corrigan, O. B. (1917). Chronology of the Catholic Hierarchy in the United States. The Catholic Historical Review, 3(1), 22–32. http://www.jstor.org/stable/25011477
  5. ↑ The Most Reverend Lawrence T. Perisco, Bishop of Erie & The Reverend Christopher J. Singer, Chancellor. Decree. Effecting the Merger of Holy Trinity Parish (Ramey) into Saint Basil the Great Parish (Coalport). 22 Sep 2016.
  6. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1871. p. 177. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=wu.89064466766&seq=211&q1=morganland
  7. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Clergy List Quarterly, 1872. p. 181. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000006007263&seq=199&q1=morganland
  8. ↑ adliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1873, p. 188. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000006007317&seq=206&q1=morganland
  9. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1874, p. 190. https://archive.org/details/SadliersCatholicDirectory1874/page/n203/mode/2up?q=clearfield+Morgan+land
  10. ↑ Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania, Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson and Clarion, Containing Biographical Sketeches of Prominent and Representative Citizens, and of Many of the Early Settled Families. Vol. 1. 1898. Chicago: J. H. Beers & Co. pp 614-615.
  11. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1875, p.188. https://archive.org/details/SadliersCatholicDirectory1875/page/188/mode/2up?q=clearfield+Morgan+land
  12. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1876, p. 190. https://archive.org/details/SadliersCatholicDirectory1876/page/190/mode/2up?q=clearfield+Morgan+land
  13. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1877, p. 263. https://archive.org/details/sadlierscatholi1877unse_0/page/262/mode/2up?q=clearfield++Morgan+land
  14. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1878, p. 254. https://archive.org/details/SadliersCatholicDirectory1878/page/254/mode/2up?q=clearfield+Morgan+land
  15. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1879, p. 257. https://archive.org/details/SadliersCatholicDirectory1879/page/256/mode/2up?q=clearfield++Morgan+land
  16. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1880, p. 255. https://archive.org/details/catholic-almanac-1880/page/254/mode/2up?q=clearfield++Morgan+land
  17. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1881, p. 276. https://archive.org/details/SadliersCatholicDirectory1881/page/276/mode/2up?q=clearfield+Morgan+land
  18. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1883, p. 303, https://archive.org/details/SadliersCatholicDirectory1883/page/302/mode/2up?q=clearfield+Morgan+land
  19. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1884, p. 289.https://archive.org/details/SadliersCatholicDirectory1884/page/288/mode/2up?q=clearfield++Morgan+land
  20. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1885, p. 202. https://archive.org/details/catholic-directory-1885/page/201/mode/2up?q=clearfield++Morgan+land
  21. ↑ Hoffmann's Catholic Directory, Almanac and Clergy List-Quarterly, 1886, p. 187. https://archive.org/details/hoffmannscathol1887unse_0/page/190/mode/2up?q=Morgan+land
  22. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1887, p. 204. https://archive.org/details/catholic-directory-1887/page/204/mode/2up?q=clearfield+Morgan+land
  23. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1888, p. 211. https://archive.org/details/SadliersCatholicDirectory1888/page/210/mode/2up?q=clearfield+Morgan+land
  24. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory, 1889, p. 240.
  25. ↑ Beers, J. H. (1898) Commemorative Biographical Record of Central Pennsylvania: Including the Counties of Centre, Clearfield, Jefferson, and Clarion. https://archive.org/details/commemorativebio02jhbe_0/page/n471/mode/2up?q=catholic+
  26. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory for the Year of Our Lord. Hoffmann's Catholic Directory, Almanac and Clergy List-Quarterly, 1890. p. 245. https://archive.org/details/officialcatholic1890unse/page/244/mode/2up?q=morgan+land
  27. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1891, p. 232. https://archive.org/details/catholic-directory-1891/page/232/mode/2up?q=clearfield++Morgan+land
  28. ↑ Sadliers' Catholic Directory, Almanac and Ordo. 1895, p. 27. https://archive.org/details/catholic-directory-1895/page/276/mode/2up?q=clearfield++Morgan+land
  29. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory for the Year of Our Lord. Hoffmann's Catholic Directory, Almanac and Clergy List-Quarterly, 1896, p. 187. https://archive.org/details/OfficialCatholicDirectory1896/page/187/mode/2up?q=+Morgan+land
  30. ↑ Hoffmann's Cathollic Directory, Almanac and Clergy List. V. 12. 1897. p. 252. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951p00682978e&seq=320&q1=morganland
  31. ↑ Hoffmann's Catholic Director, Almanac and Clergy List. v. 13. 1898. p. 262. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951p00682977g&seq=384&q1=morganland
  32. ↑ Hoffmann's Catholic Director, Almanac and Clergy List. v. 14. 1899. p. 268. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=bc.ark%3A%2F13960%2Ft0zq1j48c&seq=348&q1=morganland
  33. ↑ he Catholic Directory, Almanac and Clergy List. 1901. p. 283. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=bc.ark%3A%2F13960%2Ft2b92s08p&seq=403&q1=morganland
  34. ↑ The Catholic Directory, Almanac and Clergy List. (1905). United States: M.H. Wiltzlus Company.
  35. ↑ Outside of the City of Erie, The Office Catholic Directory and Clergy List, p 315. The Catholic Directory, Almanac and Clergy List. (1905). United States: M.H. Wiltzlus Company.
  36. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory. v. 21. 1907. p. 331. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=bc.ark%3A%2F13960%2Ft7vn1rj72&seq=439&q1=morganland
  37. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory. v. 24. 1909. p. 336. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951p007357580&seq=376&q1=morganland
  38. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory. v. 24. 1910. p. 344. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=bc.ark%3A%2F13960%2Ft52g5799s&seq=81
  39. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory. v. 24. 1912. p. 364. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hn1qmg&seq=486&q1=morganland
  40. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory.1914. p. 364. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=hvd.hn1qmg&seq=486&q1=morganland
  41. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory. 1919. p. 378. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=mdp.39015008491006&seq=494&q1=morganland
  42. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory. 1920. p. 331. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000022331533&seq=455&q1=morganland
  43. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory. 1921. p. 331. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=umn.31951p00925867n&seq=465&q1=morganland
  44. ↑ The Official Catholic Directory. 1922. p. 339. https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pst.000004584698&seq=463&q1=morganland

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Images: 2
Saint Aloysius Catholic Church, approx. 1918
Saint Aloysius Catholic Church, approx. 1918
Roman Catholic church was built 1845
Roman Catholic church was built 1845
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