Early Catholic Families in Paterson.—Men and Women of Prominence who Assisted in Establishing the Church in this City.

To give a complete list of the Catholics who assisted in the propagation of the faith in Paterson and give each one his or her share of praise for the noble work done in the Lord's vineyard would be a difficult task. Most of the pioneers have passed away to reap in another world the reward for their faithfulness and energy; others removed their families to other States, where their descendants are still prominent in the affairs of the Church. Some of those who did the hardest work when the light of the Catholic Church first dawned in this country are more than dead; they are forgotten, and their names and the remembrance of their existence have passed away; no historian has chronicled their brave deeds, their fortitude and their sufferings; no tombstone records the day of their birth and the day of their death and marks the place where rests the clay which was once imbued with life and vigor and zeal in the service of God. Their deeds are recorded on pages more faithful than those of the historian, more glorious than the tablets of the sculptor, and an omniscient God, who saw their sufferings and comforted them in the midst of their tribulations, has taken them to himself to share with him the perfection of righteousness and happiness. There are, however, still living men and women who figured prominently in the early history of the Church and who remember the names and doings of those who took an active part with them in building up that splendid edifice, the Catholic Church of Paterson. A glance at the families who constituted the Catholic Church in the times of Father O'Donoghue and his predecessors, a glance through the memories of some of the old Catholics of the present day at the Catholic Church of Paterson in 1830 and thereabouts, will undoubtedly be of interest to a great many. The following list is not complete, for the information therein contained was derived not from records but from the memory of human beings. It will, however, show to the rising generation to whom they are indebted for the success of the church in Paterson: who the men and women were whom God made his instruments in establishing Catholicism in Passaic County.

Agnew, Patrick, was among the earliest Catholic settlers in Paterson. He was for some time employed in the Phoenix Mill but subsequently kept a store in Cross street. His son John is in business in this city; his son Thomas is in business in San Francisco and his daughter Margaret is the wife of Charles H. O'Neill, of Jersey City.

Bannigan, Peter and Michael, were two brothers. Peter was a trustee of the old church in Mill street and also of the Oliver street church and resided in Ward street; he was the father of Mrs. Robert Hamil. Michael lived in Cross street, near White's alley; he subsequently erected the brick buildings at No. 19 Marshall street and there he died.

Binsse, Dr. Donatian, practiced medicine. He was brought up by Rt. Rev. Bishop Du Bois and in Paterson resided on the corner of Hotel and Market streets, and subsequently in the old bank building in Main street. He left Paterson but his remains were returned to this city for interment. His two sons are still living but not in Paterson.

Bradleys, three sisters, kept a boarding house for some years on Market street, near Mill. Father O'Donoghue boarded with them, as did also several other priests; they left Paterson about 1832.

Brown, John P., was one of the trustees of the Oliver street church when it was building. He was in partnership with Joseph Warren in the leather business in lower Main street and married a daughter of Mr. Warren.

Burke, Thomas, was a contractor. He built a house adjoining the Catholic Church on Market and Mill streets. His house burned down some years after it was erected and his wife perished in the flames. His only son John was a constable and died some years ago.—Edward Burke, no relation to the foregoing, kept a store on the corner of Oliver and Mill streets. He subsequently removed to New Orleans. He has no descendant living in Paterson.

Burns was the name of a man who was employed in the Phoenix Mill with Patrick Agnew. He had resided in Paterson only a few years when he died.

Butler, Patrick, built a house next to that of Thomas Burke in Market street. He kept a tavern for some time and subsequently became a contractor. He was the father of Mrs. Stephen Wall, Mrs. Dr. Quin, Richard H. Butler, Nancy Butler and Louisa Jane Butler, who are still residents of this or New York city.

Chapman, Philip, died a few years ago at the age of eighty years. He was the tender of the water gates of the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures at the Falls and his descendants still reside here.

Conwell, a distant relative of the late Rt. Rev. Bishop Conwell of Philadelphia, was employed in a cotton mill. He resided in Jersey street and his descendants still live in this city.

Corrigan, Patrick, who still resides in Mechanic street with his child, was also employed in the cotton mill.

Coughlin, Richard and Patrick, were two brothers. Patrick for many years drove a stage between Hoboken and Paterson. He died in this city. Richard is still alive and is the trusted messenger of the First National Bank.

Devlin, Arthur, was a school teacher, and resided in Prospect street. He removed to Rhode Island, where his sons still reside.

Dimond, James, was a cotton weaver, and resided on Main street, near Fair. He died in Paterson and none of his descendants reside here now.

Doherty, Robert, Hugh and James, were three brothers. Robert was a school teacher who came here in 1828 and left in 1848 for New York and there started in the livery business. He was a bachelor. Hugh was also a bachelor, and resided in Paterson from 1828 to 1850, when he left the city. He died in 1867, and in his will he bequeathed the property No. 89 Cross street to St. John's Church. James lived here about as long as his brother, and was the youngest of the three. His widow still resides in Pine street.

Doris, James, was a blacksmith, who had a shop in Market street, near Mill. His daughter married John O'Brien, the father of the late ex-Assemblyman John O'Brien of the Second District.

Dunn, the father of James Dunn, was among the earliest settlers here and for a long time resided in Van Houten street.

Fanning, James, was a trustee of the Oliver street church for some time, and was employed in the cotton mill. He resided in Jersey street, near Market.

Finnegan, Francis, was a contractor who lived in Main street, near Slater. He subsequently removed to Rhode Island and none of his descendants live in Paterson.

Farnon, Michael, resided for many years in Prospect street, and was the father of Thomas Farnon, of this city, and Peter Farnon of Philadelphia.

Fulton, was the father of Mrs. Patrick Agnew. He has other descendants still living in this city.

Gallagher, Andrew, resided for many years in Prospect street. He was a shoemaker and subsequently a constable.

Gillespie, Michael, resided for some years on Market street, near Prince, and it was in his house that the first mass was celebrated by Father Larrissy. He subsequently removed to Belleville, where Fathers Langton and Bulger repeatedly said mass. He afterwards moved back to Paterson and took up his residence in Market street, near Cross, where several of his descendants still reside. He was employed in the foundry of Godwin & Clark. At that time the Catholics had no cemetery in Paterson but Mr. and Mrs. Gillespie, rather than see the body of one of their children buried in unconsecrated ground, journeyed to New York with the remains, where they were interred in a Catholic Cemetery. Mr. and Mrs. Gillespie were the parents of nine children, of whom one still survives, Mrs. Connolly, who lives with the Gillespies in Market street.

Griffith, Andrew and Michael, two brothers, lived on the corner of Cross and Van Houten streets, opposite Colonel Kerr's residence. Michael died unmarried, but Andrew, who was a trustee of the Oliver Street Church when it was in course of erection, had numerous descendants. His children were Mary, wife of Hugh Brady and mother of Mrs. Michael A. Harold, who still resides with her daughter in Marshall street; George, at one time Captain of the City Blues, whose widow is still alive; Margaret, wife of James Shorrock, who died some years ago; Sarah, Michael and Andrew, who died unmarried, and Elizabeth and Augustine, who still live in Paterson.

Haggerty, John, who still lives with his wife and child on Market street, near Beech, was in his earlier years employed in the foundry of Godwin & Clark.

Hamil, the father of James, John and Robert Hamil, was among the early settlers in Paterson. He is dead now as are also his three sons, but the work that they did still remains and is too well known to need further reference in this work.

Hawkins, James, was a machinist, who resided in Marshall street, near Slater. He removed with his family to California, where he died.

Hughes, some of whose descendants still reside in Paterson, in his earlier years resided in Van Houten street and was employed in a cotton mill.

Kelly, Patrick, was a constable, who subsequently removed to New York, where he died. His daughter is the wife of Matthew Nealon, of this city.

Kerr, Colonel John, was one of the most prominent figures in early Paterson. For some time he kept a grocery on the corner of Cross and Van Houten streets, but his principal occupation was that of a contractor. As such he constructed portions of the race-ways and roads for the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures. He also built a number of houses for himself. He had two daughters and one son, who subsequently left Paterson and took up their residence in New York City. He was Colonel of the military of Paterson, and was buried with military pomp, his horse, bedecked with the trappings of mourning and the empty cavalry boots hanging on its sides, following the coffin to the grave.

Kiley, James D., was one of the first trustees of the Oliver street church. He taught a private school for some years in Passaic street and then removed to Virginia where his son became Mayor of Richmond.

Lynch, Bernard—the father of Andrew, Bernard, James, Thomas, Mary and Nancy, all of whom were prominent in church affairs—and his wife lie buried in Sandy Hill. Bernard Lynch, his wife and children are all dead, but their descendants still reside in Paterson. The second wife of Andrew, the oldest son, who was one of the first trustees of the Oliver street church, still resides in Market street, near Cross, with his two sons, James and Bernard. Thomas left Paterson and took up his residence in New York City, where he died.

Magennis, Arthur, came to Paterson from Matteawan, and was the father of the late Comptroller of the City of Paterson. He kept a store here for some time and subsequently was employed in his son's factory.

Mallon, John, was a laborer on the Morris Canal. His children are John, Alderman from the Eighth Ward; Felix, of Jersey City; Mrs. Roe, the wife of a police officer; Mrs. Michael Campbell, wife of the Alderman from the Fifth Ward, and Mrs. Patrick Fitzpatrick.

McCarthy, John, was one of the first butchers in Paterson. He died here but his descendants have left Paterson.

McCollom, three brothers, were employed as cotton spinners. Their descendants have nearly all sought other places to labor in.

McCrossen, Daniel, resided in Prospect street and had a portion of the original contract for the construction of the Morris Canal. He has a number of descendants residing in Paterson. His widow subsequently married William Bacon.

McGivern, Thomas, and his brother were employed in the Phoenix Mill. They both died here but none of their descendants are at present residents of Paterson.

McGrogan, Thomas, was a machinist who died in Paterson, but whose descendants have since left for other parts.

McKenna, Arthur and Hugh, both died in Paterson. Arthur had no children. Hugh had three children, of whom one became a Christian Brother and the other is Andrew McKenna, an ex-Alderman.

McKeown, Edward, was a machinist, who, after laboring for some years in this city, went to the South, but subsequently returned to Paterson where he has several children living. He first resided in Elm street.—George McKeown, no relation to the foregoing, was a teamster on the railroad. He died in Paterson and his children still live here.

McKiernan, Cornelius, was a contractor and subsequently kept a store. His widow died in this city a short time ago. He has several sons living in Paterson.—Dennis, was no relation to the foregoing. He was a laborer and a contractor and subsequently engaged in weaving cotton. A number of his children are dead but some are still residents of Paterson. Among his children were Christopher, John, and Samuel.

McLean, Thomas, was a cotton weaver residing in Elm street. He subsequently went to New York where he died suddenly in a store while making some purchases. His daughter is Mrs. Hugh Rooney.

McNally, Daniel, kept a hotel for some years which was made famous by the fact that General Lafayette stopped there for some time. He built the large hotel on Market street, running from Hotel to Union street, which was subsequently destroyed by fire. He died in Paterson but left no children.

McNamee, Robert, was a laborer who resided on the corner of Broadway and Mulberry street. His son, Bernard, subsequently occupied the same building and it was here that Father Langton celebrated mass. Both the McNamees were cotton spinners and died in Paterson. There are no descendants of the family in this city.

Morgan, Daniel, was a laborer who came to Paterson in 1826. When a short time afterwards work was to be begun on the Catholic Church in Oliver street he and a number of other laborers were sent to the site. Before they began to dig the superintendent inquired whether there were any Catholics among the laborers. Mr. Morgan stepped forward and the superintendent said to him:—"Then you dig the first shovelful of dirt," and Mr. Morgan did so. Mr. Morgan is still alive and resides at No. 77 Jersey street. He is the grandfather of Mrs. Dr. O'Grady.

Morris, Michael, came to Paterson from Godwinville and was at first employed as a cotton weaver, but subsequently devoted his attention to dealing in waste. He was well known to nearly every Catholic in Paterson and vicinity, and his death, which occurred a short time ago, was lamented by all. He has two sons living, Michael J. Morris and the Rev. John P. Morris. His only daughter died, leaving one child.

Mooney, Terence, was employed in the cotton mill, and resided on Main street, near Slater. He died in Troy, N. Y., whither he had removed with his family; several of his sons are now in Florida.

Mulholland, Charles, a cotton weaver, resided on the corner of Prospect street and White's alley. He died in Paterson and his children removed to other places.—James Mulholland, another of the pioneers of the Catholic Church in this city, died some years ago after a long and active life. His descendants still reside in Paterson.

Murphy, Patrick, resided on the corner of Pine and Grand streets and was in the employ of the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures. His children still live in Paterson.

Murtagh, Michael, was the first superintendent of the Paterson level of the Morris Canal. His son Bernard is dead, but his other son John is in business in this city and some time ago represented the Eighth Ward in the Board of Aldermen.

O'Callaghan, Jeremiah, was employed in a cotton mill. He left three daughters, but no sons. One of his daughters is in business in this city; another is the wife of Thomas Dynan and the third resides in Baltimore.

O'Donnell, William, another employee of a cotton mill, removed from Paterson many years ago and went South. None of his descendants reside in this city.

O'Keefe, Thomas, resided in Ellison street, near Lynch's alley, and was employed in the Phoenix Mill. His descendants subsequently removed to New York and elsewhere.

O'Neill, Charles, came to Paterson in October, 1828, and went to work in Prospect street as a shoemaker. Assiduous attention to his business impaired his health, and his physician advised him either to take a sea voyage or obtain some employment in which he could have outdoor exercise. Mr. O'Neill went into the lumber business to which he subsequently added coal and building material. He has always been prominently connected with Catholic Church matters in Paterson, and was one of the first trustees of the Oliver street church. Although eighty-two years of age he still enjoys the best of health and vigor. His son Charles Henry is in business in Jersey City and has held a number of offices, including that of Mayor, to which he was elected for three terms. His second son, Thomas E., assists him in his business, and a third son, John, died some years ago, leaving a wife and three children. His daughter, Susan, is the wife of John Agnew; another daughter is Mrs. Catherine Sharkey and a third Mrs. Dr. Kane. Another daughter, Theresa, has taken the veil and is in the convent at Madison. Ellen and Esther still reside with their parents in Mill street.—John and Barney O'Neill were brothers of the foregoing. John established the shoe business conducted by his sons at No. 122 Main street. He and his wife are dead, leaving three sons and three daughters. Barney married a daughter of James Wade; he was an insurance agent, a justice of the peace and a lay judge of the Court of Common Pleas in this county. Three daughters and two sons still survive him.—Charles and Patrick O'Neill, two brothers, no relation to the foregoing, were employed in a nail factory which stood where the Gun Mill is now situated. They resided in Prospect street and none of their descendants at the present day live in Paterson.—Edward O'Neill, of another family from the foregoing, was also employed in the Phoenix Mill and has several descendants living in Paterson.

O'Reilly, Edward, kept a dry goods store, and subsequently removed to New York city, where he married and where he is still in business.

Powers, James, for some years kept a store in Cross street, opposite Elm, and erected the brick building situated just below Dr. Quin's office. His only surviving son is ex-Alderman John Powers. His daughter, Margaret, became a Sister of Charity and adopted the name of Sister Regina. She died while at St. Agnes' Institute in this city, and her remains rest in Paterson. Another daughter of Mr. Powers is Julia, wife of William McNair.

Quin, Patrick, was a contractor and resided in Passaic street. He was for a long time one of the trustees of the Oliver street church. All his children left Paterson after their father's death.—Arthur Quin resided near Clifton and was a contractor, the principal field of his operations being New York city. He subsequently removed to Paterson and put up a number of buildings in West and Main streets. One of his sons is still alive and is a resident of New York city. Dr. John Quin is distantly related to Arthur and Patrick Quin, who were brothers.

Rafferty, Peter and Philip, were two brothers. Peter removed to California, returned to Paterson for some time, but again turned his face to the Pacific coast; he is now a resident of San Francisco. He was married in Paterson to Miss Susan Russell, a niece of Charles O'Neill. Philip was for many years trustee of the Oliver street church. He was the junior member of the firm of Todd & Rafferty, and died in this city. His first wife was a daughter of Joseph Warren, and his second a daughter of Hugh Brady.

Riley, Hugh, kept a grocery on the corner of Cross and Market streets. None of his descendants live in Paterson.

Rossiter, Martin, whose tragic death by being carried over the Falls in the freshet of 1882 was deplored by all, was for many years a farmer in the employ of the Society for Establishing Useful Manufactures. His son Richard is still in the employ of that corporation; another son is a priest belonging to the order of Passionists, and a daughter is a Sister of the Sacred Heart. Paul and George, two sons, are employed in New York.

Shea—or Shay—Brian, was one of the first Catholics who settled in Paterson. He had a private school on the old York road where it strikes the river near the present site of the Cedar Lawn Cemetery. Among his scholars was Henry P. Simmons, of Passaic, recently Lay Judge of the Common Pleas of this county. The building on the York road was used partly as a school and partly as the residence of the teacher. The rising generation of those days referred to it as "The Bellows," from the fact that the wind blew in at the many crevices in the building. Mr. Shea had a son, James, who studied law in New York, and a daughter Harriet. He subsequently owned the property adjoining the Oliver street church, and sold it to McKinney, from whom the church obtained it.

Shields, Christopher and Patrick, two brothers, were in the dry goods business for some years on the corner of Main street and Broadway. They removed from Paterson and have no descendants here.

Slavin, John, kept a bowling alley on the corner of Ellison and Prospect streets. He died in Paterson, but none of his descendants live here at the present day.

Taggart, Peter, was employed in the cotton mill. His widow, a daughter of Joseph Warren, died quite recently, and his daughter is still living in Paterson, the wife of William S. Kinch.

Tilby, Dr. John, practised medicine in Paterson and resided in Cross street, near Market. He died in this city, but his two sons and one daughter removed to other places.

Velasquez, J., a Spaniard, owned the Phoenix Mill, and subsequently formed a partnership with John Travers and embarked in the manufacture of cotton. He subsequently sold out and left Paterson.

Wade, James, according to the most reliable accounts, enjoyed the distinction of having been the first Catholic Sunday school teacher in Paterson, having a class in the old church building on Mill and Market streets. He lived at the corner of Cross and Ellison streets. His daughters are Mrs. B. O'Neill of this city, Mrs. See of Totowa and Mrs. Coughlin of Hoboken. Mr. Wade was a cotton spinner by occupation.

Ward, Peter and James, two brothers, were engaged as butchers, although James for some time worked in the Phoenix Mill. Both subsequently removed to Rochester, where they died and where their descendants still reside.

Warren, Joseph, in partnership with Brown, conducted a tannery and a leather store in lower Main—then Park—street, almost opposite Bank street. Mr. Brown's grandson still resides there. Brown boarded with Warren and subsequently married his daughter, after which the family removed to Division street. Mr. Warren was one of the trustees of the Oliver street church when it was building.