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HomeMy WebLinkAboutThe Huron Expositor, 1975-06-26, Page 924, •A• St. James' Catholic Church, iii the 1870's I NOWA IOWA IMAM a OW! 118WI MOM IWO M▪ MUS Win MINAI SIMIS NNW aaaar maar AaaaaU a• a AaaAM James' is 105 Church started with missionaries in log cabins AC • (By James Slattery) This- year , 1975, St. James' Parish marks the 105th, Anniversary of .the 'dedication of the church . Since this community is celebrating the centennary of the proclamation that made this municipality •the Town of Seaforth, we are doubly happy to participate in the celebrations. 'Not only do we enjoy the comforts and conveniences that scientific technology has brought to all this country, but also we have been living at peace and infi mutual friendship with good neighbours. So we have many reasons for happiness. We glady attempt to write about a few' events of history that pertain to the R.C.Church in this community, hoping that they may be of some interest to readers. From history we know that in early times missionaries, usually- Jesuit, used to travel through this part of Western Ontario to Lake Huron on their way to the missions; also that they used to build log shelters to be resting places for themselves at suitable locations on their long journeys. When Dr. Chalk came to Harpurhey in 1834, he stayed for a short time in a log cabin that was formerly used by Missionaries. Later, for some reason, the R.C.Episcopal Corporation bought a lot in Harpurhey from James Dickson M.P. after he acquired land there". There is a possibility that the log cabin mentioned, above was on that lot and that the Diocese bought it for historical or, • sentimental reasons, maybe as a site for a church. Anyway the lot was sold about nine, years after St. James' Church was built. After the Canada Company opened the Huron Tract to settlers in 1832 and after the Huron Road was built a ' little later, 'several Irish Catholic families purchased - land on both sides along the Huron Road (Now No. Highway) where • St. Cohimban is today. This Irish Settlement was the earliest and largest R.C.community between Stratford and Goderich. .A few yeairs later others settled in other places somewhat. Scattered throughout the Tract- At that time there was a relatively large settlement of German Catholics in Waterloo County, and it was from" that settlement that Fr, Wiriath made the first infrequent yet extensive trips into the Tract to administer to people of his faith there. When he returned to Europe in 1837 his report to the Bishop in Kingston showed that there were about 400 Catholics settled in the Tract, 43. families • around Stratford, 19 -families in Irishtown (St. Columban),•and 45 families in Goderich. Of the early priests, possibly the best known in thiS area was Fr. Pierre Schneider who was called the Apostle of -the Huron Tract by people of 'his faith. His early ministry was with the German Catholics in Waterloo County. Beginning in 1840 he made long trips, mostly on horseback, from St. Agatha to Goderich and places in between to visit the Catholic settlements. About 1844 he was asked to • devote his time and talents to his people in the Huron Tract. So for the next' twenty-five years this robust and jovial man fulfilled his mission here, travelling much among the scattered settlements. ft seems that he made his headquarters first around Stratford for five years, thena t Irishtown for about eleven years, and lastly at Goderich for about nine years. He returned to Europe in 1869. By the raid-.1.860's the north eastern part or ruckermith was settled by people of the Catholic faith. These together with the remarkable growth in the number of parishioners in IvIcIGIlop and Hibbert, in Seaforth and in Dublin had made St, Columban a large and well established parish requiring assistant priests. In 1865, Fr. James Murphy was appointed • pastor there, and because ,of his firm desire to have churches where they were needed, he became a renowned builder. He added to the white brick church in St. Columban making it an edifice(150 feet by 70 feet) comparable vith churches in the Diocese . (This church was destroyed by fire in 1909. He supervised the building of churches in Seaforth, Wingham, Blyth, Brussels, ZuriCh and Drysdale. James' a. constructed Church, bo t 2 I, built, it appeared one hundred and five years ago. pas ti in a ticaT t isdi etusceasacfi;r t hdyt ra. lyaisw yfor ell We welcome you to Seaforth i s Centennial Celebrations and wish you happiness in joining in the festivities and meeting old friends.. ROBERT BELL INDUSTRIES LTD. , BUILDING BOILERS IN SEAFORTH ,SINCE THE TURN OF THE CENTURY • 91111111111111111111110111111111111111111111111111111111111H111111111111111101111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111111H1111111111111H11111111111111MIMIM u. The W. G. Thompson Company is headed by Wes. and John Thompson who joined their father's firm in 1950. Mr. W..G. Thompson, their father, was raised on a farm near Palmerston and founded 'the company in 1924 in Blenheim with Jack' and Dave McKillop from whom he later purchased their combined interest. Branches were opened at Kent ridge, Rodney and in 1931 Hensall. In 1970 the Mitchell operation was purchased from Schonderwoered Bros. Further expansion of the company was the Granton plant in 1974. Since 1970 the Comp ny has built 1,000,000 bu. storage at • Granton, Mitchell and Hensall Branches and have a combined intake capacity of 150,000 bu. of beans or glitin per day. - Thompsons has always maintained its keen interest in receiving, processing and merchandising white beans. As this Industry has grown the latest facilities and processing equipment has been added. As time went 'on the firm expanded its interest in corn, soyabeans, seed grains, fertilizers and other farm pesticides. On this the 51st Anniversary Year Managers Tony Bouw, Mitchell and oug. Mann, Hensall and Staff of W. G. Thompson & Sons are proud to join our community In its C ntennial Celebration. ASMIN W.11 EMS , Inam Will UAW WM NW! MEM MEM WM SMIS IMM W M WM W IN We Congratulate Seaforth on 100 Years! lila WISP UMW IMM IMM SSW MN WM A i • Mma WIM MEP 1111W mw MMAI now A . LTD. i . ..:1. ,G. THOMPSON . & W. . . . ...... . . , Q I Mitchell Ont ,Phone 348-8433 TiffmnomimilmilmmilmilimminommilimmilmiiimmimminumminmiumoimonimmimilionimomisomolimillismV THE •HURON EXPOSITOR, JUNE 26, 1975 —191.,. O