O’Neill St Patrick Church first 100 years

To look back at our history, to trace the faith of those who preceded us, to put into print the traditions and events that happened to form the believing community of St. Patrick’s, much research and many sources must be called into play. Oral tradition or that which is handed down by word of mouth from one generation to another generation, from grandparents to grandchildren is often used when parish events are not transcribed into a parish diary. Newspapers are consulted because major events and happenings usually make the local headlines especially when there is a hometown edition.

From a historical point of view Holt County and` all that portion of Nebraska lying between the county's west and north boundaries and the west and north boundary lines of the state, and embracing all that territory comprised in the present counties of Boyd, Keya Paha, Rock, Brown, Cherry, Sheridan, Dawes, Box Butte and Sioux, aggregating 16,000 square miles of country, is primarily identified in its evolution from a howling wilderness ~ the home of the buffalo, elk, antelope, deer, jack rabbit, and their preying enemies -the lean and hungry coyote, wolf, and wild cat, who howled and barked to the majestic silence of the lonely and unpeopled prairies; together with the fantastic painted and picturesque Indian who wandered freely in this territory as its ruling monarch, these animals moved about in a free atmosphere as nature took its course before the civilization of the pale face.

But the faith of the forefathers came to the area as the settlers moved west. As established in the decree of Pope Pius IX of January 6, 1857, the vicariate apostolic of Nebraska included all of Nebraska, all Colorado above the Arkansas River, Wyoming` Montana, and the area which  became North alld South Dakota west of the Missouri River. Elsewhere in the then United States, immigrants were pouring into the Eastern Coast from Ireland. Crowding in the industrial eastern cities presented grave social and economic problems. Social thought found what was probably its best expression in the colonization efforts of a small number of bishops and priests who were supported by some of the better established laymen. One of these was General John O'Neill, one of the colorful personalities to come out of that era of American history. He was famous in the eyes of many and notorious according to some, spent the first three months of 1874 in a campaign like sweep of the State of Pennsylvania speaking to as many Irish miners as would listen to him. He spent most of the years 1872 and 1873 traveling through the states of Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa` Illinois, Missouri, and Nebraska in search of the best location for his colony. O'Neill concluded that Nebraska possessed the greatest advantages for settlers: it was located between the two extremes of temperature, and it offered pure water, fertile land, and millions of acres of free government land and cheap railroad and speculation land. There was also another reason.

Previous to his decision on the best possible site for colonization, O'Neill had been in contact with Messrs. Patrick Fahy and S. M. Boyd of Lincoln, Nebraska, who owned 160 acres of land in Holt County. The two Lincoln men offered General O'Neill $150.00 per month, for a period of four months, if he would tour the East Coast for the purpose of promoting immigration to this county. After O'Neill had visited the 160 acres in Holt County and judged that the area to be good for settlers, he entered into an agreement with Fahy and Boyd in November of 1873 on the terms that they had proposed. O'Neill gave lectures in all of the leading cities in the mining districts of Pennsylvania. In the spring of 1874, a small and weary group of pioneers, under the leadership of General John O'Neill, staked their claims on the prairies of Nebraska along the Elkhorn River. During the layover in Omaha, Mr. Fahy presented General O'Neill with a transcript from the Secretary of State's office showing that Holt County had been officially organized.

On reaching the site in Holt County, the first settlers constructed a sod house. The dwelling was completed on May 19,1874, exactly one week after their arrival in the area. This thirty-six by eighteen feet shelter served as the common living quarters for all settlers, until such time as they would be able to build their own log houses. The sod house was known as the "Grand Central." This bit of pioneer wit was apparently not amusing to the many immigrants who, having heard of the "Grand Central," had traveled many weary miles buoyed up by the vision of a modern hotel, and arrived to find a soddie surrounded by barren plains.

Many obstacles faced these original colonists. While it was true that many of the settlers numbered farmers among their ancestors, most of them were young enough to have spent the greater part of their lives on the east coast in the industrial areas where they had no experience in farming.

They were now forced to live off the land. The early settlers reported that the land looked promising at first sight; tall prairie grass gave the impression of fertility and future crops seelned to be assured. Their official farm advisor was a priest. Father Pierre J. Bedard, who not only served the spiritual needs of a settlement of French Canadians fifty miles from the O`Neill community, but also served as doctor and teacher as well, in both areas.

Unfortunately, the colonists' farming efforts that first summer of 1874 failed to bring about the desired results. While it was true that lack of experience was a contributing factor that caused the crop failure, as was the summer drought which affected the entire area, the real reason that the land did not yield the expected fruits was the fact, to be realized a number of years later, that the soil was naturally very poor and much more suited to cattle-raising than farming. Some of the twenty-five families and coreligionists left and felt that General O'Neill had given them false hopes in coming from the East. But the colonists gathered together in O'Neill City on August 22,1875 and drew up resolutions which were unanimously adopted.

"Whereas, we have been fortunate beyond our expectations, in securing our homesteads in the locality chosen by General O'Neill, for the establishment of his Irish American Colony and whereas, we entertain a profound anxiety to urge upon our countrymen the necessity of improving this opportunity of securing homes for ourselves - an opportunity which will be irretrievably lost in the near future and - whereas, we know from experience (there being representative men from nearly every State and Territory in the Union) that, no part of the West offers so many  advantages to settlers and particularly to Irish Americans as the O'Neill settlements in Holt County, Nebraska. Splendid land, pure water, and a healthy climate, therefore be it resolved that first we hold ourselves in readiness to furnish all necessary information about the Colony to those desirous of obtaining it. Second, that we will extend a welcoming, and so far as lies in our power, a helping hand to those who come here to settle. Third, that we return our warmest thanks to General O'Neill and shall ever feel grateful for the untiring zeal manifested, and the self-sacrifice endured for the welfare of the colonists. Fourth, that a copy of these resolutions be sell it to the /rz.s/? Wor/d for publication."

This was signed by the members who were the Committee on Resolutions which consisted of the following: Patrick Hagerty of Winona, Minnesota; John Reddy of Lacon, Illinois, Patrick S. Hughes of Dover, New Hampshire; Thomas Connolly of Manchester, Vermont; Thomas Harrington of Ansona, Connecticut; Michael H. McGrath of Brooklyn, New York; Patrick Murray of New York City, New York; John J. O'Neill of Elizabeth, New Jersey; Edward Gallagher of Barclay, Pennsylvania; William Joyce of Hazleton, Ohio; Timothy O'Connor of Chicago, Illinois; Patrick Barrett of Tennenville, Michigan; John Fallon of St. Louis, Missouri, Joseph Kresser of Dubuque, Iowa; Thomas Gallagher of Ottumwa, Iowa; Michael Dillon of Granier County, Texas; Niel S., Brennen of peabody, Massachusetts; Charles Donnelly of Port Huron, Michigan. The document was closed with the following statement: I most cheerfully endorse the foregoing resolutions. This was then signed: P. J. Bedard, Pastor.

Then came the gold rush to the Black Hills of South Dakota. O'Neill was the last place where the gold seekers could buy provisions and thus the community began to prosper. More and more families in the East who were ready and willing to take advantage of the Government's offer to settle on the land of the West, and by that very fact became owners of it, were too poor to finance the journey to the lands being offered. General O'Neill began to receive numerous letters begging to come West but could not afford the trip out there. He also felt that it was about time that the colony began to think about having a resident priest, and thus having its own parish. Many feel that the church was founded on May 12,1874, .when the colonists reached the present site of the town. Father Bedard came from Frenchtown, a colony of French Canadian Catholics which was founded in 1871. This colony came from Kanakee. Illinois, and settled in the northwest part of Antelope County and on the north bank of the Elkhorn River. Father Bedard was the only Catholic priest between West Point, Nebraska, and Butte, Montana. His first Mass in Holt County was said in the sod house of Thomas Cain, in the presence of the said Thomas Cain and his wife, John Reddy and his wife Bridget, John Fallon and his wife Mary, James Ryan and his wife, Michael McGrath and his wife Mary, Patrick Murray and his wife , Joseph Kresser and his wife, John Grady, Tim Connor, R. J. Hayes, T. N. J. Hynes and Ann Fallon. Thomas Hynes served that Mass and most of Father Bedard's other Masses in O'Neill for Father came at intervals of two or three months and services were usually held at Cain's and at John Fallon's.

But others feel that the first Mass in O'Neill was in the residence of John Hannegan, in the summer of 1875.

Now that services were being held on a regular basis, the General approached Father Bedard and formed the "Irish Emigrant Aid Society." The General believed that such societies would be in a position to loan the necessary funds to the settlers who wanted to go West and be able to make a considerable profit from the interest charged. O'Neill was confident that within three to five years after selecting his homestead, the average settler would be able to pay off his debt easily. These societies were to be formed in the cities and towns of the Eastern and Middle States because it was in these areas where there were a few wealthy men who through the assistance of the parish priest could help fellow Irishmen to move to Nebraska.

There was a great destiny for Holt County, but in the latter part of July, 1876, grasshoppers temporarily postponed it. The grasshoppers covered the ground to a depth of four to six inches. The aerial flight of the insects was about one and one-half miles to two miles wide and lasted for nearly two days. Such severe crop damage, amounting to over fifty per cent loss in the colony, caused many of the homesteaders to decide to leave the colony.

The official organization of Holt County occurred in the summer of 1876. In the face of the grasshopper scourge, it provided the struggling settlers with badly needed encouragement. They had been looking forward to the area's official recognition as a County for many months.

The children of the settlers were able to attend a school which was established by one of the settlers in her own home. General O'Neill wrote to Bishop James O'Connor, the Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska, explaining the work he had already done in Holt County and his hopes of the future in the establishment of a parish and also future Catholic settlements. In his reply on January 13,1877, Bishop O'Connor expressed interest in the General's work, suggested that he colonize railroad lands because of the assistance which the railroad companies would offer, and promised that he would see to it that the settlers would have priestly ministrations.

The settlers then decided to begin the erection of a church for the Lord. They were thankful for the little that they had but now felt that soon a priest would be offering Mass daily in their small colony. Father Bedard was still coming from Frenchtown (present day Neligh) for services in O'Neill. It does not seem that Father Bedard was ever officially attached to the Vicariate of Nebraska. He supervised the building of the new church which was to be a Small frame building measuring eighteen feet by thirty-six feet, at the cost of $1,200.00. The building material was then very high, owing to the long haul by ox team. The colonists hauled the lumber from Yankton, the capital of Dakota Territory which was one-hundred and twenty-five miles from O'Neill and was the closest river port which obtained supplies from the East and Upper Midwestern States. As the church was being built, Father Bedard is reported to have died, probably in Yankton in 1876. The circumstances and place of his death seem lost to history.

The church was completed without pews or seats of any kind and had no bell. The church was erected on the southeast corner of block four in the city of O'Neill. It was completed in July, 1877 and the first Mass was said by a Father Smith of Council Bluffs who was sent here for the purpose and in his sermon he said he brought the glad tidings that O'Neill was going to get a resident pastor.

Father John T. Smith the First Pastor Bishop O'Connor's promise came true in August of 1877, when Father John Smith was appointed as the first permanent pastor of St. Joseph's Church in O'Neill. Father Smith was born in Ireland on February 2, 1850 and was ordained a priest on June 24,1877. As the newly ordained arrived in O'Neill, he temporarily resided at the home of John Cronin and at intervals with the families of Dennis Daly and J. P. O'Donnell. In October,1877, Father Smith was installed as the first resident pastor. During the year 1877 Patrick Hagerty and John McBride were appointed as the two lay trustees and the parish of St. Joseph came into existence with the following parishioners: Neil and Margaret (Keyes) Brennan, Patrick and Anna (Finigan) Barrett, Edward P. Boyle, Thomas and Ann (McGee) Connelly, John and Julia (Cavanaugh) Cronin, Daniel and Honora (Harrington) Cronin, William Cronin, Patrick and Catherine (Welsh) Carney, Patrick and Bridget (Enright) Carney, Michael Costello, John and Mary (Stuart) Carberry, Agnes C. Clark, Henry Cook, Sr., John and Anna (Moyles) Cook, Dennis Daly, Michael and Teresia (Shotes) Dillon, John and Mary (Higgins) Donohoe, John and Margaret (Reynolds) Donlin, James Dorgan, John and Mary (Burke) Enright, John and Mary (Hannigan) Fallon, Patrick and Sara (Fitzgerald) Fahy, John and Mary (Boyle) Grady, Thomas and Mary (Swift) Gallagher, Michael and Bridget (Erwin) Gallagher, Edward and Bridget (Durkin) Graham, Patrick Hagerty, John Hanrigan, Patrick Hughes, Thomas, John and Mary (O'Brien) .Harrington, William and Anna (Stanton) Joyce, Patrick and Honora (Stanton) Joyce, Thomas and Lea (Visna) Kieley, John and Margaret (Shea) Kelly, Dennis Kelly, Conrad J. and Honora (Kelley) Kelly, Michael and Mary (Savage) Riernan, John and Mary (Cullin) Kouthoffer, Thomas and Euen (Gallagher) Keys, Richard and Catherine (Hurley) Kilmurry, Michael and Mary (McAlister) McGrath. Thomas and Catherine (Coleman) Murphy, Patrick and Mary (McCoory) Mccoy, John and Mary Ann (Murphy) McCafferty, Patrick and Mary (Lockhart) McGuire, Tony Murray, Patrick Madden, John P. and Ellen (Brennan) O'Donnell, Michael and Bridget (Murphy) O'Laughlin, John and Mary (Crowe) O'Neill, John and Bridget (Kerrigan) Reddy, Mary Reilly, Timothy and Julia (Corkle) Scannell, Henry and Mary (McHale) Stanton, Florence (Flurry) Sullivan, Thomas Welsh, Eugene and Mary (Compt) Whitney> John Welsh, Martin and Peggy (Stanton) Welch. The parish was organized and there was still trouble with the ownership of the land because Father Bedard had the papers when he died. The first land owner of the church property was Allen W. Carey who had been granted eighty acres of land April 1,1875, by President Ulysses S. Grant. He in turn sold it to Patrick Fahy and his wife Sarah and it was registered and filed in Cass County, Nebraska because Holt County was not yet organized. Patrick Fahy in turn gave the land to Father Peter James Bedard on October 16, 1875 and it was filed in Lancaster County, Nebraska the following November 5,1875. The deed was not really found until Father Bedard's will was settled in Mission County in Dakota Territory on April 30, 1879 when it was turned over to Father John T. Smith. Father Smith then filed the deed in Holt County on May 5, 1880 when it was thus deeded to James O'Connor, the Bishop of the Vicariate of the State of Nebraska. A lesson was learned and Father Smith told his flock often to register their lands with the county officials. But the new parish was soon to receive bad news.

General O'Neill, the founder of the colony, having contracted a fatal disease in the winter of 1877-79, died in Omaha, having received the final rites of Mother Church, and was buried in Omaha. The colonists sadly deplored the loss of the general, and keenly felt the sorrowful bereavement.

During the year 1879, the first parochial residence in the parish was built by Father Smith. It was a frame-building, eighteen feet by thirty feet, one-and-a-half stories high, and cost $1,400.00. It was erected on block four in the city of O'Neill, a little west of and adjacent to the church building. Much land was still public domain and the virgin prairies, unbroken and unclaimed, lay invitingly awaiting the approach of the homesteader who soon came in, entered claims, and established homes so that Father Smith soon found his ever increasing congregation outgrew the seating capacity of his eighteen feet by thirty-six feet church. Meanwhile Mr. Patrick Fahy was selling lots which were scattered throughout the townsite and converted these into funds and the proceeds were applied toward the building of the new church. Also certain blocks of the Hagerty Addition were given to the city of O'Neill which were to be used for a Catholic cemetery.

Father Smith started to collect money to build a new and larger church but his people were as short of funds as his church was of seating capacity and he finally succeeded in raising the money and the first church was moved away to make room for the new and handsome Romanesque structure about to take its place and in all probability destined to become a cathedral at some future day.

The second St. Joseph's (St. Patriek's) Church and interior, bum by Father Smith It was an arduous task that the good Father Smith set before himself as it seemed that sometimes there were other "powers" working against the dream as one disaster after another followed each other in rapid succession.

First grasshoppers, followed by electric storms, and protracted droughts. The first money collected for the new church, which was built by Father Smith, came from a bequest of John Hughes, a bachelor, who died here and willed his property to St. Joseph's Church - several thousand dollars in notes, on parties in Iowa, but for various causes. Father Smith realized only seven or eight hundred dollars on them.

Bishop O'Connor visited the parish for the first time and administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to a class of ninety-one persons. The confirmation took place in the old church which had been moved to the east of the church being built and was sold to the O'Neill School District Number Seven. O'Neill's first church building became O'Neill's first public school building and continued as such until 1884 when School District Number Seven built its brick school building. O'Neill's second church was a frame building forty feet by one hundred feet with brick and stone basement heated with a hot air furnace, but had neither tower nor bell, at the cost of $6,000.00 and was finished in 1882. It had a seating capacity of four hundred.

During the progress of construction, a violent storm occurred which razed the building to the ground, partially destroyed the work which had been accomplished and inflicted considerable damage generally. A short time after its completion, it was again wrenched and twisted from its foundation, during the visit of another furious tornado.

Father Smith had help during his administration from Father Thomas Cullen and Father Patrick Brophy who helped him part of the time in general work as regular assistants and resided with him at the rectory. In July of 1886, Father Smith received word that he was being transferred to Cheyenne, Wyoming. After being there for a few years, Father John Smith was assigned then to Saint Patrick's Church in Omaha and he built present church.

He died there on February 2,1915 at the age of 65. He died on his 65th birthday and is buried in Omaha. At the termination of Father Smith's pastorate the parish was in flourishing condition. The parish possessed a large commodious church building, a handsome parochial residence, a fine organ for church services had been purchased and paid for, and an excellent choir, which had been organized among the members of the parish, had been in existence for a considerable time. The parish was entirely out of debt, in fact, had a balance of $430.00 to its credit in the treasury. There were one-hundred and sixty-five families enrolled upon the parish register, and a large Sunday School was organized and in 'good working order, showing a good average attendance of pupils.

The young Father Michael F. Cassidy In July of 1886, word was received that Father Michael Francis Cassidy was to be the pastor of Saint Joseph's in O'Neill. He was born in the County of Cavan, Ireland, on June 14,1853. He received his education at Saint Patrick's College in Cavan, Ireland. His course in philosophy was made at Saint Bonaventure's in Alleghany, New York, and his course in theology at Saint Sulpice in Montreal, Canada. He was ordained to priesthood by Right Reverend James O'Connor, Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska, October 8,1878. His first appointment was as assistant at Columbus, Nebraska, where he remained until April,1879. He was then sent to Rawlins, Wyoming, as the first pastor of that place. It is seldom that a priest has sway over so large a territory as was Father Cassidy's first post, for the whole state of Wyoming was apportioned to three priests. The parish of Rawlins alone covered a radius of four-hundred-and-fifty miles to the north, three-hundred miles to the west and one hundred miles to the south.

But before we begin the pastorate of Father Michael Cassidy, 1et's look back at another version of the early history of Saint Joseph's Parish in O'Neill. It is said that the Catholics of O'Neill comprised the largest and most influential denomination in the city. Father Peter James Bedard was pastor, doctor, and homesteader in the French Canadian colony at Frenchtown in Antelope County.

From all indications Father Bedard's visits were infrequent and caused some concern among the early residents. They had been promised a resident priest by General O'Neill before they moved out to O'Neill City. When this promise was not fulfilled, the residents appealed to Bishop James O'Connor, Vicar Apostolic of Nebraska for help. Bishop O'Connor sent Father John Curtis of Lincoln to look into the matter. On November 23,1876, Father Curtis arrived in O'Neill and sent this report to Bishop O'Connor: I have only just arrived here. Three days of hard staging, and I think I ought to send you immediately information, such as I have been able to obtain concerning Father Bedard. He has not been here since spring of this year. He was in Frenchtown, where he has a homestead of 160 acres of fine land, on which he has built a log church and a cabin to live in about a month ago. I was told by the postmaster in Frenchtown that he, the priest, had gone to Sioux City, whence he intends to return to his claim in spring next.

Here I have learned that he is in Yankton (sick). So he is likely to be found in one or the other place . . . It appears to me that it is a disagreeable surprise to see a priest sent here to investigate. A nice little church is nearly finished here which is in itself almost a contradiction of the report.

The Elkhorn Valley is the most beautiful country in Nebraska.

The O'Neill colonies are particularly beautiful in location. I will tell you more when I return.

Even with Father Curtis' letter to the Bishop, there were still many obstacles that were threatening the O'Neill colony. General O'Neill was faced with the failure of the Irish Emigrant Aid Societies and he realized that he would be unable to continue his colonizing work unless he obtained backing from other sources. He continued to keep the public informed about his efforts. He then heard that there were prospects of a railroad being built which would serve the O'Neill settlements and bring more people into the area. He wrote to A. W. Hubbard, the President of the Covington, Columbus, and Black Hills Railroad who answered the General and stated: We think the work in which you are engaged will result in lasting and permanent good to all of Northern Nebraska. We will be glad to work with you to bring about the results desired.

With this in mind the General wrote to Bishop O'Connor explaining the work he had already done in Holt County and his hopes for future settlements. In his reply on January 13, 1877, Bishop O'Connor expressed interest in the General's work, suggested that he colonize railroad lands because of the assistance which the railroad companies would offer, and promised that he would see to it that the settlers would have priestly ministrations. Although the financial support needed for further colonizing efforts was not forthcoming, the moral support given by the Bishop's letter encouraged him to continue his work.

As the General was working to get more colonists to come to O'Neill City, it is apparent from Father Curtis' letter that a church was under construction. The location of the church and its adjoining grounds were on lots one through four, eleven, twelve, and fourteen through sixteen on block four and the land was donated by Patrick Fahy. A church committee to oversee the construction and operation of the parish was also organized. The members included: John Grady, Patrick Mccoy, John Cronin, James Enright, and John Kelley. John Maybury, the only carpenter in O'Neill City, was contracted to build the church. When completed the building measured eighteen feet by thirty-six feet and was without seats or pews and had no bell. Building material had to be hauled by oxen one-hundred-and-thirty-five miles from Wisner, Nebraska, which was the terminal of the F.E. and M.V. Railroad.

The cost of erecting the church was five-hundred and thirty five dollars which Maybury had difficulty in collecting from the congregation. On May 21,1877, he secured a mechanics lien against the church, the first lien ever issued in the county. Several months later he sent Bishop O'Connor a letter asking for his intervention in helping collect the money due him. Whether or not Bishop O'Connor intervened is not known. The official organization of St. Joseph Parish was accomplished in 1877 when two trustees were appointed by Bishop O'Connor. The new parish extended to the Holt County lines on the east and south, on the north by the Niobrara River, and by running a line through the middle of range thirteen on the west.

As the parish was taking form, General O'Neill was still trying to get more colonists for the O'Neill area. Early in 1877, the General published a circular containing a copy of his letter to Bishop O'Connor, a copy of Bishop O'Connor's reply, a copy of the letter of A. W. Hubbard, President of the Covington, Columbus and Black Hills Railroad, and a copy of O'Neill's letter promising to select favorable sites for colonies along the Union Pacific, the Burlington, and the Missouri Railroads. This circular was also sent to each Nebraska State Legislator and to the Governor of the State of Nebraska begging for financial assistance.

Meanwhile, Father John Curtis, the representative of Bishop O'Connor, together with O'Neill and the General's friends, Michael McCarthy and Patrick Hynes, inspected the counties of Platte, Merrick, Hall and Buffalo. They reported that these lands were excellent for those settlers who were interested in railroad lands and improved farms; in other words, for those who could afford to pay a little more than the average pioneer. They chose the land in Greeley County as being ideal for homesteaders. McCarthy  and Hynes immediately decided to remain in Greeley County, and sent for their families and friends. The General went back to Pennsylvania in March,1877, and gathered his fourth and final group of colonists, numbering seventy one people. The majority of this group settled in  Holt County, having arrived there sometime during the month of April. Those who settled in Greeley County arrived there early in May, 1877, and optimistically overcame the obstacles they met, which were similar to those first encountered by the Holt County colonists from whom they undoubtedly obtained much advice and encouragement.

The General decided that this new Greeley County settlement should be called O'Connor, honoring the Vicar Apostolic from whom he received so much encouragement.

On November 1,1877, the General and a businessman from Omaha, Mr. John McCreary, purchased property from the Burlington Railroad and dedicated 160 acres of it to be used as the townsite. In 1880, Bishop O'Connor chose a different site three and one-half miles from the original one where the town was eventually built. Thus it can be seen that the Bishop was in close contact with the General as the Irish colonies began to flourish on the prairies of Nebraska.

On January 8, 1878, General O'Neill died at St. Joseph's Hospital in Omaha due to complications of asthma, a severe cold, and pneumonia. He was forty-three years of age, survived by his wife and three children of O'Neill and his mother, one brother, and one sister, all of Elizabeth, New Jersey. His funeral was conducted in Saint Philomena's Cathedral, in Omaha, on January 11,1878, with the Most Reverend James O'Connor officiating. He was, and still is, buried in Holy Sepulcher Cemetery in Omaha.

He had the courage to head west and helped lay the foundations of St. Joseph's Parish in O'Neill, Nebraska, and its early pastorate of Father Smith and the first church that was built here and the second church which was completed with the appointment of Father Michael Francis Cassidy.

Upon assuming charge of this parish, Father Cassidy at once set about to increase the seating capacity of the church by adding ten new pews and thereby enlarging it to a seating capacity of five hundred. The church being without a tower or other receptacle for a bell, he began the plans and had erected, in the fall of 1886, in the center of the front of the church, a substantial tower, twelve feet by twelve feet at the base and ninety feet in height to the top of the large gilded cross by which it was surmounted. This addition gave the church a decidedly handsome and improved appearance, in conjunction with the utilitarian purposes it was intended to serve. A bell was then purchased and placed in this tower. The new bell, with iron frame in which it is set weighs four-thousand pounds.

St. Patrick's Church, on November 9, 1886, was regularly incorporated under the laws of the State of Nebraska at Omaha with Rt. Rev. Bishop James O'Connor, president; Rev. Michael F. Cassidy, pastor and treasurer; Patrick Hagerty, secretary, and John McBride and Very Rev. R. Shaffel, the vicar-general of the diocese, incorporators.

The name of the parish was now St. Patrick's instead of St. Joseph's. It seems to be at this time that Father Cassidy changed the name to have an Irish Saint for his beloved flock and the local newspaper at that time, too, changed the little weekly ad which ran: "St. Joseph Catholic

Church. Services every Sabbath at 10:30 o'clock. Rev. Cassidy, Pastor. Sabbath school immediately following services." The church advertisement just switched the name Patrick in place of Joseph and the rest stayed the same. But the bell in the church tower is proof that the name was changed then because upon the bell is engraved:

St. Patrick's Church, O'Neill, Nebraska, 1886. This engraving appears under an engraved cross. (As you look at he church today, as you face the north, this engraving appears to the left or west side. On the east or right side is engraved: McShane Bell Foundry, Henry McShane and Company, Baltimore, Md. 1886.) Article two of the articles of incorporation limited the indebtedness of the corporation to ten thousand dollars, and the cost of the new tower amounted to eleven hundred and twenty five dollars, and the new bell was five-hundred and ninety four dollars. The bell tolled for the first time for early Mass of Christmas, 1886.

In the summer of 1887, Bishop O'Connor again visited the parish, and administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to 172 people and it was his first visit to church number two. The following year the Jesuit Fathers held a very successful mission of eight days in the month of September.

The parish kept growing and had reached its greatest membership of two hundred families. Father Cassidy decided that a Catholic Fair should be held in the fall of the year and this event was to be a social as well as a financial endeavor. It lasted for four days in the latter part of October. The two immense rooms were crowded almost continually and the people seemed to enjoy themselves perfectly. Eatables were served at noon and at night by the ladies of the church and hundreds took their meals there every day. Father Cassidy, who managed the entire affair, certainly deserves much of the credit due the Society for the success of the entertainment, and some the prizes and their winners were: Nina Ryan - an album; Peter Eberly - a wisp broom; T. D. Hanley -a gold cross; Mrs. Hammond - stockings; Mrs. Biglin - dress and hood; Mr. O'Neill - mittens; H. E. Murphy - writing desk; E. J. Mack -sewing machine; M. A. Hurley -a toilet seat; J. P. Mann -cushion; M. C. Roberts -a hood; M. Mullen - a quilt; Mrs. N. Brennan - a pig; Mrs. 0. Toohill - a cushion; Mrs. J. McBride - a sofa pillow; W. J. Canton - shaving set; Hugh Gallagher - a cake; Nellie Cronin - a banner, S. H. Ellwood - a chair; Druze Beck - a silver cake stand; E. F. Gallagher - a painting; Dave Darr – a steer; Mrs. Dr. Connolly - a toilet set; P. C. Corrigan - a silk quilt; F. Getz - a rug; George Wilder - a table scarf; Mrs. Toohill - a shawl; Miss Toomey - a town lot; John Jerndt - a cow; Thomas Campbell - fifty dollars; Mrs. M. M. Sullivan - a picture. The net proceeds of the fair equaled $1,691.91. Father Cassidy put this card of thanks in the newspaper: In behalf of myself and the congregation of which I am pastor, I desire to tender my most heartfelt thanks to the kind people generally, of this and a few outside communities, for the very liberal and munificent manner in which you extended your helpful assistance and kindly patronage toward the fair recently held in this city under the very laudable auspices of the Catholics of this parish. I assure you, my dear friends, that I am most happy to announce that success attended the enterprise, both from a social and financial standpoint far beyond my most sanguine hopes and expectations. And I hope and trust and pray that God in his kind providence will some day in the near future reward you a thousand fold by bestowing in abundance upon you and yours peace, happiness, and prosperity, for valuable and welcome evidence of your kindly friendship and generosity.

Mr. David Fitzgerald, of Lincoln, Nebraska, donated to St. Patrick's Church in O'Neill, two beautiful statues, one of the Blessed Virgin Mary, and the other of Saint Joseph, in the summer of 1888.

The parochial rectory, then in use, proving inadequate for the decent accommodation of the pastor and assistant, and the numerous visiting clergy, it was decided to remove and to sell it and replace it with one which would comply more fully with the importance and dignity of the parish and adequately meet the accommodations and requirements of a modern residence. In the summer of 1888, the old residence was removed, and later in 1890 was sold for nine hundred dollars (and lived in by Mrs. Dykeman), and a new residence, a frame building, forty-five feet by fifty four feet, two stories high with a stone basement, porch, and attic, was erected on the site formerly occupied by the old one, at a cost of thirty-five hundred dollars.

On Christmas morning, 1889, there was high Mass at six o'clock plus five other Masses that day. At the high Mass, Father Delbove was celebrant and preached an eloquent sermon, for which he was noted. The three altars were beautifully decorated with flowers and plants. The Main Street O'Neil, Church Steeple in background, telt ol tower, across the street from public school

The rectory, St. Joseph's (St. Patrick's) Church and the O'Neill School

Star of Bethlehem above the main altar, with the hundreds of lighted candles on the altar and on either side of the tabernacle up to the large star above the pinnacle, was truly grand and as beautiful a sight as one could wish to see. In the evening vespers and benediction and the lighting of the Star of Bethlehem closed the Christmas exercises.

About this time also, a strong and universal feeling existed throughout the parish, that the time had come and the exigencies and necessities of the situation demanded the establishment, at O'Neill, of an Academy for young ladies, wherein should be taught the higher branches of leaning, music, and the arts, the same to be placed in charge of and conducted by one of the more popular orders of instructors to be found among the sisterhood of the church.

Palm Sunday was observed, in the spring of 1890, with genuine palm, brought all the way from New York City.

It was the first ever in O'Neill. Easter Sunday could not have possibly been finer for the time of year; nature vied with the artificial to make the day a joyous one and in memory of the risen Savior everything rejoiced. There was the early Mass but the high Mass was at ten o'clock and the altar and church were beautifully decorated and the services were very impressive. In the evening vespers and a sermon were held.

Following Easter, subscription books, for the purpose of raising funds, were opened to the public and voluntary contributions were solicited for the purpose of building a Catholic Academy. These were met with a generous and prompt response by the people, fully assuring the success of the project. Plans were taking form to build this Sister's school on the lots just west of the church and rectory. It must be remembered that when the parish was incorporated in 1886, Bishop James O'Connor once again gave the warranty deed back to Father Cassidy and this included lots,1, 2, 3, 4,11,12,13,14,15, and 16 in Block 4. Lots 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, and 10 in Block 4 were also originally owned by Patrick Fahy but in 1879, Mr. Fahy sold these to John Fitzgerald. John Fitzgerald in turn sold Lot 9 to Charles N. Sholes in 1884, who in turn sold Lot 9 to 8.

Mullen. John Fitzgerald donated his lots in Block 4 to Saint Patrick's Church in O'Neill (O'Neill before this was known as O'Neill City) on August 18,1888, and 8. Mullen sold his to St. Patrick's Church for one-hundred-and-fifty dollars on May 14,1887.

The plans for the school really began to take form.

Toward the middle of May, 1890, a certain Mr. McLean visited Father Cassidy. He offered a cash donation of $2,500.00 and freight gratis on all material used in its construction. He also guaranteed that all the material should be purchased at Sioux City prices and all of this will no doubt was to bring Mr. McLean's donation up to $4,000.00, possibly $5,000.00. A meeting on May 29, 1890, showed that the people of O'Neill pledged nearly $5,000.00, making the total close to $10,000.00. Meetings and conferences were held from time to time to devise ways and means until June 19, 1980, when the plans were released and a contract was entered into for the erection of the brick building. Many went to Architect Dyers' office to see the plans. The plans were elaborate and when the building was to be completed the cost was to be at least $22,000.00. It was to be seventy-five feet on the front (south) and forty-five wide (east) with an addition in the back thirty one feet by forty-nine feet. But this back part was not to be built right away but in time was expected as an addition. It was to contain four floors (basement, two full stories, and an attic). It was to be equipped with all modern appliances, and heated by steam.

It was to be built on the western half of Block Four and was to be known as Saint Mary's Academy. But the plans were to build the best possible. The basement was divided into kitchen, laundry, and dining rooms. On the first floor was a music room and reception room in the southwest corner, a parlor in the southeast comer, two school rooms, hall, and cloak room. The entrance and vestibule measured nine feet by thirteen feet. The second floor had two sisters' rooms in front, chapel room on the east and a class room on the west, with a hall and cloak room as the floor below. The third floor is divided into dormitories, bathroom and hall. A tower measuring twelve feet by sixteen feet will run up in front over the vestibule. The large spacious hall and stairway, the elegant rooms for its various departments were to combine and thus make it one of the finest buildings in this part of the state. The style of the building was Romanesque, the corners were rounded, with a foundation of stone and the main building was to be of brick with stone trimmings.

To the people of O'Neill it was the Sisters' College but to Father Cassidy, it was to be Saint Mary's Academy. Excavation began in June of 1890, and Contractor Burns worked quickly. It only required half a dozen men and three teams of horses to get the job done. Mr. Burns donated his work to the church and was certainly deserving of much credit or as the local newspaper stated it considering the fact that he has not a dollar's worth of property in the town for his liberality.

The cornerstone for the new school was laid on September 13,1890. It was a big day for O'Neill, and there was a large crowd to witness the ceremony. At two-thirty in the afternoon, the O'Neill Cornet Band marched to the church and rendered a few selections prepared especially for the occasion, in a very commendable manner. At three o'clock, the procession which formed in front of the church was composed of the O'Neill Cornet Band, the Sunday School children, the Young Ladies Sodality, the Catholic Knights of America, and the priests. The procession marched to the academy and upon the first floor, which was laid, and on which stood the speaker, Father Joseph F. Nugent of Des Moines, Iowa. On the platform with the speaker were Father John Jeannette of Omaha (who officiated as celebrant owing to the recent death of Bishop O'Connor and the Episcopal See of Omaha still being vacant), Father Kolin of Atkinson, and Fathers Cassidy and Hoheisl of O'Neill. Father Nugent delighted and entertained the audience for forty-five minutes in which he made the dedicating speech. He spoke upon the usefulness and the benefits to be derived from Catholic schools and the audience stood wrapped in attention as the words of logic and wisdom fell from his hips. As an orator Father Nugeht had few, if any, equals and everyone in that vast audience listened with interest to every word that was spoken. After his talk came the ceremony of laying the corner stone. In the stone was placed a tin box which contained papers on which were written the names of Pope Leo XIII, the late Bishop O'Connor, President Benjamin Harrison and Vice President Levi P. Morton, Mayor John McBride of O'Neill, the names of building committee, the largest donators, a copy of each of the city papers, including a copy of the largest donators, a"b ocoompy" o efd eiaticohn o of ft hTeH Eci tFyR pOapNeTrsI,E iRnc alnudd ianlgso a c cooinpsy ooff tthhee current year. After the ceremonies of laying the corner stone were over the band played a few selections and the audience dispersed. That evening, Father Nugent gave a lecture in the church on the subject of "The Lost Confessional," which he handled in a very able manner and was listened to by a large audience. After the lecture a collection was taken up and together with the one taken in the afternoon amounted to one-hundred-and-fifty dollars, which was given to the academy.

Work was pushed along rapidly. Father Cassidy did take a mortgage on the property for two-thousand dollars with the Fidelity Loan and Trust Company of Sioux City on Lots 13 & 14 and this was paid back by November 23, 1889. A Mechanic's Lien was filed by Richard Smith to lots 9, 10, and 11 and this was paid by December 6,1890. Then the building was completed in early February of 1891. It had a slate roof and was very steep. The tower in front was higher than the rest of the building and was seventy feet above the ground and was surmounted with a large bronze cross of very fine pattern. There were three large chimneys one each on the north, east, and west, besides the several smaller ones. The material used in the structure was principally brick with stone sills, caps, and steps. Its foundation was secure and the building in every respect was solid and substantial, a creditable monument to the enterprise and liberality of the people and lasting credit to the city. The total cost of the building without the addition was not less than twenty-thousand dollars and when the addition which was in the planning stage was to be added and the whole unit would be near thirty-thousand dollars. The school was not expected to open until September,1891 because all the good teachers were already engaged in teaching for the year and it was the intention of the parish board to start with good teachers only. The Sisters of Charity had been contacted and had agreed to come and run the school. Father Cassidy had already received inquires from points east and west concerning the school and hopes were high that the school was going to be a success.

The burning of the First St. Mary's Academy

But then on February 19,1891, at high noon, when the school was almost completed, the fire alarm was sounded, and the terrible fact was that Saint Mary's Academy, the pride of the town, was in flames. Crowds of men and women rushed to the scene but it was too late to save the building and nothing could be done except to watch it burn and to prevent the other buildings around it from catching fire which was done in an heroic manner. The wind was favorable, being from the south, and as soon as the roof fell and the northeast corner burned out, the danger to other buildings was over. It was a sickening and painful sight to see that grand structure going up in smoke and there were many sad hearts in the town because of the fire. The origin of the fire was a mystery and probably will always remain one. The workmen stated that there had been no fire in any room of the building all day except in the southwest attic room and that was out by eleven o'clock; that they left the building at five minutes of twelve going from the upper floor down to the basement to get out and there was no fire visible then. The men went down to the New Ogden to dinner and had just gone in to the table when they heard the cry of fire. The noon bell had scarcely ceased ringing when it was started up as the fire alarm and the smoke was seen issuing from the windows in the first and second stories on the northeast side and out of the roof at noon or very soon thereafter. It started up and got under very strong headway in an almost incredibly short space of time and the whole building was burned in about ninety minutes. The loss was estimated from ten to twelve-thousand dollars and the building was insured for ten-thousand dollars in the name of the church. The contractors had no insurance. The walls and high chimneys, and even the cupola frame were left standing and it was thought that the greater part of the walls were still as good as new. The northeast and northwest corners were cracked and the window sills and caps, made of red sandstone, seemed to be burned and some of them being totally ruined.

It was almost certain that the damage was to be repaired and that the building was to be in shape for the fall school term. Mr. McVey was reported as saying that the loss falls upon them, and that they will expect to make it good. Mr. Meals, the other member of the firm, telegraphed to Frank Campbell to know if his interests were protected. He was to be up that evening to meet with the contractors and the building committee to get the situation properly adjusted.

Also a meeting was called by the city of O'Neill at the court house for the purpose of inaugurating a scheme whereby the town would secure a system of water works for protection from fire, but the attendance was light and nothing was really accomplished except that a seed was sown for water works in the future.

Father Cassidy felt that the fire originated in the basement through the carelessness of the workmen. At the time of this appalling disaster, fourteen thousand dollars had been expended on the building and its heating plant.

Father Cassidy then was informed by the insurance company which had insured the academy refused to pay for the fire damages on the grounds that the building did not belong to the parish. The insurance policy was made out in the name of the church, but the academy had not been formally turned over to the church by the contractors, hence the grounds for the claim. There still seemed to be no question as to the rebuilding of the academy as the contractors stated that they were the losers by the fire and even if the insurance could not be collected, they would have to replace the building. Still suit was instituted in the District Court of Holt County against the contractors and their bondsmen to recover the amount paid on the contract, and a judgment for fourteen thousand. dollars and costs obtained. The case was appealed by the bondsmen to the Nebraska Supreme Court which reversed the judgment of the District Court. The suit was then dropped. But Father Cassidy was faced with bills and Mechanic's Liens by Frank 8. Kennard Glass and Paint Company. Galena Lumber Company (a partnership of Edward F. Gallagher and Thomas F. Birmingham), the Omaha Planning Mill Company, \Teweu and Lamphear, A. C. Raymer, and these liens amounted to three-thousand-and-thirty-four dollars and fifty eight cents. But Father Cassidy managed to get through all of this because on February 2,1891, he went to Omaha and mortgaged the whole property for ten-thousand dollars, and the mortgage was held by Felix. J. Despecher.

All of this, the calamity, the mortgage, shattered for the time being, the fondest aspirations and most cherished ambitions of the parish, but, severe as the shock was, it did not entirely annihilate the hopes and determination of the people to replace the beautiful structure that had been the pride of their hearts for a day.

Along in the winter of 1890, a nice frame church, twenty two feet by thirty-six feet, was erected at Stafford, on the eastern side of the parish, at the cost of one thousand dollars. The ground for this site was donated by Daniel O'Donnell who was from Stafford. This church was served from O'Neill and mass was celebrated there once a month.

On June 28,1891, Bishop Scannell visited St. Patrick's in O'Neill for the first time since assuming the episcopacy of the diocese of Omaha and confirmed a class of one hundred and seventy two persons. It was this year, also, that that part of Boyd County lying between Lynch on the east, and Butte on the west, was attached to O'Neill as a mission, and Mass was celebrated for the first time in Spencer that year and on January 1,1982, Father Havelberg was appointed as resident pastor of the Boyd County Mission. He established his residence at Spencer, and was there until October, 1894, when he was transferred. The mission was again returned to O'Neill. A frame church was built in Spencer, part in 1892 and part in 1896, and it was eighteen feet by fifty-six feet, and at a cost of five hundred dollars.

Mass was celebrated there once a month.

There were events that took place back in these early years that express the happy moments and the sad moments which affected the lives of the people of St. Patrick's. And so, at random, reports from the newspaper of the day are now shared with you: On Monday morning (January 5, 1891) at an early hour the marriage of four O'Neill citizens was solemnized as follows: Mr. William Gallagher to Miss Maggie Murphy; Thomas McDonald to Miss Sarah Gallagher. Only a few friends of the contracting parties were present. Father Michael F. Cassidy performed the ceremony. The parties were all well known in O'Neill.

Mr.Gallagher has been in the employ of J. J. McCafferty for the past four years and is a trusted and efficient employee.

His bride, Miss Murphy, is a niece of Mr. John Giblin, who resides in the western part of town, and is well known in the social circles of this city. They commenced housekeeping today in the southeast part of town. Mr. McDonald is also an old resident of Holt County, having lived for several years on a farm near Parker, but for the past year he has been living in the eastern part of the state. His bride, Miss Gallagher, is a sister of William Gallagher, and is admired by all who know her. They have settled down to housekeeping on their farm near Parker. And now sharing a sad moment: The remains of Mr. & Mrs. John O'Neill arrived from Superior, Wisconsin, Sunday (March 1,1915), and were deposited in the death chamber at St. Patrick's church where they remained until Monday at nine o'clock, when funeral services were held. The remains were accompanied from Supenor by Mrs. Belle Ryan, daughter of Mr. & Mrs. O'Neill, and her son Eugene. William Laviolette of North Bend and his son Earl of Omaha and Mr. & Mrs. S. J. Ryan of Columbus came here to attend the funeral. They both died last Friday, she at four in the afternoon and he at eight in the evening, at the home of their daughter, Mrs. Ryan. Mr. O’Neill had reached the advanced age of ninety seven, and she eighty-six. They were former residents of O'Neill, in fact, old pioneers, coming here along about 1882 and were engaged in the hotel business back in the early days, running the hotel still standing on Fourth Street and known in those days as the Commercial House and which was the popular hotel of all the upper Elkhorn Valley.

They retired from the hotel business along about 1890, but continued to reside here and at Columbus until three years ago when they went to Superior. On leaving O'Neill at that time, they expressed the wish to be brought here when the final end came.

The Passionist Fathers came to St. Patrick's in October of 1892, and held a very successful mission, which lasted eight days.

A widespread and severe drought, extending over several of the agricultural states of the Midwest, occurred in 1894, causing a total failure of crops, and inflicting much suffering generally, in many instances, even severe destitution among several of the poorer families of the parish, especial1y throughout the outlying mission of Boyd, on the north, that county having been but recently settled, and, at that time, little developed. The charity of the well-to-do, and was proud to acknowledge the noble generosity. Even the parish helped to relieve the more aggravated cases of impending destitution by giving them coal and potatoes and blankets and also to help in buying the seeds for the new crop of 1895.

In June of 1896, a League of the Sacred Heart was organized, and on October, 6,1896, Bishop Scannell visited the parish and administered the sacrament of confirmation to one-hundred-and-fifty-five people. On June 8,1897, the bishop once again visited the parish and proceeded to the mission at Spencer and administered Confirmation to fifty five people. From the first settlement of the parish to the first day of May,1898, there had been recorded 1412 Baptisms, 189 marriages, and 326 deaths, 286 of which occurred since August, 1887, and about 40 previous to that time including the pastorate of Father Smith. The Sunday schools were in satisfactory condition with an excellent state of discipline being enforced and maintained with little friction, with the average attendance at O'Neill being one hundred, at Stafford being twelve, and at Spencer being twenty five. According to the last census of the parish taken in October, 1897, there were residing within the parish 125 Irish families, 3 German families, and 4 Bohemian families, all of whom faithfully adhered to the church through storm and sunshine. The Spencer mission of Boyd County had about 34 families who were mostly Bohemians and Germans with a considerable sprinkling of Irish.

In describing his parish in May of 1898, Father Cassidy described his people as true-hearted, generous loyal friends, and upright, aggressive Catholics, always ready when called upon to help a deserving friend, or to contribute of their moderate means in a most liberal manner, equally, as well for the up-building and improvements of the property of the church as toward the support of the pastor. The parish was out of debt and had to its credit twelve-hundred dollars which was set aside for the rebuilding of St. Mary's Academy.

The people were loyal to their church, and its doctrines patriotic to a high degree, and industrious, frugal, and contented in their everyday vocations of life.

In the spring of 1898 the chief ambition of the parishioners was to erect a school building. The great number of children in the parish in need of Catholic education rendered the building of a school an absolute necessity. The men of the parish set to work and tore down the ruins of the first convent and school which had remained since the destructive fire of 1891. The resources of the parish were dependent entirely on the harvest of the summer of 1899 but it fell below the usual yield. The hopes of the people were somewhat dampened, and it was thought best not to begin on this new building the following spring, because the parishioners did not want "debt" ranked among their possessions.

But Divine Providence intervened and blessed the community of Saint Patrick's in a singular manner, and this is recorded in the Sisters' Chronicle of St. Mary's of O'Neill :

The country back of St. Francis Mission, in the Rosebud Agency of South Dakota, has numerous lakes which provide splendid facilities for hunting. Father Cassidy and Patrick McManus, two famous hunters of O'Neill, were accustomed to spend a week each autumn at St. Francis Mission, in order to make use of this region for their favorite pastime. It was during these visits that the Franciscans at St. Francis Mission had an opportunity of becoming well invariably begged Mother Leopoldine to permit some of the Sisters to visit O'Neill. As the result of his pleading, Mother Leopoldine, who was in Europe in 1896, wrote back to the mission that Sister Alexia with Sophie Walking Eagle, and Frances Cut Cut should come to O'Neill for a few days, meet her at the train in O'Neill on her return trip, and accompany her back to the mission. Owing to the fact that Sister had the two Indian girls with her, she did not go to the rectory but to the home of John Hunt, who with his brother Dennis had done plastering at the mission. The Hunts were hospitable and Mrs. Hunt drove to most of the homes with Sister so that she met most of the Catholics of O'Neill.

Every afternoon Sister called at the rectory, and it was chatting with Father Cassidy on his front veranda, from which point the burnt convent was in full view, that Father Cassidy said, "Sister, if your Community will come here and rebuild the Convent, I will give them the lots and everything on them." Sister did not reply but tried to turn the conversation to another topic. After a while Father came back with, "You did not give me an answer to my proposition." Sister answered, "Father, you do not want a German community in this Irish community." But Father continued, "I don't care who or what they are if they are only good teachers."

On the train going back to the Mission with Mother Leopoldine, Sister Alexia told Mother all that Father Cassidy had said. Mother Leopoldine was at once taken up with the proposal and entered heart and soul into having it accepted.

She wrote at once to Reverend Mother who had Mother Cecilia and Sister Leonarda, then the business manager, come to O'Neill, meet the school children at the rectory and then send her a report as to the advisability of taking over the project. Mother Cecilia and Sister Leonarda came from O'Neill to St. Francis Mission where the assembled community heard Sister Leonarda's report. It was that there was no thought of their undertaking to rebuild the school, that it would be impossible, and that the Sisters would starve in such a place as O'Neill. This was the report she sent to Reverend Mother, but Mother Leopaldine did not give up hopes and continued to urge Reverend Mother to take it. The Sisters of St. Francis Mission prayed to heaven to have the Sisters accept the new work offered.

Father Cassidy was so highly esteemed by Mother Leopoldine and the Sisters that they left no stone unturned to remove all obstacles and comply with his wishes. Reverend Mother's answer came to Father Cassidy: "We shall take O'Neill, for I think if our Holy Father, Saint Francis, were living, it would be just such a place as O'Neill where he would want us to work - a place where no other religions are working."

And thus the second St. Mary's began. Mother Leopoldine sent Sister Cypriana and Sister Rosalia McMullen (later she was Sister Emily) out to Park City, Utah, to Thomas Kearns, the owner of the Silver King Mine, an O'Neill boy who had gone west with only fifty cents in his pocket. This good gentleman gave the first donation for St. Mary's, one thousand dollars. Then Mother Leopoldine borrowed another thousand dollars from Doctor De Bell, who had a store at Rosebud Agency. She raised funds from various sources to get the work on the new school started. The first Saint Mary's was built in 1890 at the cost of eighteen thousand dollars and was to serve as a school and a residence of the Dominican Sisters from Sinsinawa, Wisconsin.

The parish was unable to raise the funds to build another convent and school, so Father Cassidy pleaded long and earnestly to have the Franciscan Sisters undertake the rebuilding at their expense, and Reverend Mother Ludmilla finally gave her consent to the erection of a Convent to serve as a parish school and boarding school, the latter to be used especially for children of the surrounding country in order to prepare them for their First Holy Communion.

The site, including eight lots and the ruins of the old convent were presented as a free gift to the Sisters and the Sisters would in return erect a new building which would be commodious and in every way suitable to the needs of the parish and would conduct a school that would give the children an education based on Catholic foundation, and at the same time embrace the regular high school course of study.

In the autumn of 1899 further agreements were made and it was decided that a few Sisters should come to O'Neill at the beginning of next year, live in a rented house, and support themselves by the teaching of music and fancy work: on April 19,1900, Sister Mathilda, Sister Catherine, and Mother Kostka bade farewell to Holy Rosary Mission and arrived in O'Neill the following day. A delegation of parishioners met them at the depot and conducted them to their new home for the present, a modest cottage on the hill west of the burnt convent.

On the way to the cottage, the Sisters stopped at St. Patrick's church and kneeling at the Communion rail offered themselves to God reminding him that he called them and they were in O'Neill to do his bidding. On arriving at the cottage, a hearty greeting was given to the Sisters by Brother Stander, S. J., an architect from St. Francis Mission, who, in answer to a petition from the Sisters, had been permitted by his superior provincial in Buffalo, New York, to take charge of the building, the work, and the laborers needed for its .erection. Brother Stander took up his residence at the rectory and had the free hospitality of Father Cassidy. The temporary home of the Sisters consisted of several small rooms with a smaller kitchen, and the furniture boasted of having three old beds, several wash tubs, a supply of bed clothing, a generous supply of baking soda and ten dollars worth of groceries on a table, all supplied by kind-hearted parishioners. Everything spoke of extreme poverty and the first cupboards, small tables, and prie-dieux were made by the Sisters out of dry-goods boxes.

In the meantime, the plans for a new Convent and the foundation itself in 1900 received approval of the highest authorities of the Franciscans' Congregation in Europe and in Buffalo, New York. On May 4,1900, a parish meeting was secretly called and it was to honor Father Cassidy. The parishioners found out that Father was going to Europe. A committee called upon Father and presented him with a well-filled purse containing 'over four hundred dollars, and the following address: "Beloved pastor: Having learned of your proposed trip to Europe, we take this opportunity of paying you our respect.ts before your departure. For fourteen years you have been the parish priest .of this congregation and during that time you have endeared yourself to all who have come in contact with you; and to us you have been a spiritual advisor and faithful friend. You have been a devout and untiring laborer in the vineyard of the Lord, and while we all very much regret that we are to be separated from you for the next few months, still we are more than compensated by a knowledge of the fact that it will be to you a season of needed rest and recreation. It is our sincere wish that your entire trip will be one of pleasure and that you will return to us in the autumn with improved health and renewed vigor for the work before you. We know how badly you need a vacation, and we sincerely trust you will be able to put aside all cares and fully enjoy your tour in Europe, and particularly the visit you have in view to the land of your birth. We hope to receive word from you from time to time, and you may rest assured that although we may not be present with you in body, our best wishes and thoughts will follow you in your sojourn abroad. As an evidence that your work has been appreciated and that the seed sown in your labors among us has not all been cast on sandy ground, and as a token of personal esteem, we present you a purse, the contents of which we trust will help defray the expenses of your trip, the recollection of which, we hope, may be a pleasant memory during your absence. Signed in behalf of the congregation,

1. F. Biglin, Chairman of the Committee." Father Cassidy had a loving place in the hearts of his people and this was deeply exemplified on Sunday when he bid adieu for a time and there were tear-stained faces in the congregation as he told them of his departure. On Monday, May 7, 1900 Father Cassidy left by train waving goodbye to a large crowd assembled at the depot to bid him a safe trip and God-speed. He visited Rome, Germany, France, and the famous passion play at Oberammergau. On his return, he spent a month in Ireland and returned on September the first. The building of the foundation of the school continued.

On June 11,1900, the plans for the new Saint Mary's were shown and it was to contain four school rooms on the first floor, four school rooms on the second floor, with a dormitory in the roof which would be sufficient to accommodate one hundred pupils with sleeping apartments. The basement had a ten-foot ceiling, eight feet above the ground; the ceiling of the first floor was twelve feet, and on the second floor, eleven feet. The intention was to have it completed by September 1,1900, with the estimated cost of thirty thousand dollars, and the front of the building being built of pressed brick. On June 16,1900, the Feast of Our Lady of Perpetual Help, the corner stone to the new school was laid by Father Opava, the temporal pastor, in the absence of Father Cassidy. Work on the new building progressed rapidly, and on October 7, 1900, the Feast of the Most Holy Rosary, a statue of Our Lady of Perpetual Help (the official title of the new convent) a gift of Doctor Corrigan of O'Neill, was solemnly unveiled and dedicated, and on the following day was erected in the niche above the main entrance to the convent. Not a single accident occurred during the entire time of work on the construction of the building. During the summer months though, several Sisters arrived as an increase to the community which then numbered ten. On September 10,1900, following a High Mass in honor of the Holy Spirit, the first school year in Saint Patrick's Parish was begun. One hundred and six pupils were enrolled the first day. With the permission of the Bishop, two classes occupied the church, the Blessed Sacrament having been placed in the sacristy. A third class took up its abode in the City Hall (skating rink), a favor of the city Mayor Edward F. Gallagher. As the small house in which the Sisters lived temporarily did not provide sufficient room for all, several Sisters slept in an unoccupied house near the new Convent. It had been offered generously for their use, gratis, by kind neighbors.

By the end of October, one wing of the new building was sufficiently completed to permit the Sisters, in case of necessity, to dwell in it, although there were as yet no bannisters on the stairways, no plastered walls, no finished floors, etc. On October 29, after spiritual exercises were ended, the statues and pictures belonging to the Sisters were carried to the convent and after seven o'clock that morning, generous and kind-hearted people appeared with horses and wagons and transported all the belongings of the Sisters from the cottage to the new Convent. The Sisters were delighted to be united again under their own roof.

But Father Cassidy saw other improvements were necessary and one of these was the beautifying of the cemetery.

He solicited contributions for this purpose and to which the people responded very generously and in a short time the sum of six-hundred dollars was collected. This was expended in putting in the cemetery a system of water works (consisting of a windmill and pipes running all over the cemetery grounds), of buying trees, of making walk-ways, and also of paying a man to care for the cemetery in general during the summer months. This work was done in the spring of 1900. Then a new fence was needed for the cemetery and toward this fund Senator Thomas Kearns of Utah contributed five hundred dollars and it was necessary to expend about seven hundred dollars for a good fence, and it was purchased and placed in the cemetery.

Mrs. John E. Kearns presented the church a very beautiful ostensorium (monstrance) which cost seventy-five dollars as a Christmas gift in 1901. The ladies of the parish presented three sets of vestments (white, purple, and red) including cope and veil. These vestments were imported from France and cost two hundred and twenty dollars.

In May of 1899 two Jesuit Fathers conducted an eight day mission and it was at this time that the young men presented the large Mission Cross (which cost forty-five dollars and is still in the back of the present church) and the young ladies presented the six brass candlesticks which adorned the main altar and cost fifty dollars.

The school continued toward its building completion.

After a lapse of several weeks, the new classrooms were gradually finished and ready for occupancy. On December 12, 1900, on the Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe, the convent and school were solemnly dedicated by Father Cassidy. A solemn High Mass was celebrated and Father Cleary, a renowned speaker from Minnesota, delivered a most eloquent sermon on the occasion. He outlined the benefits of a Catholic education and reminded the people of O'Neill that they were deeply indebted to the Sisters for providing these benefits for them. The rather large chapel did not furnish sufficient room for all who attended the services. The O'Neill Public School gave a free day to permit teachers and pupils to attend the solemnities. Many people wept through joy and gratitude at seeing their desires finally fulfilled. The Sisters and the people had given up many of the things that make life easy to see the school completed.

The Stations of the Cross in the Sisters Chapel and the "Ave Maria" (the bell in the tower) were gifts of Mrs. James Gallagher -Ella Dailey Gallagher. The following inscription was upon the bell: "Ave Maria, Auxilium Christianorum, Protect All the Inmates, Bless the Benefactors, Pray For O'Neill, Assist Us In Death." On Christmas Eve,1900, the Angelus was rung for the first time from the convent tower and Mother Kostka, Sister Alcantara, Sister Crescentia, Sister Laurentia, Sister Catherine, Sister Mathildae, Sister Sophie, Sister Geralda, Sister Norberta, Sister Eberharda, Sister Antoinette and Sister Arsenia were the Franciscan Sisters of O'Neill.

In April, 1901, Bishop Richard Scannell came to O'Neill and administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to two hundred and thirteen children. He expressed his surprise at the splendid achievements in such a short time at O'Neill.

He inspected the new convent and was moved by seeing the poverty of each Sister's cell. He promised to send a second priest to O'Neill so that daily Mass could be celebrated in the convent chapel. And as the first school year closed, there were two-hundred-and-ten day students and twenty boarders.

The Mission of Clearwater was annexed to St. Patrick's on January 1,1902. Mass was celebrated at Stafford and Clearwater every second Sunday of the month and these people were prosperous, energetic and punctual in the fulfillment of their religious duties. On April 19,1903 the Sacred Heart League, the Catholic Knights of America, the Young Ladies Sodality, and the Angels Sodality as organizations within the parish.

One of the urgent needs of the parish now that the convent and school were completed was a hall for the purpose of holding meetings. A fund was begun for this purpose in the fall but after much deliberation, it was decided to begin a fund for a new church as the old one was in need of repair and which will in the course of time have to be replaced by a new one. The hope to erect in a very few years a fine brick church, and then convert the old one into a hall was the idea Father Cassidy desired to see fulfilled.

Even with the much parish work in O'Neill and covering the missions of Clearwater, Ewing, Oakdale, Stafford, Turner, and Emmett, Father Cassidy had the help of many assistant priests throughout these growing and building years.

On June 18,1903, the initiatory commencement of the Academy of Our Lady of Perpetual Help took place at the opera house in O'Neill. Seven young ladies (Margaret M Barrett, Agnes F. Clark, Rose E. Grady, Margaret M. McGreevey, Florence E. Mullen, Anna S. O'Donnell, and Mary

1. Hagerty) received the first diplomas from the Academy which was hailed as one of the finest educational institutions in the state and is a credit to this part of Nebraska and was the pride of O'Neill and Holt County. And the younger students of the school presented the entertainment which consisted of a "dumb-ben-drill" and a "flower circle by the lower grades, a military drama "Rising of the Man" was also presented and appreciated by the large audience, many of whom had come many miles to be present at these exercises.

In November,1904, the pupils of the school contributed a quilt to the fair. It was artistically made of silk materials with the signatures of the O'Neill citizens worked on each block, The quilt was raffled off and won by Miss Maggie Cullan and the ten dollar gold piece was won by D. A. Doyle. Events such as these were aiding in planning the new church. Bishop Keane, an intimate friend of Father Cassidy, came for a visit in June, 1905, and preached a week's mission at St. Patrick's. Bishop Scannell came in May,1906 and participated in the first-sung solemn High Mass at St. Patrick's which was sung by the Boys Choir.

He administered the Sacrament of Confirmation to two hundred persons. He also commented on the new cement sidewalks which were laid in front of the church property just prior to his visitation.

The sanctuary of the church was redecorated by Fuchs in 1907 at the cost of forty-five dollars. A parish hall was really needed but Father Cassidy's prayers were answered when, in 1907, the Knights of Columbus formed a stock company and built the Knights of Columbus Hall, erected on the corner of Third and Douglas Streets. It was to be ready for occupancy in the winter of 1908, and when it was formally opened, it was a building that was needed by all.

The summer of 1907 witnessed a severe hail storm that destroyed the crops, but Father Cassidy still dreamed of a new church. More cement sidewalks were added to the church property. And he was good to the Sisters, too. He bought them a gasoline engine and machinery for mixing bread at the Academy. Mixing by hand all those large quantities of bread needed for the convent and school was a tedious process and the machinery would greatly reduce the amount of labor in this line. And thus the plans began to get ready to build a new church. Subscriptions (pledges) were issued and bids for the erection of the new church were opened on March 17, 1909. The building committee consisted of John J. Kelley, Fred Vitt, J. A. Donohoe, P. J. McManus, Joe Mann, Neil Brennan, Thomas Griffin, 0. F. Biglin, and Henry Stanton. The new church was to be fifty two feet wide and one-hundred-and-thirty-five feet long with towers for belfry and gallery entrance on either side of the front. The estimated cost was thirty-five thousand dollars, complete with furnishings: (the building = $28,335; windows and inside furnishings = $3,500; lighting and heating = $2,000). Robert Butke of Omaha had the contract for the structural work. The old church was moved back and work was begun. Father Cassidy had entertained a desire to see a new church completed by the twenty fifth anniversary of his pastorate in O'Neill and it was a dream that was going to come true.

Wednesday, August 4, 1909 was a grand and glorious day in O'Neill where the business houses were all closed and the business places and homes were decorated with American, Irish, and Vatican flags. It was a red letter for St. Patrick's parish when the corner stone of the future Romanesque church was laid by Bishop J. J. Keane of Cheyenne, assisted by twenty-five other clergymen. The day was suitably fitted for the occasion. Monday's rains cleared the atmosphere and the morning of Wednesday ushered in a day of golden sunshine and blue sky, peculiarly Nebraskan, and the people came to O'Neill from all the surrounding country and towns by rail, auto, buggy, horse, and on foot and the city of O'Neill outstripped her former self in hospitality, color, and dress and was aglow in smiles and new clothes. All creeds and races were merged in one solid body of citizens who vied with each other to do suitable honor to the occasion and visiting clergy. Mass was said in the old church every hour from six to ten and at ten thirty o'clock O'Neill witnessed her first solemn pontifical High Mass ``Coram Pontifice" with Father Moriarty of North Bend as celebrant, Father Loecker of Atkinson as deacon, Father D. W. Moriarty of Omaha as subdeacon, and Father Stenson of Creighton University as master of ceremonies.

At the close of the Mass, Bishop Keane imparted the blessing and from there all went to the Knights of Columbus Hall where the ladies' of the parish served dinner. At two o'clock the procession formed at the Knights of Columbus Hall and marched to the church site. It was headed by the old soldiers who were the survivors of the Civil War and they were followed by the small girls who were dressed in white and carrying the banners and the flags. Then the boys and girls of the parish marched and they were followed by the Young Ladies Sodality. They were followed by the Knights of Columbus and then by the congregation. The fourth degree Knights of Columbus in full dress and regalia, acted as escort for the clergy and the bishop. Bishop Scannell of Omaha was to be here and take an active part in the ceremony, but he was unavoidably detained at home by the presence of Cardinal Gibbons who was on a visit in Omaha, and was on his way to the dedication of the cathedral in Salt Lake City, Utah.

The procession went south to Everet Street, and then east to Fourth Street and then north on Fourth Street to the church where on the temporary floor over the basement, bowries for the speakers and seats for the audience were provided. After the blessing of the foundation and laying of the corner stone, with contents, the bishop and assistant priests chanted the Te Deum in which Fathers Ruesing, Brass, Muenich, Morarity and Brougeist took leading parts.

Then Bishop Keane of Cheyenne delivered the sermon of the day and took his text from the Book of Genesis where Jacob sacrificed his time in that noted journey in the desert on his way to Mesopotamia by piling stones in honor and glory of his God and after God's manifestation to him in the desert Jacob immortalized himself in the minds of the human race by exclaiming: "God was in this place and I knew it not." The bishop dwelled on the importance of building temples of worship to the ever living God and to the utility of prayer and sacrifice, but showed that what Jacob did in the desert was more than done in O'Neill by Father Cassidy and his people, for while Jacob sacrificed his time in his poverty, the people of O'Neill have consecrated the comer-stone of a future temple of divine worship in the sacrifice of their means embalmed in the endurance of their undying faith in God The bishop stated that it would be an act of presumption on his part to elaborate on all of the sacrifice on the part of the people of O'Neill.

He went on merging the American Flag -Old Glory-the stars and stripes on whose escutcheon there was not a single blotch or stain, and the other flag - the sunburst of Erin - with its glories and sorrows commingled, with its cross and round towers and the hybrosal tides weeping copious tears on her sea-beaten shores, where for the last two hundred years the exile of Erin departed heart-broken and dejected to find a new home and country under the protecting folds of Columbia's starry banner, which has protected and sheltered the worthy exiles from all lands. He then pictured the great wars in which these two flags were carried side by side in the interest of liberty and humanity by the progeny of Uncle Sam in which the fighting race of Kelly, Burke, and Shay are merged, culminating in the total rout and defeat of perfidious Albion, the pirate and robber nation of the world and the trailing of the Union Jack in the dust.

The good bishop and gifted orator held his audience spell-bound and transfixed to their seats for about an hour but he was the rich man in the right place. He was a great as an orator, had a great subject, and preached a great sermon to what he called a great people doing a noble work. A committee composed of Frank Campbell, Joe Mann, and P. J. McManus then took up a collection which amounted to four hundred dollars. The choir sang a beautiful song and the bishop imparted a papal blessing. Judge J. J. Harrington was marshal of the day and was mounted on a milk-white steed, and both looked and acted well. He was aided by Col. Neil Brennan, Major M. H. McCarthy and Senator Frank Campbell. The following clergy were present: Father P. Mccarthy of Jackson, Father J. Ruesing of West Point, Father D. W. Moriarty of (Omaha) Benson, Father John T. Smith of Omaha, Father H. Loecker of Atkinson, Father E. S. Muenich of Coleridge, Father W. L. MCNamara of Alliance, Father J. G. McNamara of Bloomfield, Father T. S. Moriartv of North Bend, Father W. Kroupa of Ord, Father J. W. Stenson of Omaha, Father G. Stratman of Butte, Father A. Brass of Howells, Father J. Hutner of Stuart, Father J. Buckley of Norfolk, Father J. Crowley of Albion, Father 8. Ilordeman of Spencer, Father C. Petlach of Verdigrie, Father J. Rose of Ewing, Father P. A. Flanagan of (Omaha) Benson, Father J. Blare of Valentine, Father

1. Dolan of Chadron, Father M. Bronsgest, S.J.,of Creighton University, and Fathers M. Cassidy and W. J. O'Sullivan of O'Neill.

The old church was moved to the rear and the new one was erected on the old site, which was also the location for the first church. The moving was done by George Lammers of Hartington for a consideration of four hundred and seventy five dollars, and the church was used for services until the completion of the new church. On October 10, 1910, it was sold to Thomas Donlin for six-hundred dollars and he later tore it down and used the material for building purposes.

The architect of the church was James Craddock of Omaha and the contractor was Robert Butke of Omaha, and the total cost, including the moving of the old church, construction of the new church, plumbing, furniture, furnishings and windows was $45,177e85. It progressed on its schedule and the Solemn Dedication Ceremonies were set for Wednesday, October 19,1910.

A coincidence noticeable that Wednesday morning when Father John T. Smith of St. Patrick's in Omaha, celebrated the last Mass in the old church, was that he also built and celebrated the first Mass in the same building, twenty seven years ago. In those twenty seven years, two hundred and two children were baptized in the old church.

Wednesday was a very disagreeable day for those who wished to attend the dedication services. A drizzling rain fell all day Tuesday and Wednesday was cold and rainy, but, notwithstanding, a large crowd of people from all parts of the country were present. The late trains Tuesday evening brought many .people to the city for the celebration. All the business houses were closed during the forenoon and all the citizens helped to make this a day long to be remembered.

The dedication exercises took place according to the program previously arranged. The bishops and priests assembled at St. Mary's Convent and shortly after ten o'clock the procession began toward the church. Marching around the outside of the building Bishop Scannell blessed the exterior of the building. He then entered the church and marched around on the inside, after which the procession entered the sanctuary and began the pontifical high Mass with Bishop P. J. Garrigan of Sioux City as celebrant and with the following priests as assistants: Father John Smith as assistant priest; Father C. Mugan as deacon; Father T. Moriarity as subdeacon; Father Eugene Mageveny, S.J., President of Creighton University, who delivered the sermom; Father J. W. Stenson as master of ceremonies; Father M. Dolan as Cross Bearer; Father L. Blair as Mitre Bearer; Father 8. Lordeman as Candle Bearer; Father W. O'Sullivan as Thurifer; Father J. Moore as Book Bearer; Fathers D. P. Harrington and P. MCGovern as chaplains to Bishop Scannell of Omaha; Fathers P. A. Flanagan and 8. Galuin as chaplains to Bishop Keane of Cheyenne. The Mass was sung by the parish choir and the music was written by Theodore La Hoche in honor of St. Louis. The accompaniment was Dr. Sturdevant as first violinist, Miss Phoebe Scott as cellist and Miss Loretto Sullivan as organist.

The banquet was given in honor of the visiting clergy and plates for three hundred were laid. The visiting bishops and priests responded to toasts suitable to the occasion and several of the local orators also spoke. Rosary was held that evening with a sermon preached by Bishop Keane of Cheyenne with solemn benediction by Bishop Scannell of Omaha with Father P. A. MCGovern as deacon, Father D. P. Harrington as subdeacon and Father J. W. Stenson as master of ceremonies. Other priests present at the dedication were Fathers Hettwer, Blair, Ruesing, Crowley, Bronsgest, McGivney, Buckley, Moriarity, Mugan, Lordeman, Dolan, Stenson, MCGovern, P. Flanagan, Harrington, Loecker, Jangels, Stratman, Galvin, Moore, Heines, and Cooney. The church was now dedicated and it was debt free.

A new addition was being added to St. Mary's Academy to make more room for the boarders. But it was a severewinter and thus progress was slow and a severe storm hit with high winds and blowing snow on May 1,1911. Bishop Keane did make it to O'Neill from Cheyenne to confirm 227 persons even though there were outbreaks of measles and small pox. But the new addition was finally completed and dedicated. In 1913, two new side altars each costing two-hundred-and-fifty dollars and two new statues of the Blessed Virgin Mary and Saint Joseph each costing fifty dollars were added to the new church. Mr. & Mrs. 8. Jones donated the Blessed Mother's altar in memory of her brother, Mr. Noonan, and Nicholas White donated St. Joseph's altar in memory of his wife. On September 7, fire broke out in the parish granary and burned it to the ground. The following day the men of the town assembled and collected five hundred and forty dollars to cover the cost of erecting a new granary.

In 1914, a fund drive was started to build a new rectory but Father Cassidy deemed that financial conditions were not opportune for the venture and returned the money to the donors in March. The following January the new pipe organ, costing fifteen hundred and eighty five dollars, was installed in the church due to the contributions of the young men and young women of the parish. It was purchased from the Himers Organ Company of Pekin, Illinois.

Also several sets of beautiful vestments were donated to the Back row: Bill Hammond, John Robert Gallagher, Richard Sullivan, Ted Brown. Second row: Larry Pha]in, Norbert Uh[, James Brown, Eugene Gallagher. Front row-L to R: Jack Grady, Bin Brerman, George Vitt

Included il (tis picture: First row: Agnes Fallon, Hannah Hagerty, Lottie MCNichols Hicke}., Miss Cook. `-cll O'Donnell, Luc}' O'Connor, Theresa Kelley, Mac Campbell, Miss Mullen, Katlt]een ho!J.. r`-era Murph}', Ntll Ryan. 2nd row: Miss Cook. Miss Slattery, EIla Mccaffre}'.

Mary MeT". Julia MCHugh. L®ttie Grady, Ellen Murray, Marguerite Sullivan. Boys indude:

Herb ' H a - d . J o h n R yManr.. M BCiBll r iHdey, nTeosm, GVriandcye, B Gato Mlduernp,h yJ,a Jmimes K eLlalevyolitle, Mr. Hallond,

church. The Holy Name Society was founded in the parish on April 25,1915, and then once again the fund drive was established for the purpose of a new rectory, and this time it was successful.

In order to make room for the new parish house, the old one was moved to the northeast corner of the property, and was used as the parish house until the new one was built.

The moving was done by G. W. Stalcop for six hundred dollars.

The old house was rented for several years but need of repair and the cost of these repairs finally caused it to be sold for the material that was in it and it was razed and the material was used by the buyer for structural purposes.

Excavation of the new house began in June, 1915. The architect was J. M. Nachtigal of Omaha and the contract was let to The Bankers Realty Investment Company of Omaha for thirteen-thousand-four-hundred-and-thirty dollars.

The building, including heating plant, plumbing, wiring but exclusive of the furnishings did cost sixteen-thousand eight-hundred-and-ninety-nine dollars. The ladies of the parish contributed thirteen-hundred dollars for the furnishings, and the rectory was ready for occupancy on September 1, 1916

Bishop Harty, who succeeded Bishop Scannell (died in January, 1916) as Bishop of Omaha, visited O'Neill on October 27,1916, and confirmed eighty-eight children. The bishop received a gift of six-thousand dollars from the -parish for the purpose of helping build the new cathedral in

Omaha. Spanish Influenza (Black Flu) in 1918, coal strikes at the coal mines in 1919 and scarlet fever in 1920 caused much discomfort in O'Neill and its schools. In 1922, Bishop Harty, on May 9, confirmed a class of one-hundred-and fifty-eight members and had his picture taken with the class so that he could send it to the Holy Father as a surprise.

Financial conditions were bad in 1923 but the parish still managed. The Sisters of St. Mary's won many prizes with their flowers and garden vegetables at the State Fair in Lincoln. On May 23, five acres of land, north of the cemetery were bought from the Council Bluffs and Quincy Flailroad for five-hundred-and-two dollars, as the existing cemetery was gradually filling up and more land was thus needed.

Also a new Monstrance, a new Sacred Heart Statue and a new Saint Patrick statue plus two new pedestals for the new statues were purchased for the church at the cost of six hundred-and-eighty-four dollars, donated by the various church organizations in 1925.

1925 was the second year for boy-boarders at the school and it was the Silver Jubilee of the establishment of Saint Mary's Academy. Three-thousand dollars were contributed by the Alumnae and the members of the parish and the money was presented to the Sisters in commemoration of this event. The celebration lasted three days and it brought together many of the former Sisters and former Alumnae of the Academy.

An early play at St. Mary's Msgr. Cassidy, Father Gib]in, and visiting priest, Father Froebes, First Communion Class of 1916

The year 1926 was a dry year and the crops failed and that which could have survived was beaten by hailstones "the size of hen's eggs." The former parish missions of Turner (which was being attended by Spencer) and of Stafford (which was being attended by Ewing) were discontinued due to the decrease in the number of parishioners attending these missions and due to the highways and good roads leading into the bigger towns and O'Neill. Plans for another addition to the Academy were unveiled in 1927 for the cost of fifteen-thousand dollars, but there were excavation troubles because the previous school site had been filled in with .rock. It was the Golden Jubilee Year for the parish in O'Neill and on July 20,1927, Father Cassidy was elevated to the rank of Domestic Prelate, with the title of Monsignor, by Pope Pius XI. Thus the Golden Jubilee of the parish and Father Cassidy's ceremonies of investiture were to be celebrated jointly in a three-day event, the first of which was marked by the ceremonies of investiture on Tuesday, October 11,1927. Father Cassidy was honored on this day by the presence of three bishops: J. J. Keane of Dubuque, who preached the sermon; F. J. Beckman, the Bishop of Lincoln and Apostolic Administrator of Omaha, who invested Cassidy with the robes immediately preceding the Mass; and P. A. McGovern, who-was the celebrant of the Pontifical Mass on the second morning, honoring the golden jubilee of the parish. The investiture procession came from the rectory to the church with Father 8. Westerman as cross-bearer accompanied by the altar boys and followed by the clergy. Father H. Loecker and Father D. W. Moriarty accompanied Monsignor Cassidy as chaplains; next came Bishop MCGovern and Fathers C. Collins and A. Zemp as chaplains; next Archbishop Keane (who labored with Mon

Fathers P. A. Flanagan and W. P. Whelan, S.J., as chaplains; Father 8. Galvin as assistant-priest; and finally Bishop Breckman with J. G. MCNamara as deacon, James Aherne as assistant-priest, W. A. Giblin as subdeacon, J. O'Sullivan as book and mitre bearer, P. K. Vandalaan as thurifer, J. W. Stenson as master of ceremonies and M. J. Brady as assistant master of ceremonies. The Fourth Degree Knights of Columbus who acted as honor guard to the prelates were: J. A. Donohoe, P. J. McManus, J. F. O'Donnell, J. 8. Ryan, Neil P. Brennan, A. F. Mullen, and Dr. T. J. Dwyer (both of Omaha), P. Stanton (of Tilden) and Richard Kilmurry (of Spokane, Washington). The music for the Mass was very beautifully rendered by a choir of priests under the direction of Father Alberts with Father Tevis as organist and Father Gleeson as choir leader. Other members of the choir included Fathers A. Kluthe, W. F. Borer, H. Buerger, and E. J. Flanagan. Other priests present included Fathers

1. J. Crowley, Thomas Walsh, Tim O'Sullivan, J. P. Vogel, P. J. Moran, F. Barry, J. F. Moore, M. F. Byrne, J. F. Hayes, James Burke, M. Feeney, John Rose, and D. O'Sullivan.

Monsignor Cassidy tendered a banquet at noon at the Golden Hotel to the visiting clergy. Father Moriarty of Norfolk was toastmaster and toasts were responded to by Bishop MCGovern, Monsignor James Ahearne, Father Henry Loecker and Monsignor Cassidy. St. Patrick's Parish held a banquet that evening at the Golden Hotel for the visiting clergy and for the out of-town guests.

On Wednesday, October 12, 1927, Bishop MCGovern celebrated a Pontifical High Mass honoring St. Patrick's Parish as it celebrated its Golden Jubilee. A public reception was held that evening at the Knights of Columbus Hall.

Mayor Charles E. Stout opened the program with a cordial welcome to the guest of honor, Monsignor Cassidy, as well as to the visiting bishops, clergy, and former townspeople.

Mr. Arthur F. Mullen of Omaha, in behalf of the former residents of O'Neill, paid a beautiful tribute to Monsignor Cassidy. Mr. S. J. Weekes, representing the citizens of O'Neill, gave a forceful and inspiring address on the magnificent spirit of good-fellowship existing in the community.

He lauded and highly praised the work and zeal of Monsignor Cassidy both as a citizen and a churchman. Judge J. J. Harrington, representing the parish, commented on its growth under its ever faithful guide. His address was fittingly closed with the presentation of a substantial check from the parishioners as a token of their love and respect.

Monsignor Cassidy responded expressing his gratitude to the bishops - especially Bishop Beckman for his instrumentality in securing such an honor for St. Patrick's Parish to the people of O'Neill for their never-failing kindness and generosity to God who had spared him for such lengthy service. Bishop Beckman spoke impressively of the honor conferred upon Monsignor Cassidy by Pope Pius XI. Bishop McGovern commented on Monsignor Cassidy's early ministry in Wyoming and reviewed the hardships of the pioneer priests of that state. The West Sisters Orchestra of Omaha furnished music throughout the evening. Numbers by the choral club and St. Mary's Glee Club were accepted most pleasingly and displayed a considerable degree of talent. Numbers rendered by the children of St. Mary's school showed that time was no factor in their preparation.

The children were trained perfectly and added greatly to the entertainment. An addition to the program were two solos beautifully sung by Father Gleeson of Omaha who was formerly an assistant priest in O'Neill. At the conclusion of the program Monsignor Cassidy. received the personal felicitations of the audience. The whole city was decorated in colors, each of the business houses decorated their windows, some of the windows containing the picture of Father Cassidy, the streets were also decorated with streamers and colors, the flags were out and the whole city seemed to vie with each other to do honor to Father Cassidy, and the distinguished churchmen present to assist at the Investiture. It was a big day in O'Neill and O'Neill did its best to make all welcome and to let them know how Neighborhood Picnicjn 1910 near Dry Creek

Early Boarding Students

The Vitt children, the Tierney children and Agnes Shoemaker and the

Ryan Buggy (1910)

Fr. Cassidy and the "Invincibles"

Father Cassidy and his niece, Mamie Cu]]en

There were events that touched the lives of the families of O'Neill. On Sunday, April 9,1911, an unusual event happened - unusual in that it was a double funeral, that of William Froelich and Mrs. D. H. (Kathleen Lorge) Cronin, happened at St. Patrick's. Mr. Froelich was one of O'Neill's prominent business men, being associated with James Ryan in an extensive hay and livestock business. He was a member of the city council and ran as a candidate for Sheriff.

He was survived by his wife Nellie Morgan Froelich, and three children. Kathleen Lorge Cronin was the wife of D. H. Cronin, was survived by her husband and five children, Julius, Beatrice, Francis, Geraldine, and Erwin. A large crowd of people gathered for the double funeral. Father Cassidy celebrated the requiem Mass. He read the story of the Last Passover of Christ and the disciples, the struggle in Gethsemane, the betrayal and death as recorded by St. Matthew. Father Cassidy then addressed a few fitting remarks to the congregation, calling attention to the uncertainty of life and admonishing his hearers to be always ready for the final summons. After the services at the church the funeral cortege proceeded to the cemetery, where the interment was made. On the happier side, Mr. & Mrs. Frank Gregor celebrated their silver wedding anniversary on August 21,1913. Father Cassidy celebrated the seven o'clock morning Mass when the family approached the table of the Lord. Afterwards they returned to their home, where a three course wedding dinner was served to a host of friends and relatives. They received congratulations from their many friends upon having passed a quarter of a century in loving companionship and were recipients of the following presents: Father Cassidy and niece, meat fork; mother, Mrs. Gregor, berry dish; E. E. Gregor, and wife, soup ladle; Mrs. Paul Dewald & family, meat fork; Burbach family, berry spoon; mother, Mrs. Oswald, two dollars; J. D. Kelly, half dozen spoons; Thomas Quinn, half a dozen teaspoons; James Loub, butter knife and sugar shell; the Davis family, half a dozen teaspoons; Mr. Galbraith, a souvenir spoon; the Streff family, a cream ladle; Ina and Mary Bain, half a dozen teaspoons; P. H. Sullivan family, chaffing dish; A. Dewald family, syrup pitcher; J. Hiber, meat fork; D. D. Harrington, table cloth; and a silver set, consisting of a tea pot, sugar bowl, creamer, syrup pitcher, spoon holder, butter dish, and a half dozen spoons, was presented

by the J. J. Kelly family, C. P. Kelly family, Jacob Hirsch family, D. D. Murphy family, John Genethin family, Tim Healey family, the Tim Harrington family, Miss Harrington, Con Shea, and the George Palmer family. The evening was most pleasantly spent by the young people in a social way, refreshments being served the guests at midnight, shortly after which they departed for their several homes after wishing their host and hostess many happy returns of the day and hoping that they would all be present to help them celebrate their golden wedding anniversary.

On October 8, 1928, Monsignor Cassidy celebrated his golden jubilee of his ordination to the priesthood. Preceding the solemn High Mass at ten o'clock, Monsignor Cassidy was escorted from the parish rectory to the church by the altar boys, fifty little girls clad in white and carrying yellow chrysanthemums, by the visiting clergy, and Omaha's new bishop, Joseph Rummel. The Solemn High Mass was celebrated by Monsignor Cassidy, assisted by Fathers D. W. Moriarty as Deacon, W. A. Giblin as subdeacon, J. W. Stenson as Master of Ceremonies. The Mass for the occasion was sung by a special choir under the direction of Miss Mary Cullen, the niece of Monsignor Cassidy. The offertory was sung by Father E. M. Gleeson of Omaha. His wonderful rendition of an Ave Maria added greatly to the solemnity of the services. Bishop Rummel assisted at Mass from his throne and was attended by Fathers J. W. Jungels, P. J. Vanderlaan, J. W. MCNamara and N. H. Wagner. Before beginning his masterly sermon, Bishop Rummel read the following radio cablegram from Rome: Lord Bishop Rummel of Omaha, Nebraska. The Holy Father sends special blessings to Monsignor Michael Cassidy on the occasion of his Golden Jubilee of priesthood. Signed: Pope Pius

1. At 12:30, Monsignor Cassidy was host to the Bishop and visiting clergy at the rectory. Other visiting clergy (besides those mentioned who had part in the Mass) included Fathers J. A. Aherne, W. J. O'Sullivan, A. Alberts, M. F. Byrne, G. F. Jonaitis, E. G. Graham, A. Zemp, J. Pieper and
2. J. Leahy. At two o'clock the children of St. Mary's Academy entertained the Bishop, the Jubilarian and the visiting clergy at a most delightful program in the auditorium of the Academy. At the conclusion of the program, Mr. J. A. Donohoe, on behalf of the people of the parish, welcomed

Bishop Rummel (this was the Bishop's first visit to the parish), thanked him for honoring their pastor with his presence, since in honoring one so close to their hearts, he had honored them, and assuring the bishop of the love and affection, support and obedience of the Catholics of O'Neill. The students of the school presented Monsignor with a stole of brocade and embroidered in gold by Sister Eleanor.

Holy Name Rally October 6, 1929

The year 1929 once again witnessed scarlet fever and small pox outbreaks among the people. The St. Mary's Basketball Team won the good sportsmanship trophy at the tournament in Sioux City and received a silver cup from Bishop Heelan. Easter was "white" due to a late snowstorm, and on June 17, the old rectory which had not been rented for some time being badly in need of repair, was sold to Thomas Griffin for five-hundred dollars. On Sunday afternoon, October 6, a Rally of the Holy Name Society was held at St. Patrick's Church. Delegates from thirty parishes in the deaneries of Albion, Bloomfield, Columbus and O'Neill attended. A parade headed by the O'Neill Concert Band, and in which six-hundred-and-fifty men participated, marched from the Knights of Columbus Hall to the campus south of the church where a beautiful altar had been erected for the occasion, and where a hearty welcome was extended to all by Monsignor Cassidy. The speakers of the day were: Honorable James Donahue of Albion, who related the history of the Holy Name Society; J. J. Harrington of O'Neill, who explained the meaning of the society for the average man, and the work of the members in promoting its aims; Father John McNamara of Bloomfield, who told of the part taken by Christianity in the settlement and development of the west; and Bishop Rummel (this was his second visit to O'Neill that year, the first being the presentation of diplomas [the first time by a Bishop] at St. Mary's Academy) who pointed out the high ideals of the Society and the good influence it was able to bring to everyday life of the men. The Rally ended with Benediction which was given by Monsignor Cassidy from the altar which was erected on the speakers platform. The demon stration was in observance of the 655th anniversary of the founding of the Holy Name Society, and it drew one of the largest crowds that had ever been seen in O'Neill. It was estimated that nearly two thousand were present on the grounds. In November, preparations were held for the organization of the Bishop's Confraternity of the Laity. Monsignor Stenson of Omaha was present and directed the meeting which was held at the Knights of Columbus Hall.

Also in July, during a severe storm, the bell tower of the church was struck by lightning and was damaged to the extent of three-hundred dollars.

On February 10, 1930, by the failure of the Nebraska State Bank of O'Neill, St. Patrick's sustained a loss of eigh thundred- and-thirty-five dollars and eighty-two cents. On Tuesday, February 18, the Bishop's Confraternity of the Laity was organized at O'Neill, and it was accomplished by having six dinners. After the active campaign was begun, pledges were subscribed to the amount of fourteen-thousand-and-one-hundred-and-fifty dollars, which were very difficult to collect. The finance committee of the parish included J. A. Donohoe, P. 8. Harty, F. M. Cronin. It was hard times and the money was difficult to collect. On April 14, 1930, two square blocks, directly south of the cemetery, were deeded to the parish by Mrs. Emily Mullen of Omaha. In May, the boilers at St. Mary's Academy which were used to heat the institution were deemed unfit and unsafe for further usage by the State Boiler Inspectors.

The new boilers would cost ten thousand dollars and the Sisters of St. Mary's Academy were financially unable to undertake such an expense. The proposition faced the parish of either closing the school or supplying the funds for the new boilers. Monsignor Cassidy made a most valiant plea to the people of the parish for the continuance of this magnificent school and as a result a financial drive was made to secure funds to replace the old boilers - and new boilers were installed in August. It was a hot summer reaching to one-hundred-and-nine degrees and then severe ice and snow storms hit in November. And Monsignor Cassidy had been most anxious to have the interior of the Church redecorated, as the walls had become very soiled.

The financial conditions with the Bishop's Confraternity, the new boilers, and the electric rewiring of the church (for reasons of safety) were about all the people could handle.

But the estate of John Carton (which became the substantial nucleus of twenty-three-hundred dollars) was given to the parish and Monsignor Cassidy decided to undertake the project and gave the contract to Langenfeld Studios of Carroll, Iowa, for a price of $3,783.69. When Monsignor announced his plans, and asked for financial help, Mrs. Margaret Hughes donated one-thousand dollars to the church in memory of her husband, Patrick S. Hughes. The parishioners contributed $1,016.50 and friends of the, parish contributed $206.11, so the church's fund had to only draw $97.08 to complete the incidental expenses. The church roof was also repaired, the electric wiring was changed throughout the church and new electric light fixtures were installed. The whole project was finished in seven weeks.

Owing to the heat and dryness of the Earth, the seasons of 1930 and 1931 were marked by a total failure of the crops, leaving discouragement and adding to the depression already existing in the industrial centers of the country. A systematic effort was made to gather funds, food, clothing, and other necessities, including gain, for the rural people and the parish was fortunate in being able to take care of the needs of the people of O'Neill. The summer of 1932 brought many blessings in way of rain in due season, crops and vegetables were plentiful, and the people were imbued with new hope and courage to face the future. The new addition to the cemetery was surveyed and was piped for new water systems and a new fence was put in to surround the grounds.

0n October 6, 1932, Monsignor Cassidy celebrated his fifty-fifth anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood. The school children of St. Mary's gave an entertainment in his honor, and that evening a reception was held at the parish rectory by the members of the parish and a substantial purse was given hint as a token of the appreciation of the members of his parish for his long and faithful service to the people of St. Patrick's Parish and Holt County and with the hope that he will be spared for many more years to labor in the field that he loved.

But two weeks later, in the latter part of October, Monsignor Cassidy was admitted to Saint Catherine's Hospital in Omaha. It was a long month of November. Reports were coming from Omaha that he was improving rapidly and would be able to come home in a few days.

But it was hope to have him come back. On Wednesday, November 29, his condition was critical and on Thursday, it was stated he was sinking, and on Friday, December 1, 1933, at 5:40 in the evening, the bell of St. Patrick's Church began to toll, and the people of O'Neill were informed of his death. There was universal sorrow in the city. Miss Mary Cullen and Father Bart Leahy came by car to O'Neill early Saturday evening and the remains of Monsignor Cassidy, accompanied by F. J. Biglin, arrived on the 11:30 train Saturday night. They were met by a great concourse of people, showing the great esteem held for Monsignor Cassidy in O'Neill. The body was then taken to the rectory, where it remained until Monday afternoon, when at four o'clock, escorted by the school children, Sisters and clergy, it was removed to the church where it lay in state until ten o'clock Tuesday morning. The various parish societies alternated every hour keeping vigil. A Holy Hour was held Sunday evening for the Monsignor, filling the church to its capacity. Monday afternoon, Monsignor Cassidy's relatives -a brother, Patrick Cassidy, Miss Margaret Cullen, a niece, and E. M. Fitzpatrick, a nephew -arrived from New Jersey. A special service was held for the children Tuesday Morning. The Missa Cantata was rendered by the children in unison. The celebrant of the Mass was Father Bartholomew Leahy, the assistant pastor of O'Neill. Father W. J. Leahy, S. J., of Omaha, delivered a touching sermon to the children, dwelling upon the dignity, the wisdom, and the virtue of love of Monsignor Cassidy. The clergy began the burial services at ten o'clock with the reciting of the office of the dead. This was followed by the Pontifical Requiem with the celebrant being Bishop Joseph Rummel of Omaha. The Arch Priest was Monsignor James Aherne of Omaha. The Chaplains for Office were Fathers M. F. Byrne of Emmet and F.` Gebauer of Spencer. The Deacons of Honor were Fathers J. MCNamara of Bloomfield and Joseph Boschek of West Point. The deacon of the Mass was Father W. A. Giblin of Newcastle. The Subdeacon was

Father P. Vanderlaan of Ewing. The Masters of Ceremonies were Fathers P. Burke of Omaha and E. Applebaum of Clearwater. Singing the Mass were the Priests' Choir of the Diocese of Omaha and Monsignor J. W. Stenson of Omaha delivered the funeral oration, stressing particularly how Monsignor Cassidy's priestly life had been spent for almost a half a century for the people of O'Neill. The pallbearers were Fathers J. Pieper of Atkinson, A. Zemp of St. John's, J. Hilt of Stuart, J. O'Flynn of Lynch, F. Werthman of Butte and 8. Westerman of O'Neill. The Guards of Honor were Judge J. A. Donohoe of Omaha, Doctor W. J. Douglas of Atkinson, J. 8. Ryan of O'Neill, and P. J. McManus of O'Neill. Evidences of love and respect assembled to give a last tribute to him who was their father and friend. The passing of Monsignor Cassidy brought sorrow to many hearts. He had been the spiritual leader of O'Neill for forty-seven years. During his years of service in this city he had devoted his life to the uplifting of his fellow men. He had worked unselfishly and untiringly, and his numerous acts of charity were performed quietly. His devotion to duty and to the wants of his fellow men, brought him the highest approval from the heads of the Catholic Church, but the honors received were worthily bestowed. He lived to be of service to God and his fellow men, and that he succeeded can be attested to by the citizens of Holt County in all ranks of life. He was respected by his fellow priests and for thirty-five years was Dean of the O'Neill district and they looked to him as an example in the priesthood and an inspiration to pastoral zeal. He was honored and respected by men in all walks of life and of all creeds. He was revered as one who stood for honesty, sincerity, and charity for his fellow man. The love of the people in this section of Nebraska for their beloved pastor was evidenced by the crowds of people that came to O'Neill to pay their last respects to this man of God. There were 500 automobiles in line to the cemetery and the church was crowded and several hundred stood outside, who were unable to get inside the church doors. He was interred at the foot of the large cross in Calvary cemetery. A beautiful message, from his housekeeper who also was his niece, Mary Cullen left the city of O'Neill with a message of appreciation: "For a number of years, residence at the rectory of St. Patrick's Church, has brought me into close association with the people of O'Neill, both within and outside the parish, I have always admired their loyal friendship. The death of my beloved uncle, Monsignor Cassidy, has made me realize more than ever, the spirit of love and thoughtfulness so often evident. I take this opportunity to express sentiments of gratitude and appreciation, which the years in your midst have multiplied in the depths of my heart. I wish to acknowledge your tokens of love and sympathy in our recent great loss of one so dear, and I ask God to bless each and every one of you."

On March 9, 1934, Father John McNamara, came to O'Neill to succeed Monsignor Cassidy. Father McNamara was born in Wisner, Nebraska, on March 1,1872. He received his early education at Guardian Angels School in Wisner and later attended Quincy College in Quincy, Illinois. He went to Mount St. Mary's of the West Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was ordained to the priesthood in Omaha on March 4, 1897. He was an assistant at Nor folk Sacred Heart and at Sacred Heart Church in Omaha, and at St. Patrick's in Jackson, Nebraska. On November 4,1900, he was appointed pastor of St. Andrew's Church in Bloomfield, Nebraska, where for thirty-four years in his quiet, unassuming way he worked unselfishly and untiringly for his fold. There are no records inscribed of his parish work or any building projects undertaken or any important repairs made. His first years in O'Neill were years of poverty and depression occasioned by many years of drought and complete crop failures. The temperature reached one-hundred-and-seventeen degrees on July 20, 1934, and still was one-hundred-and-one degrees at night. The following winter brought a mumps epidemic to the town. But it was not all darkness.

Msgr.

On Thursday, February 21,1935, at ten o'clock, the city of O'Neill was honored in having its pastor raised to the dignity of Monsignor. Bishop Joseph Rummel presided at the ceremonies. The solemn High Mass was celebrated by Father P. J. Vanderlaan with Father J. O'Flynn as deacon,

John Hilt as subdeacon, Joseph Ostdiek and E. J. Applebaum were Masters of Ceremonies, J. J. Crowley was assistant priest, Bernard Lordeman and Hugh Gately were deacons of honor to Bishop Rummel, F. J. Werthman and A. J. Kluthe were deacons to Bishop Boniface Sawer of Korea. The sermon was delivered by Father William J. Leahy, S.J. In the sermon, he stressed the fact that Monsignor's training came from parents, especially his good mother, thoroughly imbued with Catholic faith and ideals who held God and His Holy Religion above all else. A Christian education followed, wherein he discovered and embraced gratefully his call to the priesthood. During his seminary days, he was a model of humble graciousness and kindness to all, and the practice of these virtues still make him beloved by everyone. From his priestly dignity, ever strongly evident, emanates an odor of sanctity which influences those with whom he came in contact to follow his example in the practice of good living. He further stated that Monsignor McNamara was the first native son of the diocese to be made a Monsignor. In conclusion he hoped Monsignor McNamara might live many years among the good people of O'Neill. After the Communion of the Mass, Bishop Rummel spoke to the congregation. He stated that Monsignor McNamara was chosen because of these distinguishing traits: his priestliness, his ability to perform his sacerdotal duties, his graciousness and his kindness. His priestly dignity emanates from everything he puts his hand to. On former occasions, promotions and advanced opportunities were offered to him but each time he declined preferring to remain with his devoted parishioners. In Bloomfield he signalized his work by his devotion to education and to the advancement of the young. Tremendous sacrifices were necessary to carry on the work, but he himself set the example. In O'Neill too, his zeal for education has continued and will continue, and his ambition

to influence children and youth in the cultivation of the virtue and those characteristic flowers of our holy faith will ever attend him. The needs of presenting to youth correct and high ideals was tremendous for there is much being done to draw youth away from God. Before concluding, the Bishop emphasized the fact that Monsignor's success was attributed to his ability to unify his parishioners and keep them in harmony with the teachings of the church. A dinner was given to the visiting clergy by the Altar Society at the Golden Hotel. In the evening a reception in honor of Monsignor McNamara was held with all the children of St. Mary's present and the members of the parish. Other clergy present were: Monsignors J. W. Stenson of Omaha; James Aherne and Bernard Sinne of Omaha; Charles Gilmartin of East St. Louis, Illinois; John Frigge of

Raeville ; J. J. Crowley of Albion; 8. H. Lordemann of Hartington; Fathers John O'Flynn of Lynch, Hugh Gatley of Norfolk; E. K. Zeph of Hubbard; Albert Zemp of St. John's; A. A. Ziesel of Omaha; M. F. Byrne of Emmet; W. Kearns of Wayne; John Reaff of Oldrich, S.D.; G. Vermeulen of Cedar Rapids, Ia.; Leo Blaere of valentine; R. F. Barry of Long Pine; M. E. Dolan of Chadron; 8. Calvin of Spalding, John Gleason of St. Paul, Nebr.; John Smiskol of Omaha; M. Schauer of Primrose; John Hilt of Stuart; J. J. Rowan of Platte, S.D., Robert Dube of Fair fax, S.D.; E. J. Appelbaum of Clearwater; Francis Latsch of Constance; F. J. Worthman of Butte; A. S. Kluthe of Central City; Charles Strassberger of Bloomfield; Charles Oborny of Verdigre; Bernard Westerman of Fordyce; William Mulligan of St. Edward; P. J. Vanderlaan of Ewing; J. H. Ostdiek of Omaha; R. F. Maron of Scotia; J. O'Sullivan of Laurel; V. P. Walkowiak of Fullerton; J. P. Myers and John Pieper of Atkinson; William Leahy, S. J. and Clement Ryan, S. J. of Omaha; and Felix Gebauer of Spencer.

In March of 1935, there were terrible dust storms which caused much dust pneumonia and also an epidemic of measles. But Monsignor carried on without a complaint or any demand for money, making the best of existing conditions and making ends meet as best he could. Always kind and gentle, he hated to talk about money, even when times got better and when most people prospered, he still left the parish budget and assessments as they were. A blizzard hit O'Neill in February of 1936 and it lasted a week. Drifts were ten feet high and shortages of food and fuel were everywhere. Monsignor helped where he could. The spring brought a quick thaw and the streets had four feet of water. The following winter saw the temperature drop to twenty-four degrees below zero and the spring witnessed Monsignor's fortieth anniversary of his priesthood. The year of 1939 witnessed dust storms ih January, heat and grasshoppers in the summer months and much snow again in December. The year 1940 had lots of snow and Easter looked like Christmas. July was full of heat waves and November had an early blizzard which brought much damage to the crops and cattle and cancellation of the Armistice Day parade. These were the quiet years of St. Patrick's as Monsignor never wrote down the daily happenings of the parish, because things were difficult and Europe was torn apart by war. New Year's Day of 1941 brought a severe blizzard and the following year Monsignor celebrated his forty-fifth anniversary of his priesthood.

Father Francis Price was ordained to the priesthood and the native son celebrated his First Solemn Mass in O'Neill in 1944. Wind storms, heat waves, blizzards and the parish continued on its quiet journey under Monsignor McNamara who celebrated his golden jubilee of his priesthood on

March 4, 1947. The Mass was celebrated at ten o'clock and members of the jubilee choir were: Alice Biglin, Barbara Birmingham, Rosaline Bosn, Devine Brennan, Janet Enright, Mary Faulhaber, Kathleen Flood, Joan Franking, Jane Froelich, Jean Froelich, Dolores Fredrickson, Charlotte

Funk, Patricia Funk, Maxine Golden, Mary Joan Hynes, Janice Jarman, Helen Kubitschek, Beverly McCarthy, Marilyn Moore, Martha Mullen, Regina Mullen, Annalee O'Bryan, Joan Simonson, Joyce Steele, Cecilia Telles, Bernadette Thiele, Shirley Viersen, Dorothy Wilson, and Betty White. The Deacon of the Mass was Father Francis Werthman of Butte. Father A. A. Lehman of Atkinson was subdeacon and Father P. F. Burke of Ewing was Master of Ceremonies and Father J. J. O'Brien of Emmet delivered the sermon. Other attending clergy included Monsignors

Joseph Boshek of West Point, 8. H. Lordemann of Hartington and J. J. Crowley of Albion. The church interior was highly decorated for the event.

Monsignor McNamara was presented two purses, one as a gift from St. Patrick's parish and the other from St. Andrew's parish in Bloomfield. A Bloomfield delegation of twenty persons headed by Father John Beacon were also present. A dinner followed at noon in the dining room at

St. Mary's Academy. It was sponsored by the Catholic Daughters of America and the Knights of Columbus. Seventy persons were served including the visiting clergy and Monsignor's special guests. Father 8. J. Leahy of Fremont was toastmaster. At two o'clock a program was presented in the O'Neill public school auditorium by the pupils of St. Mary's Academy.

The month of May brought snow, late frosts, floods, hail, and wind storms. Father Eugene Gallagher, S. J. was ordained to the priesthood and celebrated his first Solemn High Mass in O'Neill on June twenty-second, and Father Peter Price, S. J. was ordained the following year and celebrated his first Mass on June 20, 1948. And on November 18,1948, the Big Blizzard "the worst since '88" hit O'Neill.

The Governor of Nebraska declared an emergency and the Fifth Army moved in to help. Sufferers were to leave signal marks in the snow, and planes would alight to the rescue. The planes arrived on skis with food, medicine, and fuel.

Relatives in O'Neill sent rescue planes out to rural people whose telephones and radios no longer functioned and whom might not know the distress signals. Stories of dire distress came back. Families were living in single rooms to conserve fuel; fence posts and furniture were being used as fuel; some were out of food. St. Mary's Academy had reopened but only a few students could get to school and Monsignor was doing all he could to make things easier for those in dire need.

On September 30th, the city of O'Neill celebrated its Diamond Jubilee and St. Mary's float "Golden Jubilee Bells" rung by little angels won first place

In October, Monsignor was admitted to Sacred Heart Hospital in Lynch. His health was improving, but on the Feast of All Souls, November 2, "Father Mac" passed away from this life to the next. The funeral was on Monday, November 7, at ten-thirty o'clock. An eight o'clock Mass had been said for the pupils of St. Mary's Academy. The Pontifical High Mass followed the Divine Office of the Dead. Archbishop Gerald T. Bergan was the celebrant of the Mass. Monsignor Bernard Lordeman of Hartington was assistant priest; Father Daniel Sheehan was Master of ceremonies; Fathers 8. J. Leahy and Raymond Auer were Deacons of Honor; Father A. A. Lehman of Atkinson was Deacon; Father Michael Condon of Spencer was subdeacon; Father Edgar Wortman of Creighton was thurifer; Father William Kleffman of Hooper was Book Bearer; Father Francis Price of South Sioux City was Burgia Bearer; Father Francis Kubart of Norfolk was Mitre Bearer. Jack Carney and John Joe Uhl were acolytes. Father Francis Werthman of Albion delivered the sermon. Pallbearers were Fathers Bernard Westerman of Crofton, Conrad J. Kaup of Deloit, John Hilt of North Bend, Anthony Paschang of Stuart, Theodore Beult of Elgin, John O'Brien of Platte Center, Charles Oborny of Verdigre, and Herman J. Kaup of Randolph. The pallbearers who escorted the body from the Biglin Funeral Home on Saturday afternoon and from the rectory to the church on Sunday were Joseph Bazelman, Leonard Shoemaker, J. Leo Moore, C. V. Sullivan, F. E. Parkins, and Ray Bosn. After the Pontifical Mass (about 1 :30 p.in.) the body was taken to Wisner for burial, and the long procession of cars, escorted by a state highway patrol car, left for his final resting place. Students of St. Mary's Academy lined both sides of the street north of the traffic light. There were about thirty-five cars in the procession and interment was made in the Catholic cemetery at Wisner beside the grave of his cousin, the late Father William McNamara.

The beloved Monsignor ``Mac" was held deeply in human hearts especially those of the children who thronged daily to the rectory with medals and rosaries to bless, but in most cases, to receive the usual stick of gum or a lollipop or some candy which was always kept on hand for this

purpose. His fellow priests held him as the ``grand patriarch" of the priesthood as well as the first Nebraska-born priest to be a Monsignor. He also had a phenomenal love for card playing. He was a priest for fifty-three years and died of a cerebral hemorrhage.

0n December 19-., 1949, Father Timothy O'Sullivan came from Jackson, Nebraska, to be the successor of Monsignor McNamara. Father O'Sullivan was born in Ireland and received his theology at Tharles Seminary in Tipperary and at Innsbruck, Austria. He came to the United States at the age of 27 with a contingent of Irish-born, newly ordained priests landing in New York City in 1915. His first assignment was St. Cecilia's in Omaha. He was pastor at Tilden for seventeen years and was then transferred to Jackson and then to O'Neill.

The following spring witnessed a blizzard which paralyzed the whole community. St. Mary's celebrated its golden jubilee with Mass celebrated by its priestly alumni: Fathers Clement Ryan, S. J.; Eugene Gallagher, S. J.; Francis Price; Peter Price, S. J., and William Froelich, S. J.

In the fall of 1952, a dream of the O'Neill community came true in that St. Anthony's Hospital was dedicated on September 24. It was also the Diamond Jubilee of St. Patrick's Parish. The hospital was first thought of in 1946 and a committee was formed with William J. Froelich as chairman. The first shovel was turned by Mother Erica on Sunday July 16, 1950. Two years and five days later, on July 21, 1952, the work of moving in equipment by volunteer labor was finished and the formal opening was on Wednesday, September 24.

The following year, the threat of polio was among the people. A blizzard on February 20th found many of the students pushing cars so that traffic could be resumed. A helicopter crash near O'Neill killed six men in July and the Mass schedule was changed for the first time in seventy years to have Sunday Masses at 7:30, 9:00 and 10:30.

In May of 1954, Father Thomas DeBacker was ordained to the priesthood, and in June, Father Basil Price, S. J., was ordained to the priesthood and the First Masses of these two native sons was big celebrations in the parish. The following May, Danny Ryan, a fourth-grade student at St. Mary's was killed by an automobile.

Grass Fires threatened O'Neill in October of 1955 and the Asiatic Flu hit in epidemic proportions in 1957. 1958 witnessed the final passenger trip of the Chicago-Northwestern Railroad and St. Mary's won the State Championship in eight man football by beating Lawrence 530. The following year St. Mary's won the State Track Meet in their division and also received the State All Sports Championship Award. In September St. Mary's Academy became the parish school of St. Patrick's after permission was granted by the Franciscan Order from Rome. The streets in front of the church and school were paved during the summer and on October 9, Father Timothy O'Sullivan was named Monsignor by Pope John XXIII. It was the third tine St. Patrick's Parish's pastor was raised to the rank of Domestic Prelate.

On December 8, Father O'Sullivan fell and was confined to bed and on December 11 the students of St. Mary's schools put on its congratulatory program on the lawn in front of the rectory. But Father was made a Monsignor in Omaha by Archbishop Gerald T. Bergen on December 15.

Later back in O'Neill, on Sunday, parishioners and friends turned out in strength to honor the new Monsignor. Participating in the program were fellow clergy and members of the O'Neill parish. Highlights included a gift for Monsignor, a resume of his life, and many congratulations. Father Robert Duffy was master of ceremonies and presented Monsignor with a check donated by parishioners and friends. Monsignor O'Sullivan in turn placed the money in the building fund for the new school at St. Mary's. Presenting their congratulations were Mrs. Rynold Cimfel, president of St. Patrick's Altar Society, on behalf of the ladies of the parish, and Bill Mattern, Grand Knight of the Knights of Columbus, on behalf of the men. Father Peter Burke, pastor at St. Peter's in Ewing, spoke and told of his days as an assistant at St. Patrick's. Father Burke noted that the O'Neill people taught him how to keep time during his sermons. Father Richard Parr, pastor of St. Joseph's in Atkinson, confirmed Father Burke's statement by saying that Father Burke's speech was just four minutes, his allotted time. Father Parr then went on to congratulate Monsignor on behalf of the clergy. William J. Froelich added to the reception program when he reviewed Monsignor's life from his boyhood days in Ireland to the present. The Ladies of the Altar Society served coffee and cake to more than four-hundred well-wishers at the close of the reception.

In 1961, St. Mary's no longer took boarders. The new convent opened and was blessed on November 17. Larry Donohue, a young man at the age of twenty-one who was serving in the Air Force, died of cancer and was buried from St. Patrick's. The winter was rough and the schools had to be closed due to the shortage of natural gas. On January, 24, 1962, Monsignor O'Sullivan laid the cornerstone for the new Saint Mary's High School, which was blessed by Archbishop Gerald Bergan on April 25,1962.

The O'Neill High-St. Mary's Band went to Indianapolis, Indiana, to perform in 1963, and the New Liturgy of Vatican 11 went into effect in November of 1964.

February 16, 1965 -a day in our history that happened and will be remembered by both St. Patrick's Parish and the citizens of O'Neill. It was the day on which the mystery fire destroyed St. Mary's Academy. The fire was discovered near a basement shower room at 4:08 p.in. The alarm was sounded by a high-school student, John Dewitt, who had left the new St. Mary's High School to go to the original portion of the Academy to practice piano. lie activated the fire alarm when he saw smoke. The alarm brought Phil Haverkamp, the school custodian, from the newer portion (west wing) to the fire detection station to determine where the fire was located. Sighting what appeared to be the source of the blaze, Phil met young Dewitt, ordered him to summon the fire department and then assist him in removing the Haverkamp family who lived on the third floor of the east wing. Also living near were three high school girls: Jane Muff of Clearwater, Sandy Pfiester of Long Pine, and Rita Shindler of Neligh. The fire was spreading fast.

O'Neill's fire chief G. E. Miles invoked the countywide fire defense plan which brought firemen and equipment from Atkinson, Chambers, Page and Stuart. The fire was now roaring through the whole east wing. Firemen had to protect the church, the rectory, the new high school and the hospital. The water pressure in the city dropped to the danger point. Water to several sections of the city had to be shut off for a time. Fortunately most of the pupils and teachers had left the building when the fire was detected. The total loss might well be in the neighborhood of a half million dollars. Many items destroyed will never be replaced.

Flames and smoke in the winter's night sky were visible as far away as Lynch and Butte. Sioux City and Omaha news media sent airplanes to the scene. Thousands of persons congregated in the school playground, on the church parking lot and in the streets to witness the flames.

On the lips were prayers as brave men risked their lives against tremendous odds to remove highly explosive oxygen bottles (part of a civil defense emergency hospital unit in storage) and to search for anyone who might be in the once stout and elegant building. Many wept. Many lingered as dying flames turned into smoldering embers in the early morning hours. The St. Mary's Academy that was had yielded.

The school was gone and adjustments were made. Temporary school quarters were set up for three classes in the National Guard Armory and the rest were put in the public school. Books were loaned from St. Francis Mission. Desks were salvaged from the ruins and also some water-soaked books. Soon the insurance adjustors came and the insurance on the building was three-hundred-and-seven-thousand dollars and the contents were thirty-nine thousand dollars.

Wrecking crews tore down the ruins and plans for a new school with the designers of the new convent and new high school were being drawn up.

Monsignor O'Sullivan's Anniversary Cake baked by Freda Beha On May 19, 1965, Monsignor O'Sullivan celebrated his golden jubilee to the priesthood. It was an informal occasion because Monsignor was sick and was confined to his bed but he managed to be celebrant at the 10:30 Mass.

It was a "surprise occasion" for Monsignor and a reception and program was held in the auditorium at two o'clock in the afternoon, with an informal reception again at seven in the evening. On May 29, Fathers Allen Martin and George Shoemaker were ordained to the priesthood and they celebrated their rust Masses at St. Patrick's.

Monsignor O'Sullivan retired on June 17,1965, due to ill health, and lived in retirement at St. Vincent's Home in Omaha. His successor was Father John Connenly who was born and raised near Decatur, Nebraska. He graduated from Decatur High School and attended Wayne State College,

Creighton University and Conception Seminary. He then attended Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis for six years before being ordained in 1943. He was assigned to St Patrick's in Fremont until 1947. He also served at Boys Town, Dixon, and Wisner where he was for twelve years before coming to O'Neill.

Construction on the new elementary school began in September and hot lunch program began for St. Mary's students at the public school on December 2. With the new construction project, the winter season brought its hazards.

The water pipes froze due to exposure and water had to be hosed to the convent for the Sisters. It was an adjustment for them because the water had to flow continuously so it wouldn't freeze in the hoses, but every now and then, one of the Sisters would forget and turn off the hose and once again there would be no water. There were blizzards and winds and even a few "black snow" storms.

On April 20,1966, Monsignor O'Sullivan died at Bergan Mercy Hospital in Omaha. The Pontifical High Mass was conducted by Archbishop Gerald T. Bergan of Omaha, at St. Patrick's on April 23,1966. Music for the services was furnished by Sister Flores as organist, a choir of priests, members of St. Patrick's, and students of St. Mary’s High School. Pallbearers were Fathers Cyril Werner, Rudolph Kluthe, Robert Duffy, Thomas Hitch, Terrence Finney and Anthony Milone, all who served with Monsignor O'Sullivan.

An addition was built on to the high school building in August and the new elementary school opened in September even though certain parts of the building were still not finished. The church was being renovated at this time and was not yet completed at Christmas time.

Father Connenly fell on the ice in front of the rectory in January of 1967, and broke his ankle. Julius Cronin was honored as a Knight of St. Gregory and a snow storm hit the community on May 4. Modular scheduling began with the fall term at St. Mary's High School and Archbishop Bergan blessed the new St. Mary's Elementary School on October 8. A blizzard before Christmas in 1968 continued for ten days and really tied up the community.

On March 28,1969, Patrick Benze, a 1965 graduate of St. Mary's, was killed in combat in Vietnam. In November, Father Connenly was reassigned to the staff at Boys Town and Father Peter Dunne was assigned as pastor of St. Patrick's. Father Dunne was born in Omaha, and studied at Maur Hill, St. Louis Preparatory Seminary and Kenrick Seminary in St. Louis. He was ordained a priest in 1944. He served on the Boys Town staff, pastor of Dixon and of Pierce before being made pastor of Norfolk in 1961. He was named to the Social Action Office and Inner City Ministry posts and from these he came to O'Neill.

On November 13, .1970, Our Lady of Perpetual Help Devotions started at St. Patrick's. On October 11,1971, Archbishop Daniel Sheehan installed the new extraordinary ministers who included: William Mattern, Andrew Ramold, Cyril Peter, and Frank Soukup. The church interior once again was re-decorated because it was in bad need of paint and repair. On November 5, Bob Gokie and John Peter were killed in a two car accident near Tilden.

On June 16, 1972, Father Dunne was reassigned to St. Margaret Mary's in Omaha and Father Martin Conley was assigned as pastor of St. Patrick's. He was born in Omaha and went to St. Lawrence Seminary at Mount Calvary, Wisconsin and to St. Paul Seminary in St. Paul, Minnesota. He was ordained in 1957. He was assistant pastor at St. Cecilia's and St. Bernard's in Omaha. He was then pastor of Newcastle for seven years before coming to O'Neill. In :£t7r:6rE]qn::;din:£¥sttzers.ndBe,Fnag[d¥a]:hn°g:£t¥;r:s;nns:a:]fefo:: girls killed in an auto accident and Eugene Shoemaker and Rex Stowell were killed in a collision of two semi-trucks. The town of O'Neill celebrated its centennial in 1974 and the parish had a Better World Retreat in November. In May of 1975, St. Mary's Schools celebrated their Diamond Jubilee with a three day celebration. Mr. and Mrs. George Pongratz celebrated their seventieth wedding anniversary on February 28, 1976, and Sister Antonella Troshynski celebrated her golden jubilee with many of her fellow religious and classmates present.

Preparations began early in 1977 for the centennial celebration of St. Patrick's. A Centennial Committee was organized with Mary Lou Butts as chairperson and included Delta Tarnish, Jim and Blanche Corkle, Bob and Ed Hanley, Ed Dziowgo, Barbara Birmingham, Bob Shoemaker, Eileen Robertson and the priests of the parish. Invitations and napkins were printed. In June, Father Conley was reassigned to Norfolk and Father McCluskey was made pastor of Raeville, and Father Benedict LaRocque was appointed as eighth pastor of St. Patrick's. He attended St. Benedict's in Atchison and became a Benedictine monk and taught theology at Atchison. He then became a Trappist monk and lived at the Trappist monastery at Conyers, Georgia.

He came to the Archdiocese of Omaha in 1967 and was assigned to Norfolk. He was pastor of Spencer and Randolph before coming to O'Neill.

Research on the history of the parish was begun that summer by searching through the records of Biglin's Mortuary, the Holt County Records office and the Holt County Independent Archives which contained many of the newspaper clippings and write-ups which were used in the parish history. Mr. David Laplante, a fourth-year theologian, came to the parish in August. He purchased green material for the ten banners to be hung in the church on the ten pillars. These banners were designed and sewed by Sisters Antonella, Barbara, Debra, Marina and Toma, and the banners said: A Loving People, A Noble People, A Holy People, A Pilgrim People, A Chosen People, A Risen People, An Alleluia People, A Priestly People, A Kingly People, A Glory People. Also a green banner with the material coming from Ireland and with a large white Celtic Cross was made by Sister Antonella and which was to be hung on the bell tower from the opening of the tower to the ground.

The exterior of the church was sand-blasted during the summer by Mid Continental Waterproofing of Fort Scott Kansas. Dinner tickets were printed up and these were sold by the Knights of Columbus. The priests of the Archdiocese of Omaha were sent invitations to be celebrants at the Centennial Mass and also guests at the banquet. Invitations were also sent to State Senator John Decamp, Congressmen Virginia Smith, John Cavanaugh and Charles Thone, and to Senators Carl Curtis and Edward Zorinsky, and to Governor J. J. Exon and Lieutenant Governor Gerald Whalen. Invitations also went out to the Sisters who served in St. Mary's Schools and who were daughter-Sisters of the parish. The families of the parish began to get their pictures taken for the centennial book and many parishioners began to bring in their old pictures. Meal preparations were made with a catering firm in Norfolk so that the women of the parish could also be included in the banquet.

Hostesses for the dinner were Mary Lou Butts, Delta Tharnish, Marilyn Mattern, and Eileen Robertson. Decorations for the tables were arranged by Sister Antonella, Barbara Birmingham, Irene Slahlecker, Freda Beha and Jeanne Ramold. Many flowers were donated by various women of

O'Neill who had flower gardens. The St. Mary's Gymnasium was decorated the Saturday before the celebration, as was the church. The long green banner was dropped from the bell tower and could be seen for miles south of O'Neill.

The city of O'Neill put out the Welcome Flags and the United States Flags to set the town for both a church and civic celebration. Nancy Grady and Ruth Mccarville, who have for the past twenty years given much of their time and talent to the music in the parish, had the last practice with the student choir which numbered Lori Becker, Eileen Cavanaugh, Teresa Dugan, Laurie Fink, Mary Fox, Kate Gallagher, Linda Kallhoff, Ruth Krupski, Judy MCKenzie, Mary Mattern, Lynette Peter, Ann Ramold, Bridget REmold, Terri Rohde, Barb Schaub, Patti Scheinost, Jeanne Shoemaker, Laurie Sobotka, Kathy Zakrzewski, Valerie Auen, Elizabeth Berigan, Kelly Chohon, Jean Cuddy, Julie Fink, Nancy Gaughenbaugh, Jackie Heimes, Joan Kauhoff, Peggy I+owe, Lori MCLain, Susan Miles, Susan Pfeifer, Jean Pribil, Debra Scheinost, Liz Selting, Dianne Shannahan, Kathy Soukup, Rita Timmerman, hinda Ziska, Ellen Appleby, Natalie Auen, Valerie Hansen, Sharlene Tomjack, John Berigan, Brian Heimes, Jerry Miles, Mike Pfeifer, Daniel Schneider, Steve Soukup, Kevin Tharnish, Dan Gallagher, Tom Gleeson, Tom Bosn` Richard Gokie, Dan Hershiser, Glen Kallhoff, James Mccarville, Terry Noonen, Jerome Rohde, Neil Ruzicka, David Schneider, David Tomjack, Gary Wanser, Bryan Ramold, Lynne Rezac, Rose Ramold, Alma Clark, John Boyle. Paula Lowe. The Dancing Group which was to perform at the dinner were doing the routine in the gymnasium. This group included Liz Berigan, Patti Ramold, Susan Miles, Kathy Kersenbrock, Debbie Scheinost, Lori MCLain, Tracy Bazelman, Lori Becker, Terri Rohde, Mary Mattern, James Mccarville, Eileen Cavanaugh, Edward Donohoe and Patti Schienost. Their music was produced by the Shamrock Fiddlers.

Mr. David I.aplante trained the altar servers for the big celebration. Candle bearers included James Berigan, John Bohn, A. J. Smith, Michael Bohn, Robert Grenier, and Robert Eby. Cross bearer was Michael Fink. The American Flag was carried by Bill Banks and the Papal Flag was carried by Robert Smith. The thurifer or incense bearer was Gregory Roby. The deacon for the celebration was Rev. Mr. Lloyd Gnirk, who was deacon at the Cathedral in Omaha and Mr. David Ijaplante the fourth-year theologian stationed at St. Patrick's and who was to be ordained a Deacon on the upcoming December 3, was sub-deacon.

Archbishop Daniel Sheehan was to be the main celebrant. Final preparations were being done in the sanctuary. Upon the altar was placed a corporal, the white piece of linen upon which the sacred vessels rest during the Eucharistic Prayer, and in the corner was the name "Msgr. Cassidy, O'Neill, Nebraska." A bouquet of 100 yellow roses was placed in front of the pulpit and these were a gift of Gil Poese and Radio Station KBRX.

The Centennial Day, October 16, dawned as a beautiful fall day with a Nebraska breeze blowing in the tree tops.

The huge green banner began to tear near the Celtic Cross and Father Dvorak and Father Potts made an effort to save the banner with a few "stitches in time" but the wind was too much for the banner and it fell to the ground right before the 4 o'clock Centennial Mass. The parish float, which on the previous day had won a first prize in the O'Neill High School homecoming parade, was parked in front of the church. Two children were dressed in a cassock and a Sister's habit to greet the parishioners, former parishioners, and guests. Mike Havranek and Kathy Wallen, children of the Don Havraneks and John Wallens, were first graders at St. Mary's School. Along with a statue of St. Patrick (which was taller than the children) this miniature "priest" and "Sister" rotated a scene which showed the first St. Patrick's church on one side and the present church on the other side.

The priests gathered at the rectory and vested for the occasion. Among those present were Fathers James McCluskey of Raeville, John Conneally of Emerson, Donald Stortz of Constance, Frank Dvorak of O'Neill, Benedict LaRocque of O'Neill, Frank Kubart of Stuart, Thomas Sellentin of Spencer, Melvern Wiese of Creighton, Terrence Finney of Butte, Francis Price of St. Isidore-Columbus, Kenneth Potts of O'Neill, Daniel Brick of Ewing, Paul Fangman of Primrose, Paul Peter of St. Cecilia-Omaha, William Wiedner of Lynch, James Bushelman of Scotus Columbus, Charles Oborny of Verdigre, Martin Conley of Norfolk, Kenneth Carl of Central City, Robert Steinhausen of Papillion, Michael Printy of Cedar Rapids, Allen Martin of Bancroft, Ralph Steffensmeier of Madison, Peter Dunne of St. Margaret Mary-Omaha, James Kramper, the Archdiocesan Vocational Director. Terry Noonan was first Reader and Sister Mary Carroll was second reader. There were 50 Sisters of St. Francis of Penance and Christian Charity, including their Provincial Superior, Sister Geraldine Clifford of Denver.

Father Francis Price, a native of O'Neill. delivered the sermon at the Mass and quoted from the Holt County Centennial Book and "Maggie First," a recent book on early life in the area. He told of early life of St. Patrick's Parish when it wasn't unusual for persons to become lost in the wide open rolling hills of the O'Neill area. He praised the early people who kept on trying through suffering to build a community with faith in God. Fires, he said, played a major part in the growth of Catholic education with the first school burned to the ground before it was used and the grade school and convent which burned in 1965. He recalled the strict, stern Monsignor Michael Cassidy who was pastor from 1886 to 1933 and who was accompanied by a menacing looking cane should any ornery little boy or girl get out of line. "Each point in our history," he told those attending Mass, "complemented the other to make this a great parish." He called the cost differences in constructing the present church and rectory. "You parishioners are phenomenal," he noted in praise of the parish members` generosity. As old-fashioned as he seemed, Monsignor

Cassidy`s ideas were about fifty years ahead of his time, Father Price said. Many of his ideas were eventually reflected in Vatican 11, especially in devotion to the Sacred Heart and in education. "Monsignor Cassidy knew that the future of the children depends on their education,"

Father Price said. .`The dedicated Sisters were well prepared and helped lead the children from ignorance to God . . . Let us not forget how we got here," Father Price said, "As long as we are His people, thank Him for what He has done.

As the people were greeted by an elementary band made up of young students under the direction of Marya Lucca, when they went into church, they were greeted with patriotic music selections done by the O'Neill Public High School Band which also contained members from St. Mary's Junior High School & St. Mary's Senior High School. The priests and people then went to the St. Mary's Gymnasium for the special centennial dinner. There were 574 dinners served and special guests included Archbishop Daniel E. Sheehan and Lieutenant Governor Gerald T. Whelan (who was in O'Neill to also help dedicate the new Valley Hope Center) along with several former pastors and other special guests.

George Hammond, Master of Ceremonies for the evening, noted that the original church was built at a cost of $535 with the lumber hauled by oxen from Wisner. John Mayberry built that structure. The centennial was set in 1977, 100 years after the first permanent pastor, Father John T. Smith was assigned to the parish. "The dinner," Hammond said, "was to honor the memories of the clergy and the Founding Fathers of St. Patrick's Church who have gone on before us to be with the One that was the guiding light and the reason for the existence of St. Patrick's Parish for one hundred years. We also honor the presence of the clergy and Sisters who have worked in the vineyard of St. Patrick's Parish over the years. A parish is only as good as the clergy who guide it spiritually and physically. St. Patrick's has been blessed by God with tremendous quality and leadership over the century." Hammond noted that the parish has had several priests ordained from its ranks with Fathers Francis Price of Columbus and Allen Martin of Bancroft attending. Unable to attend the celebration were Fathers Thomas DeBacker of Howells; Basil Price of Seoul, Korea; and Eugene Gallagher of Omaha. Deceased priests from the parish are Father Richard Dwyer, Clement Ryan, and Peter Price. Seminarians from the parish now studying for the priesthood include Leonard Sagenbrecht, Ben Mattern, Kurt Fox, Mark Rohde, Jarrel KallhoH., and John Miller. Those who entered the brotherhood included Ivo Regan. Among those who graduated from St. Mary's and entered the Sisterhood include Sisters Maureen Murphy, Agnes Taylor, Elma Vifquain, Rosemarie Miller, Carmen Baumeister, Xavier Kirsch, Joy Peter, Faith O'Malley, Eileen Gran, Jeanine Hershiser, Elaine Arbuthnot, Colleen Mahony, Agnes Marie Slaight, Regina Boyle, Ellen Mccabe, Immaculata Mccarthy, Patrice Mccarthy, George Shoemaker, Antonella Troshynski, Jolenta Troshynski and Marina Wernsmann.

Then, Mr. Hammond continued, are the many assistant pastors who helped the pastors with their work here at St. Patrick's. These included: Thomas Cullen, Patrick Brophy, Charles Mugan, Charles Kolin, Julius Delbove, Henry Hoheisel, M. F. Sheehan, William Rehbach, John Wall, J. Hancik, Thomas S. Moriarty, Adam Brass, Timothy O'Discoil, Patrick A. Flanagan, Michael E. Dolan, A. Heimes, James Dobson, John F. Moore, William J. O'Sullivan, Edward J. Flanagan, Edward M. Gleason, Thomas Carmody, M. L. Ballou, William Giblin, Joseph Lappan, Joseph E. Duhamel, Joseph R. Kohler, Jeremiah W. O'Sullivan, Martin J. Brady, Bartholomew J. Leahy, Walter F. Flynn, Peter F. Burke, Richard J. Parr, Daniel F. Brick, Raymond J. Lisco, Cyril J. Werner, Alex A. Onak, Kenneth Carl, Thomas P. Hitch, Robert 8. Duffy, Anthony M. Milone,

Terrence R. Finney, Duaine Crick, William M. Rucker, George Cagni, Roger Steffen, James F. Buschelman, James F. Mccluskey, Franklin A. Dvorak and Kenneth M. Potts.

During dinner Mrs. Frances Jirak Soukup recalled some of the early days of O'Neill Catholic life. She remembered going to church in a horse-drawn buggy at a time when it was unusual to see cars parked beside the old frame church. As a child, she lived in the southern ranch area and recalled Monsignor Cassidy and his cane. "He used to teach us catechism. He was the only one who could make me sit up straight. He threatened to use the cane on me if I didn't, but I don't really think he would have. He was a strict priest." Like many of the ``old timers" of St. Patrick's Parish, Mrs. Sokoup's parents were married in the present church ~ which was new at that time. Her father even helped provide labor for the church building, digging the basement with other men armed with spades. "The older friends are dying off," she noted, "and that's hard to take."

Many persons were honored at the banquet program, including Earl Hersh of Denver, Colorado. He helped build the present church and lay the cornerstone. Quite a bit of nostalgia, spiced with Irish humor, filled the hour-long program.

Assisted both times by the Irish Shamrock Fiddlers, the O’Neill Irish Dancers performed a traditional Irish jig and later a polka for the 700 people in the school gym. A talented Renee Tomlinson sang "Try To Remember" as slides were projected onto a screen on the stage. The slides were pictures of deceased pastors and the early buildings of the St. Patrick-St. Mary complex.

Four pastors, present and past, gave tributes to the centennial celebration. Father John Conneally declared: "There are so many to whom I owe so much. The bonds of love survive." He read a poem he'd written, describing O'Neill as being God's country. "If I should ever write another poem," he concluded, ``please don't report it over there to Rome." Fathers Peter Dunne and Martin Conley both said that it was difficult to follow an act like Father Conneally's. They expressed thanks for having been part of the parish for three and five years, respectively. "What more is there to say?" questioned the present pastor, Father Benedict LaRocque, "We are all celebrating something someone else gave us. With God's help, we'll go on." He stressed the continuing cooperation of the people and said, "We must continue to give in heart and material" to continue to teach the young and serve everyone Mr. Hammond then called upon Archbishop Sheehan to speak. "When the Son of Man returns to Earth will He find faith?" asked the Archbishop. "He will find it if O'Neill is any indication. Your faith is alive, hopeful and well." Fitting the O'Neill parish into a broad history of the Omaha archdiocese - but it wasn't called that one hundred years ago - Archbishop Sheehan said the settlers were hardy and strong in faith. At that time, he reminded, the bishop had only four priests to serve the diocese. As the Catholic population increased and the number of priests available to serve them also increased, the state was divided into three parts: The Omaha archdiocese, plus the diocese of Lincoln and Grand Island. When these counties (Holt & Boyd) were included in the Omaha archdiocese instead of the one at Grand Island, people must have suspected that Monsignor Cassidy had a direct line into the Vatican. "In a celebration like this," the Archbishop said, "you all gather to celebrate one hundred years of faith . . . strong, glorious living faith. It is a time to look back, examine our consciences and look forward to the time when the Son of Man will return to Earth." But the parish must be willing to assume the responsibilities of continuing teaching its faith to the younger generations, he concluded.

The program then turned itself to the voices of St. Patrick's Centennial Choir, dressed in period costumes. The choir consisted of Elaine McKenzie, Lorraine Becker, Viona Cuddy, Bonnie Lowe, Karen Ramold, Renee Tomlinson, Marya Lucca, Ruth Mccarville, Nancy Grady, Barbara Birmingham, Edward Tharnish, Joseph Janousek, Constance Miller, Robert Miles, Charles Scheinost, Tony Bosn with piano accompaniment by Nancy Berigan. To the tune of "Yankee Doodle," they sang "We Are Members Of St. Patrick's" with the words: We are members of St. Patrick's, Loyal members do or die. A real live parish for a hundred years, Born in the days long gone by. We're proud to say we're from St. Patrick's, Every woman, man and boy. Here's to pastors, past and present, Sisters of St. Mary's, One hundred years of faith and joy.

This group then led the community present in old favorite and meaningful songs: "My Wild Irish Rose," "The Bells Of St. Mary's," "When Irish Eyes Are Smiling" and concluding with "God Bless America." All those present raised their voices in song and were thankful that God had been with them the past one-hundred years and was continuing to be with them as the present generation is carrying on what the forefathers of O'Neill-St. Patrick's started one-hundred years ago. Radio station KBRX, which aired both the centennial Mass and the Centennial Dinner for those who could not be present, help in a very special way so that those of the community who could not be present could purchase the tapes which recorded the centennial celebration. The closing benediction was given by Father Benedict LaRocque, the present pastor, who thanked Our Father for the gifts in the past, for the friendship present, and that He would be with all of us in the future.

The church records show that within these one-hundred years, there were 5894 baptisms (from 1877), 3021 First Communions (from 1914), 3124 Confirmations (from 1914), and 1991 Funerals (from 1887). Monsignor Cassidy stated that for the first fifty years of the parish, there were 2842 Baptisms, 1606 Confirmations, 706 marriages, and 913 funerals. Monsignor McNamara stated that since he came to O'Neill there were 580 Baptisms, 696 Confirmations, 68 Marriages, and 230 funerals. In the church Baptismal records, William Craig Barnes, born on January 2, 1877, of William Barnes and Honora Gallan, both of Battle Creek, and Mary Helen Leavy, of Thomas Leavy and Mary Reilly, both of Madison County, born on May 23 ,1875 , were both baptized on August 19.1877. On August 21, 1877, Mary Catherine Ryan, borii October 7,1875, of John Ryan and Elizabeth Lafayette, both of Oakdale, was baptized. Mary Elizabeth Grenier` born May 16, 1887, of Thomas Grenier and Caroline Patras of Frenchtown, was baptized on August 22, 1877. Emma Teresia O'Laughlin, born December 8, 1876, of Michael O'Laughlin and Bridget Murphy of O'Neill City, was baptized on August 24,1877.

The funeral records show that Mrs. Andrew Mulligan died on August 9,1887; Thomas Crane died on August 15, 1887; Francis Horace died on August 17,1887 ; Peter Boyle died on August 28,1887; Mary Cahill died on September 7, 1887; John J. Stannard died on September 10,1887; and Timothy Biglin died on September 22,1887. S. 8. Howard bought a cemetery lot on May 5,1888. Others to buy lots were James Jennings, May 12, 1888; James Crogan, May 25, 1888; M. Cavanaugh, May 28,1888; J. J. McCafferty, July 10,1888; Mrs. McNichols, July 15,1888; Mrs. Fitzgerald, July 15,1888; Thomas Canlon, July 25,1888; Dan Stewart, August 31,1888; Dave Stannard, October 11, 1888; John Keily, November 18,1888.

Other sources than church records state that the first birth of a Catholic child in St. Patrick's was that of Joseph Ryan who was baptized with James O'Fallon at Father Bedard's First Mass in Tom Cain's shanty. John Grady was the first of the O'Neill colony to get married but he went away for both the bride and the ceremony. Thomas Hynes and Miss Ann Fallon were next married, both members of St. Patrick's church but married in the City of Omaha. William Fallon and Miss Anastasia Corcoran were the first parishioners to be married here by Father Smith. The first death of a Catholic in the parish was the infant daughter of Major and Mrs. M. H. McGrath, temporarily buried in the house corner until such time as St. Patrick's Church would provide a suitable graveyard for the resting place of its dead. When the late Patrick Joyce was accidentally killed in the canyons, where he went after a load of logs to build his claim shanty, the late Patrick Hagerty and General O'Neill and got them to make two deeds to the public for two graveyards. So Patrick Joyce was the first buried in the Catholic Cemetery.

What does the future bring? The faith family of St. Patrick's will make efforts to keep the education of its children as one of its primary thrusts. On October 11,1976, discussion was begun by the parish school board concerning the Michael and Katherine Higgins estate but nothing happened. There was concern that if the total estate were put into the daily operation that the sacrificial spirit of the people of St. Patrick's might be lost which could possibly have resulted in the future demise of St. Mary's school. On January 3, 1977, an ad hoc committee of the school board, consisting of school board members Jim Shoemaker, Frank Tomjack, Ray Kallhoff, and Father Frank Dvorak began the ground work for a foundation and drawing up its bylaws.

On May 3, 1977, "The Articles of corporation and By-Laws" were approved by school board members James Shoemaker. Robert Finn, Frank Tomjack, Nick Ramold, Marilyn Mattern, Donna Cole, and Ray Kallhoff. On May 27, 1977` the State of Nebraska recognized it as an official foundation and the board members were chosen according to the specifications of the by-laws: President Ben Grady (a banker), Lois Shaffer as Secretary (non-parish member), Harold Krugman as Treasurer (non-Parish member), Father Martin Conley (pastor of St. `Patrick's), James Shoemaker (President of St. Mary's School Board), I: D. Cronin (a lawyer), Lucille Dufek (parish member), Bernard Pongratz (parish member), and DeMaris Birmingham (an alumna of St. Mary's). It is the intent of this foundation that only the interest be used and that the principal will be there in perpetuity. Of the Higgins estate, $43,157.00 was put into operation while $36,683.00 and 400 stocks of A.T.&T. were put into the Foundation. Individuals in decades past have given bequests to the parish and school as memorials and it is now hoped that these will be given to the Foundation too, so that the youth of Saint Patrick's of tomorrow will have the same educational opportunities that the youth of 1977 have in St. Mary's.

We have much to be proud of in the past one-hundred years. It was a strong faith, lots of hope, and boundless love that has made Saint Patrick's a faith sharing family which has endured for one-hundred years. We hope that the next one-hundred years will witness the faith and generosity of the past one-hundred years, that God will be in our community and that by our good example we may continue to show others that we believe in Him and see Him in our friends and neighbors, in O'Neill, in Emmet, and in Amelia, and thus in Holt County, in our area of the world where we have been commissioned to love one another as He loves us.