Buffalo, St. John the Baptist

Buffalo, St. John the Baptist
Bishop McGovern

[49] The history of St. John the Baptist parish, of Buffalo, begins in the year 1880 with the Rev. Michael F. Cassidy, who is the first priest known to have visited the town. He came from Rawlins twice a year and celebrated Mass at Fort McKinney.

A congregation of eight or ten persons attended the celebration of Mass by the first resident priest, the Rev. Henry Bex; on the first day of May, 1885. The rough interior of a log schoolhouse furnished the setting for the function.

In the year 1885, six lots were secured from J.W. Hart for $350.00 and the title conveyed by warranty deed to Bishop James O’Connor, of Omaha, Nebraska. Before the end of the year a wooden church had been erected with no debt on the parish. The first church was known as St. Joseph’s. Father Bex made his home for the greater part of the time with John Fischer and family. The residents of Buffalo and surrounding country were grateful for the privileges of the new church and pastor. The long distance to the nearest church at Billings, Montana, had greatly lessened church-going among the pioneers and they welcomed the opportunity to go more frequently.

[50] It was not long until the needs of the parish had outgrown the little frame church, and in 1888, under the guidance of the Rev. E.J. Engelbrecht, work was started on a new brick church. Father Engelbrecht was pastor from July until December, 1888. A mortgage was placed upon the property to secure the debt. From the date of the departure of Father Engelbrecht until 1892 Sheridan was attended as a mission of Buffalo. In 1892 the Rev. C. Scollen came to Buffalo and was pastor until 1894. During the years from 1897 to 1907 Buffalo was a mission attended from Sheridan by the following clergymen: Rev. G.F. Dillon, from 1897 to January, 1898; Rev. Joseph A. Accorsini, November, 1898 to March, 1899; Rev. P.U. Sasse, April 1, 1900 to May 18, 1904; Rev. P.J. Murphy, July, 1904 to December, 1906; Rev. Victor Fraziane, February, 1906 to December, 1906; Rev. John Duffy, January, 1907 to October, 1907.

In the year 1907 Father Duffy secured the four lots on which the present church and rectory are built for $425.00. The title to the old property had become somewhat confused and it seemed wise to acquire new property at this time. In response to an appeal by Father Duffy the sum of three thousand dollars was subscribed for the new church. Father Duffy was ably assisted in his appeal by Bryan Long, who also gave the largest single subscription in the [51] form of $250.00. Many non-Catholics contributed to the fund, and only four, of the many asked to contribute, declined.

The present church was begun by Father Prendergast, who resided in Buffalo, from October, 1907, to December of the same year. It was completed by the Rev. Francis J. Keller, who was pastor of the Buffalo parish from January, 1908, to January, 1910. With the completion of the building, a debt of $600.00 remained. Succeeding Father Keller was the Rev. T.D. Lynch, who, after a short term, was succeeded by the Rev. Patrick Long. Following his departure, Buffalo was attended by the Rev. Henry Schellinger from Carneyville, and the Rev. John Duffy from Sheridan until the arrival of the Rev. Fridolin Huessle, August 8, 1912. Father Huessle was pastor until February 27, 1914.

During the next two years Father Duffy occasionally attended Buffalo from Sheridan holding services Sunday evening with Mass Monday morning.

In March, 1916, Buffalo was taken over by Newcastle as a mission. Mass was said on the first Sunday of every month by Revs. James A. Boland and John O’Laughlin. In September, 1917, his excellency, Bishop McGovern, authorized the Rev. John T. Nicholson to take up hip residence in Buffalo as pastor, with Gillette, Arvada and Clearmont as missions.

[52] In the interval following the departure of Father Huessle the temporal affairs of the parish were ably carried on by the St. Francis Altar Society, an organization consisting of the women of the congregation.

A subscription fund for a parish rectory was started on the first Sunday of October, 1917. Approximately $1,400.00 was subscribed. The largest subscriptions were given by John Esponda ($500.00) and Bryan Long ($200.00). Father Nicholson moved to Buffalo in the latter part of October, and work on the new rectory started early in November. The building was ready for occupancy in February, 1918. The St. Francis Altar Society provided most of the furnishings and several private donations of housekeeping articles were made. More than three thousand dollars had been collected in the subscription drive.

According to local tradition Bishop Lenihan administered confirmation in Buffalo, but there is no authentic record of the event. The Most Rev. James J. Keane, D.D., bishop of Cheyenne, confirmed fourteen persons on June 5, 1908. Twenty persons were confirmed June 13, 1917, by the Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D.

There are no records of marriages, baptisms or deaths in Buffalo previous to the pastorate of Father Keller.

[53] The League of the Sacred Heart was organized in November, 1917. With its organization there was a noticeable increase in the number of monthly communions.

During the year 1917 the congregation was augmented by the advent of a number of homesteaders.

On June 3, 1918, the old church property (six lots west of the present church) was conveyed by warranty deed to St. John the Baptist church on payment of all expenses, namely, taxes and interest, which amounted to $185.00. There remained on the property a mortgage held by Mrs. Joseph Knight, of Cheyenne.

With the completion of the rectory at Buffalo, and secure in the assurance that the organization of the parish was functioning smoothly, Father Nicholson devoted his attention to the missions.

In 1919, the church of St. Mary was built at Clearmont. The principal donor was Miss Agnes Wynne of New York, who gave $1,500.00 to the church with the request that it be erected in memory of her sister, Mary Teresa Wynne. Miss Wynne also donated the altar linen and a painting of the crucifixion. A set of stations of the cross was donated by Miss Wynne’s nephew, George Kirwin. Statues were donated by Martin Etchart, Manuel Orneles, and Joseph Borges. Mr. and Mrs. Stone gave a missal and Mrs. W. Ward gave the organ. The Most Reverend Patrick A. [54] McGovern, D.D., bishop of Cheyenne, dedicated the church August 17, 1919.

In 1919, the church of St. Catherine was built in Arvada. The lot was purchased from the Arvada Townsite Company for $50.00 and the Catholic Church Extension Society donated the sum of $1000.00 to be used for the building. The church was completed in 1919, and dedicated by Bishop McGovern August 13, 1919. The total debt remaining on the completion of the church was $600.00. This debt was paid on June 4, 1926.

Mass was celebrated for the first time in Kaycee by Father Nicholson on January 30, 1920, at the home of Mr. William Loogstyn.

In January, 1921, Father Nicholson was transferred to Laramie, and was succeeded in Buffalo by Rev. John J. O’Connor. Father O’Connor was pastor until January 20, 1923, when he was transferred to Evanston, Wyoming. Father O’Connor was the first priest to say Mass in the district between Kaycee and Salt Creek on August 23, 1921, at the home of Patrick O ‘Conner.

The Rev. Edward McDonnell succeeded Father O’Connor and it was during his pastorate that confirmation was administered by the Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D., bishop of Cheyenne, October 16, 1923, to a class of eleven.

[55] On January 10, 1934, the Rev. John Brady was transferred from Newcastle to Buffalo. Father Brady had a concrete retaining wall built in the basement of the rectory and in the basement of the church. Mrs. Knight, of Cheyenne, received payment of $300.00 May 27, 1925, and the title to the six lots west of the present church was cleared.

In October, 1926, the parish of Buffalo was divided. A new parish was established at Gillette with Arvada as a mission. The other mission, Rozet, was taken from the vast territory of the Newcastle parish.

Father Brady celebrated Mass for the first time in Sussex, Wyoming, in April, 1928. Approximately seventeen persons were present in the hall, and four children received the sacrament of baptism.

The Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D., bishop of Cheyenne, administered confirmation in Buffalo in 1928, to a class of twelve; in 1931 to a class of thirty-two; in 1934 to a class of thirty-four; in 1937 to a class of thirty. There were fifteen baptisms in 1938 and four marriages.

Financial affairs of the parish were in fine shape in 1938. There is at the present time no indebtedness on the church or property and the churches of Arvada and Clearmont are also free from debt. There is a charitable bequest of $500.00 in the treasury.

[56] Forty per cent of the people of the parish are from the Basque Pyrenees and are engaged in the sheep industry. It is the hope of the parish to secure funds for a new church in the year 1941.

Back to INDEX		Buffalo, St. John the Baptist Bishop McGovern [49] The history of St. John the Baptist parish, of Buffalo, begins in the year 1880 with the Rev. Michael F. Cassidy, who is the first priest known to have visited the town. He came from Rawlins twice a year and celebrated Mass at Fort McKinney. A congregation of eight or ten persons attended the celebration of Mass by the first resident priest, the Rev. Henry Bex; on the first day of May, 1885. The rough interior of a log schoolhouse furnished the setting for the function. In the year 1885, six lots were secured from J.W. Hart for $350.00 and the title conveyed by warranty deed to Bishop James O’Connor, of Omaha, Nebraska. Before the end of the year a wooden church had been erected with no debt on the parish. The first church was known as St. Joseph’s. Father Bex made his home for the greater part of the time with John Fischer and family. The residents of Buffalo and surrounding country were grateful for the privileges of the new church and pastor. The long distance to the nearest church at Billings, Montana, had greatly lessened church-going among the pioneers and they welcomed the opportunity to go more frequently. [50] It was not long until the needs of the parish had outgrown the little frame church, and in 1888, under the guidance of the Rev. E.J. Engelbrecht, work was started on a new brick church. Father Engelbrecht was pastor from July until December, 1888. A mortgage was placed upon the property to secure the debt. From the date of the departure of Father Engelbrecht until 1892 Sheridan was attended as a mission of Buffalo. In 1892 the Rev. C. Scollen came to Buffalo and was pastor until 1894. During the years from 1897 to 1907 Buffalo was a mission attended from Sheridan by the following clergymen: Rev. G.F. Dillon, from 1897 to January, 1898; Rev. Joseph A. Accorsini, November, 1898 to March, 1899; Rev. P.U. Sasse, April 1, 1900 to May 18, 1904; Rev. P.J. Murphy, July, 1904 to December, 1906; Rev. Victor Fraziane, February, 1906 to December, 1906; Rev. John Duffy, January, 1907 to October, 1907. In the year 1907 Father Duffy secured the four lots on which the present church and rectory are built for $425.00. The title to the old property had become somewhat confused and it seemed wise to acquire new property at this time. In response to an appeal by Father Duffy the sum of three thousand dollars was subscribed for the new church. Father Duffy was ably assisted in his appeal by Bryan Long, who also gave the largest single subscription in the [51] form of $250.00. Many non-Catholics contributed to the fund, and only four, of the many asked to contribute, declined. The present church was begun by Father Prendergast, who resided in Buffalo, from October, 1907, to December of the same year. It was completed by the Rev. Francis J. Keller, who was pastor of the Buffalo parish from January, 1908, to January, 1910. With the completion of the building, a debt of $600.00 remained. Succeeding Father Keller was the Rev. T.D. Lynch, who, after a short term, was succeeded by the Rev. Patrick Long. Following his departure, Buffalo was attended by the Rev. Henry Schellinger from Carneyville, and the Rev. John Duffy from Sheridan until the arrival of the Rev. Fridolin Huessle, August 8, 1912. Father Huessle was pastor until February 27, 1914. During the next two years Father Duffy occasionally attended Buffalo from Sheridan holding services Sunday evening with Mass Monday morning. In March, 1916, Buffalo was taken over by Newcastle as a mission. Mass was said on the first Sunday of every month by Revs. James A. Boland and John O’Laughlin. In September, 1917, his excellency, Bishop McGovern, authorized the Rev. John T. Nicholson to take up hip residence in Buffalo as pastor, with Gillette, Arvada and Clearmont as missions. [52] In the interval following the departure of Father Huessle the temporal affairs of the parish were ably carried on by the St. Francis Altar Society, an organization consisting of the women of the congregation. A subscription fund for a parish rectory was started on the first Sunday of October, 1917. Approximately $1,400.00 was subscribed. The largest subscriptions were given by John Esponda ($500.00) and Bryan Long ($200.00). Father Nicholson moved to Buffalo in the latter part of October, and work on the new rectory started early in November. The building was ready for occupancy in February, 1918. The St. Francis Altar Society provided most of the furnishings and several private donations of housekeeping articles were made. More than three thousand dollars had been collected in the subscription drive. According to local tradition Bishop Lenihan administered confirmation in Buffalo, but there is no authentic record of the event. The Most Rev. James J. Keane, D.D., bishop of Cheyenne, confirmed fourteen persons on June 5, 1908. Twenty persons were confirmed June 13, 1917, by the Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D. There are no records of marriages, baptisms or deaths in Buffalo previous to the pastorate of Father Keller. [53] The League of the Sacred Heart was organized in November, 1917. With its organization there was a noticeable increase in the number of monthly communions. During the year 1917 the congregation was augmented by the advent of a number of homesteaders. On June 3, 1918, the old church property (six lots west of the present church) was conveyed by warranty deed to St. John the Baptist church on payment of all expenses, namely, taxes and interest, which amounted to $185.00. There remained on the property a mortgage held by Mrs. Joseph Knight, of Cheyenne. With the completion of the rectory at Buffalo, and secure in the assurance that the organization of the parish was functioning smoothly, Father Nicholson devoted his attention to the missions. In 1919, the church of St. Mary was built at Clearmont. The principal donor was Miss Agnes Wynne of New York, who gave $1,500.00 to the church with the request that it be erected in memory of her sister, Mary Teresa Wynne. Miss Wynne also donated the altar linen and a painting of the crucifixion. A set of stations of the cross was donated by Miss Wynne’s nephew, George Kirwin. Statues were donated by Martin Etchart, Manuel Orneles, and Joseph Borges. Mr. and Mrs. Stone gave a missal and Mrs. W. Ward gave the organ. The Most Reverend Patrick A. [54] McGovern, D.D., bishop of Cheyenne, dedicated the church August 17, 1919. In 1919, the church of St. Catherine was built in Arvada. The lot was purchased from the Arvada Townsite Company for $50.00 and the Catholic Church Extension Society donated the sum of $1000.00 to be used for the building. The church was completed in 1919, and dedicated by Bishop McGovern August 13, 1919. The total debt remaining on the completion of the church was $600.00. This debt was paid on June 4, 1926. Mass was celebrated for the first time in Kaycee by Father Nicholson on January 30, 1920, at the home of Mr. William Loogstyn. In January, 1921, Father Nicholson was transferred to Laramie, and was succeeded in Buffalo by Rev. John J. O’Connor. Father O’Connor was pastor until January 20, 1923, when he was transferred to Evanston, Wyoming. Father O’Connor was the first priest to say Mass in the district between Kaycee and Salt Creek on August 23, 1921, at the home of Patrick O ‘Conner. The Rev. Edward McDonnell succeeded Father O’Connor and it was during his pastorate that confirmation was administered by the Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D., bishop of Cheyenne, October 16, 1923, to a class of eleven. [55] On January 10, 1934, the Rev. John Brady was transferred from Newcastle to Buffalo. Father Brady had a concrete retaining wall built in the basement of the rectory and in the basement of the church. Mrs. Knight, of Cheyenne, received payment of $300.00 May 27, 1925, and the title to the six lots west of the present church was cleared. In October, 1926, the parish of Buffalo was divided. A new parish was established at Gillette with Arvada as a mission. The other mission, Rozet, was taken from the vast territory of the Newcastle parish. Father Brady celebrated Mass for the first time in Sussex, Wyoming, in April, 1928. Approximately seventeen persons were present in the hall, and four children received the sacrament of baptism. The Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D., bishop of Cheyenne, administered confirmation in Buffalo in 1928, to a class of twelve; in 1931 to a class of thirty-two; in 1934 to a class of thirty-four; in 1937 to a class of thirty. There were fifteen baptisms in 1938 and four marriages. Financial affairs of the parish were in fine shape in 1938. There is at the present time no indebtedness on the church or property and the churches of Arvada and Clearmont are also free from debt. There is a charitable bequest of $500.00 in the treasury. [56] Forty per cent of the people of the parish are from the Basque Pyrenees and are engaged in the sheep industry. It is the hope of the parish to secure funds for a new church in the year 1941. Back to Top