Kemmerer History of St. Patrick's Church 1941

Kemmerer, St. Patrick
Bishop McGovern

[100] Tradition has it that the first Mass in Kemmerer was said by Rev. Peter Casey in 1898 in Keenan’s Hall. He attended Kemmerer as a mission from Evanston for about two years and occasionally held services in the boarding house at Frontier, where a coal mine was opened in 1900.

The Kemmerer Coal Company donated a lot for the erection of a church building in Kemmerer in 1899, and it was in the following year that Fr. Casey began work upon a neat stone church. The cost of the building was $7,500.00, half of which was collected from the parishioners and the other half was borrowed.

Pioneer Catholic laymen included: P.J. Quealy, vice-president of the Kemmerer Coal Company, Lawrence Quealy, Michael Blake, John Sloan and Jos. Pelligreni.

The Rev. M. Golden was the first resident priest of St. Patrick’s parish (1901). Following his administration Kemmerer was attended successively by Rev. R.P. Blanik, O.S.B., (about three months) and by Rev. G. Woldene (about six months). Rev. L.E. Duchesneau took charge in 1903 and was pastor until 1904. He was succeeded by Rev. M.A. Kennedy (1904-05), who paid off a large amount of the debt. His successor [101] was Rev. T.J. Barrett (1905-06), who was pastor of Evanston and attended Kemmerer as a mission.

During this period several mines were opened in the vicinity of Kemmerer to which came a number of Catholics of Slavonic nationality.

The following camps were attended from Kemmerer: Sublet, Elkol, Glencoe, and Cumberland. Rev. George Lavallee took charge of St. Patrick’s parish in 1906. During his administration the following improvements were made: a church was erected at Cumberland (Immaculate Conception) at a cost of $1,400.00; $1,150.00 was paid on the church debt; a steam heating plant was installed in St. Patrick’s church at a cost of $230.00, also a new high altar ($340.00); the inside of the church was painted ($240.00). St. Patrick’s rectory was built at a cost of about $4,000.00, indebtedness, $2,500.00.

In 1910, Rev. James A. Duffy was appointed to succeed Fr. Lavallee. He stayed almost a year before he was called back to St. Mary’s cathedral, at Cheyenne.

During 1911-1919 Rev. T.D. Lynch was pastor. In that period improvements were made in the church, a bell was installed and the liquidation of the debt was made possible through the generosity of Mr. Jos. Kinney. Fr. Lynch erected a mission church at Sublet (Assumption of Blessed Virgin) at a cost of $1,000.00 in 1912. In the same year he secured a grant of five [102] acres of land from the city of Kemmerer for a Catholic burying ground (St. Patrick’s cemetery). In 1919 Fr. Lynch erected St. Dominic’s church in Cokeville at a cost of $4,000.00. The Altar Society under the direction of Mrs. P.J. Quealy enabled the pastor to make many of the improvements through its financial assistance.

In 1912, his excellency, Bishop McGovern confirmed thirty-one children and one adult; in 1916, fifty-one children and five adults; in May, 1920, one hundred and three children; in October, 1926, fifty-five children; in May, 1931, sixty-six children.

Rev. Gerard Schellinger took charge of the parish, December 15, 1919. During his pastorate a choir loft was built at a cost of $380.00, and new windows were installed in the church. There was a debt of about $1,000.00 on the parish when Fr. Schellinger took charge. The members of the Altar Society held a bazaar which netted $900.00. In August, 1920, the note of $1,000.00 was paid in full. In January, 1921, Fr. Schellinger was transferred to the charge of St. Joseph’s parish in Rawlins.

To replace him came Rev. William J. Short. During Fr. Short’s pastorate many improvements were carried out. The Catholic Church Extension Society donated the sum of $500.00 for repair work to be done on the Cumberland church. The Union Pacific Coal [103] Company had the outside of the church painted. The sum of $2,272.82 was paid to Mr. Dominic Etcheverry, Cokeville, who had assumed that debt for the new church at Cokeville.

Rev. P.P. Szymanski succeeded Fr. Short, who was transferred February 6, 1923, to the charge of St. Margaret’s church at Riverton. During Fr. Szymanski’s tenure the outside of the rectory wets painted. In February, 1924, the board of trustees had under consideration the improvement of the church property and the erection of a parish hall for the needs of the parish. The parish did not manifest sufficient interest in the matter and no further action was taken.

Fr. Szymanski was transferred to the charge of Kleenburn and missions, near Sheridan, July 9, 1924. Fr. Short returned to Kemmerer for his second pastorate. He immediately began work on much needed improvements on the church property. In August, 1924, a new boiler was purchased at a cost of $623.00 to take care of the heating of the church and rectory. Mr. J. Thomas Hall, master mechanic with the Kemmerer Coal Co., donated his time in fitting up the boiler. In October, 1924, a new sewer, lavatory and toilet were constructed in the church basement at a cost of $319.00.

In February, 1925, a new roof was put on the church and the interior decorated. The church tower was strengthened and all stone work pointed. The cost [104] of these improvements amounted to $1,200.00. A new communion-rail was purchased, the donor being Mrs. Mary Byers. In 1926, channel and curbing on the north and east sides of the property were installed.

In the spring of 1927, many improvements were carried out in St. Patrick’s cemetery. The water supply to the cemetery was furnished through wooden pipes, which caused considerable waste. To remedy this condition several hundred feet of new galvanized iron pipe was laid at a cost of $200.00. A building for tools and equipment, including two toilets, was erected at a cost of $170.00. The driveways in the cemetery were improved, and the grounds were planted with trees and shrubs. A caretaker is in charge of the cemetery during the summer months.

In April, 1929, Mr. Patrick J. Quealy donated the sum of $1,000.00 to be applied on the purchase of two lots, Nos. 1 and 2, in block 43, located at the corner of Sapphire street and Sage avenue in the town of Kemmerer. May 18th, these lots were purchased by St. Patrick’s church corporation for $2,000.00.

June 24, 1929, Mr. Michael Maley, of Sublet, passed to his eternal reward. He was an old-timer and veteran of the Indian wars. A requiem high Mass was celebrated for the repose of his soul on June 27th, and his mortal remains were interred in the Knights of Columbus plot, St. Patrick’s cemetery. Mr. Maley left his [105] estate of $1,700.00 to St. Patrick’s church. The administrator of the estate presented a beautiful chalice to the church in memory of the deceased.

In December, 1929, the church property was further improved by the building of a retaining wall on the south boundary of the property. The cost of this improvement was borne jointly by the school board of district No. 1, and the church. In April, 1930, a new oak floor was laid in the sanctuary and the wall behind the altar was replastered and decorated. These improvements cost $350.00.

In the spring of 1930, the Union Pacific Coal Company closed the mines at Cumberland, and moved the people to Rock Springs and Superior. The mission was closed and the building sold to the Lincoln Planing Mill and Lumber Company for $100.00. The amount received was donated to St. Joseph’s orphanage, Torrington.

November 17, 1930, Patrick J. Quealy, faithful friend of St. Patrick’s church, passed to his eternal reward. Throughout his life he had been a generous contributor to the church and parish. A solemn requiem high Mass was celebrated in St. Patrick’s church, November 20th, for the repose of his soul. Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D., preached the funeral sermon and gave the final absolution. The mortal remains of Mr. Quealy were interred in the family plot in St. Patrick’s cemetery.

[106] Fr. Short was changed to Rawlins July 1, 1933. Fr. Short was born in Ireland, June 15, 1882. He received his early education in the national schools of his native land, and made his higher studies at Mount Melleray seminary, Cappoquin, Waterford, Ireland, and St. Patrick’s college, Carlow, Ireland. He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Cheyenne by the Most Rev. Patrick Finegan, D.D., bishop of Kilmore, Cavan.

Rev. John McDevitt, J.C.D., succeeded Fr. Short as pastor. He also attended the mission church at Cokeville regularly and in 1934, through the aid of the Catholic Church Extension Society of Chicago, he erected St. Anne’s church at Big Piney.

Fr. McDevitt said goodbye to Kemmerer February 24, 1935. Temporarily the parish was cared for by Rev. Jerome H. Denk and Rev. A.C. Riester, S.J., until May 12, 1935, when Rev. Gerard Schellinger arrived to take over the parish for the second time.

Rev. Paul Hellrung came September 8, 1935, in the capacity of assistant pastor. He was succeeded in like capacity by Rev. Walter Nicholson, Rev. Joseph Aubuchon and Rev. John Ziman.

May 17, 1936, a class of eighty-five made their first holy communion and a week later, May 24, one hundred and sixty-five were confirmed by the Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D.

[107] A $1,300.00 Hammond electric organ was installed in the church during the year, 1936, and the following year the entire interior of the church was remodeled at a cost of $3,500.00. At the solicitation of Bishop McGovern, Fr. Schellinger began to lay plans to open up the Jackson Hole country as a mission of St. Patrick’s parish. For many years requests had been made for mission services by the scattered Catholics in that section, both to the bishop of the diocese and also to the local pastors at Kemmerer. In the February, 1936, issue of the Catholic Extension magazine an article appeared in which the religious needs of that large section were brought to the attention of American Catholics at large. As a result of this article a donation of $5,000.00 was made by the Rev. M.K. Merns, of Troy, N. Y., for the purpose of erecting a church building in the town of Jackson, with a stipulation that it be dedicated under the title of Our Lady of the Tetons. In the summer of 1936, this building of log siding was erected on a most appropriate site in Jackson. On Labor Day of the same year, Fr. Schellinger dedicated the new church, and Rev. S.A. Welsh of Rock Springs gave the dedication sermon.

In 1937, another donation of $1,500.00 was offered by the Catholic Church Extension Society for the erection of a chapel at Moran, which is located some thirty miles north of Jackson, in Teton county. [108] The chapel was built entirely of logs with the same attractive rustic appearance as the Jackson church. It is located on the shore of Lake Jackson. The chapel, which, in accordance with instructions from the Catholic Church Extension Society, is known as chapel of the Sacred Heart was dedicated on the feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1937, by the Right Rev. Monsignor Duane Hunt, of Salt Lake City, who also preached the sermon for the occasion. Hundreds of tourists visit this beautiful spot during the summer months.

At present there are no debts on any of the churches. There were thirty-nine baptisms and fifteen marriages in the entire parish during 1938.

Early in January, 1940, Rev. John J. O’Connor was made pastor of Kemmerer, with Rev. John Ziman continuing as assistant.

Back to INDEX		Kemmerer, St. Patrick Bishop McGovern [100] Tradition has it that the first Mass in Kemmerer was said by Rev. Peter Casey in 1898 in Keenan’s Hall. He attended Kemmerer as a mission from Evanston for about two years and occasionally held services in the boarding house at Frontier, where a coal mine was opened in 1900. The Kemmerer Coal Company donated a lot for the erection of a church building in Kemmerer in 1899, and it was in the following year that Fr. Casey began work upon a neat stone church. The cost of the building was $7,500.00, half of which was collected from the parishioners and the other half was borrowed. Pioneer Catholic laymen included: P.J. Quealy, vice-president of the Kemmerer Coal Company, Lawrence Quealy, Michael Blake, John Sloan and Jos. Pelligreni. The Rev. M. Golden was the first resident priest of St. Patrick’s parish (1901). Following his administration Kemmerer was attended successively by Rev. R.P. Blanik, O.S.B., (about three months) and by Rev. G. Woldene (about six months). Rev. L.E. Duchesneau took charge in 1903 and was pastor until 1904. He was succeeded by Rev. M.A. Kennedy (1904-05), who paid off a large amount of the debt. His successor [101] was Rev. T.J. Barrett (1905-06), who was pastor of Evanston and attended Kemmerer as a mission. During this period several mines were opened in the vicinity of Kemmerer to which came a number of Catholics of Slavonic nationality. The following camps were attended from Kemmerer: Sublet, Elkol, Glencoe, and Cumberland. Rev. George Lavallee took charge of St. Patrick’s parish in 1906. During his administration the following improvements were made: a church was erected at Cumberland (Immaculate Conception) at a cost of $1,400.00; $1,150.00 was paid on the church debt; a steam heating plant was installed in St. Patrick’s church at a cost of $230.00, also a new high altar ($340.00); the inside of the church was painted ($240.00). St. Patrick’s rectory was built at a cost of about $4,000.00, indebtedness, $2,500.00. In 1910, Rev. James A. Duffy was appointed to succeed Fr. Lavallee. He stayed almost a year before he was called back to St. Mary’s cathedral, at Cheyenne. During 1911-1919 Rev. T.D. Lynch was pastor. In that period improvements were made in the church, a bell was installed and the liquidation of the debt was made possible through the generosity of Mr. Jos. Kinney. Fr. Lynch erected a mission church at Sublet (Assumption of Blessed Virgin) at a cost of $1,000.00 in 1912. In the same year he secured a grant of five [102] acres of land from the city of Kemmerer for a Catholic burying ground (St. Patrick’s cemetery). In 1919 Fr. Lynch erected St. Dominic’s church in Cokeville at a cost of $4,000.00. The Altar Society under the direction of Mrs. P.J. Quealy enabled the pastor to make many of the improvements through its financial assistance. In 1912, his excellency, Bishop McGovern confirmed thirty-one children and one adult; in 1916, fifty-one children and five adults; in May, 1920, one hundred and three children; in October, 1926, fifty-five children; in May, 1931, sixty-six children. Rev. Gerard Schellinger took charge of the parish, December 15, 1919. During his pastorate a choir loft was built at a cost of $380.00, and new windows were installed in the church. There was a debt of about $1,000.00 on the parish when Fr. Schellinger took charge. The members of the Altar Society held a bazaar which netted $900.00. In August, 1920, the note of $1,000.00 was paid in full. In January, 1921, Fr. Schellinger was transferred to the charge of St. Joseph’s parish in Rawlins. To replace him came Rev. William J. Short. During Fr. Short’s pastorate many improvements were carried out. The Catholic Church Extension Society donated the sum of $500.00 for repair work to be done on the Cumberland church. The Union Pacific Coal [103] Company had the outside of the church painted. The sum of $2,272.82 was paid to Mr. Dominic Etcheverry, Cokeville, who had assumed that debt for the new church at Cokeville. Rev. P.P. Szymanski succeeded Fr. Short, who was transferred February 6, 1923, to the charge of St. Margaret’s church at Riverton. During Fr. Szymanski’s tenure the outside of the rectory wets painted. In February, 1924, the board of trustees had under consideration the improvement of the church property and the erection of a parish hall for the needs of the parish. The parish did not manifest sufficient interest in the matter and no further action was taken. Fr. Szymanski was transferred to the charge of Kleenburn and missions, near Sheridan, July 9, 1924. Fr. Short returned to Kemmerer for his second pastorate. He immediately began work on much needed improvements on the church property. In August, 1924, a new boiler was purchased at a cost of $623.00 to take care of the heating of the church and rectory. Mr. J. Thomas Hall, master mechanic with the Kemmerer Coal Co., donated his time in fitting up the boiler. In October, 1924, a new sewer, lavatory and toilet were constructed in the church basement at a cost of $319.00. In February, 1925, a new roof was put on the church and the interior decorated. The church tower was strengthened and all stone work pointed. The cost [104] of these improvements amounted to $1,200.00. A new communion-rail was purchased, the donor being Mrs. Mary Byers. In 1926, channel and curbing on the north and east sides of the property were installed. In the spring of 1927, many improvements were carried out in St. Patrick’s cemetery. The water supply to the cemetery was furnished through wooden pipes, which caused considerable waste. To remedy this condition several hundred feet of new galvanized iron pipe was laid at a cost of $200.00. A building for tools and equipment, including two toilets, was erected at a cost of $170.00. The driveways in the cemetery were improved, and the grounds were planted with trees and shrubs. A caretaker is in charge of the cemetery during the summer months. In April, 1929, Mr. Patrick J. Quealy donated the sum of $1,000.00 to be applied on the purchase of two lots, Nos. 1 and 2, in block 43, located at the corner of Sapphire street and Sage avenue in the town of Kemmerer. May 18th, these lots were purchased by St. Patrick’s church corporation for $2,000.00. June 24, 1929, Mr. Michael Maley, of Sublet, passed to his eternal reward. He was an old-timer and veteran of the Indian wars. A requiem high Mass was celebrated for the repose of his soul on June 27th, and his mortal remains were interred in the Knights of Columbus plot, St. Patrick’s cemetery. Mr. Maley left his [105] estate of $1,700.00 to St. Patrick’s church. The administrator of the estate presented a beautiful chalice to the church in memory of the deceased. In December, 1929, the church property was further improved by the building of a retaining wall on the south boundary of the property. The cost of this improvement was borne jointly by the school board of district No. 1, and the church. In April, 1930, a new oak floor was laid in the sanctuary and the wall behind the altar was replastered and decorated. These improvements cost $350.00. In the spring of 1930, the Union Pacific Coal Company closed the mines at Cumberland, and moved the people to Rock Springs and Superior. The mission was closed and the building sold to the Lincoln Planing Mill and Lumber Company for $100.00. The amount received was donated to St. Joseph’s orphanage, Torrington. November 17, 1930, Patrick J. Quealy, faithful friend of St. Patrick’s church, passed to his eternal reward. Throughout his life he had been a generous contributor to the church and parish. A solemn requiem high Mass was celebrated in St. Patrick’s church, November 20th, for the repose of his soul. Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D., preached the funeral sermon and gave the final absolution. The mortal remains of Mr. Quealy were interred in the family plot in St. Patrick’s cemetery. [106] Fr. Short was changed to Rawlins July 1, 1933. Fr. Short was born in Ireland, June 15, 1882. He received his early education in the national schools of his native land, and made his higher studies at Mount Melleray seminary, Cappoquin, Waterford, Ireland, and St. Patrick’s college, Carlow, Ireland. He was ordained a priest for the diocese of Cheyenne by the Most Rev. Patrick Finegan, D.D., bishop of Kilmore, Cavan. Rev. John McDevitt, J.C.D., succeeded Fr. Short as pastor. He also attended the mission church at Cokeville regularly and in 1934, through the aid of the Catholic Church Extension Society of Chicago, he erected St. Anne’s church at Big Piney. Fr. McDevitt said goodbye to Kemmerer February 24, 1935. Temporarily the parish was cared for by Rev. Jerome H. Denk and Rev. A.C. Riester, S.J., until May 12, 1935, when Rev. Gerard Schellinger arrived to take over the parish for the second time. Rev. Paul Hellrung came September 8, 1935, in the capacity of assistant pastor. He was succeeded in like capacity by Rev. Walter Nicholson, Rev. Joseph Aubuchon and Rev. John Ziman. May 17, 1936, a class of eighty-five made their first holy communion and a week later, May 24, one hundred and sixty-five were confirmed by the Most Rev. Patrick A. McGovern, D.D. [107] A $1,300.00 Hammond electric organ was installed in the church during the year, 1936, and the following year the entire interior of the church was remodeled at a cost of $3,500.00. At the solicitation of Bishop McGovern, Fr. Schellinger began to lay plans to open up the Jackson Hole country as a mission of St. Patrick’s parish. For many years requests had been made for mission services by the scattered Catholics in that section, both to the bishop of the diocese and also to the local pastors at Kemmerer. In the February, 1936, issue of the Catholic Extension magazine an article appeared in which the religious needs of that large section were brought to the attention of American Catholics at large. As a result of this article a donation of $5,000.00 was made by the Rev. M.K. Merns, of Troy, N. Y., for the purpose of erecting a church building in the town of Jackson, with a stipulation that it be dedicated under the title of Our Lady of the Tetons. In the summer of 1936, this building of log siding was erected on a most appropriate site in Jackson. On Labor Day of the same year, Fr. Schellinger dedicated the new church, and Rev. S.A. Welsh of Rock Springs gave the dedication sermon. In 1937, another donation of $1,500.00 was offered by the Catholic Church Extension Society for the erection of a chapel at Moran, which is located some thirty miles north of Jackson, in Teton county. [108] The chapel was built entirely of logs with the same attractive rustic appearance as the Jackson church. It is located on the shore of Lake Jackson. The chapel, which, in accordance with instructions from the Catholic Church Extension Society, is known as chapel of the Sacred Heart was dedicated on the feast of the Assumption, August 15, 1937, by the Right Rev. Monsignor Duane Hunt, of Salt Lake City, who also preached the sermon for the occasion. Hundreds of tourists visit this beautiful spot during the summer months. At present there are no debts on any of the churches. There were thirty-nine baptisms and fifteen marriages in the entire parish during 1938. Early in January, 1940, Rev. John J. O’Connor was made pastor of Kemmerer, with Rev. John Ziman continuing as assistant. 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