Will County IL Archives Biographies.....Dunne, Rev Patrick W ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Deb Haines ddhaines@gmail.com November 10, 2007, 9:35 am Author: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County REV. PATRICK W. DUNNE. The history of St. Patrick's Church of Joliet, which has been under the spiritual oversight of Father Dunne since January 29, 1886, dates back to a very early period in the history of Illinois. The present pastor has in his possession the records of the congregation extending from its organization to the present time. The grandest event in the history of the Roman Catholic work in Joliet was the celebration, in 1889, of the golden jubilee of the church, and the occasion will long live in the memory of all who witnessed the attending ceremonies. The pontifical high mass was celebrated by Bishop Burke, of Cheyenne, and Archbishop Riordan, of San Francisco, delivered the jubilee sermon. At the time Father Dunne accepted this pastorate the church building was in a dilapidated condition and the work in a condition far from satisfactory. He at once entered upon his duties with enthusiasm. In the remodeling of the church his father proved most helpful, and it was the latter's pride that the last work he ever did was the fitting of a house for the worship of God. A slate roof was put on and other improvements made. The church building stands four hundred feet on Hickory and three hundred feet on Broadway. In connection with it is St. Patrick's parochial school, started by the present pastor, and occupying a modern building that cost $25,000. The six large rooms and a commodious hall furnish adequate accommodations for the two hundred pupils. The building is heated by steam and lighted by electricity. The school is in charge of the Ladies of Loretto, under whose supervision the pupils are given a thorough education in all the common branches up to the high school grade. Father Dunne was born in Watertown, Wis., March 4, 1852, a son of Edward and Mary (Finn) Dunne, natives respectively of Queens County, Ireland, and Prince Edward Island, and a grand- son of Patrick Dunne, a farmer, who emigrated from Ireland to Prince Edward Island, but died in Chicago. In 1849 Edward Dunne settled in Watertown, Wis., making the trip to Chicago via boat, thence soon afterward to Watertown, where his family joined him. He built the first church in the town and the first bridge over the Rock River; the latter, which is still standing, was built of oak timber resting on wooden pegs. In 1853 he went to Chicago and afterward built some of the first bridges in and near that city. He died in Joliet July 2, 1888, and was buried from St. Jarlath's Church, Chicago, on the 4th. He was one of nine children, there being seven brothers who came to America. One of them, Dennis, was vicar-general of the Chicago diocese for years, holding the position at the time of his death in 1867. During the Civil war he organized a regiment that was known as the Dunne legion (later the Irish legion.) The crowning work of his life was the building and conduct of an orphan asylum on Archer avenue, Chicago, and it was through overwork in the carrying forward of this work that his fatal illness was brought on. In many respects Edward Dunne possessed more than ordinary ability. He was exceedingly quick in grasping plans and ideas, and in the completion of contracts was prompt and energetic. He built the first Magdaline asylum in Chicago, but, just before the work was completed, the building burned to the ground, entailing a heavy loss upon him. He was a faithful church member and for thirty-five years had the same pew in church. His fifteen children were reared to usefulness and habits of honesty and energy, and the ten still living are men and women of intelligence. One son, William, graduated from Rush Medical College with the highest honors of his class, and during the Civil war was a surgeon in the Second Illinois Infantry, after which he was city physician of Chicago for years; his death occurred in Chicago. A daughter, Rose, is a sister in the order of Loretto, in Toronto, Canada. Michael is assistant manager of the New Planter's Hotel in Chicago; Felix is a bookkeeper in that city; and Dennis will complete his education and enter the priesthood in 1901. The mother, who was the only child of Felix Finn, resides with her daughter in Chicago, and is now seventy years of age. For the past nineteen years not a week has elapsed without her son, Patrick, visiting her. From an early age Father Dunne was destined for the priesthood. He was educated in Christian Brothers' Academy, on Adams and Desplaines streets, Chicago; St. Charles College at Ellicott City, Md., where he studied the classics from 1869 to 1875; and St. Mary's Seminary, where he took two years in philosophy under the direction of the Sulpician Fathers and three years in theology. December 20, 1879, he was ordained by Cardinal Gibbons in the Cathedral in Baltimore, and was assigned to the Chicago diocese. Returning west, he was sent to Joliet as assistant of St. Mary's parish, where he remained for six years, under Father Burke, now bishop of the St. Joe (Mo.) diocese. On the death of Father Power, of St. Patrick's, he was assigned to this place, which was his first and has been his only pastorate. This is the "mother" of the Roman Catholic churches of Joliet, and out of it have sprung five other organizations that have become potent factors in the religious life of these several localities. Additional Comments: Genealogical and Biographical Record of Will County Illinois Containing Biographies of Well Known Citizens of the Past and Present, Biographical Publishing Company, Chicago, 1900 File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/will/bios/dunne1085gbs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/ilfiles/ File size: 6.1 Kb