ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH, Jefferson Co., MT USGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. Files may be printed or copied for personal use only. "List transcribed and organized by Ellen Rae Thiel, thieljl@aol.com All rights reserved." Copyright, 1998 by Ellen Rae Thiel. This file may be freely copied for non-profit purposes. All other rights reserved. ST. JOHN THE EVANGELIST CHURCH The following is an excerpt from the Souvenir Centenary Addition of the Register published August 3, 1941: The most famous mission attached to Boulder is called the Valley church. It was built in 1880-1881 by Matthias Weber. The money needed to pay for the building of the church was raised by subscription. The church, costing $1,500, was built while Father Venneman, S. J., was in charge of this territory. The ground for the church and cemetery was donated by Michael Quinn. The people themselves hauled in the materials. The first settler to come into the valley was Ed Ryan in 1864. A little later he was followed by the Bradys, Smiths, Clarks, Rodgers, Dunns, Mulveys, McCauleys, Wickhams, Webers and Quinns. The Jesuits from St. Peter's Mission used to come through the valley on horseback. Then later the priests built a railroad from Helena to Boulder and then to Elkhorn. Elkhorn was a silver mining camp of about 1,200 people, but today it is a ghost town. When the Bishop or priests came from Helena, they were met by some one of the people of the valley, and they stayed with the various families in the valley. Before the church was built, the custom was to say Mass either at the Ryan home or at the Brady home. The Valley church was dedicated to St. John the Baptist by Bishop Brondel. The day on which Bishop Brondel dedicated the church a couple from Basin, Miss Catherine McDermott and Emery Hewitt, were married. Father Thompson added the small vestibule and tower to the Valley Church. In 1903 he called he called a meeting of the Trustees, Ed. Ryan, R. Dunn, and Pat Wickham, to discuss the improvements to be made on the Valley church. He told them that the improvements would cost $400. A harvest Ball was held to help pay the expenses of the improvements and by this means $213 was raised. Miss Mary Dunn was the organist and sacristan of the Valley church. NOTE: The above excerpt shows the name of the church as "St. John the Baptist". However, the history of the church, written by Father J. C. Harrington, who was pastor in 1906, after the church was dedicated, shows the name as "St. John the Evangelist". In Father Palladino's book, "Indian and White in the Northwest", he states as follows: "Father J. G. Venneman arrived in the spring of 1880, and remained until August, 1882. In 1881 he built the Boulder church, named after St. John the Evangelist...." The articles contained in the August, 1941 Register were sent in from the various parishes and it is thought the name "St. John the Baptist" was in error. The following is a list of some of the early day churches built in the western part of Montana: 1st Indian Mission - St. Mary's, Stevensville - 1841 2nd Indian Mission - St. Ignatius Mission, St. Ignatius-1854 3rd Indian Mission - St. Peter's Mission, Sun River at Fort Shaw - 1862 White Missions: St. Michael's at Hell Gate, built in 1863, was the first white mission. Others were as follows: St. Louis at Frenchtown - 1864 All Saints at Virginia City - 1865 Sacred Hearts at Helena - 1866 Immaculate Conception at Deer Lodge - 1866 St. Joseph at Canton - 1875-76 Old St. Patrick s at Butte - 1877-78 St. John the Evangelist in the Boulder Valley - 1880-81 There were numerous chapels built throughout the western part of Montana in the early days but all these and those listed above as white missions, we have been able to find on Chancery records only three left standing as of this date (June 23, 1975); the others have been torn down or have been replaced with newer churches. They are St. Michael's at Hell Gate, which is now a historical monument, St. Joseph's at Canton, and St. John the Evangelist in the Boulder Valley. The following is copied from a history of the Valley church by Father J. C. Harrington, who was pastor in 1906: Boulder Valley has a Catholic population of about nineteen families nearly all of whom are practical. This mission has a plain but neat little church which was built in 1880-81 by Fr. Venneman, then a Jesuit Father residing in Helena. At first it was a plain rectangular building, but sufficed for its purpose in this condition for many years. Father Thompson during his pastorship in Boulder made several improvements in this Church (which is called the Church of St. John the Evangelist) the principal of which improvements was the building of a steeple and placing on it a bell. It is also been beautified recently by the addition of a beautiful main alter, a donation from a Catholic Lady, not a parishioner, at a cost of $350. The people of the this Valley are what are generally known as "Old-Timers" have lived there for the last forty-six years. They are all Irish with one exception, and still retain in a great measure that simple Irish Faith that was instilled into their young hearts by their parents in Catholic Ireland. The following is a list of the members of St. John's Alter Society of the Boulder Valley formed shortly after the church was built in 1880-81: Mrs. Jno Brady Miss Anna Daily Mrs. Jno Dawson Miss Mary Dunn Mrs. R. Dunn Mrs. Wm. Flood Miss Anna Maguire Mrs. Rose Maguire Miss Sadie Maguire Mrs. H. M'Cauley Mrs. Jno M'Cauley Mrs. M. Murphy Mrs. Wm. Rogers Mrs. E. Ryan Miss Uretta Ryan Miss Anna Smith Mrs. Con Smith Mrs. Jack Smith Mrs. Peter Smith Mrs. Thos. Smith Mrs. R. Swarbrick Miss Emma Twiggs Mrs. D.D. Twohy Miss Delia Weber Mrs. Mat Weber Miss Agnes Wickham Miss Mary Wickham Mrs. Pat Wickham 1870 CENSUS OF THE LOWER BOULDER PRECINCT The Constitution provided that an enumeration of the population be made within three years of the first meeting of the Congress of the United States and within every subsequent term of ten years thereafter. And so it was that Hiram Cook, Assistant Marshall, found himself, in 1870, taking the first recorded census in the Lower Boulder Precinct in the County of Jefferson, Territory of Montana known to its inhabitants simply as the Boulder Valley. That July 6th morning dawned hot and clear as Mr. Cook awoke in the home of Richard Dunn, 35. He and his wife, Bridget, 37, had a home that was also used as a stage stop. The stagecoach had arrived late the night before so rooms were available for the weary travelers. Everyone in the Valley had been expecting this young census taker, having received the news earlier in the year. As he made his way down the stairs to breakfast, Hiram Cook stopped to visit a minute with the Dunne's young spirited son, George, aged 5. Anxious to be on his way as soon as he had eaten, Cook first took his information from the Dunne's, finding that they were both born in Ireland and that George had been born their first year in Montana. Mr. Dunne, small but self-assured, proudly declared his personal estate at $2,670, and his occupation that of a farmer. Bridget's occupation , of course, would be keeping house, as would be all the women in the Valley. They both declared their ability to read and write. Renting a horse from the Dunnes, Mr. Cook started out across the river and through the meadow to the home of John Smith, 35, also an Irishman. Mr. Smith took a quick look at the shoes on Cook's horse, as he had shod the horse a couple of weeks before and wanted to make sure all the nails were holding. Smith was a blacksmith and set his personal assets at $5,560. He and his wife Annie, 21, who was born in New York, were both able to read and write. They were the parents of three lovely children, all babies - Thomas, 2; John A., 1; and Rosanna, whom Cook dutifully recorded as having been 1/12 year of age...she'd been born in May. Next, according to Cook's records, he interviewed John McKenna, born in Ireland. John, at 35, listed his assets as $100, his occupation as a farm hand as did Hugh Kennedy, 24, who had $150 and had been born in West Canada. Farther up the Valley he stopped at the home of a farmer David Hoops, who listed his personal estate as $1,400, a fair sum for such a young man, and proudly announced his birthplace as Pennsylvania. His father had been born in the Old Country but his mother had been born in the United States, presumably to one of the older Eastern families. The first sight to greet Cook upon his arrival at the Phillip Smith place was young Cornelius, 19, walking down the path to meet him. Serious, tall (6'2"), and dark, red-haired , he offered his hand with its long slender fingers. On the threshold of manhood, he'd been the exact age of his sister, Rosanna, 14, when he first arrived in the Valley with the wagon train from Alder Gulch. His parents, Phillip, 53, and Anna, 52, both born in Ireland, had started their family in their later years and were very proud of their offspring. Both children had been born while they were in New York. Cornelius was a full partner with his father, but Cook had to list him as a child on the census as he was not yet legal age, 21. The Smiths all read and wrote and Phillip listed his assets as $8,500. Cook arrived at the Edward Ryan ranch just in time for the noon meal. The friendly young Ellen, 27, born in Ireland, was the busy mother of three youngsters: Mary, 4; Ellen, 2; and Catherine, 1. She made Cook feel a most welcome guest. Edward Ryan, then 28, had accumulated a personal estate of $8,800 in his short life, and listed his birthplace as West Canada. Both could read and write. After a satisfying meal, Cook continued on, stopping next at the small cabin of a bachelor farmer, A. J. Down, 27 who'd come West from Ohio where he was born; his assets were $100. Also listed here was James Ryan, 24, a farm hand with assets of $450, also born in West Canada, whom Cook thought could have been a relative of Edward Ryan. Irish born Cornelius Clark and his wife, Bridget, both 42, had a young daughter, Eliza J., who had been born in Wisconsin. Unable to read or write, he had assets of $2,335., and listed his occupation as farmer, she as keeping house, and Eliza, of course, was entered as at home. The cabin of another farm hand, Barney Cooney, was Cook's next stop. Barney, 25, a native of Ireland, was like many of that day - unable to read or write. Most of them could sign their names but had missed out on a formal education. Cooney listed assets of $100 and mentioned to Cook that if he could only do a little placer mining for gold and hit it rich, he d have more assets to declare the next time Cook was through. Farm hands, for the most part, were not paid too well, noticed Hiram Cook, but were treated as members of the family for whom they worked. Their employer paid their doctor bills, a small wage - and when they died, took care of their burial. And any employer who didn't, didn't amount to much as a man. Work was scarce in winter so the farm hands were kept on, their only payment for light chores was their tobacco and meals. All their meals were cared for by their employers. Bidding Cooney goodbye, Cook mounted his horse again and struck out for John Quinn s, where the 40 year old farmer was caring for his family: Katherine, 9; Mary, 8; both born in Colorado, Michel, 6; Ellen, 4; and John, 1; who were born in Montana. He listed his birthplace as Ireland, his personal worth as $830., and his inability to read and write. Mr. Cook, not one to pry, noticed no presence of a wife so merely listed Katherine, the oldest daughter, as keeping house. H. McCormick was a farm hand who lived nearby; whether he was Quinn's hired man or not was unclear. He, at 40, had a little more than the average hired man, $200, and was born in Ireland as were his parents before him. In the distance Cook could see the Mulvey ranch, and he knew he'd better hurry as the afternoon shadows were beginning to grow longer and he would soon have to seek out a place to stay for the night. Farmer William Mulvey, 35, and his wife, Catrine, who was three years older, had both been born in Ireland. They listed their personal estate as $1,675. He could neither read nor write; she could read only. They had no children. Young Thomas Dawson, listed as a farm hand, had been born in Eastern Canada, the only one in the Valley to have been so. Of stocky build, not too tall, he could read and write and was 25 years of age. His sandy, wavy hair and light mustache added to his handsome appearance. Tom ignored Cook's question of his personal worth so Cook choose to assume that Dawson thought it none of his business and left the space blank. The next entry on the census left Cook more than a little confused. It was a Swedish farmer Olef Laferson, 38, who could read and write, and had $1,800 in personal property. Cook thought as he recorded the information, "Bet he won't last long here in Irish Territory," and chuckled to himself as he rode on to his last stop that day, farmer A. C. Quaintance's, where he would spend the night after caring for his horse. The 30 year old Ohio native, with a personal estate of $3,520, prepared a bite of supper for the two, and after the meal the men visited until rather late. All in the Valley were eager for news, and Cook, though having told his tales many times that day, repeated them once again. After that he set about recording his day's work. July 7th found the air still and heavy with storm clouds brewing, so Cook made his thanks and got an early start. He found the home of bachelor Neil Hamns, 32. A native of Virginia, he listed assets of $800. Next, at the home of William Rogers, 33, Cook hung his hat on the decorative hall tree and sat down to breakfast cooked by Ann, his wife, who was 30. Both were Irish born and around their table sat two children, William, Jr., 9 and John, 4. William was born in Colorado and John in Montana a year after they came to the Territory. Rogers, one of the most affluent farmers of the Valley and admittedly bad tempered, listed his personal property as $8,800. Pat Fenton, 30, a farm hand, had $100. and was Irish born as were his parents. Cook's stay elicited tales from Fenton of time spent in the English Navy and wonders he had seen throughout the World, including the Great Wall of China. Henry McCauley, 34, of Ireland, and his wife Bridget, much younger than he at 19 and born in New York, welcomed Cook and proudly introduced their children, Thomas, 3; Mary Jane, 2; and wee Annie, whom he listed as 7/12 as she had been born the previous November. Henry could neither read nor write, Bridget did both; and their estate they listed as $1,000. All their children, they explained were born in Montana. Cook's journey was long and tiresome, and he wondered to himself as he rode along the wagon track whether a hundred years from now people would find the facts from his census interesting. The next man he met was Charles Volke, 28, a farm hand far from his native land. It would have taken more than his total assets to get back to the place where he was born, Bavaria. Add Delaney was a farmer, 28 years of age, and listed $100 as his estate. He was born in Virginia where he learned to read and write. Cook arrived at the Hoops ranch just in time to see B. F., age 37, and his wife, Rebecca, 30, and their son, William, 8, climbing into a buggy on their way to the neighbors. He wouldn't hold them, he said, and quickly jotted down a few facts. B. F. was born in Pennsylvania, Rebecca in Iowa, and their son fittingly worn in the state that his father was. Their prosperous farm they valued at $3, 650. Yes, both could read and write. All of them anxiously glanced at the thunderstorm that was fast approaching and hastened along. W. H. Delaney's small farm was within easy distance, so Cook stopped and found that young farmer Delaney, 26, was born in Virginia and had $100. A stone's throw away, John Earhart, 32, Illinois born, had $180 and D. McLean, 32, from Ohio, had $650. All were bachelors; all could read and write. Cook would be puzzled for the rest of his life by the next six entries. He had to take the census of all in the Valley so one H. M. Jarvis, 30, happened to be the stage driver, born in Indiana and with a personal worth of $150. Another was an Alex Craig, 30, from Virginia, who gave his occupation as a Select Reader, which Cook surmised to be some type of minister or preacher going through the country until Craig gave his new worth as $2,000! - unusual for a man of the cloth. Four men were in the immediate area: James White, 40, from New York, James Field, 32, from Pennsylvania, and both had the same occupation as the following: Fred Rice, 32, and Franz Hourst, 33, from Bohemia. It's possible that due to the broken English of the Bohemians Cook couldn't quite understand them because on the census report when he returned home, their occupations were indecipherable. The four all listed personal estates between $100 and $175., and neither of the Bohemians could read or write. John, 22, and William McKenna, 21, on the other hand, were both young farmers. John's estate was $650 and both of them were born in West Canada. Ed Cardwell, 35, born in Ireland, listed a value of $4,250., and John Cardwell, 37, had $225. Mathew Quigley, 38, a farmer born in Ireland, listed no personal property at all. At precisely this point, the Heavens opened up and sent young Hiram Cook scurrying for shelter. William Anderson, a 25 year old farmer born in Iowa, opened his door to a very wet young man about his own age. He offered him a dry place to sleep and the two men enjoyed visiting, with Cook making notes as they talked. The value of Anderson's property was $2,150., and he could both read and write. They got along well, fortunately, for Cook would spend the next day and a half with Anderson, waiting for a break in the weather so he could continue his census. Before the night was over, two more travelers joined them, having also been caught in the cloudburst. These men were both residents of the Valley so Cook was able to save himself two stops by taking their status that night. Young John Conrow, 25, born in New Jersey, listed his occupation as a farmer; he also listed the worth of his personal estate as $150. David Coble, 40, from Indiana and a farmer, also listed the worth of his personal estate as $150. Both of the men could read and write. Many young men had come West following the Homestead Act of 1862 to begin a new life on land to be had for the taking. Many were having a tough time making a living in a rugged country; many would fold up before the turn of the century. The men spoke that night of never having quite enough money, of following the gold mining, of crops and their land. And the rain continued, a godsend for the thirsty crops and gardens. The rain finally let up, and on July 9 at noon Cook headed for the Flaherty's - William, 33, and John, 23, farmers and both born in Ireland. Each one listed his assets as $550. Cook spent the night with the Flaherty's and by the last remaining light of the day, he tabulated his efforts. July 10 saw Cook interviewing the Millers. S. H., 30, and his wife, Anna, 22, welcomed him in the old spirit of Illinois and Missouri where they were raised. Their children, George, 5, Jacob, 3, and Mary E., I, always glad to see company, sat politely while their parents answered questions. Yes, they could both read and write; yes, their parents were born in the United States. They were farmers and though they didn't have much, $300. in personal assets, Anna fixed Cook a lunch to carry along - fresh homemade bread and fresh churned butter. Anderson Yates, another Missourian, 38, lived with his daughter, Frances, 17, and his son, Hesseiabi, 15, both of whom had been born in Missouri before he left. They were farmers and listed $150 and ability to read and write as their possessions. Another entry was Lavina Toibble, 32, and her three children, Cassandra, 15, Mary, 12, and George, 9. They were all born in Missouri. Again very puzzling to young Hiram Cook was the fact that these children were the only ones in the entire Valley who had attended any kind of a school within the past year. They listed $500 in assets. Did they come West with the Yates family? No man was in evidence at all. Was Mrs. Toibble a young widow? Were the Yates, well known throughout the area? Always remembering the manners taught him as a child, he refrained from asking any questions other than those on the prepared questionnaire. That night he spent on the ranch of one of the best liked men in the Valley, John Brady, farmer, a teetotaler, born in Ireland, 32, and married to a 28 year old Irish girl, Ann. Their darling baby girl, Sarah, was two years old and had been born in Montana. Brady listed his property as $3,730. He was a very hard worker, a large raw-boned man, and Cook had already heard all along his way that Brady was always paid double because he did the work of two men while mucking ore in the placer mines in Virginia City. He was a good citizen - a member of the Vigilantes while he was there. Supper that night was delicious roast venison and bread. Ann's parents from the East had sent them a barrel of dill pickles which she sliced thinly and placed on the table - a treat she reserved for those she really liked. Cook's head fairly spun when he tasted the delicacy. Bound that he would finish his census on July 11, Cook received directions from the Bradys and set off for Allen Williams'. Williams, at 30, was a farmer with $1,000 personal estate. He'd been born in Canada. Nearby was a William Barrow, 27, who was also a farmer with $1,000 assets; born in England he was unable to read and write. John Myers, a farm hand at 20 years of age, listed no assets or personal property whatsoever. His birthplace was in Missouri. James Moore, a farmer with $1,000 in personal assets was also from Missouri, having been born there 22 years before. And from the shores if Ireland had come a young farmer of 32, short, stocky Pat Wickham and his wife, Margaret, 30. Pat was dark- haired and, as was the custom of the times, wore a small goatee. Neither was educated formally. They listed assets of only $490., believing that their treasures lay in their children, John, 8, born to them in Iowa, Cecelia, 5, born just before their wagon train left Colorado. After they reached Montana they had Anna, 4, Patrick ,3, and Mary born in December, whom Cook registered as being 6/12. They treated young Hiram Cook as hospitably as if he were royalty and he spent several hours at their home. His last call in the Boulder Valley was to one Alford Myers, who at 33 called himself a stock raiser, not merely a farmer as were the others. Born in Virginia of American born parents, he was no doubt of an older Eastern family. His assets numbered $2,500., no small amount, and he had the ability to read and write. Hiram Cook, exhausted but exhilarated with all the new people he'd met, sat alone, late that night as he transcribed his notes in flowery manuscript by the light of a kerosene lamp........ Whole number of dwellings in this precinct ............59 Whole number of families in this precinct .............49 Whole number of white males in this precinct ..........48 Whole number of white females in this precinct ........42 Whole number of foreign born males in this precinct ...31 Whole number of foreign born females in this precinct ..8 No colored males No colored females No blind No deaf No idiots No insane in this precinct........................ Hiram Cook, we are indebted to you. You did a good job. THIS STORY IS FICTION BASED ON INFORMATION FURNISHED BY PAUL T. SMITH FROM MATERIAL SECURED THROUGH THE STATE HISTORICAL SOCIETY.