Rev. M. Traynor Biography


	This biography appears on pages 450-453 in "History of Dakota Territory" 
	by George W. Kingsbury, Vol. IV (1915) and was scanned, 
	OCRed and edited by Maurice Krueger, mkrueger@iw.net.

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				REV. M. TRAYNOR. 

	Rev. M. Traynor, pastor of St. Mary's church of Alexandria, of 
which he has been in charge for the past six years, was ordained to the 
priesthood in 1879 and has followed his holy calling in this state for 
nearly a quarter of a century. His birth occurred in Philadelphia, 
Pennsylvania, on the 5th of April, 1849, his parents being Michael and 
Catherine (Cleary) Traynor, both of whom were natives of Ireland and 
have passed away. In the acquirement of an education he attended the 
public schools and subsequently was employed in the arsenal, being 
engaged in the making of ammunition for thirteen years. He was then 
apprenticed as a moulder and worked at that trade until 1871, when he 
entered Niagara University of Niagara Falls, New York, having studied 
at night for two years previously. From 1873 until 1879 he remained a 
student in St. Vincent's College of Germantown, Pennsylvania, and was 
then ordained to the priesthood by Archbishop Wood. 

	In September, 1892, Father Traynor came to South Dakota, his 
first mission being at Springfield and Tyndall, while in 1894 he was 
transferred to Deadwood and in 1895 to Emmett, where he continued for 
eleven years. In 1906 he took charge of the Catholic church at Lennox 
and on the 20th of April, 1909, came to Alexandria, where he has since 
remained as pastor of St. Mary,s church. Father Traynor has reduced the 
church debt from thirteen thousand to six thousand dollars and under 
his wise direction all departments of the church work have grown in 
influence and strength. 

	St. Mary's had as its first regular pastor the Rev. E. M. 
Hennessy, who was stationed at Mitchell, and as its first resident 
pastor the Rev. C. J. Quinn. In 1881 the congregation erected an 
edifice forty-two by twenty-eight feet at a cost of fifteen hundred 
dollars, and three years later Rev. F. X. Lawler took charge of the 
parish, remaining at its head until he passed away on the 1st of 
September, 1900 On the 4th of October following Rev. S. Duren succeeded 
him in the pastorate, while in 1902 Rev. H. Victor took charge and on 
the 15th of July, 1904, Rev. Peter A Laner was installed. On the 27th 
of September, 1905 the present handsome church edifice was begun and on 
the 20th of April, 1909, the present pastor assumed his duties. Father 
Traynor has planted and nurtured the seeds of his faith in various 
communities and his efforts have not been denied the full harvest nor 
the aftermath.