Catholicity in Delaware County: Nineteen Hundred and Eighteen
An authentic compilation of facts concerning the history of the Catholic Church in Delaware County, 7-8.
IVY MILLS
The present flourishing condition of the Church in Delaware County is the result of a long-continued process of development. As far back as 1729 Mass was celebrated in the County at the home of Thomas Wilcox, the founder of the famous paper-mills at Ivy Mills. For the first few years the Station at Ivy Mills was attended from Bohemia Manor, Cecil County, Maryland, Father Greaton, S. J., making the long journey on horseback to minister to·the few Catholics who formed the Congregation at Ivy Mills. Then in 1733, when St. Joseph's Church, Philadelphia, was built and entrusted to the Jesuits, Father Graton made it his headquarters and attended from there the Stations at Ivy Mills, West Chester and Deer Creek.
For more than a hundred years Mass was said in one of the rooms of the old Wilcox Mansion. This structure was pulled down in 1837 and a new house erected on the same site, and Mass was celebrated there until a Church was built in the vicinity in 1853. Naturally, the congregation at first was very small. Indeed - even in 1819, almost a hundred years after Mass was first said at Ivy Mills, the congregation numbered less than a dozen souls. But about 1840 it began to increase in numbers, and on May 1, 1842, twenty-one persons received the Sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Kendrick. This date is notable as being the first time that Confirmation was administered within the County, and also the first time that Bishop Kendrick confirmed since succeeding Bishop Conwell as Bishop of Philadelphia. Again on August 28, 1853, Bishop Neuman administered Confirmation, this time to twenty-four persons.
Meanwhile the Congregation had steadily increased in size until the rooms in the 'Wilcox Mansion used for the purpose of saying Mass became too small to accommodate the people. It became apparent that conditions warranted the erection of a Church, and on August 26, 1852, a tract of land was purchased from Nicholas F. Walter by Bishop Neuman to be held in trust for the Congregation at Ivy Mills. Work was at once commenced on the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, and on Sunday, August 29, 1852, the Cornerstone was laid by Father Sourin, of Philadelphia. The Church was dedicated by Bishop Neuman, October 21, 1855.
By this time the congregation had increased to 500 or 600 people, and Bishop Neuman deemed it advisable to appoint a resident pastor in the person of the Rev. Charles J. Maugin. The appointment of Father Maugin marked a new era in the history of the parish, for it now became possible to have Mass every Sunday. Up to this time Mass had been said at Ivy Mills only about once or twice a month; for, on account of the great distances which the priests had to travel on horseback, and the number of stations to which each priest had to attend, it had been impossible for them to visit oftener the stations assigned to them. In 1858 Father Maugin was succeeded by the Rev. Nicholas Walsh, and in the latter part of the same year a frame Rectory was built.
In 1860, Rev. Thomas Kyle was appointed Rector, and he was succeeded after two years by Rev. Henry Wright. Rev. John Wall was appointed Pastor in 1864, Rev. John J. McElroy became Pastor in 1866, Rev. John Cox was appointed in 1870, and in 1872 Rev. Michael Lawlor. Rev. John J. Ward was appointed in 1873; he was succeeded in 1875 by Rev. Andrew J. Gallagher, who in turn was succeeded by Rev. William F. Cook in 1877. Father Cook remained in charge of the parish until his death, in 1900, when Rev. John J. Walsh was appointed to succeed him. In 1907 Rev. Charles J. Mullin was appointed, and he was succeeded in 1913 by Rev. D. A. Dever. In 1916 Rev. D. C. Munyon was appointed to succeed Father Dever, and he is at present in charge of the parish with the Rev. D. F. McMenamin as his assistant.
For more than a hundred years Mass was said in one of the rooms of the old Wilcox Mansion. This structure was pulled down in 1837 and a new house erected on the same site, and Mass was celebrated there until a Church was built in the vicinity in 1853. Naturally, the congregation at first was very small. Indeed - even in 1819, almost a hundred years after Mass was first said at Ivy Mills, the congregation numbered less than a dozen souls. But about 1840 it began to increase in numbers, and on May 1, 1842, twenty-one persons received the Sacrament of Confirmation from Bishop Kendrick. This date is notable as being the first time that Confirmation was administered within the County, and also the first time that Bishop Kendrick confirmed since succeeding Bishop Conwell as Bishop of Philadelphia. Again on August 28, 1853, Bishop Neuman administered Confirmation, this time to twenty-four persons.
Meanwhile the Congregation had steadily increased in size until the rooms in the 'Wilcox Mansion used for the purpose of saying Mass became too small to accommodate the people. It became apparent that conditions warranted the erection of a Church, and on August 26, 1852, a tract of land was purchased from Nicholas F. Walter by Bishop Neuman to be held in trust for the Congregation at Ivy Mills. Work was at once commenced on the Church of St. Thomas the Apostle, and on Sunday, August 29, 1852, the Cornerstone was laid by Father Sourin, of Philadelphia. The Church was dedicated by Bishop Neuman, October 21, 1855.
By this time the congregation had increased to 500 or 600 people, and Bishop Neuman deemed it advisable to appoint a resident pastor in the person of the Rev. Charles J. Maugin. The appointment of Father Maugin marked a new era in the history of the parish, for it now became possible to have Mass every Sunday. Up to this time Mass had been said at Ivy Mills only about once or twice a month; for, on account of the great distances which the priests had to travel on horseback, and the number of stations to which each priest had to attend, it had been impossible for them to visit oftener the stations assigned to them. In 1858 Father Maugin was succeeded by the Rev. Nicholas Walsh, and in the latter part of the same year a frame Rectory was built.
In 1860, Rev. Thomas Kyle was appointed Rector, and he was succeeded after two years by Rev. Henry Wright. Rev. John Wall was appointed Pastor in 1864, Rev. John J. McElroy became Pastor in 1866, Rev. John Cox was appointed in 1870, and in 1872 Rev. Michael Lawlor. Rev. John J. Ward was appointed in 1873; he was succeeded in 1875 by Rev. Andrew J. Gallagher, who in turn was succeeded by Rev. William F. Cook in 1877. Father Cook remained in charge of the parish until his death, in 1900, when Rev. John J. Walsh was appointed to succeed him. In 1907 Rev. Charles J. Mullin was appointed, and he was succeeded in 1913 by Rev. D. A. Dever. In 1916 Rev. D. C. Munyon was appointed to succeed Father Dever, and he is at present in charge of the parish with the Rev. D. F. McMenamin as his assistant.
http://delawarecountyhistory.com/documents/Catholicity.pdf
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