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History
Of
Saint Anthony's Parish
Farnham,
New York |
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TITLE
AND DATE OF ORIGIN |
St. Anthony's Parish was established
in 1904 by Bishop Charles H. Colto Buffalo. The church property
was acquired from Mr. & Mrs. Salvatore Muscarelli and Charles
Johnt. The church was named after the beloved patron of Italy, St.
Anthony of Padua because of the sizeable number of Italian immigrants
settling in the area near the turn of the century.
The official name and address is "Saint Anthony's Roman Catholic
Church Society" of Farnham, New York .
St. Anthony's was founded from the Catholic population of Most Precious
Blood living in this area. It's pastor, Rev. Richard Burke, organized
Catholic families in Farnham who vigorously supported him in the
construction of the parish church and rectory which were started
March 29, 1904. The property was purchased for $2100.00. |
| TERRITORIAL
DEVELOPMENT
|
Saint Anthony's Parish was originally
formed from the Most Precious Blood Parish of Angola, New York .
Its original boundaries were Lake Erie , Cattaraugus Creek, Southwestern
Boulevard, and Cain Road .
There have been no additions made to the original boundaries.
There have been no transfers of territory from the parish.
The parish at Silver Creek was attended from Farnham from 1904-1908. |
CHURCH
PROPERTY |
Shortly after 1900 a number of Italian
families came to Farnham. The Reverend Richard, Burke, who was then
Pastor at Angola , organized them as a parish in 1904. He built
a Church and Rectory, and was the first one to say Mass there.
The property is located at Commercial and Perry Streets. It was
originally purchased from Salvatore Muscarelli at cost of $2100.00.
The construction of the buildings began March 29, 1904 under the
Stokes Brothers. The architect was Albert A. Post. The construction
of the wooden Church cost $2500.00.
The first Rectory at Farnham , New York was built in 1904, the same
time as the Church.
The construction of the first Rectory in 1904 was under the Stokes
Brothers, with Albert A. Post as the architect. In 1925 a disastrous
fire occurred which reduced the Church, Convent and Rectory to ruins.
Father Patrick Rogers rebuilt the Church and Rectory at a cost of
about $25,000.00. In 1934, Father Edward Fitzhenry added a second
story to the Rectory at a cost of $6,000.00. |
CATHOLIC
POPULATION |
There were originally 75 families in
the parish. The predominant nationality is Italian.
The outstanding lay pioneers associated with the early history,
of the parish are as follows: |
Cristenzio
Meli |
Joseph
Fadale |
Frank
Caccamise |
Alphonso
Lucerk |
Tony
Villa |
Petro
Villa |
Pizzolanti |
Orazio
Quagliano |
Manguso |
Salvatore Leone |
James
DeMarco |
Cosimo
Msscarella |
Francis
Vacante |
Parmelo
Mortorano |
James Dispence |
Michael
Kenny |
Joseph
Gerace |
Joseph
Falzone |
Francis
Celluffo |
Thomas
Marshall |
John
De Marco |
Antonio
Quagliano |
James
Spratz |
Gus
Manguso |
Frank
Falletta |
Frank
DiPasquale |
Salvatore
Muscarella |
Joseph
Christopher |
Nunzio
Christopher |
Ignatio
Cristante |
Salvatore
Borizilleri |
Michael
Christopher |
Rosalino
Letto |
Jrazio
Leone |
Louis
Giambroae |
James
Sorce |
James
Spratz |
|
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|
There is one boy who entered the priesthood
from the parish. He is Father Herman Fadale, a priest of the Marquette
Diocese. There are two girls who entered the religious life, both
sisters of Father Fadale. These two girls joined the Sisters of
Saint Joseph of the Buffalo Diocese.
A fire that occurred in November, 1925 resulted in the total destruction
of the Church, Convent and Rectory. On January 13, 1946 the Church
was again threatened with destruction by fire when the district
school next to the Church burned down. The steeple of the Church
caught on fire but it was extinguished before it could spread to
the Church proper. Several thousand dollars damage resulted. |
PAROCHIAL
CLERGY |
| List of pastors of Saint Anthony's
Parish, Farnham , New York : |
| Rev.
Richard Burke |
Feb.
1903 |
Oct.
1904 |
| Rev. Diafina |
Nov. 1904 |
Feb. 1905 |
| Rev. Antonio Runfola |
April 1905 |
May 1905 |
| Rev. Pius Armati |
Sept.
1905 |
Apr.
1906 |
| Rev.
Joseph V. Hennessey |
June 1906 |
May 1908 |
| Rev,
J.F. Jacobs |
Aug. 1908 |
Sept. 1908 |
| Rev.
U.M. Biondi |
Oct. 1908 |
Dec. 1909 |
| Rev. Michael Raimondo |
Mar. 1910 |
Apr. 1913 |
| Rev.
Silvius Prati |
Oct. 1910 |
Apr. 1911 |
| Rev. V. Giovannitti |
Aug. 1913 |
Apr. 1915 |
| Rev. Maurice O'Shea |
Feb. 1916 |
Aug. 1918 |
| Rev.
Felix Scullen |
Oct. 1981 |
Oct. 1919 |
| Rev.
Dr. Leo Toomey |
Apr. 1919 |
Mar. 1922 |
| Rev.
Thomas J. Dunn |
June 1922 |
Aug. 1924 |
| Rev.
Patrick Rogers |
Aug. 1924 |
July 1927 |
| Rev. Edward Fitzhenry |
Sept.1927 |
Dec. 1937 |
| Rev.
James Donovan |
Dec. 1937 |
June 1944 |
Rev.
Edwin M. Cuddihy |
June 1944 |
Mar.
1957 |
|
Rev. Daniel J Harmon |
Mar. 1957 |
Jan. 1965 |
|
Rev. John Mc Duggan |
Jan. 1965 |
Sept. 1968 |
Rev. Robert McNamara |
Sept.
1968 |
Sept.
1974 |
|
Rev. James Stabell |
Oct. 1974 |
May 1997 |
|
Rev. Gary R. Kibler |
1998 |
1999 |
|
Rev. James Fliss |
2000 |
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PAROCHIAL
SCHOOLS |
| In the early days of the parish, a
Catholic School was started in the basement of the Church. The house
next to the Church was the Convent for the Sisters of Saint Mary
of Namur . These Sisters had charge of the school up to the year
1920, when Rev. Dr. Leo Toomey, who was then Pastor, discontinued
it. This action was taken because of inadequate facilities and financial
difficulties. |
| PARISH
CEMETARY |
| Saint Anthony's Cemetery was begun
in 1903 as a private association by twelve or eighteen individuals.
It was eventually turned over to the parish for its use. This
Cemetery had been originally blessed by Bishop Colton in the fall
of 1904. It is not incorporated. |
HISTORIAL
RECORDS |
| The former pastors
consulted are: |
Dr. Leo Toomey
Rev. Edward Fitzhenry
Rev. James Donovan
|
