St. Patrick's Preservation Society
St. Patrick's Church burnt in 1885 destroying the old records that gave full
acount since the 1st priest came to the settlement in 1834. The place was
visited for several years by priest from St. Louis previously. Father Peter
Donelly became the first pastor of the Armagh Parish. The church was a log
building over near the Merrimac River, own property belonging to the Archbishop
(Peter R. Kourick), which was afterwards sold. to Mr. John Whelan and was called
St. Patrick's Church.
Father Grace came here in 1852, took charge of the Parish and commenced to build
a rock church on the property donated by Wm. Patrick McBriarty. Father Grace
died in 1859 and is buried under the floor of the current rock church. Then came
Father O'Reagan, Father Miller who resided in Kirkwood, then Father Gallaher who
was buried in St. Patrick's cemetery in 1908. Then Father Berry who was
also buried in St. Patrick's cemetery in 1901.
Father Berry built up the church which was left unfinished by Father Grace and
completed the church leaving nothing undone. (information from 1885 Father
Berry's ledger, recount of information lost)
The Parish beame an inactive parish in 1925, in 1938 the first Preservation
Society was form to maintain the church and cemetery. In 1972 Bill Murphy,
Virginia Brummett, Ellen Withington and others took charge. Bill Murphy is now
the only original member living from that group. We are in desperate need of
people commiting to this society to keep it going.