Tuesday, February 25, 2014

Parish Gifts for John and Thomas McLoughlin



The Cortland News, Friday, July 21, 1882.
CORTLAND AND VICINITY.
   Prof. Capen is at Brighton Beach.
   Prof. Milne has lately returned from Nantucket.
   Dr. E. B. Nash is largely repairing his house.
   Mr. Wesley Allen, of Chicago [New York], was taken to the Utica asylum a few days ago.
   Hon. Geo. H. Arnold and wife have gone to Cape Cod for a few days' sojourn.
   Mr. Edmund Mott, of Mott's Corners, is building a fine house on Merrick [Maple Avenue—CC editor] street.
   A flag-stone walk has been laid across Main street from the north line of the Garrison block.
   The factory building, now being erected by Mr. C. B. Hitchcock, is rapidly assuming magnificent proportions.
   A handsome flag-stone step or platform is being put down in front of the stores of S. E. Welch and C. W. Collins.
   Messrs. A. Mahan, Geo. L. Warren and John Sizelan left on Monday for a few days' fishing at Stony Point, Thousand Islands.
   Prof. T. B. Stowell, accompanied by Prof. Beecher, of Albany, is making a geological survey of Herkimer and other interior counties of the State.
   The Cortland Dramatic Society gave an entertainment' at McGrawville last Saturday evening, and was greeted by a full house. They gave excellent satisfaction, and have been invited to visit that place again.
   The contract for the erection of the new Congregational church has been given to Mr. J. E. Van Cleek, a well known and successful church builder of Syracuse, for $11,000. Work will be commenced at once, as the contract calls for the completion of the edifice by the first of December, 1882.
   The Marathon Independent has just celebrated its twelfth birthday, and has reason for congratulating itself on increasing prosperity. Well, we are glad to know it, and we hope that shekels will continue to add themselves to Ed.'s pile until, until—well as long as he lives, for he deserves such good fortune.
   The net receipts of the sociable, given at Taylor Hall, on the evening of July 14, by the ladles of the Catholic congregation, were $210, which were used to purchase a gold watch and chain, worth $170, for Rev. John McLoughlin, and the balance, with $30 additional, a gold chain for Rev. Thomas McLoughlin, who were made the recipients, on Sunday evening following. We give elsewhere an account of the presentation.
   The rails for the horse railroad being delayed in their arrival here, and not wishing to keep Main street in confusion any longer than is absolutely necessary, contractor McHenry, on Monday morning, skipped from the Messenger House to the Cortland House, and now the ties are laid from Mill [Clinton Avenue—CC editor] street to Grant street.
   Mr. Eli Stafford, having read in a paper of a lamb that, when foaled, weighed over eleven pounds, and having had experience in sheep raising, tells us of a Cotswold lamb of his own flock, that, four hours after birth, weighed sixteen and a half pounds, and that last Saturday, when four months old, weighed one hundred and thirty-six pounds; and asks farmers if they can show better success. We trust that farmers will accept Mr. Stafford's challenge and tell us of their experiences. We trust, also, that they will see the propriety of doing with their lambs as owners of poultry do with their big eggs—lay them on the editor's table. Bring on your lambs, gentlemen.
   The proceedings of the Board of Supervisors, commencing with the year 1814, which we are now publishing, are from the original minutes, as kept by the clerk of the board. They are carefully compared with the copy, so that they may be, in all respects, exact as to particulars—names, dates, figures, etc. These records are worth preserving, as they have never before, we believe, been printed. Many of our readers will recognize some of the names as those of their ancestors. For instance, Joseph Reynolds was the father of Mrs. Arthur Holmes, of Cortland; Moses Kinne, father of Mrs. John McFarlan, Cortland; Moses Hopkins, of L. D. C. Hopkins, Cortland; Henry L. Randall, of Orrin Randall, Solon; Samuel G. Hathaway, of C. L. Hathaway, Solon; Adin Webb, of Mrs. Edgcomb, Cortland; Jesse Ives, of Frederick Ives, Cortland; Darius Kinne, grandfather of the editor of THE NEWS; etc.
   On the first of October Miss Josie Folger will become one of the Faculty of the Tileston Normal school at Wilmington, North Carolina. She will have charge of the grammar department, will teach elocution in all the departments, and have charge of the dramatic entertainments, which are similar to the Cortland Normal rhetorical exercises on Friday, except that they consist of plays presented with theatrical accessories. The salary is $75 per month, for an eight months' continuous term, beginning Oct. 2, next. There were forty applicants for the position. The school bears the name of its founder, a wealthy gentleman of Boston, who pays $5,000 a year toward its expenses. Miss Folger is a graduate of the Normal, class of January, 1881, and is one of the six young ladies who had sufficient sense, pride and spirit to refuse to stultify themselves by passing a few hours in the school during the following term in order to obtain Mr. Gilmour's signature to their diplomas. She is a good scholar, and has shown herself to be an excellent teacher. We congratulate her on having obtained so favorable a position in a school of so high a grade, and the school in having secured the service of one whom we know to be competent, and who will, we doubt not, achieve popularity and success in her new field of labor and place of residence. She will leave for Wilmington the last of September, and the esteem and kindest wishes of many friends will go with her.

Surprise and Presentation.
   Last Sunday evening, directly after vespers at the Catholic church, Rev. John McLoughlin was informed that, as soon as he had removed his vestments, the congregation wished to see him. Complying with the request, he returned to the auditorium, when Mr. M. F. Cleary stepped forward and addressed him substantially as follows:
   “Rev. John McLoughlin: There are moments in men's lives when they are placed in embarrassing positions. Circumstances place me at this moment in such a position—embarrassing to me to say in your presence, what would be so pleasing in your absence and what, through your modesty, you may deem flattery. Nevertheless, I assure you, reverend sir, it is with pride that I state that your gentlemanly and priestly demeanor has won the hearts of this congregation, and, above all, your able and instructive sermons have made firm and lasting impressions on the minds of all who have been so fortunate as to hear them. You will pardon me, reverend father, if I depart from the strictly religious line of address, and thank you for the patriotic sentiments you have publicly expressed in the cause of poor, down-trodden father-land. I now perform a most pleasing duty in presenting to you, in behalf of the congregation, this watch and chain as a small token of their respect and affection, and hope that the only defect that can be found with it may be that, after a long life of usefulness, it did not afford you all the time you would like in which to serve your God and humanity."
   The reverend gentleman, after accepting the gift, replied in a very affecting manner, thanking the congregation for the beautiful present, and saying that for its intrinsic value he cared but little, but that, representing as it did, the kindly spirit which the congregation had ever manifested toward him, it was of the greatest worth in his estimation. It showed an appreciation of his efforts in their spiritual behalf, and it would greatly encourage him to continue them. The presentation was a complete surprise to him, as, though he had noticed unwonted activity among the ladies for some time past, he thought it was through a determination to make the festival a success. Mr. McLoughlin then delivered a fine discourse which brought tears to many eyes, concluding with again expressing his thanks.
   Mr. Cleary then again stepped forward and in a few choice words presented to Rev. Thomas McLoughlin a handsome gold chain to accompany a watch which had been given to him some time ago, This was another surprise, but the reverend gentleman finally recovered and very feelingly thanked the donors for this elegant token of their regard, bestowing on them his benediction as he took his seat.
   The majestic and venerable Father B. F. McLoughlin, uncle of the young priests, addressed the audience in a manner that bespoke his pride in his two nephews as well as in the congregation. The entire affair was well conceived and most happily executed.

Cortland News, Minutes of March 1815 meeting of Cortland County Board of Supervisors:

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