EDINBURG CATHOLIC CHURCH. The first priest to celebrate mass in Edinburg was Rev. Vincent Bacquelin, who visited the village as early as 1836 and held services in the house of Mrs.Tierney, one of the early settlers of the community. At that time there were but few Catholics in the neighborhood, but in 1845 John Walsh, Dr. William Ruch and Michael Fogarty settled here, and two years later came Mrs. Hannah Ryan, mother of James, Thomas and Richard Ryan and Sister St. Charles. In 1850 the Catholic population was increased by the arrival of Thomas Fitzgibbon, James Mullen, Michael Lynch, Michael McGrayee and Henry Sweetmen, all of whom proved valuable additions to the church. Services were held at different places until 1851, at which time a neat frame temple of worship was erected in the western part of town on a beautiful eminence overlooking Main Cross street. The building was blessed by Bishop De Saint Palais, assisted by Revs. William Doyle and Daniel Maloney and named Holy Trinity. For several years Edinburg was the center of the Columbus, Franklin, Seymour, Henryville, Greenwood, Brownstown, Taylorville, Mt. Erin and Mt. Liberty missions, and consequently became an important point in the Vincennes diocese. The first building was used until 1886. when it was replaced by the present handsome brick structure at a cost of five thousand dollars. This is one of the finest church edifices in Johnson county and reflects great credit upon the parish. Among the priests who have ministered to this church are Fathers Vincent Bacquelin, Daniel Maloney, Edward Martimoore, F.Goesse, Joseph Pettit, William H. Orem, D. J. McMullen, Victor A. Schnell, Anthony Oster, Wagner and Delaney.

 

The Catholic church at Franklin first acquired church property, when it became the owner in 1868 of the old Cumberland Presbyterian church house on South Home avenue. After the Franklin Christian church removed to the corner of Water and King streets, the old church property at Yandes and Madison was bought by the Catholic church, and services have been regularly conducted in that house since. The church is maintained as a mission of the Indianapolis diocese, and for the past four or five years has been ministered to by Father Patrick H. Griffin.

 

Branigin, Elba L.. History of Johnson County, Indiana. Indianapolis, IN: B. F. Bowen & Co., Inc., 1913. pp 379-389

 

Transcribed by Lois Johnson