In 1855, St. Peter was founded in Rutland with Rev. Z. DRUON first resident pastor. In 1830 Rev. Jeremah O’CALLAGHAN of Burlington offered the first Mass in this city. Rev. John DALY administered to 400 Catholics in the area.

In 1857, St. Bridget was founded in West Rutand with Rev. Francis PICARD first resident pastor. Rev. John DALY offered Mass here from 1839 to 1854. Rev. Zephyrin DRUON purchased land for a church in May 1855.

In 1867, Our lady of Good Help was founded in Brandon with Rev. Thomas HALPIN first resident pastor. Earlier Rev. Jeremiah O’CALLAGHN of Burlington, Rev. John DALY and Rev. OLIVETTI of Whitehall, NY attended Brandon Catholics.

In 1866, St. Louis and then Our Lady of Seven Dolors (commonly referred to as St. Mary’s), both predominantly French were established in Fairhaven with Rev. John O’DWYER first resident pastor. In 1836 Rev. Jeremiah O’CALLAGHAN celebrated Mass here. Rev. Louis GAGNIER had organized a French-language parish here in 1869 and built the no longer existing St. Louis Church.

In 1869, Immaculate Heart of Mary, a predominantly French church, was founded in Rutland with Rev. Rev. Louis GAGNIER the first resident pastor. Many Canadians found refuge at Rutland during Quebec’s 1837 Papineau Rebellion. The first known Mass  in Brandon was in 1853 by Rev. Joseph QUEVILLON of Burlington.

In 1876, Our Lady Mother of Mercy mission church was dedicated at Mount Holly. St. Patrick church was dedicated at nearby Wallingford in 1866. In 1910, Rev. Thomas O’DONOGHUE became first resident pastor 0f St. Patrick with Our Lady Mother of Mercy as a mission.

In 1884, St. Raphael was founded in Poultney with Rev. Jerome GELOT first resident pastor. There is no record of priests visiting here before Rev. John B. Daly in 1846. 

In 1885, St. Ann was founded in Middletown Springs near Poultney. 

In 1892, St. Alphonsus Liguori was founded in Pittsford Mills with Rev. Thomas R. CARTY first resident pastor. Rev Patrick BYRNE had visited this town in 1828. The first Mass was said shortly thereafter by Rev. James Fitton of Pittsford. Fathers Jeremiah O’CALLAGHAN and John B. DALY said bimonthly Masses here through 1845. Fr. CARTY said mass at nearby Florence about 1895.

In 1893, St. Dominic was founded in Proctor with Rev. with Rev. Patrick J. LONG first resident pastor. In 1844, the apostle of Southern VT, Rev. John B. Daly – a Franciscan missionary – said the first Mass here.

In 1899, St. John the Baptist was founded in Castleton with Rev. Reverend GLLIGAN first pastor. A  Fr. Walsh visited here in 1831. Rev. Jeremiah O’CALLAGHAN said Mass here in 1832 and visited therafter 3 or 4 times yearly. 
 

In 1850, St. Augustine was founded in Montpelier with  Rev. Hector DROLET the first resident pastor. The first Mass here was said by Rev. Jeremiah O’CALLAGHAN of Burlington.

In 1857, St. Patrick, a predominantly Irish church, was founded in Moretown.  The  parish later became a mission of  St. Andrew in Waterbury.

In 1869, St. Andrew was founded in Waterbury with Rev. John GALLAGHAN first pastor. Rev. Jeremiah O'CALLAGHAN said Mass here in 1847 for Irish workers constructing the Central vermont Railroad.  Apparently there was a St. Vincent Ferrer Church erected in Waterbury in 1857 that was replaced by St. Andrew in 1869/1870.

In 1892, St. Monica, a predominantly French church, was founded in Barre with Rev.Joseph BREVILET first pastor. Rev. J.M. DUGLUE of Monpelier had celebrated Mass here in 1881.

In 1899, St. Sylvester was founded in Graniteville with Rev. Thomas DONAHUE the first resident pastor. Mass was first offered here about 1885; by 1889, Barre and Northfield priests conducted services here twice monthly.
 

In 1855, St. Michael was founded in Brattleboro with Rev. Charles O’REILLY the first resident pastor. The first Mass was offered here in 1848 by father SHAW who remained for some time. Reverends Jeremiah O’CALLAGHAN and John DALY visited her at irregular intervals. 

In 1871, St. Charles was founded in Bellows Falls. Rev. John DALY said the first Mass here in 1848. Reverends DALY and Zephyrin DRUON visited here regularly.
 

In 1855, Holy Name of Mary was founded in Proctorsville with Rev. Charles O’REILLY coming from Brattleboro. Rev. John B. DALY first visited here in 1848. The is now attended by the pastor of St. Joseph in Chester.
 
 

When searching for a Franco-Vermonter baptism, marriage or burial the first guide is to search first in Quebec. This is particularly true if the event occurred before about 1840. Quebec marriages can usually be found in the blue Drouin volumes or the Loiselle Index. To search for a Quebec baptism or burial one would have to know the parish and then look in the microfilmed records of that parish.

If an event likely occurred in VT, the first place to look is the VT Vital Records, then the city/town records, and finally in the records of the Catholic Church if there was one in the area at the approximate time of the event. U.S Censuses can be some help when trying to construct a family, as well as to obtain  the approximate year and place each member of the family was born. 
 

Gerald O. Lesperance
August 2001