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166 CONEWAGO—A COLLECTION OF
GATHERING UP THE SCRAPS.
A. M.D. G. ET B. M. V. H.
We gather up the fragments that remain, ** LEST THEY BE Lost.”’ They
may seem trifling to some ; others can appreciate their importance, to whom
such scraps of our early church history that is lost and forgotten would in-
deed be valuable. So with these : they will grow in interest. They might
be put in better shape,. and come in more consecutive order, but time will
not allow. The object we have most in mind is their PRESERVATION.
Rev. James Stillinger, a priest in Western Pennsylvania, (see LAMBING'S
Hist. of Western Pa., p. 402), died Sept. 18, 1878. His father was born in
York Co., Pa. Fr. 8. worked as a printer in Chambersburg and Gettysburg,
when a boy ; entered St. Mary’s College through Father Dubois, and became
a priest in 1830, Lambing mentions a priest at Conewago in 1789, named
John B. Causey, who did missionary work in Western Pennsylvania. He
came from Philadelphia to Conewago and from there was called to attend
the death-bed of Father Browers, in Westmoreland Co., Pa. This Father,
among other bequests, willed some personal property “for the use of the
Poor Roman Catholic Irish, that does or shall live at the Chappel, on Cone-
wagga.’’? There is no record of what became of Father Causey, (see LAM-
BING, p. 864.) Rev. Francis Fromm came from Germany in 1789, and from
Conewago he went to the Western Pa. Missions. Father Pellentz visited
these missions from Conewago. Rev. Peter Heilbron was among the early
priests in Western Pa. He died at Carlisle about 1816. Father Brosius.
while at Conewago, also visited McGuire's settlement, in Cambria Co., and
after him came Father Galhtzin. Rev. Jas. Bradley, a priest in Blair Co.,
was ordained at Conewago, Sept. 20th, 1830, by Bishop Kenrick. Father
O’Brien, one of the first priests in Pittsburg. spent a short time at Conewago
about 1820. when his health compelled his retirement from active labor in
_ the ministry.
Rey. A. A. Lambing’s father was baptized at Conewago April 12th, 1807,
and became one of the pioneer Catholics of Western Pennsylvania. Father
Lambing is widely known for his valuable and extensive research in Catho-
lic history, and also as a learned writer on Catholic subjects. His labors in
the interest of Catholic local history haye been very successful, The most
laudable effort of his life is the establishment of a publication devoted to the
early history of the Catholic Church in this country. Catholics should en-
courage it, and make it permanent,
Fragments of names and dates, gathered from the old account books at
Conewagu : Among those employed as Jaborers when the priests yet farmed
the Jand, we find the following: John Strasbaugh, blacksmith : Henry
Small, Alex. Robinson, Peter Majors, George Nace, Julian Plunket, Mary
Koch, Cath. Chambers, Mary O'Neil, Susan and Mary Will, Eliz. Dellone,
Mary Major, Cath. Baker, Mar. Strasbaugh ; Peter O'Neil, who entered the
house on Monday, July 23d, 1827; Madalene Shaffer, John Adams. 1833,
Aug. 28d, to Rev. Mr. Curley, of Georgetown, for expenses to return to col-
lege. May 19th. Father Vespre on stage to Georgetown, 1834, paid to Rev.