The History of St. Philip & St. James Church
1858-2008
Part I
The history of the Catholic Church in Phillipsburg dates from the time the first Catholic settled in the community. There are records indicating Catholics were in Warren County as early as 1776. Their spiritual needs were provided by the Jesuit priests who came to the area several times a year from Old St. Joseph's Church in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
Father Francis Farmer, whose German name "Steinmeyer", was anglicized when he came to America and joined the Society of Jesus in 1743. Between 1759 and 1781 he traveled throughout the State of New Jersey on horseback over trails, some that were Indian paths. To those Catholics who held their faith so dear, he said Mass and administered the sacraments. The first record of a Catholic Baptism in Warren County took place in Changewater, when on July 7, 1776 John Nicholas and Margaret Call were Baptized. The next Baptizim was on October 17, 1776, John William Call received the Sacrament of Baptizim.
In 1829, the Catholics of Phillipsburg attended Mass in a rented home thought to be located at 151 South 5th Street in Easton, Pennsylvania. The people from Easton made plans to erect St. Bernard's Catholic Church across the street. At the time, there were about 100 Catholics who attended Mass from both sides of the Delaware River. St. Bernard's Catholic Church was dedicated on August 21, 1836 and served as the place of worship for many families in New Jersey and surrounding areas of Pennsylvania. Fr. Hugh Brady (1844-1847) and Fr. Thomas Reardon (1847-1882) traveled as far as Newton and Plainfield, New Jersey, to administer the sacraments to the faithful in those areas.
An interesting article taken from the August 28, 1859 issue of The Daily Express said, "A new Catholic Church will shortly be erected in Phillipsburg, we learn. Some of the Catholics of that place now worship at St. Bernard's Church in Easton, but the edifice is entirely too small for the accommodation of the two places. The clergyman, Rev. James McKee, who is to take charge of the congregation in Phillipsburg when the new church is built, will be present at service at St. Bernard's tomorrow."
A large number of Irish Catholics migrated to the Phillipsburg area in the middle of the nineteenth century when the railroads were being developed. Father McKee organized the Phillipsburg Catholics by celebrating Masses in the various homes. He was transferred in late 1859 after serving the area for over a year. Father John Smith of Paterson, New Jersey, was assigned by Most Rev. James Roosevelt Bayley, Bishop of Newark, the task of collecting money for the creation of the Church of St. Philip and St. James.
At the time funds were being raised, Mass was celebrated in John Smith's house, a brick home located around 751 Sitgreaves Street. Until 1887 the 700 block of Sitgreaves Street began at Stockton Street. The site of Smith's home is now part of the Atlantic States Cast Iron Pipe Company. According to a Warren County map published in 1874 by F. W. Beers & Co. of New York, John Smith lived in the Sitgreaves Street home that year. According to Josephine Connell Shay, great-grandaughter to Mathew Connell, Masses were next celebrated in Connell's home located at 561 South Main Street. Masses were also celebrated at the home located at 521 South Main Street. Virginia Roerty Wagner, who later lived in the home, said that when they removed the wallpaper from the living room walls, angels that had been painted on the walls were revealed. Her mother lived in the home until the early 1970's, and the angels were never painted over.
In September of 1859, the Church purchased a 100X200 foot tract of land from Hiram Heckman located at South Main and Stockton Streets for the sum of $900.00. Father Smith began the erection of the first Catholic Church in Phillipsburg on that site.
Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley of Newark
laid the cornerstone of the Church on September 7, 1860. Shortly thereafter,
Father Smith became quite ill and passed away in a Newark, New Jersey,
hospital in October 1860, never having the privilege of seeing the Church
completed. In checking the early Baptismal records of St. Philip and
St. James Church, the first two recorded are:
April 29, 1860—John Smyth, son of William and Mary Smyth—born
April 19, 1860. Baptized by Father F. Vollmeyer, Pastor of S. Easton Church.
Sponsors were Patrick Smyth and Jane Smyth.
May 4, 1860—Mary Anne Cummings, daughter of Patrick and Bridget Cummings—born May 1, 1860. Baptized by Father F. Vollmeyer, Pastor of S. Easton Church. Sponsors were Michael Keliy and Bridget Cummings.
The first marriage in the original church took place on May 12, 1861, when Timothy Connelly married Catherine Reilly. Father Cornelius J. O'Reilly officiated and the witnesses were John Leonard and Margaret Murphy. Early marriage records included those performed in Belvidere and Oxford.
On December 20, 1860, the Rev. Cornelius J. O'Reilly arrived in Phillipsburg to take charge of the parish of St. Philip and St. James. He celebrated the first Mass in the uncompleted church on December 25, 1860. There was nothing to keep out the bitter cold of that day, except for the muslin tacked in the window frames to serve as windows. There was no heat. The church was completed in the spring of 1861, and there was a congregation of 500.
The total cost of the first Church as of 1861, was $8,000.00. It was located on the back part of the lot, was made of frame, and had a white picket fence around it.
From 1866 through 1869, as money became available, various improvements were made in the Church. The Trustees met in the Church basement on January 15, 1866 and decided that a gallery should be erected; also, the pews of the church should be capped with walnut in accordance with the architect's plan. In March of that year, it was resolved that "pews get three coats of paint and the walnut capping of the same be varnished with the best "Coach" varnish." On June 15, 1866, it was resolved "two side altars be erected with appropriate statues of the Immaculate Mother of God and her Chaste Spouse, St. Joseph." In November, it was resolved "privies be dug and built in a most helpful and accommodating manner; also a stable for a horse and wagon, owned by the Pastor, should be erected".
In February, 1867, "pews for the gallery were on order to accommodate a number of applicants for same". In those days, members of the parish paid an annual rent for their pew.
In November 1868, a decision was made to place a fence in front of the church to be cast iron and placed in granite stone. Paved hard brick sidewalks were to be laid. Flagstone walks were to be placed from the front fence to the Church at the rear of the lot. On March 3, 1869, gas fitting chandeliers were ordered for the Church, as well as the rectory, which was erected in 1864. It was at that same meeting that it was decided a purchase of a suitable site for a school and "sisters' house" be given consideration.
