Records of the American Catholic Historical Society of Philadelphia (Volume 3)

This historic book may have numerous typos, missing text, images, or index. Purchasers can download a free scanned copy of the original book (without typos) from the publisher. 1891. Not illustrated. Excerpt: ... GOSHENHOPPEN REGISTERS. (second Series.) 1765-178 DEGREES. [Translated and annotated by Rev. Thomas C. Middleton, D.D., O. S. A.] With this second series of the Goshenhoppen registers is concluded the publication of presumably the oldest records now extant relating to the Catholic missions of Pennsylvania. These registers belonged formerly to the old mission church of St. Paul, known since 1837 as the church of the Most Blessed Sacrament, at Goshenhoppen, now Bally, in Washington township, Berks county, Penna. They contained the records of the baptisms, conversions, marriages, deaths and burials, as kept by the Rev. Theodore Schneider and his successor, Rev. John Baptist Ritter, both Jesuits, who for forty-four years, namely, from 1741 to 1785, were in charge of Goshenhoppen and its outlying missions. John Gilmary Shea, L, L. D., refers frequently to the mission of Goshenhoppen and its two earliest rectors in his valuable History of the Catholic Church in the United States. In Volume I., at page 447, he gives a picture of the old church at Goshenhoppen. Mr. Philip S. P. Conner, in his paper on The Early Church Registers of Pennsylvania, printed in the second volume of the Records of the American Catholic Historical Society (Philadelphia, 1889), gives a brief description of the Goshenhoppen registers. In 1741, the mission of Gosjienhoppen was opened by Father Schneider, who attended it until his death, July 10, 1764, and was succeeded by Father Ritter, who continued in charge until toward the close of his life, February 3, 1787. In the second volume of the Records of this Society was published the first part of these Registers as kept by Father Schneider. It takes up some twenty-five pages in the original. In this present volume of the Records is co...