The following is an account of the establishment of the Catholic congregation at Portland, Louisville, Kentucky, as taken from “Record of the Acts and Proceedings of the Catholic Congregation established at Portland, Louisville, Kentucky, the Sixteenth Day of July of the year Eighteen Hundred Thirty–nine, by the authority of right Rev. Guy Ignatius Chabrat, Bishop Coadjutor of Bardstown.”

 

Since a long time the numerous Catholics living at Portland, and consisting mostly of French, besides several Irish, Americans and Germans, begged a priest residing among them.  They were indebted within these last years to the zeal of Very Rev. Fr. Badin, General Vicar of Kentucky, for having from time to time the Divine Service performed among them, and for receiving the instructions of the Catholic faith.  But Fr. Badin being often called elsewhere by his other numerous and extensive labors, and his presence at Portland being but temporary, several notable inhabitants of Portland, interpreters of the sentiments of the whole Catholic population, expressed at several times to the Catholic Bishop of Kentucky their ardent wish that Portland would be erected in congregation, and appointed for the residents of a Catholic priests, offering all that would be necessary for the honorable support of a pastor, and the exercise of Catholic worship.

 

Complying with that pious request, the Right Rev. Guy Ignatius Chabrat, Bishop Coadjutor of Bardstown the sixteenth of July of this year, eighteen hundred and thirty–nine, has erected Portland into a congregation, and has written to Rev. M. Perche, Superior of the Diocesan Seminary of St. Thomas, to go and take care of the congregation of Portland, and there to administer Sacraments, and discharge of pastoral duties.  On the fourteenth of August following, the Rev. M. Perche, has come down to Portland, presented his credentials to Misters Maquaire, Perrot and Banon, appointed by Fr. Banon members of a provisional committee of management; he has taken possession of the congregation, and the day following, Assumption–Day, he has begun the exercise of his functions by performing the Divine Service.  The first care of the new pastor, agreeably to the intention of the Bishop, has been to determine with the Rev. Mr. Coomes, temporary pastor of Louisville, the limits between the congregations, both of Louisville and Portland, in order to prevent all contests about jurisdiction.  The result has been that the dividing boundary between the congregations of Louisville and Portland is a right line from the Ohio River to the stone bridge which is on the Louisville’s canal; from the stone bridge a right line to the head of the road called Salt River Road, and the same Salt River Road to the distance of fifteen miles, as to what concerns Portland’s congregation, conformably to the second article of the first section of the regulations published by the Bishop Coadjutor of Bardstown.  On every other side of the congregation of Portland is altogether included within the Ohio and Salt River, always with the restriction expressed in the foresaid article.

 

Mooring Rings from Portland Wharf 1799 – 1830

The Rev. M. Perche has hastened also to entreat the Bishop to ratify the nomination of the members of the provisional committee of management, and to appoint a fourth one, in conformity to the regulations, in order that they could begin the regular course of their proceedings.  By a letter in answer to that request, at the date of the eighteenth of August, eighteen hundred and thirty–nine, Bishop Chabrat has appointed members of the Committee of Management of Portland’s Congregation Misters Maquaire, Perrot, Banon and Fausset (Fosse).

 

This account of the erection of Portland’s congregation is conformable to truth in all its parts, and as such is subscribed by us members of the Committee of Management, the twentieth of August, eighteen hundred and thirty–nine.

C. Maquaire

Eugene Perrot

Louis Fosse

William Banon

N. J. Perche, priest

 

Parish Boundary

At the time of the establishment of the parish, there were only two Catholic churches in Louisville, the second Church of St. Louis, which stood on the site of the present Cathedral, and the Church of St. Boniface.  The parish boundary between the Church of Our Lady and the Church of St. Louis is now Eighteenth Street.  “The stone bridge which is on the Louisville’s canal” was at the head, or north end, of the street.  On the south side of the town, the road continued as the Salt River Road.  This road was later called the Elizabethtown turnpike, the Nashville turnpike and now the Dixie Highway.  The territory of the parish of Our Lady was large, embracing all the land between Eighteenth Street and the Ohio River and extending as far as West Point, Kentucky.  It is of interest to note that the following churches were later build within the territory that at one time comprise the parish of Our Lady: St. Anthony’s, St. Benedict’s, St. Cecilia’s, St. Charles Borromeo’s, Christ the King, St. Columba’s, St. Denis’, St. George’s and Holy Cross.

 

First Meeting, August 25, 1839

The twenty–fifth of August, eighteen hundred and thirty–nine, the trustees of Portland congregation, convocated conformably to the regulations, have held their first meeting.

 

The first object of the committee has been to vote thanks to Rev. Fr. Badin, for the indefatigable and disinterested zeal with which he has devoted himself to the spiritual welfare of the Catholics of Portland.  The committee is certain to be in this occasion by a faithful interpreter of the sentiments of the whole population.

 

By a second determination the committee has resolved that all their acts as well as the records of baptisms, marriages and burials, should be written in English and French, in order that nobody could be ignorant of them.

 

The committee has afterwards proceeded to the election of a secretary, a treasurer, and church wardens.  The Rev. M. Perche has been entreated to discharge the duties of the secretary.  Mr. Maquaire has been elected treasurer, and Misters Banon and Fausset (Fosse) have been appointed church wardens.

 

The committee has afterwards deliberated on the salary to be given to the pastor of the congregation, and on the means of providing for the expenses of the church.  A voluntary subscription having been already opened, and having produced good results, the committee relying on the goodwill of all the Catholics who compose the congregation has deemed that means of providing for all expenses sufficient until the church would be able to supply all its wants in any other way.

 

The committee having offered to the Rev. M. Perche Either to give him $300 per annum, on condition of providing altogether with this sum for all his expenses, or to give him $150 the year, and to board him, that is to supply him with lodging, table, fire and candle, and to keep his horse.  M. Perche has accepted this last proposal.  Consequently, for this year the committee oblige themselves to pay M. Perche the sum of $150, which will be paid by quarters.  Mr. Banon agrees to keep his horse, and Mr. Maquaire to give him the table.  The produce of the subscription, after the salary of the pastor being paid, will be spent to pay for his lodging, fire and candle.  These regulations are made only for one year, beginning on the fifteenth of August, 1839.  Nevertheless if before the end of the year and the difficulties, which are not foreseen, would occur about the boarding and lodging, the Rev. M. Perche, in accord with the committee, would take other determinations.

 

The members of the committee have appointed for their next meeting the first of September next.

C. Maquaire

Eugene Perrot

Louis Fosse

William Banon

N. J. Perche, priest

 

Meeting of September 1, 1839

The committee has deemed it proper to prepare for the congregation a room exclusively used for the exercise of Catholic worship until they can build up a church.  Misters Maquaire and Perrot have been commissioned to search a proper place for that purpose.  The committee, in the name of the congregation, take this opportunity to express their thankfulness to Misters Maquaire and Perot, who in several occasions have given a room in their houses for the celebration of the Divine Service.

 

The members of the committee have appointed for their next meeting the eighth of September.

C. Maquaire

Eugene Perrot

Louis Fosse

William Banon

N. J. Perche, priest

 

Meeting of September 8, 1839

According to the determination taken in the preceding meeting, Mr. McQuaire and Perot have proposed to the committee to choose for the church an upper room, which can be kept for $3 the month, in the house called Cedar Grove.  This choice has been approved of.  The committee has determined that the room would be directly prepared in the proper manner in order that it could be held as soon as possible, and that expenses necessary to put it in order would be paid with the subscription, as well as the rent of the room.

C. Maquaire

Eugene Perrot

Louis Fosse

William Banon

N. J. Perche, priest

 

Meeting of October 2, 1839

The members having been regularly convoked, the Rev. M. Perche has made known to the committee some expenses already made to fix in a proper manner the room rented for the church, which has been opened to Catholic worship the twenty–second of September last, and will continue open indefinitely.  The committee has moreover authorized M. Perche and Mr. Maquaire to make yet some other expenses thought necessary to make that room altogether decent.

 

The committee has afterwards deliberated on the means of paying to M. Perche the first quarter of his salary.  In order to supply for all those expenses, the committee has resolved that they would begin as soon as possible to raise the money of the subscription.  In consequence of it, conformably to the regulations, Misters Maquaire and Fausset (Fosse) have been appointed collectors for the French and German, and Misters Maquaire and Banon for the Americans and Irish.  The collectors will complete as much as possible the list of the subscribers of presenting the subscription to those who have not yet heard of it, and will collect the sum for which everyone has subscribed.  They will keep a list on which they will exactly inscribe when they receive, and will return the money to the treasure as soon as possible.

 

In order to give more facility to everyone to pay their subscription, it was determined by the committee that it would be collected by quarters, but everyone is at liberty to pay all at once for the whole year.  As much as possible every quarter will be collected in advance.

C. Maquaire

Eugene Perrot

Louis Fosse

William Banon

N. J. Perche, priest

 

The Upper Room

Blessed Upper Room!  The first Church of Our Lady!  Long will you live in the memory of the children of the parish.  As on the first Holy Thursday in the ‘Upper Room,’ the Lamb of God again gave Himself to men, and was sacrificed for the living and the dead.  Behold the abode of the God of the universe – the upper room of the tavern.

 

Many of the older members of the parish remember hearing their parents described the frame structure called the Tavern which stood in the center of the present Cedar Grove Court, and they have heard them tell, too, how later, when the Sisters of Loretto took over Cedar Grove, and built to the front of this building facing toward the Church of Our Lady, the tavern became their community room.

 

The ‘Upper Room’ was made as fitting as possible and the first Holy Mass was offered September 22, 1839.

 

The first baptism was performed on September 28, 1839:

On the twenty–eighth, I undersigned have administered baptism to William, seven months old, son of Archibald Fain (or Frain) and Elizabeth Roberts, his wife.  Godmother Helen Lees.  The child died about an hour afterwards.

 

The first funeral is quaintly recorded on November 2, 1839:

On the second, I undersigned buried Frances Xavier Marchand, deceased on the preceding day.  Thirty–two years old.

 

In this ‘Upper Room’, God, through the ministry of His Priest, blessed the first marriage on May 30, 1840:

On the thirtieth, I undersigned have joined together in marriage, John and Mary Ann Ohlen, both Catholics.

 

To the Catholic heart there is no more touching scene than children receiving First Holy Communion, so we can readily imagine the feelings of these good people as a witness their children receiving their Lord and their God for the first time, as their spiritual food and strength.  Truly they must have placed themselves in spirit with the Apostles on the first Holy Thursday in the first Upper Room.

 

First Holy Communion Class, June 18, 1840

 

Meeting of October 10, 1839

The committee has been assembled in order to give to the gentleman appointed collectors an “authentique” by which they would be authorized to present themselves to all Catholics who compose the congregation of Portland, in order to propose to them a subscription, and receive what they would subscribe for.  The authorization, of which a copy signed by all the members has been delivered to the collectors, is expressed as follows: [list of subscribers]

 

The Rev. M. Perche, having been appointed by Right Rev. Bishop Chabrat, Coadjutor of Bardstown, pastor of the Catholic congregation established at Portland, and Misters Maquaire, Perrot, Banon and Fausset (Fosse), having been appointed by the same Bishop members of the committee of management of the foresaid congregation – these five gentlemen, assembled conformably to the regulations published for the Catholic Churches of Kentucky, have resolved in their meeting of the twenty–fifth of August, eighteen hundred and thirty–nine, that a voluntary subscription should be opened, in order to provide for the supporting of a priest, and the exercise of Catholic worship.

 

In another meeting of the second of October, Misters Maquaire and Fausset (Fosse) have been appointed collectors for French and Germans, and Misters Maquaire and Banon for Americans and Irish.  Consequently these gentlemen are authorized to present themselves to all Catholics included within the limits of the congregation of Portland, and to collect the sum for which everyone will please to subscribe.

 

At Portland, the tent of October, eighteen hundred and thirty–nine, follows the signature of the members of the committee and the list of the subscribers.

C. Maquaire

Eugene Perrot

Louis Fosse

William Banon

N. J. Perche, priest

 

Meeting of January 5, 1840

The members, regularly convoked, have determined that in order to disburden Mr. Maquaire from a part of the functions he has to fulfill Mr. Clancy will be joined to Mr. Banon as collector for Americans and Irish.  Misters Maquaire and Fosse will continue being collectors for the French and German.

 

The committee has determined afterwards, on the request of M. Perche, that he would supply for all his expenses, and would receive $65 the quarter, in all $260 per annum.  Mr. Banon will continue for his subscription to keep Mr. Perche’s horse.

C. Maquaire

Eugene Perrot

Louis Fosse

William Banon

N. J. Perche, priest

 

Little is known of Thomas Clancy mentioned in the meeting of the fifth of January, save that his wife was Jane Carney and they have a child, Ann Catherine, who was born October 31, 1839.  No doubt the Clancy family moved from Portland in the early ‘40s.

               

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