Identifier: historyofoldbrai00patt (find matches)
Title: A history of old Braintree and Quincy : with a sketch of Randolph and Holbrook
Year: 1878 (1870s)
Authors: Pattee, William S. (William Samuel) John Adams Library (Boston Public Library) BRL
Subjects: Braintree (Mass.) -- History Quincy (Mass.) -- History Holbrook (Mass.) -- History Randolph (Mass.) -- History
Publisher: Quincy (Mass.) : Published by Green & Prescott ...
Contributing Library: John Adams Library at the Boston Public Library
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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their currentexpenses. Its seating capacity was about four hundred. Itsworshippers increased so rapidly after its erection, that two addi-tions were made to it. In the fall of 187(5, the idea was sug-gested of constructing a basement room under the church, butit was not favorably received by the parish, and was given uj)for a time. In 1851, the Catholic worshippers of the central part of thetown found it very inconvenient to travel so far as West Quincyto church; to obviate this difficulty Father Rodden, in 1851,purchased a site for a church of )Mr. Francis Williams, ouSchool street, corner of Oay; where immediately after theremoval of the house and barn that stood on the land, theybegan building operations. They soon found, however, that theirfinances Avere not sufficient to complete the building. Thiscaused a suspension for a few months, or until a proper amountof funds could be procured for its completion. This was ac-complished in a short time, and they soon had the gratification
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EELIGIOUS SOCIETIES. 279 of having this fine edifice dedicated in 1853, tlie solemn andimposing ceremony being performed by the Right Rev, BishopFitzpatrick, and was called St. Johns Church. Its seating capac-ity was about four hundred. Eighteen years from this time, itwas found expedient to enlarge this meeting-house, for the bet-ter accommodation of the increasing wants of the society ; anddirectly steps were taken for this purpose by purchasing, in 1871,about an acre of land adjoining the church, of the late John D,Whicher. In August, 1872, workmen began the excavation forthe basement of this enlargement, and in the fall of the sameyear, the old church, with its original spire, was moved abouttwenty feet to the westward upon its present site, after havingbeen raised twelve feet or more. Two large wings were added,—one to its east and the other to its west side—and an exten-sion of about fifty feet to its southerly end. The corner stoneAvas laid with impressive and grand ceremon

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