History
CLICK HERE FOR A CATHOLIC VIRGINIAN ARTICLE ON ST. PAUL'S HISTORY.
St. Paul's History Room and Library
There are a number of items related to the history of St.
Paul's Catholic Church on display in the History Room and Library which
is located in the Father Walsh Center. Included are antique silver
serving pieces belonging to Father Joseph Plunkett, pastor of St. Paul's
from 1856 to 1870, First Communion prayer books from the early 1900s,
Sunday school books from the 1870s, early photographs, and many other
items of historic interest to the parish. The library will be open
on designated Sundays between Masses beginning in the Fall of 2009 and
by appointment with Mary Sue O'Brien, 483-3087. Parishioners are
encouraged to visit the library to view the displays and to peruse the
numerous religious books available for check-out.
St. Paul's Memorabilia Wanted!
Does anyone have old photos or memorabilia tucked away of St.
Paul's Church, St. Joseph's School (especially the original one), the
early convent on Dinwiddie Street, St. Paul's School for Boys (the
Brothers' School), St. Paul's Elementary School on King Street, and the
Catholic Club? If you do, we would like to include them in the
History Committee's collection of items that represent and capture St.
Paul's history in all its various aspects. The items can be
photos, articles, documents, programs, yearbooks, etc. Please call
Mary Sue O'Brien at 483-3087. I will copy your originals, if
necessary. Thank you!
Notes from the History Committee (28 June 2009)
Continuing its mission to research and document the history of St.
Paul’s, the History Committee has
verified the existence of a burial place used during the nineteenth
century for early parishioners and
clergy on the church property. Among those buried on this site were:
• Patrick Robertson, a bakehouse owner who died in 1809. He bequeathed
the funds to purchase the property on which all five churches have been
built and to construct the first St. Paul’s.
• Bartholomew and Rosalie Accinelli, refugees from the French colony of
San Domingue (now called Haiti). They settled in Portsmouth and were
among the founding members of this congregation.
• Antonio Sylvestre Bilisoli, the son-in-law of Bartholomew and Rosalie
Accinelli who was also among the founding members of St. Paul’s Parish.
He fought in the American Revolution and was with Admiral DeGrasse at
the Battle of Yorktown.
• Father Francis Devlin, pastor of St. Paul’s from 1844 to 1855. Father
Devlin died ministering to the citizens of Portsmouth during the Yellow
Fever epidemic of 1855. A monument located on the High Street side of
the church was erected in 1856 in his honor by the parishioners of St.
Paul’s and the citizens of Portsmouth.
• Father Joseph Plunkett, pastor from 1856 to 1870. This beloved priest
was pastor during the Civil War and oversaw the construction of the
fourth St. Paul’s completed in 1868. He was buried under the altar
of that church.
The History Committee has recently installed a bronze and granite marker
in the churchyard on Washington Street between the church and the Father
Walsh Center noting the site of the burial ground and the names of some
of those persons interred there.