By Msgr. Noel Burtenshaw

The old ledger was laying there in the drawer. Father John Fallon, pastor of St. Joseph’s church in Washington, Georgia, brought it to my attention. “Take a look at that,” he said, pointing to the old but well-bound book in his brightly furnished office. I looked and thought “what a find.”

The old ledger had printed on the cover “Register of Baptisms at Locust Grove and Sharon, Ga. from 1845.” Its pages are yellowing now and in places the ink fades, but the information and the personalities who used the book are most historic.

This church register records not only the baptisms but also the marriages, some anointings of sick parishioners and the deaths that took place in this northeastern Georgia territory between 1845 and 1946. Many of the most famous Georgia priests of this period served in the Locust Grove/Sharon/Washington area and their signatures are in the book along with their testimony that sacraments were administered and the Gospel was announced.

This area of Georgia and this parish of the Archdiocese of Atlanta is very sparsely populated now, but back in the early part of the last century a vibrant Catholic community was present.

The community actually began in 1770 when a Catholic colony migrated from Maryland to Locust Grove. There they became most successful plantation growers and established a cultural center which thrived. A church and school was founded and many influential civic and church leaders would emerge from both. In March 1984 a comprehensive article on the Locust Grove/Sharon community appeared in the Georgia Bulletin.

Thanks to the recent efforts of Father John Fallon, the cemetery at Locust Grove has been restored and is once again a fitting memorial to those first Catholic settlers. About 1840, when the railroad came to that part of the state, the colony moved to Sharon from Locust Grove – a distance of only three miles – to be near the new railroad. When, eventually, the cotton industry died, the colony like so many others, faded.

The ledger recalls many memories and names of those early days and interesting items, too. For example, page one begins “Register of Baptisms in the Church of the Purification of the B.V. Mary and of St. Patrick (Washington).” Of course, the church in Washington has been called St. Joseph’s for many years. The name “Joseph” was given to the boys’ orphanage which existed in the town for many years and was served by the sisters of St. Joseph. But the earlier church was named St. Patrick. In fact when the Sisters of St. Joseph arrived in Washington in 1875, the parish church was called St. Patrick’s.

The first inscriber in the book was indeed an historic figure. He was Father Peter Whelan, who was pastor in Locust Grove from 1838 until 1856. Among the colony he was revered both as pastor and scholar. He was also an expert farmer and his advice on the soil was sought by many.

There are seven baptismal entries on the first page made by Father Whelan. Two of those entries are of particular interest. One, dated May 10, 1845 reads: “I baptized Susan, aged 12 years, John Peter, aged 3 years and Catherine, aged three months, slaves of Alexander Seemes. Parents Abraham and Emilia. Sponsor Lavinia. (signed) Peter Whelan.” The other reads: “May 30^th I baptized Georgia Ann born March 29^th, slave of Ths. Seemes. Parents Granson and Elizabeth. Sponsor Catrinie. (signed) Peter Whelan.” There are other slave entries until the year 1851. After that year none appear. It will be recalled that the political furor over slavery was in progress at this very time and the war between the States began in 1861.

Peter Whelan became a well known figure during that war. Father Thomas O’Reilly was remembered for his homilies in the city of Atlanta as a Civil War priest. Peter Whelan was known all over the South.

He was born in Co. Wexford, Ireland in 1800. He came to the Diocese of Charleston (at the time North Carolina, South Carolina, Georgia and parts of Florida). He was a missionary in many parts of the huge territory until becoming pastor of the colony in Locust Grove in 1838. After completing this assignment, he went to the cathedral in Savannah for many years. (The Diocese of Savannah which included all of Georgia was established in 1850).

During the war he was appointed general chaplain to all the soldiers in Georgia. Going from station to station ministering to the troops, he became a legend. Wherever he found men in uniform he served. It mattered not at all that the uniform was blue or gray.

While ministering at Fort Pulaski the entire company was captured and Whelan was taken prisoner with the rest. He was sent North as a prisoner of war to Fort LaFayette and was detained for a long period. After the war he returned to Georgia where his ministry continued until 1871 when he died. He is buried in Savannah.

The Locust Grove Church register has other famous signatures too. Entries were made in 1866 by J.F. O’Neill. This was probably Father J.F. O’Neill, Senior. There was also a J.F. O’Neill, Jr., who was a nephew raised in the colony. Father O’Neill, Jr. is remembered as being the first resident pastor assigned to the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception in Atlanta. In a notation found at the Shrine he wrote “…On the thirteenth of February of the present year (1851) I was appointed pastor of Atlanta…” The Junior O’Neill is buried in the old cemetery at Locus Grove.

One of the most famous pastors of the Shine (which was recently rebuilt after a tragic fire) was Father Thomas Francis Cleary. Father Cleary, a native of Augusta, was buried beneath the high altar of the Shrine in 1884 beside the “Battle of Atlanta” priest, Father Thomas O’Reilly. Father Cleary made entries in the register in 1880. He left the Locust Grove community in 1881 to become pastor in Atlanta. He won the hearts of the entire city during those final three years of his life.

There are two entries made in 1879 by B.J. Doyle, a priest whose grave can be seen in Sharon today. His gravestone recounts that he was drowned while attempting to cross a river answering a sick call.

Many entries were made by Father James O’Brien who served in the area at different times in the late eighteen hundreds. Father O’Brien was a friend to the Sisters of St. Joseph who established schools in Washington and Sharon along with a boys’ orphanage. When times were lean for the Sisters and their charges, Father O’Brien often came to the rescue. His home was in Portland, Maine. He died in Baltimore but is buried in the cemetery in Washington, Georgia.

From 1887 until 1893 entries are made by A.J. Semmes. In his book “Catholicity in the Carolinas and Georgia,” Father J.J. O’Connell mentions that the principal family names of the colony at Locust Grove were the Thompsons, Semmes, Lucketts, Griffins, O’Neills and Ryans. Father A.J. Semmes was obviously one of the “home vocations” who served the parish for many years. The other names are frequently mentioned in the baptismal, marriage and death entries.

When a bishop visits one of his parishes frequently he inspects the parish register and signs it. The Locust Grove parish book has signatures of some of Georgia’s bishops. The Diocese of Savannah was founded in 1850. The first bishop to sign the register was Bishop Verot who was in Georgia from 1860 to 1870. He simply signed himself “+Augustine.” Bishop Becker (1886-99) signed it as did Benjamin Keiley (1900-22). Before becoming bishop, Keiley was pastor of the Shrine of the Immaculate Conception. Finally, it was signed by Gerald P. O’Hara who came to Georgia in 1935 as bishop and remained until 1959. While he was a bishop in Georgia, O’Hara was also serving at different times as Papal Nuncio to Ireland and Apostolic Delegate to Great Britain and Rumania.

In a notation under the date of January 31, 1946 the following is written: “On my release from the army, having served five years during World War II, His Excellency asked that I assume temporary charge here. Arriving Jan. 2, I began the indexing of this volume for benefit of future reference. (signed) Harold J. Barr.”

So just over 100 years after the little register began in the Locust Grove/Sharon/Washington area, the completion was made. Father Harold Barr indexed it for our convenience.

The book is being returned to St. Joseph’s Church in Washington and the safekeeping of its pastor, Father John Fallon. On the feast of All souls, November 2, 1984, Father Fallon will offer the liturgy in the newly restored cemetery at Locust Grove. Maybe as we join in that celebration we will remember those who are buried there along with those who were baptized and married there. They were the first bearers in Georgia of the faith which we hold today.

Their names are recorded for us to see.