| The History of Divine Mercy Payne Location |
In 1850 John Finan and his family settled at Flat Rock a mile and
a half north of present day Payne, Ohio. Four years later the
second catholic family moved into the district, the family of Charles
Harth. Two years later there followed the first German family that
of Theobold Lothamer. One year later, 1857, the little colony
increased with the arrival of the three Brady brothers: Michael,
Peter and Simon. Over the next seven years two more Catholic
families moved to the area. These families assembled on Sunday
and recited the rosary and other devotions. A dozen old Butler
catechisms were secured from Boston for the instruction of the
children.
Priests visiting on horseback from Defiance and Delphos met the
sacramental needs of this small community only on occasion. By
the close of the Civil War “Pucker Brush” with a post office known
as Malottville, now Payne, had grown to be a thriving village and
many Catholics settled in and around it. It was deemed best to
build the church in the village. It was Reverend Alfred E. Manning,
a resident pastor of Antwerp, who served Payne as a mission, who
with the permission of Bishop Gilmore of Cleveland began the
construction of the church in Payne. The building served the
congregation until the present church was built in 1902, and the
old church was remodeled and used as the first school.
An interesting story is told about how the parish was named.
“When the Catholic men of Flat Rock met to select a name for the
new parish, two of the leaders had already, in their own minds,
chosen the name.” Peter Brady wanted it named St. Peter’s and
John Finan wanted it named St. John the Baptist. “They finally
decided to ‘flip a dollar’ heads wining. John Finan won.
From these humble beginning St. John the Baptist has grown to a
parish of 688 souls, making available the only Catholic Grade
School in Paulding County with classes K – 6, a rectory, Catholic
Cemetery and Parish Hall. As of 1999 St. John’s became a sister
parish with St. Joseph in Paulding, Ohio sharing a common pastor.
On July 1, 2008 the parish was suppressed and Divine Mercy
Catholic Parish of Paulding was established. Its history is just
beginning
a half north of present day Payne, Ohio. Four years later the
second catholic family moved into the district, the family of Charles
Harth. Two years later there followed the first German family that
of Theobold Lothamer. One year later, 1857, the little colony
increased with the arrival of the three Brady brothers: Michael,
Peter and Simon. Over the next seven years two more Catholic
families moved to the area. These families assembled on Sunday
and recited the rosary and other devotions. A dozen old Butler
catechisms were secured from Boston for the instruction of the
children.
Priests visiting on horseback from Defiance and Delphos met the
sacramental needs of this small community only on occasion. By
the close of the Civil War “Pucker Brush” with a post office known
as Malottville, now Payne, had grown to be a thriving village and
many Catholics settled in and around it. It was deemed best to
build the church in the village. It was Reverend Alfred E. Manning,
a resident pastor of Antwerp, who served Payne as a mission, who
with the permission of Bishop Gilmore of Cleveland began the
construction of the church in Payne. The building served the
congregation until the present church was built in 1902, and the
old church was remodeled and used as the first school.
An interesting story is told about how the parish was named.
“When the Catholic men of Flat Rock met to select a name for the
new parish, two of the leaders had already, in their own minds,
chosen the name.” Peter Brady wanted it named St. Peter’s and
John Finan wanted it named St. John the Baptist. “They finally
decided to ‘flip a dollar’ heads wining. John Finan won.
From these humble beginning St. John the Baptist has grown to a
parish of 688 souls, making available the only Catholic Grade
School in Paulding County with classes K – 6, a rectory, Catholic
Cemetery and Parish Hall. As of 1999 St. John’s became a sister
parish with St. Joseph in Paulding, Ohio sharing a common pastor.
On July 1, 2008 the parish was suppressed and Divine Mercy
Catholic Parish of Paulding was established. Its history is just
beginning
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