Records of St. John the Baptist Church, Brooklyn 1873-1989 MC 43 7 boxes Processed by Charles F. Schweppe, October 2001 Last updated October 2018 University Archives and Special Collections St. John s University St. Augustine Hall - Room B20 8000 Utopia Parkway Jamaica, New York, 11439 Tel. (718) 990-1465 Fax (718) 990-2024 archives@stjohns.edu
Historical Note In 1865, the Right Reverend John Loughlin, the first bishop of Brooklyn, invited the Order of the Mission of St. Vincent de Paul (the Vincentians) to found a Catholic institution of learning in Brooklyn. Led by the Reverend Edward M. Smith, C.M., a small community of Vincentians purchased a large plot of land for the college, on which was a small house for the brothers. The name originally chosen for the college in 1868 was Mary, Queen of the Isles, but by 1869 was changed to St. John the Baptist, Bishop Loughlin's patron. The college grounds would include a parish church, also run by the Congregation of the Mission. The cornerstone of a wooden-framed church was laid in 1869. This wooden church was soon rendered inadequately small by the growth of the parish, and in 1888 the cornerstone to a new church was laid. This new church, designed by the famed architect Patrick C. Keely, was based on Notre Dame Cathedral in Paris. It took six years to build the stone structure, which was finally dedicated in 1894. When St. John s College (later, St. John s University) moved to Queens in the late 1950's, the direct affiliation was ended. However, it continues to serve as an active parish and as the main church of the Vincentian community that was founded in 1868. References Hueppe, Frederick Ernst. The Radiant Light: A History of St. John's College Presented in the Vincentian 1955. [New York]: Charles M. Helmken, [1956]. Scope and Content Note This collection contains various programs, correspondence, newspaper clippings, photographs, and other documents relating to St. John the Baptist Church and the Vincentian community in Brooklyn. Of note are the detailed Sunday Announcement books dating from 1873 to 1936 which list upcoming masses, meetings and events of various parish groups including the college, parochial school, and Sunday school classes; as well as marriage banns and prayer requests for ill and deceased members of the parish. Series Outline Series 1: Sunday Announcements a. Bound Volumes b. Loose Papers Series 2: Financial a. Financial Reports b. Correspondence and Papers c. Accounting Ledgers d. Pew Books Series 3: Celebrations Series 4: Church History Series 5: Social Events Series 6: The Vincentian Community Series 7: Photographs 2
Container List Series 1. Sunday Announcements - Bound Volumes 1:Volume 1 January 5, 1873-September 10, 1876 1:Volume 2 September 17, 1876-March 16, 1879 1:Volume 3 March 23, 1879-December 25, 1884 1:Volume 4 January 18, 1885-January 19, 1890 1:Volume 5 April 17, 1892-June 2, 1895 1:Volume 6 May 7, 1922-June 10, 1923 1:Volume 7 June 17, 1923-September 6, 1925 1:Volume 8 September 13, 1925-March 4, 1928 1:Volume 9 March 11, 1928-March 27, 1932 Box: Folder Title Dates 2:1 Sunday Announcements 2:2 Sunday Announcements 2:3 Sunday Announcements 2:4 Sunday Announcements 2:5 Sunday Announcements 2:6 Sunday Announcements 2:7 Sunday Announcements 2:8 Sunday Announcements 2:9 Sunday Announcements 2:10 Sunday Announcements Series 1. Sunday Announcements - Loose Papers Series 2. Financial Documents - Reports February 16, 1930 - September 21, 1930 September 28, 1930 - December 21, 1930 January 4, 1931 - June 7, 1931 June 7, 1931 - December 27, 1931 January 3, 1932 - July 10, 1932 July 17, 1932 - December 28, 1932 January 1, 1933 - December 31, 1933 January 7, 1934 - December 30, 1934 January 6, 1935 - December 29, 1935 January 5, 1936 - December 27, 1936 3:1 Financial Reports 1895-1930 (missing 1899) 3:2 Financial Reports 1952 Series 2. Financial Documents - Correspondence and Papers 3:3 Correspondence: Incorporation of the Parish November 15, 1930 3
3:4 Correspondence: Financial 1935-1943 4:Ledger 1 4:Ledger 2 4:Ledger 3 4:Ledger 4 5:Ledger 5 4:Ledger 6 5:Ledger 7 5:Ledger 8 Series 2. Financial Documents - Accounting Ledgers (Unidentified Subscriptions) Angelus #540 Westbury #1012, Summary of Accounts - not bound 1921-1922 St. John s Parish Receipts and Expenditures Ledger Writing on pages 2-7, (8-144 blank), then alphabetical index indicates the writing on remaining pages January 1 - March 1, 1927 St. John s Parish Journal: Receipts and Expenditures Writing on pages 2-6 and one inserted page January 1 - January 26, 1929 Church Receipts and Disbursements Ledger Writing on pages 1-64 (double wide and front/back) Control and Cash Accounts Ledger Writing on pages 2-91, 145-147 Church Receipts and Disbursements Ledger Writing on pages 1-64 (double wide and front/back) Pastor s Cash Book Writing on Pages 1-39 Monthly Receipts, Church Account, Statement of Receipts and Disbursements - Writing on pages 1-62, 72-73 4 January 1929 - December 1933 January 1, 1929 - December 31, 1935 January 1, 1934 - December 31, 1938 January 1, 1939 - March 18, 1942 4:Ledger 9 Church Payroll - not bound 1955-1956 6:5 6:6 January 1940 - September 1942 Series 2. Financial Documents - Pew Books Church Pew Book: A listing of pews inside the front cover, then an entire ledger page for each pew (1-176) listing the name of the owners, date paid, amount, and number of seats for each quarter. Some pew numbers are crossed out, indicating which pew a family moved to. c.1875-1882 Parish Pew Records: Parish Roster (alphabetical index), Commentary on St. Matthew Chapters 9-10 (page 1-61), Parish Receipts (pages 71-149 listed by street address), (pages 150-373 listed by date/misc.) Also a drawing of the numbered pews. c.1905-1906 Series III. Celebrations 7:7 Mikado Festival Program 1886 3:5 Official Souvenir Program, Dedication of the Church May 1894 3:6 Sermon for the Solemnity of the Feast of the Translation of the Relics of St. Vincent de Paul, delivered by Rev. Dr. H. Ignatius Smith, O.P. April 10, 1932 3:7 Golden Jubilee of the Laying of the Cornerstone 1938 3:8 Golden Jubilee of the Laying of the Cornerstone 1938 Souvenir Program-Dedication and Blessing of the Honor Roll, 3:9 WWII October 25, 1942 3:10 History of St. John's University, Diamond Jubilee 1945 3:11 Episcopal Consecration-Rev. John Joseph Boardman June 11, 1952 3:12 Diamond Jubilee of the Church April-June 1963
3:13 Diamond Jubilee of the Church: Programs April-June 1963 Wedding Invitation Miss Lavina D. McGrath and Mr. Edward 3:14 D. Whelan November 9, 1963 3:15 100 th Anniversary Celebration of the Parish 1968 3:16 Episcopal Ordination- Rev. John Joseph Snyder February 2, 1973 4:1 Programs 100 th Anniversary of the Church June 1988 Series IV. Church History 4:2 History, includes correspondence and manuscript histories c.1900-1963 4:3 History: clippings, includes photocopies of original newspaper clippings 1874-1976 4:3a Newspaper clippings originals 1943-1968, n.d. 4:3b Newspaper clippings photocopies 1943-1968, n.d. 4:4 Newspaper clippings Parochial School Drug Free June 1989 7:8 Series V. Social Events Minutes: Sodality of the Immaculate Conception Writing on pages 1, 19-49, 276-277 (bound volume) 7:9 The Fair Echo, vol. 1, nos. 1-5 7:1 Parish Calendars 7:1a December 5, 1875 - January 18, 1900 October 18 - November 12, 1886 1899, November 1906, August 1908 On the Retirement of Dr. Marc F. Vallette, Principal PS #2, Brooklyn January 1912 7:2 Parish Calendars 1945, 1951 7:3 Programs: Parish Social Activities 1959-1967 7:4 Parish Directory 1988 7:5 Series VI. Vincentian Community Vincentian Community at Lewis Ave. Includes Programs, orders of worship, some correspondence, and lists of community members 1870-1916 (from an unknown French series) 1986-1988 7:5a St. John s Parochial School Graduates Ledger 1905?-1919 7:5b Photocopies of St. John s Parochial School Graduates Ledger 1905?-1919 7:6 Provincial (Vincentian) Centennial Celebration 1988 Series VII. Photographs 6:1 Camp St. John s n.d., 1908, 1909 Pontifical Mass on 300 th Anniversary of Death of St. Vincent de 6:2 Paul January 25, 1980 6:3 Provincial Centennial Celebration 1988 6:4 100 th Anniversary of the Church Building 1989 5