History of St. Paul Church, Flushing

In the late 1890s, Mass was celebrated in the Flushing area by Father Joseph A. Weigand, pastor of nearby St. Anthony Parish, for Catholic settlers who had come to that section of Belmont County to work on the railroad. Father Weigand traveled by train to Flushing and Holloway and offered Mass in a home, schoolhouse or wherever he could find room. In 1903, Father Roderich MacEachen, labeled a versatile young priest, was appointed pastor at Our Lady of Angels Church, Barton. The small mission of St. Stanislaus in Maynard was placed under his care – the Flushing-Holloway area included. Father MacEachen was said to be proficient in many fields and soon became known as a prolific writer and the inventor of many mechanical tools for the mines in the parish neighborhood. His inventions in that field were termed forerunners of the mechanical coal age. Many stories about this priest still recall his attempts to achieve social justice for the workingman. Approximately 30 years ago, a priest said of him: “Many back-bent miners can recall his frequent attempts to champion their cause in the light of justice.” In 1906, seeing the necessity for a regular place of worship for the Catholics of Flushing, the young priest assembled materials and men. Construction of a small church was started on a Monday morning, and the following Sunday, Mass was said in this new mission chapel. According to records, the property for this new church was donated by the O.S. Holloway family; the deed was dated Jan. 31, 1906.

In 1906, St. Paul Mission was placed under the supervision of the new St. Joseph Parish at Fairpoint. Nine years later, when St. Mary Parish was established in Lafferty, the mission at Flushing was placed under the care of its pastor. Following the recommendation of Father Stephen A. Laca, pastor of St. Mary’s, Bishop John King Mussio decreed the canonical establishment of St. Paul Parish, effective June 15, 1947. Father Charles J. Sargus, assistant pastor of Holy Name Cathedral, Steubenville, was appointed administrator, with temporary residence at St. Mary rectory and St. Joseph’s, Fairpoint. In June 1948, Father Sargus completed negotiations for the purchase of the Fred Barricklow property, situated on Morristown Road, near the center of Flushing. Construction of the new rectory was begun under the supervision of F.H. Vincenzo, a member of the parish. By January 1949, the new rectory was completed. This was the first time in its 40-odd years that a priest had taken residence within the parish limits.

Parishioners of St. Paul’s, in a meeting called by Father Sargus in the fall of 1950, decided that the old wooden church, badly in need of repairs, had become inadequate for the requirements of the parish. It was considered advisable to build a new church adjacent to the parish rectory. With the approval of the bishop, ground was broken for the new church April 29, 1951, by Carmen Vincenzo, Constante Melchiori and Andrew Cencula, under the supervision of Father Sargus and Father George J. Adams of St. Mary Parish, Lafferty. Cornerstone for the new church was laid Aug. 5, 1951, by Thomas Martowicz, Bert Pilati, Cencula and Melchiori and blessed by Father Sargus, assisted by Father Adams. Mass was offered for the last time by Father Sargus Fec. 19, 1951, in the church built nearly a half century earlier. On Dec. 23, Father Sargus offered the first low Mass in the new church and the first high Mass was sung at midnight Christmas Eve.

F.H. Vincenzo constructed the new church, semi-modern in design, with architectural plans drawn by H. Dirkes. Fifty-five families made up the parish at that time. Father Sargus was pastor until 1959. Father William C. Yontz, who remained for five years, succeeded him. At that time, Father James A. Boehm, later a monsignor, became pastor and was in Flushing until 1971. Father Richard Battocletti, who was pastor for two years, succeeded him. Father Louis A. Marracino remained from August 1973-92, retiring because of ill health. Msgr. John A. Cymbor succeeded Father Marracino, coming from Piney Fork. He retired June 30, 2004, at the age of 78. Father Chester J. Pabin, pastor of St. Mary Church, Lafferty, was made administrator of St. Paul’s. Father Frederick C. Kihm was pastor of St. Paul Parish, when it closed June 30, 2014.