Sacred Heart Church at 139 3rd St NE, New Philadelphia, OH 44663-3900 US - Immaculate Conception at Dennison

The records available of the earliest days of the Catholic church in Dennison are consistent in their reports that the first masses in the town were celebrated by Father J. Bernard Wisman of St. Joseph parish, Dover, in the home of John and Mary Lingen (or Linegan), in 1869. The stories are also consistent in their reports that the property for the parish church was purchased through the efforts of Father Thomas Tuomey, the assistant priest at St. Peter church in Steubenville, in 1870. This would be quite understandable, as there was no catholic church at that time anywhere between Steubenville and Dover, so that it was most likely that the priests of those two parishes would have been the most concerned with the growing Irish Catholic population of the town surrounding the railroad yards. The same reports are also unanimous in their statements that the small brick church of the Immaculate Conception was completed and in use in 1871. Indeed, the stone above the main door of the church is carved with the same date. While there is no reason to question the above reports, it is an interesting fact that there is no record of property transfer to the Bishop of Columbus until 1875. On November 1 of that year, title for lots 4, 5, 6, and 7 of Block 27 in the town of Dennison was transferred to Bishop Rosecrans from George W. McCook. On May 22, 1877, title was given to the Bishop for lots 1, 2, and 3 of the same Block 27, again from George W. McCook. Lots 8 and 9 were titled to Bishop Watterson July 16, 1889, and then lots ten and eleven on April 23, 1890. The first resident pastor of the church of the Immaculate Conception, Father William Hawe, was appointed in 1873. He immediately began arrangements for the construction of the rectory, still in use at the parish. Soon after, it was recognized that the church was not large enough for the congregation, bringing about construction of the first addition to the original building. The enlarged church was rededicated by Bishop Watterson on November 21, 1880. Five acres of land for the Calvary Cemetery, the first cemetery of the parish, were acquired in November of 1885. Although nearly inaccessible since the construction of the Route 250 bypass, the remnants of this cemetery are still maintained through the efforts of the local council of the Knights of Columbus. The parish elementary and high schools opened in the fall of 1891, in a new two story brick building at the southeast corner of First and Welch Streets. The Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Ky. staffed the schools from the beginning. The church was enlarged once again in 1916, by the addition of the sacristies and the present sanctuary. During the pastorate of Father Otto VonLintel (1922-1938) a separate high school building was completed, on Welch Street behind the elementary school. Also, in 1925, land was purchased for the present St. Mary’s Cemetery. Many remains were moved here from Calvary Cemetery, as family authorizations became available. Until the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), Canon Law required that a certain percentage of parishes in each diocese be designated as irremovable pastorates, meaning that each pastor appointed to the parish would remain there for life, leaving only at death, or upon medically demanded retirement. Immaculate Conception was the only parish in Tuscarawas County to enjoy this distinction. The last irremovable pastor of the parish was Father Hugh Gilbert (1950-1969). During his term, the new high school building was opened in 1954, across Sherman Street from the church. Priests who were working in this county at the time often told the story that Father Gilbert could not arrange the permission of Bishop Ready for the construction project, which continued apace nonetheless. This building became the elementary school in 1971, after the high school students had moved to the new Central Catholic High School in New Philadelphia. The new gymnasium, on the west side of First Street, was dedicated by Father Gilbert January 8, 1961. The original 1891 school building was torn down in the mid 1970’s. The 94-year association of the Sisters of Charity with the Immaculate Conception schools ended in 1985. The former high school and convent buildings were razed late in 1998, with plans following to increase parking space and to beautify the grounds.

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