History of St.Dominic's Catholic Church...

A Short History of St. Dominic's Catholic Church in Colfax, California:

In a deed dated May 10, 1860, for a payment of $10, a Mr J.P. Hansen of the town of Iowa Hill deeded to Most Reverend Joseph S. Alemany, Archbishop of San Francisco, all the rights, title and interest in a certain tract or parcel of land, being situated in the township of Iowa Hill and being upon the hill known as Banjo Hill. This became the site of St. Dominic's Catholic Church and Cemetery. The church, which was partially destroyed was never rebuilt after the disasterous fire that swept through and almost completely destroyed the entire Township in the early 1920's.

As an aside, the bell from that church, which had been purchased by Irish Immigrants was later used at St. Thomas Church located at Oak and Culver Street, and presently is on the stanchions in fron of the present St. Dominic's at Oak and Auburn Streets, having been erected there during the `face-lift' by Father Dwyer in the autumn of 1988. This historic bell in the years after 1860 summoned people to Mass, and as it tolled from its bell tower of St. Dominic's church on Banjo Hill, it could be heard from the Chicago Park area to Auburn.

Fr. Mavel, a French priest, whose work consisted of holding Mass services in the Central Pacific work camps, is credited by many old-timers as having been the first to hold services in Colfax, then known as Camp 20. This was prior to 1865 when the town was given its present name. Services were held in private residences and later, as the congregation grew, in the dining room of the Sutton Hotel..(elsewhere called: J. Sutton's Rooming House and Saloon.)

At the time there was considerable opposition to having a Catholic Church in Colfax and so, just as with the railroad camps, services were usually held in private homes. Many of those early services were held in the home of Daniel B. Sheppard and his wife Ellen, who also conducted the first private school there around 1865. That house, which was located on Oak street near Culver, was later converted into a church, and Archbishop Alemany confirmed the first Confirmation class there.

There was no resident priest at Colfax and the parish continued to be served as a mission of St. Joseph's Church in Foresthill. Rev. James J. Callan who was pastor of the church in Forresthill (1864-1868) presided at the first Mass held in the old church at Oak and Culver Streets. Father Callan was succeeded by Rev. Daniel Meagher (1868-1872 and followed by Rev. Andrew O'Donnell (1872-1876). In 1876 Rev. William Maloney succeeded Fr. O'Donnell as pastor of the church in Foresthill and it was under his guidance that St. Thomas Church was built on the site of the old church on Oak Street near Culver. The property is now owned by the Warren Johnson family.
Competition in the subscription fund drive was very keen as the church was to be named by the person who had collected the greatest amount of money. A Mr Kingston was the winner. The house next door to the church, which served as the rectory is now the home of Teresa Hilbert. It is believed that Fr. Maloney resided here in Colfax part of the time.

Following Fr. Maloney as pastors of St. Joseph's in Foresthill were:
Rev. Thomas Petitt-(1879-1880);
Rev. Michael Dillon-(1881-1882);
Rev. Michael O'Reilly-(1882-1892).
In 1892 Rev. Daniel Meagher returned as pastor and was succeeded in 1898 by Rev. Dennis Horgan.
In 1900 Rev. Gerald Stack replaced Fr. Horgan.
In 1903, upon the death of Fr. Stack, the care of St Joseph's in Foresthill along with its mission churches in Iowa Hill and Colfax were transferred to St. Teresa's Parish in Auburn, where Rev. Theodore Van Schei was pastor.
In 1904, Rev. Richard Vereker became pastor at St. Teresa's and began what was to be more than 35 years of pastoral service to our foothill communities.
In 1911, St. Teresa's in Auburn became St. Joseph's Parish, with Fr. Vereker continuing on as pastor until 1940.
On December 6, 1927, Rev. Thomas Molyneaux was appointed pastor of St.Thomas Church in Colfax and it was henceforth a separate parish, and in 1930, once again became St. Dominic's Parish.
Fr. Molyneaux was succeeded by Rev. Frank McEnaney (1931-1933);
Rev. Michael Hynes (1933-1938);
Rev. Cornelius O'Connor (1938-1945;
Rev. John Vaughan (1945-1952). It was under Fr. Vaughan's direction that the, by-now, all too small St. Thomas Church was to be replaced by our present church at Oak and Auburn Streets. As with the fund drive for old St. Thomas, this one was a spirited one too. I can locate no records but many old timers had told me that Celia Bertolli who had worked, for what seemed like the better part of a century, at the drug store on Main Street, was far and away the most productive fund raiser.

Our new St. Dominic's was dedicated on September 21, 1951.
Following Fr. Vaughan was Rev. Thomas Boland (1952-1957);
Rev. Edward Farrell (1957-1959);
Rev. William Walsh (1959-1970);
Rev. Patrick Coffey (1970-1987);
Rev. Vincent O'Reilly (1987-1988) for about six months;
Rev. William Peters S.J. (1988-1988) also for about six months;
Rev. Dermot Dwyer has been our shepherd since June 1, 1988.

In the summer of 1988, the interior of the Church was completely redecorated, and a new heating plant and air conditioning was installed. In 1989, the parish hall was both enlarged and modernized with a new kitchen, a new heating system and air conditioned. In 1991, due to the tremendous amount of young people taking religious instruction, the five new class rooms at the back of the parking lot were added and the parking lot was paved.

Written by Edmund F. Molloy Sr. on July 15. 1997.

Ed Molloy's E-Mail Address:

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