My Genealogy Hound

ST. MALACHY’S CHURCH.
The first Catholic church built in Union county was erected at Thayer, in 1867-8, by Father McMenomy, who was then living in Georgetown, Monroe county. In 1871 James Duggan, James Butler and a man by the name of Collins, purchased a lot on Union street from the Town Lot Company and proceeded to erect a small church. The first mass celebrated in Creston was said in the house of Michael Meskil on Union street in the spring of 1871 by Father Concannon. The following year Rev. Augustine Burns, O. S. B., came to Creston by invitation of Bishop Henessey, of Dubuque, to take charge of a number of counties. He was, assisted by Father McKeever, O. S. B. In August, 1874, Father Augustine died, Father McKeever remained in Creston until March, 1875, and Father Eugene Phelen was sent to take charge. In 1881 Father Phelen resigned and Rev. Stephen M. Lyons became his successor. He did excellent work in behalf of the church here, paying off the indebtedness on the school building, which had been erected in 1879, while in August, 1885, he laid the corner stone of the new St. Malachy’s church. The work, which had stopped for the winter, was continued in the spring of 1886 and the church was brought to completion the following winter. The first mass in the new church was celebrated on the third Sunday of January, 1887, at which Rev. Father Nugent, of Des Moines, preached the first sermon in the new church. The house of worship was dedicated in May, 1888, by Rt. Rev. Henry Cosgrove, bishop of Davenport, Father Flavin, of Des Moines, singing the high mass. In August, 1892, Father Lyons was transferred to St. Bede’s college, at Peru, Illinois, and Rev. Bede Dunham, O. S. B., who had been assistant to Father Lyons for four years, from 1886 until 1890, and for two years had been pastor at Lenox, Taylor county, was transferred to Creston to take the place left vacant by Father Lyons.

Father Bede is pastor at this time, having been stationed at Creston since August, 1892. In 1905 the Church of the Immaculate Conception was cut out of St. Malachy’s and the Rev. John T. Noonan was sent as the first pastor. The new Church of the Immaculate Conception is situated at the corner of North Maple and Howard streets and is a very fine structure.