All Saints Roman Catholic Church

What follows is a transcription of an article that appeared in The Record in September 1959, “Church in Taylorsville,” by Francis P. Clark. The list of pastors (at the bottom of this page) was compiled by Deacon Carl Fahringer (2005). The list was then verified, consolidated and updated with The Record article by parishioner Betty Darnell and Bill Stemmle. If you might have a historical (pastoral) photo or two that you would like to share on our website, please click here to email parishioner Bill Stemmle.

Catholicity in Spencer County goes back to the beginning of the nineteenth century when the Rev. Stephen T. Badin, pioneer missionary in Kentucky and the first priest ordained in the United States, visited this settlement, coming from his home at St. Stephen’s in Marion County, now the site of the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Loretto at the Foot of the Cross, a distance of about 35 miles.

At this time there was no church in Spencer County, and Father Badin would say Mass in the homes of the parishioners.

The Rev. Charles Nerinckx succeeded Father Badin in the year 1808, and it was under his direction that the first Catholic Church in Spencer County was erected.

This church was built about five miles from Taylorsville on the Frankfort Road and it was situated about one-half mile back in a locust grove. It was the twelfth mission church erected by Father Nerinckx and was built of logs cut from the woods. Located in the center of the old Catholic Cemetery it was dedicated under the title of St Benedict in August, 1815.

While today no trace of the old log church can be found, part of the old cemetery can still be seen.

Among the early members of the congregation were Henry Newman, who gave the site for the church and its cemetery, Benedict Horrel, John O’Nan, Baptist Gough, Harrison Kerrick and Andrew Offutt. Other names which we find recorded are Neel, Edelen, Thompson, Maratta, Lindle, Lancaster, Burns, Walker, Goss, Summers, Campbell, Mills, Shoemaker, Cissel, Lee, Doncaster and Bradburn. When Father Nerinckx took charge of the congregation he found only about 15 families.

As the years went by a settlement grew up on a strip of level land at the juncture of the Salt River and Brashears Creek which today we know as Taylorsville. In order to serve the needs of these Catholics, Father Elliott, who had succeeded Father Nerinckx as pastor of the congregation, with permission of the Most Rev. Benedict J. Flaget purchased the present location of the church in the town of Taylorsville.

The site was bought from W. H. Reasor and his wife Elizabeth Reasor in 1830, according to the records now on file in the Spencer County Court House. It was one of the most beautiful sites in the town of Taylorsville.

Under Father James Elliott’s direction, construction on the present church was begun sometime in the late 1830s on a knoll which rises to the elevation of some 200 ft.

The Catholics of Spencer County were poor hardworking people and with money in those days hard to come by it became necessary for Father Elliott to execute a mortgage to Samuel Gilbert and Thomas Stone. This mortgage was paid in full in 1843.

In The Catholic Advocate of May 8, 1841, we read of the dedication of the present All Saints’ Church.

“On Sunday, the 25^th of April, the new Church at Taylorsville, Kentucky was dedicated under the invocation of All the Saints. The ceremony was performed by the Most Rev. Benedict Joseph Flaget, attended by six clergymen, including the Rev. James Elliott.

“Following the blessing a Solemn High Mass was sung by the Rev J. M. Lancaster, President of St Joseph’s College in Bardstown, and the dedication sermon was delivered by the Rev. Martin John Spalding of Lexington.

“The day being fine, there was a large concourse of people assembled in and around the church, anxious to witness all that took place.”

The Catholic Advocate goes on to tell us that there are scarcely more than ten Catholic families in the town of Taylorsville, with some 40 families in the county adjacent. The Catholics of Spencer County were assisted in the erection of the new church by the liberality of several of their Protestant brethren.

With the new church built, the old one was abandoned, but for some years it was used occasionally as a mortuary chapel. The last funeral held there was that of Mrs. John Mattingly.

It was at this time that the church’s name was changed from St. Benedict’s to that of All Saints.

The Rev. James Elliott, under whose direction the church had been erected, remained in charge of the Taylorsville congregation, attending it from his home parish of St. Michael’s in Fairfield, until about the year 1862, when owing to increasing age and failing health he was compelled to relinquish this part of his work and the Rev. Michael D. Lawler was installed as the first resident pastor at Taylorsville.

In 1862 Father Lawler was succeeded by the Rev. Dominic F. Crane who remained about one year in Taylorsville.

The next priest to serve the congregation was the Rev. J. P. Ryan who came from Bardstown. Then the Rev. D.J. O’Donovan served for a short time.

In 1871 the parish once again became a mission of St. Michael’s at Fairfield, with the Rev. Eugene O’Calaghan serving the needs of the Catholics of Spencer County.

In 1876 the Rev. Herman W. Jansen came to Taylorsville as resident pastor, and he remained until 1882 when he was succeeded by the Rev. Thomas F. Gambon, who took charge in 1883. He was followed in 1889 by the Rev. Joseph O’Grady, who was succeeded by the Rev. Daniel McShane in 1891.

The parish once again became a mission, this time of Shelbyville, in 1891, and from there the Rev. James F. A. Donohue attended the needs of the congregation. From 1892 to 1894 the Rev. J. E. Chapins had charge of the parish.

Once again in 1894 the parish received a resident pastor, when the Rev. John B. Peifer took charge. He remained until 1897 when he was succeeded by the Rev. Michael F. Melody and in 1898 by the Rev. Richard Davis.

From 1900 to 1901 All Saints Church was once again a mission of Shelbyville, attended by the Rev. J. J. Fitzgerald.

Again in 1901 a resident pastor was appointed. He was the Rev. Benedict J. Wight who was succeeded in 1903 by the Rev. William D. Pike.

Following this, All Saints was a mission once more, this time from St. Edward’s at Jeffersontown, Ky. The Rev. Theodore H. Reverman, who was later to become Bishop of the Diocese of Superior in Wisconsin, attended the needs of the Spencer County Catholics. Father Reverman had charge of the congregation for a period of about one year. In 1905, All Saints once more had a resident pastor.

Between the year of 1905 to 1910, the following priests had charge of the congregation: the Rev. Peter Breintner, the Rev. James F. Norman and the Rev. J. Neafsey.

For the next eleven years the parish was in the care of the Passionist Fathers, and was a mission of St. Edward’s at Jeffersontown. During this period the following priests attended All Saints Church: the Rev. Ambrose Stemmle, C.P. 1910-1911; the Rev. James McDonnel, C.P., 1911-1912; the Rev. Fabian Kelly, C.P., 1912-1915; the Rev. A. Schwingler, C.P., 1920-1921.

Following this the Rev. William T. Finneran had charge of the parish for a short time.

In 1921 All Saints Church was attached once more to St. Michael’s at Fairfield, Ky., as a mission. During this period the Rev. James J. Maloney was in charge of the congregation from 1921-1927. He was succeeded by the Rev. S. W. Luly, 1928-1929.

In 1929, the parish was attached to St. Gregory’s at Samuels, Kentucky, as a mission, and the Rev. Felix N. Pitt had charge for about a year. Succeeding Father Pitt was the Rev. C. Leo Smith, who served from 1929 until 1932 when the Rev. Charles C. Boldrick took charge.

Father Boldrick was in turn succeeded by the Rev. M. Leo Price.

Father Price was in turn succeeded by the Rev. Ehrich J. Stuart who remained until February, 1951. Then the parish was in care of the Rev. Charles P. Foltz, who was succeeded by the Rev. Martin Frankenberger.

Father Frankenberger received an assistant, the Rev. Robert C. Birkel in December 1957, who took up his residence at the Motherhouse of the Sisters of Charity of Nazareth, Kentucky.

The knoll on which the historical old church stands had not been cared for in many years. Growing on and around the church were poison ivy, brush and aging trees. With the help of some of his parishioners, Father Birkel had all this removed, and additional parking space was added. To get this additional parking space, part of the knoll was removed, and the lower part was in turn filled in. The whole area around the church was then seeded and evergreen trees were planted.

On September 1, 1959 the Rev. Bertrand J. Brian took charge, and under his direction, work on the interior of the church, begun by Father Birkel, was continued.

Members of the Taylorsville congregation have contributed generously towards the work on their historical old church.

While there is no school at Taylorsville for the Catholic children, each week two Sisters of Charity of Nazareth go to Taylorsville to give the children instruction.

Among the priests and Sisters from this congregation are the late Rt. Rev. Msgr. Joseph A Newman, his brother, Rev. Matthew Newman, O.S.B. and the Rev. Warren C. Lilly, S.J.

Both Father Newman, O.S.B. and Father Lilly, S.J. said their First Solemn Mass in All Saints Church in 1925.

The parish has also given to the Ursuline Sisters of Mt. St. Joseph’s Daviess County, Ky., one of its former Mother Superiors, Sister M. Ambrose Martin. Two other Sisters claim Taylorsville as their home parish: they are Mother Anna Maria Crume, who was Superior of the Passionist Sisters at Erlanger, KY., and a sister of the late Msgr. Newman, Sister Maria Annunziata, O.S.B.