Father Philip Murphy was the first priest to hold services in Bemidji. He was educated in Brooklyn, New York, and completed his studies at St. Paul Seminary and was admitted to the priesthood. . This priest was one of the pioneers of Northern Minnesota. Before coming to Bemidji, he was stationed at Crookston, and from there he visited the outlying missions.
In the fall of 1898, Father Murphy came to Bemidji to “size up” the territory. He found a few Catholic families here and immediately made arrangements to hold services, at least once during each month. Services were held in private homes at first, but later the “old City Hall” or Court house was rented for that purpose. Services were held here until the fall of 1899. The old city hall was on the corner of Fourth and Beltrami. During the winter, services were held upstairs in what was the shop of Peter M. Dicaire and Wm. Ross, Tinsmiths. This was at 320 Beltrami Avenue, which later became the Earl W. Bucklen, plumbing shop.
The Bemidji congregation quickly grew to 125 families or approximately 700 people. While he served as Bemidji’s pastor, he was also in charge of other churches at Cass Lake, Solway, Bagley, Felton, Ada and Euclid.
Cora Carson sold Lots 1-4 in block 10 of Carson’s Addition to the Catholic Church for $1.00 in April 1899. This lot was on Third and Park Avenue and the church was built at 604 Third Street. The Bemidji Welding and Machine Company, under the management and ownership of C. F. Olson, opened quarters in the old Catholic church on Park avenue in October 1914. The lot then went to the Soo Line railway when that line came into Bemidji.
The first church was built during the summer of 1900. Soon after this, the Rectory was built on the corner of Fourth Street and America Avenue (321 America), which was later owned by Mr. and Mrs. William McDermid.
Yesterday morning occurred a wedding at the Catholic parsonage to which the contracting parties were Cass Lake people. Cora Begin and J. Hillin. Lillie Finegan and Carrol McKinney stood up with them. The groom is head sawyer at Scanlon & Gibson’s sawmill. Father Murphy performed the ceremony. (May 2, 1901)
At the Catholic parsonage Tuesday morning occurred a little ceremony which made C. C. Miller and Miss Katherine Garry man and wife. Rev. Father Murphy performed the ceremony, and Mrs. Fred Sprague and Robert Clark “stood up” for them. Mr. Miller is connected with the Leland cafe, and the bride is a sister to Mrs. Sprague. The happy couple left on the afternoon train for Lisbon, N. D., and will soon return to make this
their home. (Oct10, 1901)
The congregation experienced many difficulties and St. Philip’s congregation was no exception. The church was sold to the School District in 1905, no money being available to pay the mortgage. Once there was no church to hold services, Father Murphy left about September 1905.
Father O’Dwyer of Duluth was the next pastor. He first held divine services at St. Anthony’s Hospital at the invitation of the Sisters of St. Benedict. The parishioners re-organized and repaired a building at 120 Beltrami Avenue, known as the “Old Post Office,” which was on the corner of Second Street and Beltrami avenue, south of the Markham Hotel.
A curious incident occurred on a Christmas morning. The building was heated from the Steam Laundry. When the congregation came to attend services, they found that the steam pipe had burst and the little Post Office church had turned into a steam boiler. The new set of vestments and all the furniture was ruined by the steam.
In the fall of 1906, the pastor and the trustees met for the purpose of building a new brick church, the old one being too small to accommodate the congregation. The trustees were Patrick Russell, Thomas McCann, Philip O’Leary, Charles Nangle, Joseph Lahr and Peter Dicaire. One lot was purchased and one was donated by the families of Mayer and Thome, on the northeast corner of Seventh Street and Beltrami Avenue. Work on the first part of the new Catholic church started in 1907 and St. Philip’s was dedicated on August 8, 1908.
Father O’Dwyer remained in Bemidji until the fall of 1911, when he was succeeded by Father John T. Philippe, who held the pastorate until March 1922. Father Philippe bought six more lots on the north side of the church, bought the parsonage, repaired it, and moved it to 710 Beltrami avenue
In 1912, the Bemidji Daily Pioneer had a Christmas promotion. One dollar cash was paid to each Ladies’ Society for every yearly subscription, old or new, secured for the Daily Pioneer. When a set of one hundred was reached, a special premium of $25 was given. Thus for one hundred subscriptions the society securing them each received a cash gift of $ 125. The Catholic Ladies were organized into four bands and went out to secure descriptions. Thus we have the names of those working to secure the Christmas money from the Pioneer.
Band No. 1: Mesdames T. J. Burke, president; J. C. Parker, P. J. O’Leary, Ed Ebert, J. O. Harris, M. LaFontisee, W. N. Bowser, J. E. Black, A. H. Jester, Thos. McCann, L. C. Dempsey, Gougle.
Band-No. 2. Mesdames J. Bisiar, president; M. Thome, Burgess, E. Taylor, A. B. Wells, M. A. Downs, U. Reide, Chamberlain, J. .Sullivan, Cameron, J. Funk, Ripple.
Band No. 3. Mesdames James Fullerton president; Joe Moritz, Chas. Nangle, Fred Rhoda, John Ziegler, White, J. W. Murray, H. E. Stevens, E. H. Dea, John Gibbons, John Graham, Dan O’Connor, John McCormick, Joe Hughes, Ed Kaeble, Mrs. Frank McManus, Wm. Clish, Conrad La Jambe.
Band No. 4: Mesdames John Newman, president; Helin, L. F. Johnson, Ganey, Thos. Stewart, Kittelson, Joe Blondo, Bowser, Albert, Halvorson, J. A McDonald, Eures, Winklesky, Sherwood, Fenton, DeRushia, Jas. Cahill, Leo Jewett, Auger, Poulette, Miss Irene Lappin.
In 1915 an addition was built on the east end of the church, costing $1500. The church measured 40 x 140 and was a one of the finest churches in the entire diocese.
In March 1922, Father Fraling came to Bemidji. In 1923 plans were made by C. W. Jackson of Bemidji, architect, for a new school. Work on the basement began in the fall of 1923. The main building was built, but not completed in 1924. The building was constructed of red brick and cream colored Bedford Rock trim.
During 1955, a new rectory was built. The old church has since been replaced by a modern structure, but the school continues in its original building.
(Information was gathered from the vertical files of the Beltrami County History Center, Bemidji and from the Bemidji Daily Pioneer which are available at http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/