FATHER PATRICK FARRELLY, rector of St. Michael’s Catholic Church, has been connected with this Church as its pastor since 1868, a period of over twenty years. Upon coming to this place the Church in point of numbers was larger than at the present, the reason for this being that many have moved away and some been removed by death. The parish numbers about 400 families, or 2,000 souls. It was at one time the largest congregation of this denomination in Northern Illinois.

The church building of St. Michael’s is an imposing structure of goodly proportions and is complete in its furniture, including some fine paintings by noted artists, and other paraphernalia seldom seen outside of the large cathedrals. The parochial residence is pleasantly located on Bench street, a residence portion of the city, and on a hill 125 feet above the ordinary level. It commands a beautiful view of the surrounding landscape and a large portion of the city.

Father Farrelly is by birth a native of Ireland, born in County Cavan, in 1805. His father was an Irish farmer of modest means and spent his entire life upon his native soil, passing away at the ripe old age, as did also the mother. The son remained a resident of his native county until a man of twenty-five years, in the meantime completing a classical education at Belfast. Later he went to Italy and in the city of Rome had frequently the pleasure of beholding Pope Pius IX.

From Italy Father Farrelly, about 1830, sailed for Australia, and at Sydney, was ordained a Priest of the Catholic Church. His next movement was to embark on a merchant sailing-vessel, by which means he journeyed to the Cape of Good Hope, where he tarried for a time, and later spent some months on the Island of New South Wales. The years of 1840 found him first upon American soil in the city of St. Louis, after having circumnavigated the Globe. In St. Louis he was fortunate in securing the close friendship of Archbishop Kenrick, who has always been esteemed as a very holy man and who honored Father Farrelly a number of times by making to him confession.

From St. Louis Father Farrelly was sent to Joliet, Ill., where he became pastor of St. Patrick’s Church, with which he was connected a period of eight years, and which resulted in great good to its people and the general building up of the cause in that locality. From Joliet he came to Galena, and is signalizing himself by the same career of usefulness which has marked his priestly life. Not only by his own parish is he held in high regard, but by the people of his community generally.

Contributed by Carol Parrish - From Portraits and Biographical Pg 757