Written by Harry Traylor, Rockport, Texas

A deed dated June 22, 1854, showing a consideration of $200.00, from EBENEZER ALLEN, WM G. HALE and JAS. W. BYRNE to REV. JNO. M. ODIN, Bishop of Galveston, Texas, recorded in vol, "A", page 135 Of the Transcribed Records of Aransas County, Texas, conveys Outlots 17 and 18 at Lamar; each Outlot being 223 ft, by 594 ft. frontage on Aransas Bay, but grantors retaining the warf and ferry privileges in front of each lot.

Not until 1858 did they construct a church on said property. The population at that time was small, only a few hundred inhabitants, a great majority being Irish Catholics, and a few Protestants and quite a number of negro slaves. From my personal conversations with some of the old pioneers that lived there and died some 30 to 40 years ago, all up in their eighties, the whole town helped without cost the building of the Church. There was complete harmony between Catholics and Protestants, and even many years later when the Presbyterian Church was constructed at Lamar the Catholics reciprocated in its construction. The Catholic Church still stands and is used for worship; and is a monument to the past.

The second two story building East of the Church, and known as the old Seth Balou home, having been constructed in 1854, now owned by the Church, was, some 14 years ago purchased by Harry Traylor and others, restored after considerable money was spent on it, and then sold to Bishop Ledvina for the Church. Such deed to Balou can be found in the Transcribed Records of Aransas County, Volume "A", page 225. The same old "Look Out" remains atop of the old Balou home where they ascended on top of the old Balou home with telescope to spot any vessel approaching, which was seldom, bringing in merchandise or mail, then a bell was sounded to Inform the population of its approaching, who soon assembled to greet the ship.

Father Goebels, who rode horseback, and known as the "Saddle Bag" priest long before the railroad, had this church on his circuit. Ho passed away many years ago. During the Civil War Lamar was bombed by northern troops with gunboat twice in the 1860's. No harm to church.