Jan 4, 2008 3 min read

Knights of Columbus Council 1275 of Uniontown is observing its 100th anniversary this year. The local council was instituted Jan. 5, 1908.

To mark the event, the local council will hold a Mass at 4:30 p.m. Saturday at St. Mary Nativity Roman Catholic Church, 61 N. Mt. Vernon Ave., Uniontown. This will kick off the year-long celebration that will end Oct. 26 with a Mass and banquet.

Officers of Council 1275 when it was first opened included Edward L. Hearns, supreme knight, James A. Flaherty, deputy supreme knight ,and William J. McGinley, supreme secretary.

According to a history of the council, John W. McFayden of Latrobe was district deputy. He was instrumental in helping to organize the new Uniontown council.

Among those Uniontown residents who were active in the formation were John W. Campbell, Walter B. Whaley, Patrick J. Locke and Dr. P.A. Larkin. All three degrees were conferred upon a large class in the hall of the third floor of the West End Theater Building on West Main Street. The first officers were Campbell, grand knight; Locke, deputy grand knight; the Rev. B.P. Kenna, chaplain; Patrick J. Callaghan, chancellor; Joseph Hofelder, warden; James P. Cray, advocate; Whaley, financial secretary; George Gould, recorder; D.J. Murphy, treasurer; W.F. Lane, lecturer; William J. Callaghan, Patrick Mullen and James Hart, trustees; Patrick J. Reagan, inside guard; and John W. Grasinger, outside guard.

Council meetings were held in the lodge room of the First National Bank Building until the council found its own headquarters in the Hagen Building on East Main Street. The council then moved to the Blackstone Building at the corner of East Main and Coolspring streets.

However, during the Great Depression, the council lost that facility and moved into the Woolworth Building on Main Street where it remained for a short time.

Meetings were then held at Enany’s Garage on East Main Street until the council purchased the old Gilmore mansion overlooking McClellandtown Road in 1955. However, the council was forced to move again in 1969 with the construction of the Uniontown bypass, according to its history.

The council temporarily moved into the John Building on East Penn Street before purchasing its current site in August 1970, the former John Browne estate on the old Connellsville Road. There, the council has 14 acres, several buildings, a swimming pool, basketball court and picnic area.

A holy shrine in honor of the American saints was constructed and blessed by the Rev. William G. Connare, bishop of the Greensburg diocese.

Because of expensive repairs and upkeep, the council demolished the old mansion in 1982. The council plans to build a new facility and expand its recreation area.

Four other councils have been formed from the Council 1275 area and its members: Carmichaels, Brownsville, Masontown and Fairchance.