Catholic Church in Butler County, Ohio Catholic Church in Butler County
Historical and Genealogical Research:
The Roman Catholic Church in Butler County, Ohio


Listing of Roman Catholic Churches & Cemeteries in Butler County:

Hamilton, Ohio Churches and Cemeteries:

St. Ann Church
Congregation Organized: 1908
Church Dedicated: June 25, 1911
Address: 3028 Pleasant Ave., Hamilton, Ohio 45015 (Lindenwald)
Phone: (513) 863-4963
Parent Parish: St. Joseph, Hamilton

St. Joseph Church
Congregation Organized: 1865
Church Dedicated: September 15, 1867
Address: 171 Washington, Hamilton, Ohio 45011
Phone: (513) 863-1424
Parent Parish: St. Stephen, Hamilton
Ethnicity: German
Bibliography:

  • St. Joseph, Hamilton, History 1867-1942

    • University of Notre Dame Archives: Printed Parish History Collection, Box 90
  • St. Joseph's Church, Hamilton, Ohio, Centennial Year, 1867-1967.

    • Lane Public Library (Hamilton and Smith Library branches); Butler County Historical Society Library
  • "St. Joseph's Confirm," Southwest Butler County Genealogical Society "Buckeye Branches" Newsletter, Winter 1994 (list originally appeared in the Republican News, April 18, 1898.

    • St. Julie Billiart Church
    Congregation Organized: 1989
    Address: 224 Dayton St., Hamilton, Ohio 45011
    Phone: (513) 863-1040
    Notes: St. Mary, St. Stephen, and St. Veronica merged to form St. Julie in 1989. St. Julie, which is located in the old St. Stephen Church, has records for the original three parishes.

    St. Mary
    Congregation Organized: 1847
    First Church Dedicated: July 23, 1848
    Merged: 1989 (into St. Julie Billiart)
    Address: 111 South Front St. (Downtown), Hamilton, Ohio
    Ethnicity: The English-speaking members of St. Stephen, Hamilton formed this parish.
    Bibliography:

  • Dedication Service: St. Mary Church (26 November 1972)
    • Lane Public Library, Hamilton
  • Fifty Years in the Priesthood, Rev. L.L. Denning, 1903-1953, Pastor of St. Mary
    •      

    St. Mary's Cemetery
    Cemetery Opened: 1867
    Address: 4030 Pleasant Ave., Hamilton, Ohio 45015
    Phone: (513) 737-1600
    Notes: Begun by St. Mary Church, the cemetery serves Catholics from the various area parishes.
    Bibliography:

  • Stroup, Hazel, Butler County, Ohio Cemetery Records (Volume 12)

    • (St. Mary Cemetery's earliest tombstones, pages 32-41)
    Lane Public Library, Hamilton and Fairfield Branches
    Also available for purchase from The Southwest Butler County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 243, Hamilton, Ohio 45012.
     

    St. Peter In Chains Church
    Congregation Organized: 1893
    First Church Dedicated: June 23, 1895
    Address: 382 Liberty Ave., Hamilton, Ohio 45013-3099 (West Side)
    Phone: (513) 863-3938
    Bibliography:

  • St. Peter, Hamilton, History 1895-1938

    • University of Notre Dame Archives: Printed Parish History Collection, Box 90
  • "St. Peter's Confirm," Southwest Butler County Genealogical Society "Buckeye Branches" Newsletter, Winter 1994

    • (list originally appeared in the Republican News, April 18, 1898)
     

    St. Stephen Church
    Congregation organized: 1831
    First Church Dedicated: August 21, 1836
    Merged: 1989 (into St. Julie Billiart)
    Address: 224 Dayton St. (Downtown), Hamilton, Ohio
    Ethnicity: The Irish and Germans worshipped together at St. Stephen's until 1848 when the Irish left and formed St. Mary's, Hamilton.
    Notes: St. Stephen was the first Catholic church in Butler County and the third in the Diocese of Cincinnati. It was built in 1834 for 500 worshippers. A later stone and brick church was built in 1853 to replace the old. This edifice stands today as the worship space for St. Julie Parish. The building was added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.
    Bibliography:

  • Baptism Records of St. Stephen Church, Hamilton, Ohio, 1831-1850
  • History of St. Stephen, 1882 History and Biographical Cyclopedia of Butler County.
  • St. Stephen, Hamilton, History 1834-1934, 79 pages

    • University of Notre Dame Library: Catholic Americana Parish History Collection
  • Souvenir Book Commemorating 125 Years of St. Stephen Church, Hamilton, Ohio: 1834-1959: Franciscan Fathers, O.F.M.. 46 pages

    • Lane Public Library (Hamilton and Smith Library branches); Cincinnati Historical Society; Butler County Historical Society Library; University of Notre Dame Archives: Printed Parish History Collection, Box 90; University of Notre Dame Library: Catholic Americana Parish History Collection, Box 26
  • St. Stephen's Church History, 1973.

    • Lane Public Library, Hamilton
  • 125th Anniversary Franciscan Fathers of St. Stephen Church, 1848-1973.

    • Lane Public Library, Hamilton
  • Stroup, Hazel, Butler County, Ohio Early Church Records

    • (contains St. Stephen's earliest baptism records [1834-1861], pages 49-85)
    Lane Public Library, Hamilton
    Also available for purchase from The Southwest Butler County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 243, Hamilton, Ohio 45012
  • "St. Stephens First Communicants, 1889," Southwest Butler County Genealogical Society "Buckeye Branches" Newsletter, Fall 1994 (list originally appeared in the Hamilton Daily Democrat, May 20, 1889)
  • "Wardens of St. Stephen Church-1923," Southwest Butler County Genealogical Society "Buckeye Branches" Newsletter, Fall 1995
    •    

    St. Stephen's Cemetery
    Cemetery Opened: 1851
    Address: 1314 Greenwood Ave., Hamilton, Ohio 45011
    Phone: (513) 895-5953
    Notes: Initially begun by St. Stephen's Church, the cemetery serves Catholics from the various local parishes. In 1876 a fire destroyed all burial records. Burial records exist from 1876 to the present. If you desire specific information about those buried in this cemetery, you can consult the following books or contact the cemetery office by phone or mail.
    Bibliography:

  • Stroup, Hazel, Butler County, Ohio Cemetery Records (Volume 12)

    • (sexton records 1876-1880 and earliest tombstone inscriptions, pages 1-11)
    Lane Public Library, Hamilton and Fairfield Branch
    Also available for purchase from The Southwest Butler County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 243, Hamilton, Ohio 45012.
  • Moore, Helen and DeMonge, Karen, St. Stephen's Cemetery (Old), 1850-1994: Hamilton, Ohio, Tombstone Inscriptions and Burials

    • (information on over 3,000 persons buried in the old section of the cemetery)
    Lane Public Library, Hamilton
    Also available for purchase from The Southwest Butler County Genealogical Society, P.O. Box 243, Hamilton, Ohio 45012.

    St. Veronica
    Congregation Organized: 1894
    First Church Dedicated: May 12, 1895
    Merged: 1989 (into St. Julie Billiart)
    Location: Shuler Ave. & Kahn (between Beckett and Bender), Hamilton, Ohio (East Hamilton)
    Bibliography:

  • Golden Jubilee of St. Veronica's Parish, 1894-1944

    • Cincinnati Historical Society Library; University of Notre Dame Archives: Printed Parish History Collection, Box 90
  • "Rev. Gerhardus Directs St. Veronica's Fire Co. During Sunday's Blaze," Southwest Butler County Genealogical Society "Buckeye Branches" Newsletter, Fall 1995 (originally appeared in the Daily Republican, 11 May 1891.
  • "Funeral Services for Rev. Father O. W. Gerhardus," The Hamilton Daily News, Friday, August 5, 1927

    •  

    Middletown, Ohio Churches and Cemeteries:

    Calvary Cemetery/ Holy Trinity Cemetery
    Address: Clark Street (near Verity Parkway off of Reinartz Blvd.), Middletown, Ohio
    Notes: The cemetery was opened during the pastorate of Fr. Jeremiah O'Conner of Holy Trinity (1852-1860).
    The records for this cemetery can be found at Holy Family.  The cemtery was known as Holy Trinity Cemetery from at least 1876 through July of 1911.  After that time it was refered to as Calvary.

    Holy Family Church
    Congregation Organized: 1991
    Address: 201 Clark St., Middletown, Ohio 45042
    Phone: (513) 422-0602
    Notes: Holy Trinity, St. John, and St. Mary merged in 1991 to form Holy Family.
    Holy Family has two worship centers, Holy Trinity Chapel and St. John Chapel.
    Bibilography:

  • History of Middletown Catholic Education

    •   Holy Trinity Church
    Congregation Organized: 1853

    Merged: 1991 (into Holy Family)
    Address: 201 Clark St., Middletown, Ohio
    Ethnicity: Irish, mainly canal workers at its founding
    Parent Parish: St. Stephen, Hamilton
    Bibliography:

  • 125th Anniversary Celebration, June 4, 1977, Holy Trinity Church, Middletown, Ohio
  • History of Middletown Catholic Education
  • Middletown's Irish Immigrants

    •  

    St. John the Baptist Church (formerly St. Boniface)
    Congregation Organized: 1872
    Merged: 1991 (into Holy Family)
    Address: 1405 First Ave., Middletown, Ohio
    Ethnicity: German
    Parent Parish: Holy Name, Trenton
    Notes: The name was changed from St. Boniface to St. John the Baptist in 1882. The Franciscan Fathers from St. Stephen in Hamilton were in charge of the parish from 1872 to 1892 when the parish was given over to the diocesan clergy.
    Bibliography:

  • Souvenir of the Diamond Jubilee of St. John Church, August 24, 1947, Middletown, Ohio
  • Golden and Ruby Jubilee of Right Reverend Monsignor Aloysius M. Gerdes, December 27, 1936
  • History of Middletown Catholic Education

    •  

     St. Mary Church
    Merged: 1991 (into Holy Family)
    Address: Middletown, Ohio
    Location: East side of Middletown
    Notes: St. Mary's is now the site of Pope John XXIII Elementary School, the only Catholic grade school in the city.
    Bibilography:

  • History of Middletown Catholic Education

    •  

     St. Peter Claver Oratory
    Congregation Organized: circa 1937
    Address: Eighth Street, Middletown, Ohio
    Ethnicity: African-American
    Notes: Organized by Father Paul Golembiewski, assistant pastor of Holy Trinity.
     
     

    Other Butler County Churches and Cemeteries:

    Trenton

    Holy Name of Jesus Church
    Congregation Organized: 1870
    First Church Dedicated: 1871
    Address: 222 Hamilton Ave., Trenton, Ohio 45067
    Phone: (513) 988-6335
    Ethnicity: German
    Notes: Holy Name was organized as a mission parish of St. Stephen, Hamilton. Holy Name has a cemetery, located on the same property as the original church. The first burial was on October 25, 1872.
    Bibliography:
  • Diamond Jubilee, 1871-1946.

    • Cincinnati Historical Society
  • Holy Name, Trenton, History 1871-1861, 35 pages

    • University of Notre Dame Archives: Printed Parish History Collection, Box 93; University of Notre Dame Library: Catholic Americana Parish History Collection, Box 27
  • Keefe, Edward J., Trenton Sesquicentennial Celebration, 1816-1966

    • (pages 45-47 are a brief history of the parish)
    Lane Public Library (Hamilton, Fairfield, Smith Library, and Oxford branches); Butler County Historical Society Library
  • Pruitt, Dana, Holy Name Catholic Cemetery, Trenton, Ohio (cemetery inscription listings)

    • Public Library of Cincinnati and Hamilton County
     
     

    Monroe

    Our Lady of Sorrows Church (formerly Seven Dolours)
    Congregation Organized: 1883
    Address: 330 Lebanon St., Monroe, Ohio 45050
    Phone: (513) 539-8061
    History: Seven Dolours was organized as a mission parish of St. Francis, Lebanon in 1883.
     
     

    Fairfield

    Sacred Heart of Jesus Church
    Congregation Organized: 1957
    First Church Dedicated: January 1960
    Address: 400 Nilles Road, Fairfield, Ohio 45014
    Phone: (513) 829-4383
    Parent Parish: St. Ann, Hamilton
    Bibliography:
  • Sacred Heart of Jesus Roman Catholic Church, Fairfield, Ohio, "The First Twenty-Five Years," 1957-1982.
  • Endres, David J., Forty Years Together in Christ: A History of Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church, Fairfield, Ohio, 1957-1997.

    •  

     

    Shandon

    St. Aloysius Church
    Congregation Organized: 1869
    Address: 3350 Chapel Rd., Shandon, Ohio 45063
    Phone: (513) 738-1014
    Notes: Was originally a mission church attended from St. Francis Assisi, Cincinnati. Adjacent to the church is parish cemetery.
     
     

    West Chester

    St. John Church
    Congregation Organized: 1880
    First Church Dedicated: September 11, 1887
    Address: 9080 Cincinnati-Dayton Rd., West Chester, Ohio 45069
    Phone: (513) 777-6433
    Bibliography:
  • Kincaid, Valerie, "West Chester faith community breaks ground," 10 April 1998, The Catholic Telegraph

    • Oxford

    St. Mary Church
    Congregation Organized: 1852
    First Church Dedicated: September 4, 1853
    Address: 111 E. High St., Oxford, Ohio 45056
    Phone: (513) 523-2153
    Notes: The parish first worshipped in a house at Poplar and Collins Streets. Fr. D'Arco arrived in 1864 as the first resident pastor and led the congregation in purchasing three acres northwest of Oxford facing Race and Locust streets. On this land a cemetery was established (see below) and a church and parish house were built. This church was destroyed by fire on February 11, 1917. A new church, this time on High Street, was begun in 1920 and was dedicated on May 29, 1921.
    Bibliography:
  • St. Mary, Oxford, History 1853-1928

    • University of Notre Dame Archives: Printed Parish History Collection, Box 92
  • Minnis, Evangeline and Phelps, Bernard, The History of St. Mary Church, Oxford, Ohio, 1853-1973.

    •  

     

    St. Mary-Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery
    Cemetery Opened: 1867
    Location: Race and Locust Sts., Oxford, Ohio
    Notes: Internment records exist since the cemetery's beginning. A list of war veterans who are buried in this cemetery was published in Burial Grounds of Oxford 1817-1987.
    Bibliography:

  • Stroup, Hazel, Butler County, Ohio Cemetery Records (Volume 9)

    • (St. Mary's-Mt. Olivet Catholic Cemetery listings, pages 34-40)
    Lane Public Library (Hamilton and Smith Library branches); Cincinnati Historical Society
     
     

    Liberty Township

    St. Maximilian Kolbe Church
    Congregation Organized: 1989
    Address: 5720 Hamilton Mason Road, Hamilton, Ohio 45011 (Liberty Township)
    Phone: (513) 777-4322

     

    Millville

    Queen of Peace Church
    Congregation Organized: 1941
    Address: 2550 Millville Ave., Hamilton, Ohio 45013 (Hanover Township)
    Phone: (513) 863-4344

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