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History of St. Augustine

History of Parish of St. Augustine, St. Augustine, Pa. 99

 

     Mr. McFeeley charged nothing for his services except probably the amount of his subscription which was $5 to which an X is appended. Wm. Little, (undoubtedly W. A. B. Little, Esq., now of Loretto), does not appear to have put in a bill for his services which were onerous.

     'Squire Little was married by Father John Burns in the church at St. Augustine, his late wife having been a sister of the venerable Theodore Storm, of Clearfield Township. He is the oldest male ex-public school teacher of Cambria County. P. J. Little, Esq., John Little, a civil engineer, and Mrs. Harry Pruner, all of Ebensburg, are his children.

     Joseph Wharton, father of Sergeant James A. Wharton and son of Stanislaus Wharton, served Mass for visiting priests before the congregation was organized and also after the church was built. He was at that time a married man. Edward R. Dunegan was the first boy to serve Mass in the church.

     Mr. Wharton says that Father John Burns built a chapel at Chest Springs.

Pew Holders in 1853.

     From "List of Persons Who Bought Pews in Loop Church," March 21st, 1853, the facts are gleaned that there were 72 pews in the name of the church and 12 on the gallery. The highest price of pews in the body of the church was $9, and down to as low as $2.12 1/2. On the gallery, the highest price was $5 and the lowest $2.25. The entire amount of pew rent was $466.05; $78.11 of which was paid in advance.

     For the information of the present generation, it may be well to state that in old-time accounts the fractional part of one cent are mentioned on account of the coinage of silver of fractional parts of one dollar, the lowest of which was the "fip," sometimes called "fi-penny bit" as it was estimated at the value of five pence, English money. Its value was 6 1/4 cents; two "fips" made a "levy," or 12 1/2 cents, that word "levy" being a contraction of eleven-penny bit, a Spanish silver coin which circulated in the eastern part of the United States at 11 pennies; 2 "levys" made a quarter dollar; a quarter dollar and a "levy" was 3 "levys" or 37 1/2 cents; a "levy" added to 3 "levys" made a half dollar - 50 cents; another "levy" counted 62 1/2 cents, and


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