A HISTORY OF ST. JOSEPH PARISH
ELK GROVE, CALIFORNIA
As told by
Voices From the Past
St. Vincent de Paul Catholic Cemetery at Rancho Murieta (formerly Live Oak)
Site of original St. Joseph Catholic Church
Beneath the dappled shade of live oak trees lie the remains of “those poor Irish miners” and the beginnings of St. Joseph Parish. Now known as St. Vincent de Paul Cemetery, the land was originally part of the Hartnell grant
(1858-1861), stage stop, ”livery stable, blacksmith shop, butcher shop, two hotels, and four saloons” surrounded the cemetery.”(1)
According to old-timers, John “Driscoll and other Irish settlers built the church sometime between 1853 and 1860. The date is uncertain, since no record of the church exists in the archives of the Sacramento diocese. The building had one window and 10 rows of pews on each side of the
main aisle.”(2).
Mass was offered by priests who traveled from St. Rose of Lima in Sacramento, then St. John the Baptist in Folsom, and St. Patrick’s in Jackson and Sutter Creek (Immaculate Conception).
“Legend tells of a wild celebration …. The priest, dressed in his Sacramental robes, came up the main aisle and approached the altar. He knelt before it. Then, he suddenly jumped up and began a frantic dance. After a few jumps and jigs he ran out of the church. Following him was a swarm of bees. The poor man had knelt over a knothole in the floor under which was a beehive.” (2).
“Recorded history of the mission area of Elk Grove is traced as far back as 1864. Priests from Sacramento served Folsom from St. Rose of Lima, the first Catholic church in Sacramento. They made their way into the mission fields along the gold trails as often as time and weather permitted.
The priests followed the “American River digs” and also went into the “Cosumnes River digs” that included Michigan Bar, Sloughhouse, Live Oak, Elk Grove and Galt.” (3). The area was known as the “Jackrabbit Parish”.
“Father Neal Gallagher noted in 1864 there were many baptisms recorded in the register of St. John the Baptist of Folsom for those living in Elk Grove, Michigan Bar, Sloughhouse, Courtland and Walnut Grove.”(3)
Edited by Dominique Nicole O’Neil