My Genealogy Hound

VERY REV. JOHN HICKEY was born in the city of Kilkenny, Ireland, Nov. 11, 1834, and came with his parents to the United States in September. 1846. He entered St. Michael’s Seminary in the fall of 1848. His health failing, he was obliged to return to the residence of his maternal uncle, Rev. Joseph Cody, at Sugar Creek, Armstrong county, Pa., where he remained till the winter of 1851. Under the advice of Rt. Rev. Michael O’Conner, then bishop of the Pittsburgh diocese, he repaired, at a later date, to St. Vincent’s College, Westmoreland county, Pa., to study the rudiments of the Latin and German languages. On the 22d of January, 1852, he crossed the Alleghany mountains, and entered Mount St. Mary’s College, Emmitsburg, Md., where he graduated with the degree of A. M. in June, 1855. After a theological course of three years he was ordained to the priesthood by Bishop O’Conner, in St. Paul’s cathedral, Pittsburgh, Aug. 15, 1858. In September of the same year he was recalled to his alma mater as professor of belles lettres, a position which he held with much distinction for the term of one year. On the resignation of Dr. O’Conner, in 1860, Father Hickey was appointed assistant professor in St. Michael’s Diocesan Seminary, near Glenwood, Pa. In 1862 he took temporary charge of a church at Freeport, Armstrong county, and on Jan. 6, 1863, became rector of the cathedral, Pittsburgh. While in this charge he finished the building of the cathedral, erected the present magnificent episcopal residence, established the parishes of St. Malachy, St. Agnes, within the limits of the city proper, and St. James, Wilkinsburg, at a distance of five miles from Pittsburgh. In addition to these works he founded an orphan asylum with ample accommodations for six hundred children, and before leaving Maryland built a neat gothic stone church in the village of Mechanicstown, for the colored people at that end of the state.

Father Hickey remained at the cathedral till 1877, filling the offices of rector, vicar-general, and several times administrator of the diocese during the absence of the bishop. In August, 1879, he visited Rome and other parts of Europe. On his return, in March, 1882, he was appointed rector of St. Thomas’ congregation, Braddock. In 1883 he built a schoolhouse at this place, roomy enough for one thousand children. When called to other and far more important missions, financially, he was induced by the universal petition of the citizens, Catholic and Protestant, to remain at Braddock, where he still resides. During the labor troubles at the Edgar Thomson Steel-works, he took such a, deep interest in the welfare of the working classes as to endear himself to all alike. The Sisters of Mercy are in charge of his schools.