St Barbara's Catholic Church, Massillon, Ohio - Roman Catholic Churches on Waymarking.com

The church originated when mining was a flourishing industry, it seemed appropriate to make St. Barbara, patroness of miners, the patron saint.

Church history tells us that St. Barbara was a young virgin and martyr of the early church (approximately 235 A.D.). Dioscorus took her up a mountain and tried to get her to recant her beliefs. She refused and her father killed her. As he came down from the mountain, he was struck by lightning and reduced to ashes.

In the middle of the last century, long before steel dominated the industry in the Massillon area, men worked in the local coalmines. The great exodus of families from Europe and the British Isles in the early decades of the nineteenth century furnished Massillon and surrounding communities with the sturdy men needed for that type of work. Some of these men, mainly German, settled with their families in West Brookfield close to their jobs. Many had emigrated from Alsace Lorraine, an area located between France and Germany and north of Switzerland , which contained a high percentage of Roman Catholics. Natives of Wuerttenberg, Baden and Bavaria , all in Germany , also came to West Brookfield . At that time, St. Mary's Massillon was the only Catholic Church. The difficulties of distance, conveyance and inclement weather had to be met and constantly endured in order to practice their religion. No doubt, these conditions played a major role in the founding of St. Barbara's Parish.

The pioneers of St. Barbara understood the ancient tradition of Catholic education and, being faithful to it, in 1866 their first project was to found a parochial school -- a donated old wagon shop. The first teacher was Elizabeth Pirrong of Canton.

When the school was completed the building committee set about to consider acquiring a church and cemetery. The Blantz and Kern families donated an acre of land as a site for this purpose. A 36ft. by 68 ft. church was constructed on the northwest end of the site, and the southeast end served as the cemetery. Valentine Gresser's burial, the first recorded, occurred the summer of 1867.

The building work was completed about October 1867, with the total cost for the new church put at approximately $3,000, including furnishings and vestments. Dedication took place December 19, 1867, and the church was placed under the protection of St. Barbara, patroness of miners.

Improvements have continued over the years to resemble the present church grounds.

Type of Church: Church Status of Building: Actively in use for worship Date of building construction: 10/01/1887 Dominant Architectural Style: Gothic Associated Shrines, Art, etc.: Abortion Memorial; St. Barbara Statue Diocese: Youngstown Diocese Address/Location: 2813 Lincoln Way North West Massillon, OH USA 44647 Relvant Web Site: [Web Link] Date of organization: Not listed Archdiocese: Not listed

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