One would naturally expect that by this time the congregation should have grown considerably, but the fact is that on the first Sunday of October, 1866, rosary Sunday, the congregation consisted of between 20 and 30 souls and they were from the surrounding country as much as from Cedar Rapids.
In 1870 Fr. Lowry (who was a convert to Catholicity) took charge of Cedar Rapids and from that date we have a continued resident priest and a regular history. Soon after his arrival he set to work to build a church more in keeping with the needs of the place, since at this time many settlers had come from Illinois and things began to look more encouraging for our religion.
Though his resources were limited, yet he had confidence that while the purses of the people were light, their hearts and their hands were generous. Nothing daunted, he put his hand to the plow and the result was the front part of the present Immaculate Conception church. The foundation in rock work was the gift of Mrs. J. J. Snouffer, Sr., who was ever willing and generous to aid both the priest and the people, though she was not of the household of the faith. I venture to predict that her generosity and true Christian charity is on record in the "Liber Scriptus" and that it will not go unrewarded by the Just Judge.
To aid in the completion of this great work Fr. Lowry engaged both men and women, old and young. Among those who contributed materially in money and cooperation in every way we find the names of Mrs. J. J. Snouffer, Sr., Mrs. F. Lilly, Mrs. James Cook, the O'Hara family, Hayden, Hager, Kehoe, Harrington, O'Keefe, Foley, Cook, Mullally, Keenan, Murray, Meehan, Langan, Cahill, Flaherty, McVann, Brecht, Peter Flynn, Killen, Thos. Murray. By the generous and combined efforts of these and many others the desired end was attained and God's house was a reality in Cedar Rapids.
Having secured the church the next ambition of the good and zealous Father Lowry was to secure a parish school, wherein the foundation would be laid and the seeds sown in future church members and pillars. The first and only parish school up to this time was a modest and unpretentious institution in which a young lady named Caroline Hager taught the children of the parish, who numbered about fifteen.
In 1874 under the direction of Father Lowry the following men were chief among those who built the school: James McNamara, John O'Hara, Charles O'Hara, Peter Flynn, Mr. Springer, Alexander Brecht, John and Charles Murray, the Cannons, Mullally, O'Briens, McVann, McDonalds.
The first Catholic cemetery was the present Bohemian Catholic cemetery purchased by John O'Hara, Peter Flynn, John Foley, John O'Keefe, and James Barrett. The first Catholic buried in this cemetery was Mr. Flaherty, father of Pat. Flaherty of the west side. The second funeral held there was that of Mrs. Martin Sheehan, about the year 1865.
In 1878 or thereabouts Fr. Lowry secured through Mr. Mullally the ground for the present cemetery at Kenwood for a consideration of about $100.00. Then the old cemetery became the exclusive property of the Bohemian Catholics of Cedar Rapids. This transfer was effected through Father Francis Chemlar for a consideration of $900.00. Of this amount $300.00 were contributed by E. R. and W. H. O'Hara. In 1880 Fr. Lowry was transferred to Burlington and was succeeded by Father T. F. Gunn, of blessed memory. At this time many settlers had located around Cedar Rapids and it began to be an important town. Soon the church had to be enlarged. In order to do so, the old parochial residence which was to the rear of the church edifice had to be removed and a new residence constructed. When this was accomplished, an addition was built to the church, giving it its present shape and dimensions. In the construction of this addition and all the incidental work that such changes entail as well as in the erection of a parochial house Father Gunn found plenty to do during his declining years in Cedar Rapids. He was not a man given to material building, as much as to the upbuilding of spiritual conditions in the hearts of his people. He was active and energetic even to his dying day. He was in sympathy with his charge and lived in the heart of his congregation, not above them. He was a thorough christian gentleman, and a man of honor. He believed in "being" and not "appearing," in doing and not in saying. He was the servant of his people, not their lord. He was a faithful follower of Him who forgot Himself in His care for others. No man ever held a warmer place in the hearts of the people of Cedar Rapids than Father Gunn. Even today his name is in benediction and his praises sung by non-Catholic and Catholic alike.
The Rev. Thos. F. Gunn was born at Strokestown, Roscommon county, Ireland, December 3, 1840. He studied the classics in Ireland and philosophy and theology at St. Francis Seminary, Milwaukee. He was ordained priest at Cape Girardeau, Mo., in 1867. His first appointment was to Cedar Falls, Iowa. At the time there was only one priest west of him, at Fort Dodge. While stationed at Cedar Falls Father Gunn had under his charge thirteen stations in Blackhawk, Grundy, Butler, and Bremer counties. During these times a seventy-mile drive in a springless wagon was a common experience.
In 1870 Father Gunn was transferred to Sioux City. His charge was St. Mary's parish which then consisted of a modest frame structure on West Seventh street, across Perry creek. At that time the priest's house consisted of a one room structure. Father Gunn after a short time in Sioux City was transferred to Dubuque Cathedral, where he remained three and one-half years and went thence to Burlington, where he remained till 1880, when he came to Cedar Rapids to succeed Father Lowry.