Welcome to Saint Vincent Archabbey

From The Sportsman's Hall Parish Later Named Saint Vincent 1790-1846, By Omer U. Kline, O.S.B., Published by Saint Vincent Archabbey, Latrobe, Pennsylvania, 15650-1690, U.S.A. © 1990, 1998 by Omer U. Kline. All rights reserved, including the right to reproduce this book or portions thereof in any form whatsoever.

Early in 1844 Henry M. Kuhn, the son of the Henry S. Kuhn who had played such a prominent role in the early history of Saint Vincent Parish, offered to convey for the consideration of one dollar the title of his 108 acre tract of land to Bishop O'Connor, provided a school for girls would be established there. Bishop O'Connor then entered into an agreement with the Sisters of Mercy whereby the property was transferred to them in exchange for their promise to found such a school. The problem at this time, however, was that there was no building on Mr. Kuhn's farm suitable for use as a convent and school.

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The Sisters at Saint Vincent (1946)
It was then that Father Gallagher, as pastor of Saint Vincent Parish, which was one and one-half miles northeast of this farm, offered his pastoral residence to the Sisters to be used as a convent and academy until a new building on their own farm would be erected. Father Gallagher, in turn, moved into the small one-story house that Father Stillinger had built for school purposes.
The Sisters accepted this offer of the pastoral residence at Sportsman's Hall and, on April 28, 1845, opened Mount St. Vincent Academy for Young Ladies in this two-story brick building containing twelve rooms, to which Father Gallagher added - for benefit of the Sisters and their students - a kitchen, dining room and two classrooms. And so in these quarters the Sisters of Mercy operated Mount St. Vincent Academy for two years until, on May 14, 1847, they were able to move into a three-story brick building that had just been completed on their own property. At this time the name of the academy was changed to St. Xavier's. Father Gallagher is remembered during the years from 1845 to 1847 not only as the first chaplain of the Academy, but as the spiritual counselor to these Sisters of Mercy and their students. It is also worthy to note that the Sisters taught the children of Saint Vincent Parish in a small day school conducted in the sacristy of Saint Vincent Church.

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