WHITBYFREE PRESS. WEDNESDAY. AUGUST 3.1977. PAGE 7 Biai Ninter's Historica ~Whit&tby REV. V. P. MAYERUOFFER St. John's Cemetery aI Port Whitby is the resting place of some of the rnost important pioneers of this town. These people, long-dead, once livedjives of great achieve- ment, and deserve 10 be remembered by the generation of the 1 970s. One of the most rernarkable men 10 ever live in Whitby was the Rev. Vincent Philip Mayerhoffer, who was buried in tbis cemnetery in January 1 859. His fune rai was one of the largest and most impressive ever in Whîby. Vincent Mayerhoffer was born in the city of Rabb in Hungary on Jan. 22, 1784. His father, Michael Mayer- hoffer, was a Senator (councilmian) of the City. The Mayerhoffers were Roman Caîholies, and the boy was namied Vincent because he xvas born on the birth date of St. Vincenlt the Martyr. lie wvas a brilliant scholar and was studying the classics at the age of seven. When Vincent Mayerhioffer wvas il years old, his father died, and his inotheër put him t0 work as a grocer's apprentice 10 help support lier famiily of eighit children. lie worked for several grocers in various cities and finally ran away fromn hîs mateia, e being ilI treâted. He soughit out an uncle, who sent himn to a curate to be trained for the inistry. lie studied aI a seminary for two years, and entered the Order of St. Franu.is at the age of 19. At the age of 21 he took the vows of the Franciscan Order, and two years later hie xas ordained as a Roman C tholic priest. Fror-n 1807 10 1811 Vincent Mayerhoffer was a enraIe in several Hungarian parishers. 'n 1811 he became chaplain of an Austrian regiment which was sent by Austria t0 aid Napoleon in his invasion of Russia. Rev. Mayerhoffer suffered in the tragic retreat frorn Moscow, and after this disaster, his regiment was sent by Austria 10 fight against Napoleon. Rev. Mayerhoffer was captured as a prisoner of war aI Dresden, and brought before Napoleon himself, who said that he did not want priests for prisoners. Despite Napoleon's orders 10 release him, he was kept as a prisoner until he escaped, and was reunited with the members of his regitnent who had thought he had been killed at Dresden. Rev. Mayerhoffer was present when the Allies captured Paris, and travelled through Italy. At the end of the Napoleonic Wars in 1815, he was given a parish in Bavaria. In 1819, he embarked from Amsterdam for Philadeiphia in the United Sta tes, and became a missionary in PennysIvania. He was attached 10 a Jesuit order, but a conflict developed because he would flot join the Jesuits because he was Francisean. t The result was that Rev. Mayerhoffer gave up his orders ini the Roman Catholie Church and opened a drug store in Little York, Pennsylvania. He subsequeriîiy married, and studied the Bible for two years 10 decide what church 10 join. He chose the German Reforrned Brothers of Pennsylvania and went on 10 take a degree of Masters of Arts from Alleghany College in New York. After arriving in Buffalo in 1 829, Rev. Mayerhoffer joined the Church of England and became a missionary in Markhamn and Vaughan Townships north of York (now Toronto). Here he preached his services in both Englislh and German. I' 1 R. Bibeau Construction Ltd. 655-3381 *rc@-Prudflnua biding sstmW A Division of Dominion Bridge Ltd. 'v(X? For 20 years he served in Markhani, ereptiflg three churches by subscriptiofl-two in Markham and one in Vaughan. He retired in 1850, moving 10 Toronto, In 1851 and 1852 he hived in Whitby, but then went 10 Perry Town near Port 1-tope 10 open a new Church He returned 10 Whitby in 1854, because of illness, and preached sermnons at St. John's Anglican Church when called upon. When he died, on Jan. 18, 1859, aI Whitby, Rev. Mayerhof fer hiad been a clergyman for 52 years, and was Aluminum sure gnip ru bbe r feet an sed Ieveling .afety shoes. Y 275»0164410 5' 27~<>20' 5600 814800 24" 68-% 281 76» 32' 94-" MITCHELL BROTHERS Building Supplies Ltd. Brooklin, 65-4991 a tew days short of being 75 years old. ieasaRrn This man, who had originally been ordandsaRon Catholie priest, became a Royal Arch Mason and a Grand Chaplain of the Orange Lodge. His funeral was condueted by the Masons and the Orangemnen, and he was buried in a Church of England cemnetery. Rev. Mayerhoffer is comrnemorated by a mernorial window in StC John's Anglican Church, and his grave stone rnay he seen adjacent to the east wall of the church. Blossom imb a Beauty W with a new SSummer Hairstyle Time for a new hairstyle 4 'to compliment your neW wardrobe. Look lovely, Selegant, enchanting, any way you want, with a new hairstyle creat ed to show you at your best by our %J professioflal stylists. LA CONT ESSA BEAUTY LOUNGE 119 Green St. 668"9262