Father Francis Devlin was a pastor of St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church from 1844 to 1855. For his selfless exertions during the Yellow Fever Epidemic which swept the area from July-October of 1855, Father Devlin was martyred ministering to the needy of all faiths. A monument located on the High Street side of the church was erected in 1856 in his honor by the parishioners of St. Paul's and the citizens of Portsmouth.
The following newspaper article was in The Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Saturday, July 18, 1857
A Monument.
The monument erected in the Catholic Cemetery at Portsmouth, over the remains of the late Rev. Francis Devlin, is truly a magnificent affair. It is some twenty feet high, and cost eleven hundred dollars. It was shipped to the care of Rev. Joseph H. Plunkett, and was erected under his supervision.
On the North side, the following is inscribed: -"Erected by the citizens of Portsmouth, to the memory of Rev. Francis Devlin, the humble Priest, the faithful Pastor, who sacrificed his life, in the cause of Charity, during the plague of 1855. He was a native of Longford, Ireland, died on the 7th of October, in the 41st year of his age."
October 11, 1855 - Richmond, "The South-side Democrat." Taken from Portsmouth Transcript. Also found in REPORT OF THE PORTSMOUTH RELIEF ASS., pp 173 & 174.
Death of the Rev. Francis Devlin.—
The last of the Ministers of the Most High, who have been actively engaged in the discharge of the duties of their holy vocation, is no more. The Rev. Francis Devlin, a holy priest of the Church of Rome, who had the pastoral care of St. Patrick's church in this place, expired yesterday. He had partially recovered from an attack of the fever some weeks ago, but suffered a relapse from which he never entirely recovered. We saw him out and spoke to him Friday afternoon, and though he looked very much reduced, we had cherished the fond hope that he would be spared. From the commencement of the sad times from which we are emerging up to the period of his attack, he had been actively and faithfully engaged in ministering to the sick and dying, since which time he has been mostly confined to his bed. He was an exemplary mild, humble and godly man, and has no doubt gone to reap the reward of his firm adherence to duty under the most appalling circumstances. His course formed an example worthy of all imitation, and it affords us sincere gratification, as it enables us to exercise a sweet privilege, thus to do homage to a character which we have always esteemed.—Such, we estimate, was the compeer of Chisholm and Eskridge.
Inscription on family headstone in Moydow Parish Graveyard, County Longford, Ireland:
Pray
for the soul of
JOHN DEVLIN
Died June 5th 1862 aged 62
Also his daughter
ANN
Died May 1st 1868 aged 31 years
also his father
JAMES DEVLIN
Died 30th Sept 1852 aged 82 years
Also his mother CATHERINE died 25th March 1855
aged 81 years. And his brothers JAMES PATRICK
and REV FRANCIS DEVLIN who died in America
The following newspaper article was in The Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Saturday, July 18, 1857
A Monument.
The monument erected in the Catholic Cemetery at Portsmouth, over the remains of the late Rev. Francis Devlin, is truly a magnificent affair. It is some twenty feet high, and cost eleven hundred dollars. It was shipped to the care of Rev. Joseph H. Plunkett, and was erected under his supervision.
On the North side, the following is inscribed: -"Erected by the citizens of Portsmouth, to the memory of Rev. Francis Devlin, the humble Priest, the faithful Pastor, who sacrificed his life, in the cause of Charity, during the plague of 1855. He was a native of Longford, Ireland, died on the 7th of October, in the 41st year of his age."
October 11, 1855 - Richmond, "The South-side Democrat." Taken from Portsmouth Transcript. Also found in REPORT OF THE PORTSMOUTH RELIEF ASS., pp 173 & 174.
Death of the Rev. Francis Devlin.—
The last of the Ministers of the Most High, who have been actively engaged in the discharge of the duties of their holy vocation, is no more. The Rev. Francis Devlin, a holy priest of the Church of Rome, who had the pastoral care of St. Patrick's church in this place, expired yesterday. He had partially recovered from an attack of the fever some weeks ago, but suffered a relapse from which he never entirely recovered. We saw him out and spoke to him Friday afternoon, and though he looked very much reduced, we had cherished the fond hope that he would be spared. From the commencement of the sad times from which we are emerging up to the period of his attack, he had been actively and faithfully engaged in ministering to the sick and dying, since which time he has been mostly confined to his bed. He was an exemplary mild, humble and godly man, and has no doubt gone to reap the reward of his firm adherence to duty under the most appalling circumstances. His course formed an example worthy of all imitation, and it affords us sincere gratification, as it enables us to exercise a sweet privilege, thus to do homage to a character which we have always esteemed.—Such, we estimate, was the compeer of Chisholm and Eskridge.
Inscription on family headstone in Moydow Parish Graveyard, County Longford, Ireland:
Pray
for the soul of
JOHN DEVLIN
Died June 5th 1862 aged 62
Also his daughter
ANN
Died May 1st 1868 aged 31 years
also his father
JAMES DEVLIN
Died 30th Sept 1852 aged 82 years
Also his mother CATHERINE died 25th March 1855
aged 81 years. And his brothers JAMES PATRICK
and REV FRANCIS DEVLIN who died in America
Father Francis Devlin was a pastor of St. Paul's Roman Catholic Church from 1844 to 1855. For his selfless exertions during the Yellow Fever Epidemic which swept the area from July-October of 1855, Father Devlin was martyred ministering to the needy of all faiths. A monument located on the High Street side of the church was erected in 1856 in his honor by the parishioners of St. Paul's and the citizens of Portsmouth.
The following newspaper article was in The Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Saturday, July 18, 1857
A Monument.
The monument erected in the Catholic Cemetery at Portsmouth, over the remains of the late Rev. Francis Devlin, is truly a magnificent affair. It is some twenty feet high, and cost eleven hundred dollars. It was shipped to the care of Rev. Joseph H. Plunkett, and was erected under his supervision.
On the North side, the following is inscribed: -"Erected by the citizens of Portsmouth, to the memory of Rev. Francis Devlin, the humble Priest, the faithful Pastor, who sacrificed his life, in the cause of Charity, during the plague of 1855. He was a native of Longford, Ireland, died on the 7th of October, in the 41st year of his age."
October 11, 1855 - Richmond, "The South-side Democrat." Taken from Portsmouth Transcript. Also found in REPORT OF THE PORTSMOUTH RELIEF ASS., pp 173 & 174.
Death of the Rev. Francis Devlin.—
The last of the Ministers of the Most High, who have been actively engaged in the discharge of the duties of their holy vocation, is no more. The Rev. Francis Devlin, a holy priest of the Church of Rome, who had the pastoral care of St. Patrick's church in this place, expired yesterday. He had partially recovered from an attack of the fever some weeks ago, but suffered a relapse from which he never entirely recovered. We saw him out and spoke to him Friday afternoon, and though he looked very much reduced, we had cherished the fond hope that he would be spared. From the commencement of the sad times from which we are emerging up to the period of his attack, he had been actively and faithfully engaged in ministering to the sick and dying, since which time he has been mostly confined to his bed. He was an exemplary mild, humble and godly man, and has no doubt gone to reap the reward of his firm adherence to duty under the most appalling circumstances. His course formed an example worthy of all imitation, and it affords us sincere gratification, as it enables us to exercise a sweet privilege, thus to do homage to a character which we have always esteemed.—Such, we estimate, was the compeer of Chisholm and Eskridge.
Inscription on family headstone in Moydow Parish Graveyard, County Longford, Ireland:
Pray
for the soul of
JOHN DEVLIN
Died June 5th 1862 aged 62
Also his daughter
ANN
Died May 1st 1868 aged 31 years
also his father
JAMES DEVLIN
Died 30th Sept 1852 aged 82 years
Also his mother CATHERINE died 25th March 1855
aged 81 years. And his brothers JAMES PATRICK
and REV FRANCIS DEVLIN who died in America
The following newspaper article was in The Alexandria Gazette, Alexandria, VA, Saturday, July 18, 1857
A Monument.
The monument erected in the Catholic Cemetery at Portsmouth, over the remains of the late Rev. Francis Devlin, is truly a magnificent affair. It is some twenty feet high, and cost eleven hundred dollars. It was shipped to the care of Rev. Joseph H. Plunkett, and was erected under his supervision.
On the North side, the following is inscribed: -"Erected by the citizens of Portsmouth, to the memory of Rev. Francis Devlin, the humble Priest, the faithful Pastor, who sacrificed his life, in the cause of Charity, during the plague of 1855. He was a native of Longford, Ireland, died on the 7th of October, in the 41st year of his age."
October 11, 1855 - Richmond, "The South-side Democrat." Taken from Portsmouth Transcript. Also found in REPORT OF THE PORTSMOUTH RELIEF ASS., pp 173 & 174.
Death of the Rev. Francis Devlin.—
The last of the Ministers of the Most High, who have been actively engaged in the discharge of the duties of their holy vocation, is no more. The Rev. Francis Devlin, a holy priest of the Church of Rome, who had the pastoral care of St. Patrick's church in this place, expired yesterday. He had partially recovered from an attack of the fever some weeks ago, but suffered a relapse from which he never entirely recovered. We saw him out and spoke to him Friday afternoon, and though he looked very much reduced, we had cherished the fond hope that he would be spared. From the commencement of the sad times from which we are emerging up to the period of his attack, he had been actively and faithfully engaged in ministering to the sick and dying, since which time he has been mostly confined to his bed. He was an exemplary mild, humble and godly man, and has no doubt gone to reap the reward of his firm adherence to duty under the most appalling circumstances. His course formed an example worthy of all imitation, and it affords us sincere gratification, as it enables us to exercise a sweet privilege, thus to do homage to a character which we have always esteemed.—Such, we estimate, was the compeer of Chisholm and Eskridge.
Inscription on family headstone in Moydow Parish Graveyard, County Longford, Ireland:
Pray
for the soul of
JOHN DEVLIN
Died June 5th 1862 aged 62
Also his daughter
ANN
Died May 1st 1868 aged 31 years
also his father
JAMES DEVLIN
Died 30th Sept 1852 aged 82 years
Also his mother CATHERINE died 25th March 1855
aged 81 years. And his brothers JAMES PATRICK
and REV FRANCIS DEVLIN who died in America
Inscription
+
BY THE CITIZENS OF PORTSMOUTH,
IN THE MEMORY OF
REV. FRANCIS DEVLIN
THE HUMBLE PRIEST,
THE FAITHFUL PASTOR
WHO SACRIFICIED HIS LIFE
IN THE CAUSE OF CHARITY,
DURING THE PLAGUE OF 1855.
HE WAS A NATIVE OF LONGFORD IRELAND
DIED ON THE 7TH OF OCTOBER
IN THE 41ST YEAR OF HIS AGE
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