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Dictionary of Miramichi Biography

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CRUMLEY, SIMON JAMES (1859-1934)

CRUMLEY, SIMON JAMES, Catholic parish priest, Red Bank, 1886-92, and Blackville, 1897-1929; b. Chatham, 15 Jun 1859 (bap. 30 Jun 1859), s/o John Crumley, a native of Co. Tyrone, Ireland, and Cecilia O'Hanlon; ordained 1884; d. Chatham 10 Jan 1934.

Simon J. Crumley was educated at St Michael's male academy in Chatham and the Little Seminary in Quebec City and was trained for the priesthood at the Grand Seminary in Montreal. After his ordination in 1884 he served for a year as assistant missionary at Dalhousie, N.B., and was then appointed curate to Father Patrick W. Dixon at Newcastle. In this position he attended the mission of Derby, as well as the Eel Ground and Red Bank missions, both of which had been served previously by the priest at Renous.

Beginning in 1886 Crumley was stationed at Red Bank as priest of the Church of St Thomas the Apostle, as well as of Eel Ground's mission Church of St Anne. While living at Red Bank he was credited with having built the first priest's house. It was observed that, as a young priest, Crumley was zealous but never imprudent, that he was always sure before he acted, and that when visited by even "the most trivial doubt," he would consult his superiors.

In 1892 Crumley was assigned to Dalhousie, where he remained until being named parish priest at Blackville in 1897. When he arrived at Blackville, as elsewhere noted, his predecessor, Father John H. Cushing, barred him from the rectory, but after he gained the necessary access he settled into a thirty-year residency which carried him to retirement. He had responsibility throughout this period for the mission of Howards, and in the earlier years for the Boiestown mission, which he was attending on a monthly basis in 1901.

Crumley retired in 1929 due to failing health and spent most of the remainder of his life as a patient at the Hotel Dieu Hospital in Chatham.

Sources

[b] RC clergy lists [d] church records / Leader 22 Nov 1929, 12 Jan 1934; Rogers papers; Sadliers'; Spencer

Notes

See Benedict J. Murdoch.


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