REV. ANTHONY J. MENTINK, the esteemed pastor of St. Patrick Church, Troy, was born in Cincinnati, Ohio, December 11, 1877, being one of the six children of Anthony and Rosalie (Weitershagen) Mentink. His father, a native of Holland and a blacksmith, is now a resident of Cincinnati, where he still follows his trade.

The subject of this sketch received his earlier educational training in St. Gregory Seminary and completed his theological studies at St. Mary's of the West. He was ordained to the priesthood in 1902 by the Most Rev. William H. Elder, then bishop of Cincinnati, but now deceased. His first charge was as assistant priest at St. Anthony's Church, Cincinnati, where he remained until 1906, when, on March 30th of that year, he was transferred to his present parish as pastor.

This parish, which has an interesting history, dates back to 1858, which year saw the erection of the first Catholic church edifice in this locality. Previous to that date, however, it had been customary for the few Catholics who lived in and near Troy to gather at the home of John Danaher, now deceased, but who then resided on East Main Street. Here the first Holy Sacrifice of the Mass was offered in 1857, the congregation then numbering about twenty families. Divine service was held about once a. month. Their increasing number soon made more commodious quarters a necessity, however, and accordingly when the Hon. J. E. Pearson, probate judge, offered them the use of his court room, which was located on the second floor of the building on West Main Street, east of the sheriff's present residence, they gratefully accepted the offer. But while making use of this room they looked forward to the day when they might have a House of Prayer which they might call their own and which they might enter at any moment to worship the one true God, and all worked with might and main to that end. As the result of their efforts the edifice to which reference has already been made, was erected on the southeast corner of Crawford and Water Streets and was dedicated by the Rt. Rev. Bishop Rosecrans, brother of General Rosecrans of Civil War fame. Twenty- five years later, in 1883, the church was enlarged to its present dimensions by the Rev. J. M. Feldmann and rededicated by the most Rev. Archbishop William Henry Elder.

The need of the growing parish now demanded a parochial school for the proper education of its youth, and under the able direction of the Rev. F. H. Bene, the congregation worked unitedly and persistently until the present school was erected, completely equipped and without the encumbrance of a debt. There are now sixty pupils in the school, which is in charge of two Sisters of the Precious Blood. The members of the Parish include about seventy families, including about 320 souls. In September, 1908, the congregation celebrated the Golden Jubilee of the church, its fiftieth anniversary, upon which occasion suitable services were performed, among them a solemn requiem High Mass for the deceased founders and benefactors of St. Patrick Church. The parish at the present time is gathering funds for the erection of a new church in the near future.