Croke, James, 1827-1888.

Born in Kanturk, County Cork, Ireland, in 1827, Father James Croke was educated in Irish College in Paris, France, and came to the U.S. in 1850. Croke traveled from San Francisco to Oregon at the invitation of Father Francis Blanchet; in 1851 he raised funds for and supervised the construction of the first Catholic church in Portland, Or. In 1853 he became a travelling missionary in southern Oregon, ministering primarily to Catholics in the area's mining camps, but also spending some time among the Native American tribes of the Rogue River Valley. Croke's efforts met with limited success, and he developed chronic health and financial difficulties. After overseeing the construction of a church in Jacksonville, Or., in 1858, Croke returned to the archdiocese of San Francisco, where he eventually rose to the position of Vicar General. His greatest achievement in California was the foundation of Saint Mary's College in 1863. Father James Croke died in 1888.

From the description of Father James Croke letters, 1853-1874 (University of Oregon Libraries). WorldCat record id: 551703726

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