The following account was first published in the 1920's by members of the Catholic com-
munity in El Dorado, Arkansas. It has been minimally edited here for clarity. — Editor

The first Catholic settler in Union County was Mr. Edmond Mahoney, who arrived in 1858. There is no record of any other member of the Catholic Church at that time or for a long period afterwards.

Rev. Father McGill held service in El Dorado once in 1892, and that was the first service held in El Dorado. In 1895, Mass was said in the home of Mrs. Bill Hodgins. The Catholics were few and when possible usually went to Camden, where the church was built in 1870. Mrs. Godwin and Miss Mahoney and Mrs. Hodgins were the only Catholics in the city of El Dorado in the early days of this century. Pat McNalley arrived in 1902.

In 1908, the Catholic population began to increase and Mass was said with regularity by Father Matthew Saettle, OSB. Service was held in the homes of Patrick Egan and C.A. McCarthy. For a short period the Catholics used the courthouse and then the Garrett Hotel. When it was no longer available, Judge MacMahon's office was temporarily the place used for worship. As yet, there was no real organization. Conditions were very similar to those that existed in Rome when St. Paul labored to call the people to the banner of Christ.

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