Our story
The history of Kingston Council #275
Chartered October 24, 1897. More than a century and a quarter of Catholic men serving the city of Kingston.
Over a century ago a young parish priest, Father Michael J. McGivney, had a vision to protect his parishioners from the strife and religious bigotry of his time. His vision became a reality when a group of Catholic men joined with him in forming the Knights of Columbus on March 29, 1882.
Fifteen years later, on October 24, 1897, another Catholic man — Dr. E. J. Gallagher of Kingston, New York — joined in the dream and helped form the 275th council of the Knights of Columbus.
For more than 126 years, Catholic men of Kingston have continued and fostered that dream. We dedicate our commitment to continue the principles of our Order:
- To Father McGivney and his small group of Catholic men
- To Dr. E. J. Gallagher and the original group of Catholic men
- To all the Catholic men of Kingston Council #275 who have come before us
If there is a lay organization more loyal to the Church, the Holy Father, or the priesthood, I haven't had the pleasure of encountering it. If there is a lay organization more passionately devoted to the cause of human life, I have never heard of it. If there is a lay organization more generous to charitable undertakings in general, it has not come to my attention.
Cardinal John J. O'Connor, 1996
To this expanded vision we dedicate our support, and pray that Our Lord will continue to guide and protect us through the centuries that lie ahead.
The founding
A group of Catholic men met in Kingston on October 24, 1897, and formed a council of the Knights of Columbus, now known as Kingston Council No. 275. This meeting was the culmination of months of preliminary work, principally by Dr. E. J. Gallagher, a well-known physician of Kingston. Assisted by a number of other interested Catholic laymen and a few of the clergy, Dr. Gallagher had made contact with a large number of men and was granted a charter by the Knights of Columbus.
The old records of the council were destroyed and it is impossible to secure the names of the first officers, but from information from older members it is known that Thomas J. Cusack was the first Grand Knight.
The energies of the Knights of the new council were devoted to increasing the membership and to missionary work along the Hudson River. They assisted in the formation of councils in Poughkeepsie, Newburgh, Cornwall, Haverstraw, Highland Falls and other places in this section of the state. Their degree team became so proficient in ritual work that it was called upon on many occasions to assist in the conferring of degrees in neighboring councils — a tradition that continues to this day.
A home of our own
The first meeting place was Diamond's Hall, at the corner of Broadway and Thomas Street. From there the council moved to the Odd Fellows' Hall on the Strand, where it remained for some time, and then to Cooney's Hall on Railroad Avenue. The desire to have a building of their own prompted the Knights to form a building committee and raise funds, and in 1914 the Council erected a Council Home at the corner of Broadway and Andrew Street.
Civic and community leadership
Over the years the Council has enjoyed a reputation as a civic and community leader in the Kingston area. In the 1920s the Knights sponsored the public observances of the Fourth of July (until city officials took responsibility for the program), donated an American flag to the newly constructed Kingston High School, furnished clothing and supplies to the West Park Orphanage after a disastrous fire, and organized a tournament of games among local fraternal organizations during the Depression.
The Council at war
During World War I, 180 members of the Council served on active duty. Those who remained on the home front were active in every fundraising campaign, giving the use of the building for meetings and headquarters, collecting a total of $40,000 for the Knights of Columbus War Work Fund, and taking full charge of the solicitation of funds for the starving children of Europe at the close of the war.
Over 100 council members served during World War II in the armed forces, while members at home served in many capacities in Civil Defense and in the solicitation of War Bonds. The Council reported bond sales of $167,000.
Faith and charity
While the Knights have been active in both fraternal and social activities over the years, they have never forgotten their primary spiritual responsibilities. A Study Club was established in 1935, holding discussions on subjects relating to Catholic teaching and doctrine. Pilgrimages to Auriesville, retreats at Mount Saint Alphonsus, annual Communion breakfasts, and sponsorship of the annual March for Life bus trip to Washington, D.C. continue our unfailing support of our Church.
The Council has also been active in dispensing charity in the city and county, and in providing scholarships, awards and help to both young and old — among them the John A. Coleman High School scholarship, awards to Kingston Catholic, St. Joseph's and St. Peter's Schools, Ulster County CYO, the Redemptoristine Nuns, the Kingston Babe Ruth League, the Benedictine Health Foundation, Peoples Place, and Catholic Charities of Ulster County.
The Council Home has been opened for public and private enterprises, such as public health clinics, blood drives, Penny Socials for Peoples Place, annual Kingston High School student testing, civic meetings of various kinds, and work with Catholic high school students. The societies which have used the Council Home include the Catholic Daughters of America, the Columbiettes of Kingston Council 275, the Ancient Order of Hibernians, and the Newman Club.
On October 11, 1997, our Council dedicated a memorial to the unborn in St. Mary's Cemetery. The memorial includes a statue of Our Lady with Child and continues our commitment to respect for life from conception to natural death.