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Church bell returns to rightful owner
A bell originally made for Montague's St. James Catholic Church in the 1800s is back home again, ending a 50-year mystery.
Little did anyone know that the bell, which was used by Whitehall schools as a spirit bell, parade entrant and backdrop for homecoming photos over the years, actually was a "Holy Spirit" bell. Neither did they realize that hiding beneath the bell's layers of red-and-white paint was solid brass.
A bell that weighs 934 pounds and cost St. James' parishioners 58 cents more than a century ago is worth thousands today. And it is back in the hands of its original owners, thanks to the volunteer work of a high school class adviser, a local sand-blasting company and the company that built the bell.
The bell's history reads like a good mystery. The twists and turns include:
June 20, 1885
The Rev. E. Laferve orders the bell for St. James Catholic Church from a company in Baltimore, Md.
July 30, 1885
A solid brass bell is shipped by way of Starline Railroad to Montague. The bell was housed in a tower at the church.
1958
The church building and rectory on Sheridan Street are sold to the Don Burrell family, parish members.
1960
Burrell removes the bell and gives it to Ken Owens who was the president of the Town Criers, a booster club for Whitehall High School. Sometime later, Denny Kroll completes a summer job that calls for the bell to be painted red and white, Whitehall's school colors.
In subsequent years, the bell is placed on a wooden cart and pulled in parades and used as a spirit bell.
The cart falls into disrepair and the bell sits in the Whitehall High School courtyard on Slocum Street, providing a backdrop for student photographs.
2004
A new high school is built and the bell is moved to the middle school parking lot where it sits for one year.
2005
Martin suggests that the class of 2007 refurbish the spirit bell and place it in front of the new high school as a gift.
Martin takes the bell to Spec Abrasives and Finishing in Muskegon and company owners agree to strip off the old paint.
Jim Perreault, co-owner of Spec Abrasives, finds the bell is solid brass with "Henry McShane & Co., Baltimore, MD, 1885," stamped on it.
Perreault and Martin contact McShane Bell Foundry and determine the bell was originally ordered for St. James Catholic Church.
Spec Abrasives and Cadillac Casting in Cadillac refurbish the bell and recast the cradle for free.
Courtesy of: Eric Gaertner | The Muskegon Chronicle September 16, 2008
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