Money left by reverend in 1800s still helping Honesdale residents

At the Honesdale Council meeting Jan. 22, Mayor Derek Williams reminded that the Reverend Doherty Fuel Fund is still available for low-income borough citizens to help pay their heating bills. This special fund, established in the will of a longtime Honesdale priest, has been helping keep residents warm for over a century and a quarter.

In all that time, it was maintained by Honesdale National Bank and is under borough council control. Applications are done either online or at City Hall. Borough Treasurer Danielle Simoneaux and Borough Council Finance Chairperson William McAllister go over the applications and divide the distribution, pending council approval.

In 2023, $39,100.00 was given out to 32 applicants. The current fund balance is $48,811.81.

Simoneaux said that they normally try to have this done in December before the holidays, although people are still able to apply. Last year they contacted five local fuel companies to get a list of individuals that needed help with the payment, due to the lack of incoming applications received. In April 2023, the council approved distribution to Firmstone Oil for eight individuals, Highhouse Energy for four people, and Fowler Oil for 10. In July, funds were approved for PPL, benefiting one individual.

Simoneaux said they only receive the person's name and address to verify if they are a Honesdale resident. The companies are then told how much money the borough wants to be applied to each customer's account, to help with the outstanding bill plus a little more, she said.

Low-income limits include $18,735 for a one-person household; $25,365 for two people, and so on ($6,630 for each additional person). The fund is available to both homeowners and those renting or leasing.

Father Doherty

It all started with money bequeathed in the will of a beloved priest who served St. John the Evangelist Parish in Honesdale for over 36 years until being "called to his eternal home," as a short biography states in "Illustrated Wayne County" (1900).

Rev. John J. Doherty, an Irish immigrant, was born Nov. 20, 1820. Ordained in 1844, he was serving in Towanda when he was transferred to the Honesdale parish, July 16, 1859. "He was honored and respected by both Catholics and Protestants, a staunch friend of public schools and his influence for good in the community cannot be estimated," the biographer stated. A gifted orator, Doherty used his talent to raise funds for charitable causes.

During his ministry here, St. John's replaced its original wooden church with the present Gothic-style church building, completed in 1882 on lower Terrace Street. The tower was added later. The rectory was built in 1892, although Doherty lived in his home at the foot of Ninth Street.

Doherty died April 7, 1896, age 75.

He executed his will the year before he died. His will covered payment of loans to the church and rectory. Considerable money was left for Catholic schools and religious institutions. A $1,000 fund was set aside for forty masses over a five-year period. Any remainder of this was then to be spent on the poor in Honesdale.

Doherty had stock in the Honesdale National Bank, left "in perpetuo" to provide coal for poor people in Honesdale. It has been administered by the borough council since 1899. The stock, valued at $600, equates to nearly $22,000 in 2023 dollars. The annual dividend is used to build the fund.

During World War II, council converted the cash of the fund into U.S. Savings Bonds and used the interest to make distribution.

Honesdale has traditionally made the distribution just before Christmas. An article by Bob Klein in the Scrantonian Tribune, Dec. 9, 1951, states that the council met especially to peruse a list of prospective recipients, deciding who would benefit the most from a "gift" of a half-ton of coal. The council then placed the order to have the coal delivered to these homes.

In the early years, the fund had adequate resources to take care of all cases when coal could be purchased cheaply (about $4 per ton). It was possible to buy approximately 150 tons of coal to be distributed to needy families. As coal prices rose, the distribution was limited to only the very needy cases.

The fund was historically meant to help pay for coal because practically everyone in the borough used coal. At some point oil and gas were added, and now, Simoneaux said no one asks for coal. In the winter of 2023, at Councilor McAllister's request, the court amended the will stipulations to include any form of heat, including electric heat. Simoneaux said the fund will be used to pay for electricity only if the resident has no other fuel source.

"That Father Doherty will long be remembered as one of outstanding clergymen of Honesdale and nearby areas is taken for granted, for he made many outstanding contributions to the community and was one of the leaders responsible for the advancement of Honesdale," the 1951 article stated. "However, at this time each year, a special group of people pay extra tribute to him for his being responsible for making their Christmas a more pleasant and happy occasion."

For details on eligibility and how to apply, call 570-253-0731 ext. 12 or email revdfund@gmail.com.

More biographical information about Rev. John J. Doherty is found in chapter 6 of the book, "Things Forgotten: Wayne County 1876-1889" by Veron Leslie (1990), published by the Wayne County Historical Society.

Peter Becker has worked at the Tri-County Independent or its predecessor publications since 1994. Reach him at pbecker@tricountyindependent.com or 570-253-3055 ext. 1588.

This article originally appeared on Tri-County Independent: Rev. Doherty Fund helped 32 Honesdale households stay warm in 2023