Victory Mills, Saratoga County, New York:

The village of Victory is a suburb of Schuylerville, Saratoga County, New York. Victory is located just south of Schuylerville on Fish Creek, a tributary to the historic Hudson River. In 2000, Victory had a population of 1838.

Victory is the product of the industrial revolution. The number of textile mills, which required abundant waterpower, grew rapidly during the mid-1800s. Three wealthy Bostonians, Enoch Mudge, David Nevins, and Jared Coffin learned of the potential of waterpower on Fish Creek in the Town of Saratoga. They sent Benjamin Losee and Pickham Green to investigate the potential and by 1846 the men had incorporated "The Saratoga Victory Manufacturing Company" and built a three-story cotton cloth manufacturing plant costing $425,000. The company flourished and the number of employees living near the mill increased. As a result the Village of Victory was incorporated under the general laws on April 16, 1849, with William E. Miner, Patrick Cooney, George McCreedy, Russell Carr and Benjamin Kelsey elected as trustees, William E. Miner, president and James Cavanaugh, clerk.

In 1850, the cotton mill employed 160 men, 209 women, working at 12,500 spindles and 309 looms and produced over 1,800,000 yards of cotton cloth. By 1877, the company employed 700 and had a capacity of 26,000 spindles with annual production of 819,988 pounds, or 4,487,190 of yards of goods.

The development and expansion of Victory Mill coincided with the Potato Famine in Ireland. As a result, many Irish Catholic immigrants found work at the mills and as early as 1847, there was already a significant number of Irish families settled there. Early settlers included John Lynch, Michael and John Kelley, Patrick, James, and Lawrence Cooney, Wm. Carroll, Charles and Andrew Farley, Hugh and John Quinn, Hugh T. White, Hugh Temple, John Cavanaugh, James and Thomas Mulvihill, Patrick Lennon, Peter Garrihan, Patrick Airn, Patrick, James, and Mathew Gearatty, Wm. Fitzsimmons, Hugh Geary and Peter Bannon. Note that several of these men were likely natives of County Longford including Bannon, Gearatty, Geary and Mulvilhil. I believe that William Carroll was the husband of Bridget Eustace, probably a Longford native and likely a sister to James Eustace/Eustis who died at Mapleton, Waukesha County, Wisconsin in 1855.

No regular or permanent Catholic services were available to serve the spiritual needs of this rapidly expanding Irish Catholic population. The only Catholic churches within a circuit of thirty miles were at Lansingburg, Whitehall, and Sandy Hill. Considerable commitment, self-sacrifice and a strong love for their faith were required to attend services at these distant places. Many would set out together on foot the previous night in order to arrive in time for early morning services. The first Catholic Masses at Victory Mills were held at the houses of different members and conducted at irregular intervals by visiting priests. Sunday school was generally held at the house of William Carroll. Catholic services were also held in the old Schuylerville Academy, and in the schoolhouse east of the well-known "Mansion House." Ground was broken for a church in 1845 on a lot nearly opposite the Reformed Protestant church. A plain wooden structure was erected at an expense of about $700, and consecrated in 1847 by Bishop McCloskey. This work was executed under the labors of Father Daly who was succeeded in the missionary work by Father Cull. The first resident priest was Rev. Father Roach, who was succeeded in a short time by Rev. H.B. Finnegan who was serving in 1878.

The church was burned to the ground on Sunday morning, June 22, 1871. Catholics parishioners then worshiped for a time in the public hall at Victory Mills. Bishop Conroy, of Albany, laid the cornerstone of the new church, which was completed during 1873 and dedicated by Bishop McNierney on October 21st. The impressive structure was considered second to none in the upper Hudson Valley. The cost of $40,000 required heavy financial sacrifice for the mainly working class parishioners. The church was located at a commanding position, convenient for the two villages and overlooking the surrounding country for many miles. The parish with boundaries extending somewhat beyond the borders of Schuylerville, by 1878 included some twelve hundred parishioners. Some two hundred pupils attended the Sunday school superintended by Mr. John Carlin.

Patrick Eustis, son of Thomas and Bridget, was born in 1866, became a hotel clerk and did not marry. He died February 12, 1903 at the age of 36. Thomas Eustis Jr. was born March 9, 1870. He married Mary Elizabeth Mullen on June 14, 1899 at Visitation Church, Schuylerville. Thomas and Mary (Mullen) Eustis were the parents of two children; Joseph J. born January 6, 1901 at Victory Mills, NY and Rose born October 30, 1902. Thomas Eustis Jr. died October 1, 1951 at Victory Mills.

The 1892 New York census lists Thomas Eustice, age 65, laborer, Bridget, 57; Patrick, 26, occupation clerk and Thomas Jr. age 23, no occupation given. In 1900, the census shows Thomas Eustice, 76, born 1824, widowed, immigrated 1850 as household head living with Thomas Jr; son age 30, mill hand, born 1870, married one year and Mary, daughter in law born July 1869, age 30.