Saint Matthew Parish was founded by Father Samuel Mazzuchelli OP on August 27, 1835, with the baptism of Henrica Murphy. Worship was held in the cabins of members until 1841, when Father Samuel built the first church on the southeast corner of Pious and Wisdom Street just east of the present cemetery, and the first mass there was said on August 1, 1841. That church building was converted to a school in 1866, staffed by the Sinsinawa Dominican Sisters, and operated until 1895. On June 19, 1853, Bishop Loras of the Diocese of Dubuque laid the cornerstone of the current stone church, which was not completed until 1861, when the first mass there was said on Saint Patrick's Day. The parish property consisted of four square acres donated by John Ryan and John Roberts, bounded by Peace, Charity, Truth, and Judgement Street, and other streets around the church property were named virtues to live by: Faith, Hope, Friendship, Mercy, Goodness, and Happy.