Here are
7 little known
facts about Julia
Julia Greeley, born a slave in Missouri, became a well known
and much loved resident of Denver, CO, where she died on June 7, 1918.
Today she is up for sainthood in the Catholic Church:
She probably took her name, Greeley, from the popular and lively 19th century newspaper publisher, Horace Greeley, who famously said: “Go West, young man!” (Julia headed for Denver.)
Julia got drawn into the divorce drama of her boss, the first governor of Colorado, William Gilpin. When she testified in court on his wife’s side, he blackballed her. For a time, Julia couldn’t get a job.
She taught herself to play the piano, and at a party one night, played and sang an entire Gregorian Mass for guests.
She was known for her big feet, radiant smile, and occasionally smoked a corncob pipe.
Julia persuaded young girls to give their “old” party clothes to poor girls who had nothing pretty to wear to church socials. Julia attended the socials, but stayed behind the scenes, serving ice cream.
Julia was promised $100 from Mrs. Gilpin’s will (about $3,000 today), but the Gilpin will was in dispute until 26 years after Julia’s death. When people asked Julia if she minded that the money promised her never came, she replied that Mrs. Gilpin had given her something — her Catholic faith.
Julia worshiped and received Communion every day at Sacred Heart Church in Denver, always sitting in the front row on the left. When fancy parishioners complained that the elderly Black woman should move further back, Father Edward Barry said, “As long as I’m the pastor, Julia keeps her pew!”
These 7 interesting things (and many more!) about Julia’s life are from her biography “In Secret Service of the Sacred Heart” by Father Blaine Burkey OFM Cap. Find out how to purchase the book at juliagreeley.org