During the middle third of the nineteenth century, Ohioans began to clear the forests of the Great Black Swamp region, revealing fertile prairies.

As these lands became open for farming, and as the construction of the Miami and Erie Canal created significant demand for laborers, the economy of western Ohio grew rapidly.

[3] By 1850, priests of the Society of the Precious Blood had become established in the village of Minster,[2] approximately 6 miles (9.7 km) west of McCartyville.

[2]: 7 Located in northwestern Shelby County, approximately 3 miles (4.8 km) apart,[4] the two heavily Catholic communities of St. Patrick and McCartyville chose to coöperate in both civil and religious matters.

[8] From the earliest years of Catholic settlement in the Black Swamp region, parish priests typically lived at the convent closest to their churches.

Built in 1911, it is a square-shaped building with three bays on each side, that rests upon a foundation of cut stone with a concrete water table and a basement.

Among its distinctive architectural features are a prominent cornice, large lug sills and lintels around the windows, and sidelights on both sides of the main entrance.