Tolton celebrated his first Mass in the United States at St. Boniface church in Quincy. He attempted to organize a parish there, but over the years, met with resistance from both white Catholics (many of whom were ethnic German) and Protestant blacks, who did not want him trying to attract people to another denomination. He organized St. Joseph Catholic Church and school in Quincy but ran into opposition from the new dean of the parish, who wanted him to turn away white worshipers from his services.