Bozeman avant courier. [volume] (Bozeman, Mont.) 1872-1882, 1877-07-12
Remains of Marquette Dis
covered.


We reproduce below from the Sheboy
gan Free Press:
Father Marquette in May, 1878, LEI
Green Bay and assembled the Fox nyer t
the portage between it and the Wlsconsi
river, with Joliet and five other French
men. They transported their two ligh
canoes to the Wisconsin river on thei
shoulders, descending to its mouth, whicl
they reached June II. They spent da,
Eear the mouth of the Des Moines river
two miles from the site of Keokuk, amonl
the Peoria Indians. On June Is, at
O'Clock p M, they left that spot, reached
the high cliffs of Alton, where Marquett.
stopped to sketch two grIffins painted higt
up on the smooth surface of the perpen'
dicular rocks, He must have passed the
site of St. Louis about the first of July,
1913. After descending as low down the
river as the mouth of the Arkansas, be
returned by the way of the Illinois river
and Lake Michigan to Green Bay and
Sault Ste Marie. He visited the Indians
on the Illinois river in 1875, and on his
way lack to Mackinaw or Point St.
1gnace along the eastern shore of Lake
Michigan, he died, in May of the same
year (lG75), and was buried on a rising
SCOT near the little river now bearing his
name. Two years later his remains were
removed by the Ottawa Indians, who en-
cased them in birch bark, and reburled
them under the church at Point st. lgnace.
This church was burned down in 17O6,
and its site Is now Unidentified, and his
remains found, IS appears by the follow,
ing from the Sheboygan Free Press of
May 10th:
Like wildfire the news spread through.
out the village this week that the founda-
ton of the jesuit Mission which was es-
tablished by Father Marquette two hun
dred years ago, has been discovered on
the farm OF Mr.. David Murray, at Point
st. Ignace, and that numerous church
relics of those days had been unearthed
showing beyond question that this was
the place where the mission was erected
Soon after the news was received the
bulletin at the telegraph Office announced
the fact that the bones of human being
had been found On the grounds, which
were undoubtedly the remains of that
intrepid missionary, Father Nalquelte.
AS the readers of the early h;s,ory I'll
Michigan are aware, in 1G7l atocr Mar
queite bnii- log chaTe. ~ Point ~. |,
lghacc, anu named lac st-..o.. Asnatius.
After tbs church was erected, which
was subsequently destroyed by fire. and
all trace of Its location was lost. Efforts
have been made at diff. rent times TO I.
discover the site of the old mission, but ,
heretofore they have been of no avail. On .
The farm OF Mr.. Murray, about two hun
dred feet from the main road running
through the town, there is small rise of j,
ground covered over with thick under
brush, which had rot been cleared away !.
It was here that Mr.. Patrick Murray, son :
IF David Murray. one day last week made >
he important discovery Of the location of :,
he old church. The foundation, marked 8
~ rise Of ground, somewhat in the shape ;
IT q cross, is very clearly traced, as we'll
. the location of the baptismsl font and =
he place where the church treasures were
Kept. As soon IS the fact of the dlscov-
Try was made known, many people gath.
red on the groune, end in the researches e
hat were made were found number of o
'ucient church relics. such as gold pieces, G
'ortions of crosses, window glass, etc. = '
& is reported that cross has been found
With Father Aarqnette's name upon TT
There is excitement at the Pointe in re- &c
ard 10 the matter. and guard is now on =
luty to protect the place from intrusion %
until some definite plan of action shall be 8
stermined upon BY the proper authorities.
l rumOr ID current, with how much truth II
D it We cannot say, that large rewards
ave been offered for the discovery oft
he old mission site, or tho remains of o
'ather Marquette. o