The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1885-05-14
T-77777777
FRENCH sETTLEm ENT.

HOW thuion tthh hfpWH"''''"'"h
Interview with Faithful shepherd
A correspondent OF the Plain Dealer
writes TO that paper OF Lonieyille, lhls
county, az follows: .nr
ThIa town Ia better known TO the
counting room OF the Plain Dealer,
imagine, than to the general population
OF the State. Its peculiar aud Interest
Ing features lie Ia the fact OF the reel
dents being largely French its foundrrr
coming from Alsace aud Franche
Compte, fifty years ago. These Alsatiau
ancestors have chOi %, substantial forms
spreading In all directions from the VII
Ia ye, and furnish a greater amount OF
agricultural freight 10 the Bort Wayne
road than any town OF Its population
along the lioe, .I f0 .nu
On an emlnence south OF the RAILROAD
stands the large church, school and
other buildings OF 81, Louis parish, ~
well az s., JOseph'a orphan asylum, al
OF which are mOnumenta 10 tho Work
worth and energy Il Louis ID II ', The
reverend father and teacher OF the par
ish for tho past twenty'f0ur years, He
came from the province OF Lorraine, n
a genial, pleasant gentleman OF 5b,
whose teachings doubtless have moi
been entirely void OF hlm0r. Under
| his administration the little, almost un-
| known parish has become wealthy
one, numbering over 100 families. q
large portion OF whom are substantial
farmers.
In English he was hls own teacher,
his text books being principally the
Eewspaperl, Service In hle church Ia
now rendered In French and English on
alternate Sundays, He thinks there
will be no necessity for serm )na IN
French 10 his parish In the next genera
tlOn, az the coming one Ia decidedly
English epeaklng.
Judging from the amount Of work
accomplished In such rural district,
you must have a faithful congregation
surrounding you, Father Hoffer," |
said.
"Ah, you may believe that surely he
replied
tar, | rang the bell, and We had all we
needed. Fathers, mothers, sons and
daughters alrlyed TO do their beat, and
worked with their hands cheerfully.
"The old church was torn down." he
continued. "Where shall we buildP |
asked my congregation" Right here,
they answered, '0n the old spot, This
ground Ia sacred. Here we have christ
ened, married and buried our people
IL In sacred. Let US build here And
on that spot we built the new church
For eight years services we're held with
ont a ire. The extreme cold was CON-
plainei Of. Had you a lre at homo In
France 10 worship byY | asked thum
Did We not have stone floors, and did
we not raise our feet 10 keep them
warmp / can sand IL, IL you want
ilre you must pay for H.
But soon the blood OF the waning
generation began 10 grow thin. They
could stand II no longer, and then $6,
600 was raised from the stanch farmers
for new heater and other Improve.
ments OF the interior OF the handsome
church. The latter 10 l62 feet long, 90
feet wide and Al In height clear OF the
towers, II cost In the nelghb0rhood Of
10000 under the atrlctest economy and
gifts Of labor and materials In construc
ton"
The interior OF tho church IL Gothic
with q double row OF columns, after the
style OF the Fifth avenue cathedral In
New York. A nuo full.length portrait
In oil Cf Plus TX, graces the west wall,
facing the altar, and an ideal OF Notre
Dame des Lourdes the east. The south
window has for its center q picture OF
81. Lous. This solid and handsome pul.
pit Of oak ie the work OF q mechanic OF
the parish, aud from foundation walls
to towers Father HOffer was architect
OF the whole.
The orphan asylum is q large brick
building with extensive grounds sur
rounding II. The majority OF the chill
dren, about one hundred, we're trans
ierred from the Monroe street orphan
asylum, Cleveland, two years ago, to-
gether with the ak sisters who accom-
panied them. Many OF the orphans art
, provided with neighborng homes among
. the farmers and attend the Orphans
school NJ the asylum, II the battallonI
! Of orphans which Bishop Gllmour has II
! Cleveland could look upin these coun
/ try.ied children, surrounded with AZ
the allnremente OF blrda, flowers ant
, fields OF coming spring, there would b
! Wishes for an exchange OF places.