St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-02
HALF A CENTURY AGO
Arose the Little Chapel That
Gave Name to Minneso-
ta's Capital.
The Interesting Event Fit
tingly Observed in Ami
vepsary by Catholics.
Archbishop Ireland's Inter-
esting Historical Lecture
Last Night.
In Fifty Short Years Of His
tory What Hath God
Wrought.

Yesterday was a great day for the
Catholics of ST. Paul, and notable day
TO every citizen of the capital metrop-
olis-the tiftieth anniversary OF the con-
Secration of the first church in Mime
sofa, aud the chapel which gave to the
city the name now known for good to
the very confines Of civilization. The
Catholics celebrated the day notably.
In every church solemn mass was said,
and each pastor fittingly referred in his
sermon to the great event commemOr-
ated. AT the cathedral pontiticial high
mass was celebrated in the morning,
and in the evening an immense cOngre-
CATION turned out to hear Archbishop
Ireland lecture on the first chapel. ITS
history, and the great result of that
event. After an appropriate Scriptural
quotation. the archbishop said:
Let time tonight backward revOlve
its chariot wheels-backward a half
century. Be our date the first day OF
November, in the year Of our Lord 1871.
st. Paul in 1871. and St. Paul in 1881
who knowing only the one could picture
to himself the other? What mighty
things have been accomplished by Gods
providence and mans ingenuity be-
meath MinneSota's pellucid sky. Pom
der upon those things we must in graft
tude for the past, in h0pefuiness for the
future. Custom has wisely marked out
its solemn anniversaries, when it bids
US pause amid thoughts and labOrS of
the present day. and in fancy live over
periods that have flown by. whose MEM
cries and teachings are priceless treas
ureS GOr heart and minG. The first day
of November, 1891, is for the city of st.
Paul and the Catholic church of St.
Paul memorable anniyersary-Of both
the golden jubilee.
The 1st of November, 1871. 1t was a
great day. thought they whose humble
cabins lined the bank of the Mississippi
river outside the eastern limits Of the
Fort Smelling reservation. And great
day indeed it was for them. Their
church had been that morning dedicated
to divine service 10y prayer and sacred
lustratiOn-the one Catholic temple in
the vast regions extending from Du-
bUQue to Selkirk. Mass had been for
the first time celebrated hard by their
newly found homes. A name had been
given to their settlement-the hame st.
Paul. A great day, they no doubt oft
repeated to one another. How truly
great it was, insOmuch as it Graded the
future years, neither priest nor people
realized.
First Settlers
Small in population and i'll apparent
promise was the settlement TO which a
glorious name had been given. The
military reservation at that time eX-
tended a mile or so east Of Fountain
cave. The region outside the lines of
the reservation, lying between the Mis-
siSsippi and the st. CroiX rivers, was
ceded by the Indians TO the Cnited
States in 1887. The treaties, however.
were not ratified in Washington until
June IL, 1888. The news reached Fort
Smelling a month later. and settlement
began upon the vacant territory. With
out going into the details of the story,
for which reference can be had to the
interesting book Of J. I. Williams, we
will briefly say that when, in 1871. the
little church was built. there lived
within call of it twelve settlers-mOst
OF them with familieS-Edward Phelan,
William Evans. James X. CleWett. Peter
Parrant, Vital Guerin. Abraham Perry,
Benjamin GerYaiS. Joseph RondO, Peter
Gervais, Peter BOttineau, Severe Bot
tineau and Charles Mousseau. They
were discharged soldiers from Fort
Smelling, eX-employes of the American
Fur company, or Swiss and Canadian
refugees from Selkirk. who at first
had planted their tents on the reserva-
ton, but subsequently had been driven
beyond its borders by the military
authorities. They nearly all professed
in religion the Catholic faith 1t is
usually stated that Peter Parrant was
the first settler But would speak diff
ferently. For he had built his cabin at
Fountain cave, within the lines of the
reservation from which he was after
wards obliged to depart. Nor had he
been the first occupant of ground oh that
part of the reservation ROW covered by
the city of ST. Paul. AT a later date he
made a claim outside the military dis
trict, but be had been preceded there
by others. The first claimant was really
the discharged soldier. Pheian. | must
add. for the sake of truth, that if hon
Orable names are sought for, not much
is gained by exchanging Parrant for
Phelan. The first settler. however. was
not whisky seller. All the other set
tiers, whom we have mentioned were
upright and industrious men, sincerely
anxious TO build up homes for them
selves. and to live in honest peace with
their neighbOrs. A great deal has been
said about the WhiSky-selling proclivi-
ties of the early settlers, and the dis
graceful orgies following theretrom.
Peter Parrant was, in 1871 and in pre-
viOuS years, the only neutrality-suspicious.
too many, l readily grant. The chief
centerS for the distribution of the fire
water were nearer to the fort, and some
where on the old st. Anthony road.
Another settlement had meanwhile
been formed farther down the river. on
the low grounds below Dayton'S Bluff.
The place was then called Grand Ma
D., - (, Z.
less euphoniOus name, Pigs Eye, derived
from Peter Parrant. who in 1913 re-
moved thither from ST. Paul. Some
ten families. all Canadians and Catbo-
lies, were residents OF P0inte Leclaire
Ill 1871.
Early Catholic History
The question of a church building for
the benefit of the TWO settlements soon
came up for discussion among the Catho-
lies. In the year 1887. 1t. Rev. Matthias
LoraS, heretofore a priest of Mobile,
Ala, was appointed first bishop OF Du-
buQue, his diocese comprising the ter
ritory of Iowa, thc present state of
Iowa and those parts OF Minnesota and
the DakOtas lying west of the Mis-
sissipp q river and east Of
the Missouri. The easterern side
of the river. together with the
whole territory Of Wisconsin. was under
the spiritual jurisdiction OF the bishop
of Detroit. The bishop Of Dubuque,
however. was expected TO take practical
charge of whatever settlements might
spring up III the vicinity OF his OWN do
cese. Bishop Loras visited France in
quest of missionaries, and returned TO
the states in the early winter of 1888.
bringing with him, among others, four
clergymen whose names were TO be
afterwards intimately connected with
the history of the church in Minnesota
Joseph Cretin. A. Pelamourgues. Lu-
clan Galtier and Augustine RavouX
HIS route to Dubuque was down the
Ohio and up the Mississippi. The ice
In the latter river delayed him in ST.
Louis until the early spring of 1899
His second mission,~ or episcopal
visitation, as he writes. was
to the few Catholics at ST. Peter and
Fort Smelling. Il left Dubuque" he
says. zen the 23d of June, on board a
large and magnificent steamer, and was