The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1897-05-28


vicinity would indicate this
Pokagon was plous Indian, On one
Of the hills overlooking the village
was a log chapel whore he and his
people worshlpcd according TO the
rites Of the Catholic church, taUsht /
them by their fathers. How Ions the
chapel had been built Is not known,
but Il may have been one o. the mis-
sions established more than 200 years
ago by Father Claude Allouez. the
pioneer missionary 81 the region,
whose ashes are reposlng somewhere
along the 81. Joseph river. the exact
spot OF his burial place not being
known. In 1859 the English drove the
French from this region and took pos
session % the territory. dissolying all .
these missions. They were not ro-cs- /
tahlIshcd for nearly 100 years after .
ward. and during that period although /.
the Indians were deprived o. the care F.
and instruction % the priests. they did
not forget the forms 81 the church.
/ In the latter part % the '21s Polka
[ gon made q pilgrimage 90 Detroit 10
I implore the church authorities Co send
black robe the Indian name Tor
priest. among his people H.s speech
Co the vicar general 90 the bishop ~
Cincinnati Fa'hC Gabriel Richard on
this occasion. is on record. % was an
earnest aud effective plea. ~ implore
YOU" he said. ITO send us black robe
10 teach us the word ~ God II you
have no care Cor us old men, az least
have pity on our poor children. who
are growing up iu Ignorance and vice.
we SIN preserve the manner %
prayer az taught our ancestors boy the
black robe who formerly resided az S.
Joseph. Morning and evening with
my wife and children We pray together
before the crucihx. Sunday We pray
together oitcncr on Friday We fast
an evening. men. women and children.
according 20 the traditions handed
down 10 rs by our fathers and mothers.
2 Tor we have never seen a black robe
= Listen 10 tho prayers which be taugh,
c 20 them and see II I have not learned
u them correctly" Then the old chici
7" foll on his knees. made the signs and
repeated the prayers % the church n,
q creed and the ten commandments In
T. the Pottawattomlc tongue
e Tho result Of the plea was the send
h ING of Father stephen Theodore Ia
- din the first Catholic priest orialnc,
!, In the United states. who came TO IN
~ diana An 1929 and Tor several year
had chargs of an the missions ID
= southern Michigan and northern lndl
ID. ana lie established a mission tw
=. nlles north of South Bend tina, cycutu
IA ally developed into the great Notr
Iv Dame university 90 today lie was o.
N religious instructor 90 pokagon's ban
\, MA long as they stayed 90 the old VII
,e laro and there are a number oi oil
,Il residents ~ the vicinity that hear
,e Father RadIn preach in the little DO
a church on the hin. The church ltso
AZ b,s long since been taken away, bg
as ihe foundation remains Down N
ar valley ON the bank oi the river was N
hurylng place OF pokagon town an
Inc old cedar cross with lis hoizonu
a.. arm gone Is stl standing Il ",
=. there when tho FIRST white settlers can
A. into the region.
pokagon is represented by some III
~, torical writer's as the leader Of bar
~ M pottawattomlos In a battle with q
~ shawnccs in the days before the whit
=. al Three Rivers. but this can be class
- "a fiction. as Pokagon was Who'll
t,o aycrse 10 Grhung. and his whole al
.bc was 10 Keep bis people from w
an Again. De Is said 90 have been az q
0v massacre Of Fort Dearborn In 1912
ass the capac,ty % poaccmakcr and TO ha
rnt been the one who brought Capt Hca
an. and his wife away from the bloc
as ARRAY AZ Chicago and across the Ia
ed. 10 81. Joseph. This Is not believed
.cf. DO true by some % the older rcsldon
ar who were acquainted With Pokag'
or lie never made any such claim
ak. them. though he had been heard
say that he used an his power 10 he
the Pottawattomics In that local
DIV from taking part In the massacre, a
err himself went to ST Joseph TO dissua
sts, Toplnahce from taking his men the
,eIr Pokagon doubtless was with roplnal
vim and was one OF those who r,cel'
net Capt Head at 81. Joseph and hell
ing him 10 get TO Macklnac and Dcir'
n a Tho most authentic records Of the m
LAM sacre 20 be had give the credit Of
/ OF sisting Capt Heald and his wife
heir escape to John Baptisto Chandonla
re- nephew Of Toplnabee. and who =
pre- At South Bend In 1887, and whose
L In mains he In the city cemetery. thoJ
In an unknown and unmarked grave