The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1898-04-16
FREDERICK BARAGA.
Interesting Biography of the
Great Indian Mis-
siOnary.
HIS FIRST VISIT TO L'ANSE.
L'Anse Bay Was Known to Mis-
siOnarics Of the Seven
teenth Century.
HIS FIRST VISIT TO L'ANsE.


From Marquette the coast line OF
Lake Superior curves northwest by
south, around a semi-circular shore.
which extends almost due south,
forming a bay. the east line Of whose
coast terminates at u hooked -noSed
point in the lake. This is Kewee.
nav. Lake Superior navigators
usually rejoice when they have
rounded this rather dangerous point.
The bay referred to extends some
distance inland, and its waters
wash the shores of one of the few
agreeable and sheltered localities on
the Lake Superior coast.
The Jesuit explorers of the seven
teenth century named this calm
haven "L'Anse, (Which may apply
to anything shaped like handle OF
a cup) or ''the little bay. This
name remains to the present day,
1t is a central point in the upper
peninsula of Michigan, 1t is in the
heart Of one of the richest mining
regions in the world, which has
been developed during the nine
teenth century. 1t is midway be-
tween the Houghton, Ontonagon
and keweenaw ranges and the
prolific iron mines of the Marquette
district.
Before the development of somuch
mineral wealth, Father Baraga de-
cidcd To transfer the center of his
apostolic work from LaPoint to
Il L'Ause He had evangeized the
Chippewas, the half-breeds and
whites on the shores and islands of
the headwatcrs of Lake Superior.
1t is doubtful if Father Baraga
had any definite idea of the enormous
mineral wealth hidden under the
arid and uninviting surface of the
soil, upon which at the time, there
lived, and starved, and suffered
from cold, so many of the people of
the Chippewa nation. But, that he
was moved by Divine Providence to
make this change. | firmly believe.
He was very holy man, and nearer
than most men We're to the source of
Infinite Power.
In the religious history of the
Jesuit relations and the United
States reports | find that so early
as 1913, the French missionary the
Jesuit lie Carron-and subsequently
the Frere Sagard, brought the doc
trine of the Catholic church to the
savages of the upper peninsula of
Michigan. Twenty-Five years later
Revs. Mesnard Raymbaut, Jaques,
AlloueZ, Dablon and others pene-
trated the wilds and planted the
cross at each Indian village from
the Sault to Green Bay, aud the
head of Lake Superior. The history
of the Catholic church in Michigan
must be considered to begin at the
Sault, to have its permanent founda-
tion at ST. lgnace and Mackinac, and
thence forward to spread out over
the entire west. In the general
history, as well as in the history Of
the counties, the exploratory and
religious enterprise of the first
Catholic missionaries are regarded
What is now called Baraga county
was known to the French explorers
from the earliest period of their
travels along the shore of Lake Su-
perior. In the history of Father
Mesnard descriptions point out the
shores of the bay which lends its
charms to the present Baraga coun-
ty Evidence of the missionary s
presence here has been brought to
light; also that little doubt remains
of the district being visited by Pere
Mcsnard and the other priests who
succeeded him in that mission. In
the journal du Voyage du Pere
Rene Mesnard dams lie Gals des
Outanacs" find that Father Mes
nard has been, so far as is known,
the first white man who visited this
part OF the upper peninsula He
left Quebec on the 2Sth of August,
1860, and on the 18th of October, in