Little Falls herald. [volume] (Little Falls, Morrison County, Minn.) 1889-1950, 1904-02-05

his many escapes from starvation
while lost in the woods when rescued
by them, his many acts of charity
and his simple nature. No matter
how great the distance he had to
travel before he could re eplenish his
meager supplies and no matter how
mesger these supplies. he would feed
every Indian he met on his route.
The Indians always took great pleas
ure in being able 60 serve him wit b.
ont tcompens sti on. and they were never
reluctant about taking him from one
Indian village to another His in
f1uence among tkem had no limit.
Francis H Pierz was born near
Carniol preyipce-.sf (
|zhstr1a -H1naary, On the S0th day 81
November 1885, His classical studies
he made in the city Of Laiback, were
he also entered the seminary and was
ordained priest In 1918 During the
twenty years he labored among hie
countrymen, he did, besides ais pas
toral duties, very much for the bet
terment Of the peasants for whom he
published two small books treating on
"Cultivation of Domestic Fruit Trees. -
In Podpreaji. his last parish. he had
a magnificent orchard VIII ich he culti-
vated himself.
Responding to repeated calls of Bisn.
op Fred Baraga, Father Iie1z resol-
we'd to devote the remainder Of his
life for the civilization Of the Ameri
can Indian. June l6, 1885 was the
day of his departure and Sept. 18th OF
the same year he arrived at Detroit.
Mich. The Franch language he had
learned when attending school in Car
niola and the Ottawa dialect he also
mastered soon.
Fifty summers had he seen alrea .dy
when he became: an Indian mission.
ary. With great zeal he labored at
Lacroix (now Cros' Village) Sault
Ste. Marie, l. Arbe Croche, ..now Har.
Dor Springs. and the su rroundina
country. everywhere building small
chapels for divine service. In 1888 be
esta blished two new missions At
Grand Portage and Fort Williams. In
the following year Father Pierz trans
ferred his "headquarters'' to Wag'
anakising or Crooked Tree. Here
was the field of his APOSTLE labore
among the Ottawas till 1862.
The Indian revered him as their
COM mon father and gave him the
name "Gaminodeed' The Good.
hearted. He seemed, as it were. tt
forget himself order to be all to the
poor Indian. II ndreds OF pagan be
received intothe Catholic church. They
were model christians. learning not
only 1he principles Of religion but also
TO till the land and live in decent
houses.
The Territory of Minnesota at that
time had no Catholic missionary fol
the Chippewas, Bishop Jos. Cretin of
St.. Paul, therefore invited the friend
of the Indians. Father Pierz, to come
and DO some "new breaking"' among
the Minnesota Chippewse. Grow
Wing on the Mississippi was the spo,
for building up a mission. This was
in 1859. Probably he eas the only
priest north of St. Paul organizing
new parishes among the Germ ans
French and Indians hunired of miles
around. At Mile Lacs. Gull Lake
Leeeh Lake, Otter Tail, Red Lake
Pokeagema. etc: ,,the light of the true
faith was heard from the "Akiwens
Mekateokonaie' as he ia still called
BY the Chippewas In 1853 he tool
with him to Red Lake a jealous
young priest, Rev Lawrence Lavti
zar, formerly of Grow Village Mich
|Iu*returning from q visit to the pagar
Iodians across Red Lake, this young
priest was caught in blizzard and
roze to death Dec. g. 1858 Father
YieTz mad him brought back to Grow
Wing where he was buried,
Ia 1861 an outbreak occurred amons
the Chippe was. and on this otcasi III
Father Pierz used his Influence amonl
hem. an It vas larR els /, ros this
Influence that they 6nally disbanded
and returned tosthier seveTsl reservs'
tIrir,ne. SIS ss.3 #
On the ,th. d s. Of Sepfempe 1873.
i:at the age OF 88 years. Father Pier2
left New York for his native country