The pioneer express. [volume] (Pembina, Dakota [N.D.]) 1883-1928, 1905-05-19
The First Protestant Missionary.

The First Protestant Missionary.
Rev. Alonzo Barnard was born in Peru,
Bennington, County, Vermont, June 2,
1917, and removed with his fathers family
to Elyria, Ohio. at the age of seventeen.
He studied at Oberlin College, and upon
his graduation, in 1S43, was married to
Miss Sarah P. Babcock, classmate in the
same institution. Immediately following
their marriage they set out, in company
with Mrs. Aver and others, to engage in
missionary labors among the Chippewa
Indians in Northern Minnesota.
They and their associates labored at
Red and Cass Lakes. as we'll as at other
points in that wild region. during period
Of ten years; when, in the spring of 1858
they removed with the Spencers to St,
Joseph now Walhalla on the northern
boundary of North Dakota and sought
to open mission school for instruction
of the native children at that important
frontier trading post.
Here Mrs. Barnard soon ended her
earthly labors, followed the ensuing sum-
mer by the tragic death of devoted as
sociate, Mrs. Spencer, at the hands of
savages. The nilsson being broken up
the following year 1854 by the mcreas-
ing hostility of the Sioux Indians. Mr..
Barnard took refuge in the Red River
settlement of Kildonan near the present
city Of Winnipeg. After spending some
years in that region-a portion of the
tim; in missionary labors among the
vicinity of Lake Winnipeg, he removed
to Benzonia, Mich. where he and other
members of his family made their home
during many years thereafter until Short
ly before his decease.
On the 7th of April last, at the home of
his son and daughter, this venerable and
useful servant Of God was called to enter
upon his heavenly rest at the ripe age OF
nearly eighty-eight years.
Aside from the missionary labors of
''Father Barnard" it should be matter
OF interest to the people OF Walhalla, and
North Dakota as we'll to recall the fol-
lowing facts which believe can be sat-
isfactorily established, namely:
1. He was the first white Protestant
missionary that ever visited the villages
Pemblna and St. Joseph (Walhalla ,hav-
ing visited the region in company with
slr. Tanner the Baptist missionary in the
summer of 1851.
2. He, in company with Rev. Aver,
were the first ordained Presbyterian mis-
sionaries to visit and conduct religious
services in the old Kildonan settlement,
(now Winnipeg) having conducted a
weeks services there in the winter of
1843.
3. These two men were the first to
start the Temperance reform in Mani
toba.
4. Mr.. Barnard brought to Walhalla
and afterwards to Winnipeg the first
printing press ever set up and operated
in these regions, or indeed in the North
west, it afterwards passed into the hands
of Gov. Shultz, who used it in al
printing the old "Northwester" at Win
nipeg, before the Riel Rebellion.
5. He also brought to Walhalla and
later to Kildonan the first melodian ever
brought in this Region having brought it
and tine printing press up the Mississippi
river in birch bark canoe in the spring
of 1S4sson his return from trip to the
East. And from Red Lake they were
brought to Pembina and Walhalla by a
pony cart.
6. The old tombstone obtained for
his wife, buried at Walhalla. was perhaps
the first regular tombstone ever set over
any Christian grave In North Dakota.
q. His wife was the first white Pro.
testant female missionary to lay down
her life for the cause of Christ on North
Dakota soil.
8. Mr.. Barnard also had camera and
took the earliest daguerreotypes ever
taken in this region (and at Winnipeg)
and perhaps in the Northwest. Walhalla
Mountaineer.