The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-01-17
WAS EARLY MISSIONARY
AMONG INDIAN TRIBES
Career Was One Of Remarkable
Adventure and Signal Devo-
ton to Cause Of Religion.

end he bore up with the wonderful
courage that carried him thru the hun
dreds of difficult trials of his long,
hard life.
A Pioneer of the Church.
Father A. Ravoux was identified with
the earliest history Of the northwest and
especially concerned in the formation Of
ST. Paul. AS a young priest in France.
seized with the spirit of aiding in the
development of the then wild region, he
induced the party of priests OF which
Father Galtier, founder of st. Paul, was a
member, to come to the northwest. He
frequently visited Father Galtier during
the days when st. Paul was a mere Cath
Ollie mission settlement. Father Gathers
chapel was established several miles
above Pigs Eye, then the most preten-
tious village within a wide area, and was
not then expected to grow into the i'm
portant city it has become. The chapel
was called st. Paul's, in honor of the
! apostle whose teachings appealed so
strongly to Fathers Ravoux and Galtier.
From that sprung the name that st. Paul
| now boasts.
J Father Ravoux was born Jan. II, 1915,
at Langeac in Auvergne, France. He spent
three years in the petit seminaire and
/ four years in the grand seminaire. The
Rt. Rev. M. Loras, consecrated bishop Of
|
missionary spirit in the being of Father
Ravoux. The bishop went to France in
! 1888 to induce priests to accompany him
| to America to work in the northwest. The
zeal which later played such an important
! part in the development of this vast ter
ritory was aroused in Father Ravoux,
and after hearing the appeal of Bishop
Loras he worked among his brethren urg-
/ ing them to accompany him to the new
fold re- wa successful and a short time
later left France with several other young
men.
Ordained at Dubuque.
1 Nov 1, 1889, the four sub-deaeons
I were ordained deacons at Dubuque, and
then began the most inspiring and adven-
turous career of Father "A, Ravoux. He
first went to Prairie du Chen, where he
exercised the holy ministry until Septem-
Der, 1871. Later he went to Traverse de
Sioux and spent term at Mendoza. At
Lake Traverse he was called to minister
to the Sioux Indians. All this time he
was converting white families and doing
iEestimable good aiming the Indians. Dam
gers thru the rugged climate, forests and
4 swollen rivers and the extreme treachery
E Of the Indians were scoffed at by the de-
termined man as he went from place to
+ place. engaged in the discharge Of his
q duties. RI.
, thruout the wild country and his service
< was requested from many places. He
n finally answered the plea Of Messrs. J.
B. and Oliver Faribault to begin per-
= nanent mission at Little Prairie (now
t Chaska), where the Faribault family had
a Sioux trading post. He put the cate
chisms into the Sioux language and also
spoke to the Indians in their own tongue,
being instrumental in many conversions
among the. redmen, who trusted the
white father implicitly. His mission
was fourishing and the future bore prom
Use Of even more signal success, but his
work there was cut short when in 1874
Father Galtier was transferred and Faith
er Ravoux ordered to Mendoza.
O. Faces Dangers in His Work.
One day Father Ravoux got word that
the Chippewas were killing the Sioux at
Little Crows village of Kaposia, almost
opposite the then village of, Pigs Eye.
He was eight miles removed. but without
a moments hesitation he started to walk
and hurried to the relief of the dying In
dams. He baptised several who were
q near death, and, ignoring the protesta-
e lions Of his Interpreter that it was dam
s gerous to remain, kept vigil thru the
/ night over the dying
n Little Crow declared that the residents
|. Of Pigs Eye might have notified him OF
!, the coming Of the Chippewas and given
q him chance to prepare. Father Ra.
!, vouxs memoirs term this a rumor. Al
/ any rate, the few families of ST. Paul
n were alarmed by the presence of the hos,
e tile Chippewas and took refuge on Mis-.
= sissippi island, situated two or three hun
d bred yards from what was later the site
s of the st. Paul e Sioux City freight de-
n pot. Isaac Labissonniere was sent to
Il Fort Smelling for relief, and the soldiers
who responded soon restored quiet, and
8 the frightened people returned to Their
n settlement, there to continue their des.
: tined growth into st. Paul Other in
vasions Of the Chippewas attracted the
r attention of Father Ravoux, and he was
Il ready to undergo any hardship to aid the
suffering.
Father Ravoux once journeyed overland
to Dubuque with the mail-carrier, and
3, the adventures encountered on that sin
1t gle trip would fill large volume witt
e intensely interesting facts. He once wen,
a to the intersection of the Vermillion and
r, Missouri rivers. doing great good on the
long overland journey, which he took
1t alone. This and his trip to Fort Pierre
n and intermediate points were filed with
it adventures that would have sent back
l. many man, but not the resolute priest
He saw much of the northwest and every.
where his uplifting influence brought re.
Spouse beneficial to its development
:, - Shaping the New Work.
10 From 1S44-the time Of his succession t.
e the parish of Mendoza. which then in.
e. Guided ST. Paul-to 1851 he had charge
of the district. During this period hi
accomplished much good. He urged tina
a resident priest be given to st. Paul
and, July 2, 1851, his requests were grant
Z, ed in the appointment of the Rt. Rev
: Joseph Cretin as first bishop of st. Paul
e. The charity and zeal of this man played
IS an important part in the development o
n the country tributary. and because tn,
10 appointment was at his earnest solicita,
1T ton, Father Ravoux deserves credit.