The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1906-01-26
Monsignor Augustin Ravoux
Passed Away in st. Paul.
ONCE RESIDED IN MANKAT0.
Administered Sacrament to the In.
dians Tint Were Executed in
This City in 1862.

tin Ravoux, the venerable Catholic
priest, died at st. Joseph's hospital yes
terday afternoon.
Monsignor Ravoux became uncon-
scious yesterday, and since then there
had been only Slight CLEANS of conscious
ness. The last sacrament of the church
was administered shortly before noon.
Monsignor RavouX belonged so much
TO the remote past that few of the pres
ent generation know him save, perhaps,
by name or reputation. He was the
last link that binds the ancient mission
airy days of the northwest with our own
times He saw st. Paul when it was
4 scattered Indian village, and he lived
to witness it the capital of great state,
a lourishing metropolitan city of 200,-
900 inhabitants.
Until comparatively recent times he
had been accustomed to take daily walks
through the streets of the city. The cit
liens of ST. Paul will well recall that
thin spare man, like an ascetic of the
days OF old, as he passed along quietly,
now and then stopping to greet friend.
He always was attired i'll the clerical
long alpaca coat and broad brimmed
blaci, hat, and used cane. In tri
butte to the priest, local writer says:
Monsignor Ravoux, when he departs
this life, will carry with him, the love
and ELECTION of not alone the members
of the church for which he labored for
Il period of more than sixty years, but
also of all people that knew him. His
comrades of missionary times have long
since passed to their reward.
Like those other sainted characters OF
the cid church. Bishop Cretin and Father
Galtier. the name of Father RavouX will
always accupy a prominent place in the
history of the church i'll the northwest.
For the past fifteen years the Mon
signor has been incapacitated from per-
forming his priestly functions. He has
occupied special quarters during this
period at st. ,Joseph's hospital, where he
has been cared for with tender solicit
tude by the sisters.
Father A. RavouX was born Jan. H.,
1878. at Langeac. in Auvergne, France,
about twenty miles from Puy, where he
spent three years in the Grand Semi
naire Early in the spring of 1888 Bis
hop Lorfas, of Dubuque, visited the semi
nary ana gave an urgent invitation to
the students to accompany him to Am
erica to labor in the vast missionary field
OF the great northwest. Liable RavouX
was touched by the appeal, end was one
of party who returned to this coun-
try with the Bishop. The Others were
Father Cretin, afterwards bishop of St.
Paul; Rev. a. Pelamourges and Father
Galtier The four sub-deacons were or
dained deacons at Dubuque, Nov ii,
1899, and priests Jan. ), 1910.
A few days after, Father RavouX was
sent to Prairie du Chen, Wis, where
he exercised his ministry till September,
1871. Then he left Prairie du Chen,
for the Upper Mississippi. He spent a
few days at Mendoza, with his friend,
Father Galtier, and then set out in a
canoe to Traverse des Sioux, where he
intended to establish a mission for the
French and Indians.
Here he preached to the Indians and
labored with them in the cause of Christ,
1t was here he mastered the Sioux Ian
guaee He performed a number of bap-
tisms. After few months spent at
Lac Oui Parle and Little Rock, he came
10 Mendoza and spent the greater part
of the summer with Father Galtier
About this time, at the earnest request
of the settlers, he established mis-
sion at Little Prairie, now Chaska Here
he wrote short catechism for the Sioux
in their own language. At one time
Father Ravoux had under his charge the
missions OF Mendoza, st. Paul, Lake
Pepin and st. CroiX.
In lS43 Father RavouX pursued his
missionary labors at Point Douglas. Red
Wing, Trempeleau and Prairie du Chen
During this time the priest lived in the
mosU primitive manner, and suffered
the direst hardships. He was greatly be-
loved by the Indians who called hin
BLACK Robe'f Many Indian massa
crees had taken place, but his life was
spared.
From the departure of Father Gaul
tier. who established the first log churcl
in ST. Paul, in lS4l, for seven years
Father Rlvoux alternately resided IL
Mandota and ST. Paul. He was two
consecutive Sundays in Mendoza, ant
the third in st. Paul preaching every
Sunday in the French and English lang
uages.
In lS47 an addition was made to The
chapel, which stood near the corner O.
Second and Minnesota streets, just {
stones throw from where the Dispatch
buildino now stands The addition wa: