New Ulm review., 1906-01-24
CATHOLIC MISSIONARY DIES.
Father Ravoux Passes Away Quiet
ly at Home.
Aged Prelate Was Character of
Historic Mention.
Ministered to Indians Executed at
Mankato in 1865.

What Bishop Whipple was to the
Episcopal church in the early settle
ment of this country Father Ravoux
was to the Catholic church and the
history of Minnesota cannot be prop
erly written without mention of the
work that this man did not only for
the early settlers but for the tribes of
Indians that constantly menaced the
border. He is dead having lived to
see the end of his Goth year.
Father Ravoux was born Jan. IL,
1915, at Langeac in Auvergue, France.
He spent three years in the petit
seminaire and four years in the grand
seminaire. The Rt Rev. M. Loras,
consecrated bishop of Dubuque, Iowa.
in 1887, first famed the 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 territory was aroused in Fa-
ther Ravoux, and after hearing the
appeal of Bishop Loras he worked
among his brethren urging them to
accompany him to the new field. He
was successful and short time later
| left France with several other young
men.
Nov. 1, 1889, the four sub-deacons
were ordained deacons at Dubuque,
and then began the most inspiring and
adventurous career of Father A. Ra-
voux. He first went to Prairie du
| Chen, where he exercised the holy
ministry until September, 1874. Later
he went to Traverse des Sioux and
| spent a term at Mendoza. At Lake
Traverse he was called to minister to
the Sioux Indians. All this time he
was converting white families and do
ing inestimable good among the Indi-
ans. Dangers through the rugged
climate, forests and swollen rivers
and the extreme treachery of the In
dians we're scoffed at by the deter
mined man as he went from place to
place. engaged in the discharge of his
duties.
His sterling qualities became known
throughout the wild country and his
service was requested from many pla-
ces. He finally answered the plea of
Messrs. J. B. and Oliver Faribault to
begin a permanent mission at Little
Prairie (now Chaska), where the Fari-
baultfamily had Sioux trading post.
He put the catechisms into the Sioux
language and also spoke to the Indl-
ans in their own tongue, being instru-
mental in many conversions among
the red men, who trusted the "white
father" implicitly. His mission was
hourishing and the future bore prom
ise of even more signal success, but
his work there was cut short when in
1874 Father Galtier was transferred
and Father Ravoux ordered to Men
dota.
In 1862 he was sent to MankatO to
work among the Indians held in prison
there under charge of Colonel Miller.
He ministered to the men who were
executed, and Nov. IL, 1866, he con
verted two Sioux chieftains who were
executed at Fort Smelling. Before
that he had caused hundreds of Sioux
encamped near the fort, to renounce
their superstitions and accept the
faith.
He lent more valuable aid to Bishop
Grace and then returned to France,
where he spent long term of years,
returning to ST. Paul about five years
ago.