The Virginia enterprise. [volume] (Virginia, St. Louis County, Minn.) 1893-19??, 1914-03-13
ESPECIAL TO THE ENTERPRIsE.)
from Mnndav's Daily

| later MS gOlQen JuDllee OF OU years
since his arrival in st. Paul.
In spite of his advanced age, he
continues, unaided, the supervision Of
| parish, consisting if 800 families, in
this city, in addition to visiting
monthly the Indian school at Tower.
Father Buh, as he is affectionately
called, came into Ely within day or
two after the railroad was built, to
christen baby, and since then has
had charge of the work here. He
christened the first child born in BIZ
wabik.
When asked why he did not secure
the services Of an assistant for his
large parish here, he replied he would
when he became old, and when press
ed by those who desire to have him
write story Of early northern Min
nesota, he replied when he had time
he would.
When he came to take up religious
work in northern Minnesota it in
cluded all north of St. Cloud, Duluth
being served by priests from Super
Tor, and being part of that parish.
In 1864 he was assistant priest at
Rachan Krain, Austria, and received
one day about Christmas time a let
ter from Rev. Francis Pirz, Indian
missionary of Minnesota, with con-
tents: IF you are ready, we start
tomorrow for America" He consid-
cred it a joke and threw the letter in
the waste basket. The following day
a notice appeared in the city paper
that an Indian missionary Of Ameri-
ca in Laibach had stopped at the no.
tel Vienna, and he also received a
letter Of explanation.
Asked to give a few glimpses of his
early life and experiences here, in a
firm and clear handwriting he wrote
the following:
"Though l had been satisfied in
my native country, still desired to
get larger field Of work. So obtain
ed formal leave from the bishop of
Laibach to the Bishop Thomas Grace
! Of St. Paul, MINI. Then I left Aus
tria with 16 other high grade stu
dents, passed 40 days on sail boat
from Havre de Grace to New York,
and then went to St. Paul. remained
in St. Paul about half a year as pre-
feet, giving instruction to some of the
students to be ordained priests. Then
l obtained permission to join Mission
airy Francis Pirz, who was past 80
years of age, and was in charge of
north Minnesota, north of St. Cloud
and Sank Rapids to the Canadian line.
"Of course the territory was great
but the population very scarce. Only
the Chippewa Indians had then set
tied around the great lakes to make
their living by fishing and hunting.
Making maple sugar in the spring and
gathering wild rice in the fall.
"White settlers of different nation
alities and creeds soon commenced
to take up their claims and make set
Elements, but for some years very
slowly. They were afraid of the In
dians. Later on there was quite a
rush for good farming lands. used
to visit these settlers and encourage
them in different places, besides visit
ing my Indian missions once or twice
year, going from settlement to set
Element.
AS there was no suitable place to
stop among the Indians I had selected
Belle Prairie, near Little Falls, Nor
rison county, for my residence, from
which place I used to make my trips
among the Indians and white settlers
Zone day came the head chief OF
the Mile Laos Indians with petition
that all the Mile Laos Indians would
take the Catholic religion if l came
to Mile Laos, which was signed by
designs as of wild beasts or birds rep.
resenting their family names, as they
could not write. I took Peter Roy, 8
half breed, with whose brother, Frank
Roy, l had stopped at Winibigoshine
lake the first winter in Minnesota anc
learned the Chippewa language. Tit
trip took about two days by horse
and buggy and in the evening wher
we camped we heard an awful howl
ing of the wolves in the woods. Ny
companion had an old-time double
barreled flint lock gun in his hands
and l looked for the nearest tree, bu
after time all quoted down. Com
ing to the settlement the head chie1
called all men Of the Chippewa trib,
to meeting for consultation and
explained to them the purpose of m!
coming. They were all good speak
: ers and they said IF you come re
side amongst us, and build church ant
school, then we shall attend ant
join YOU AS had no means to d,
so, and the government replied to m!
petition that they intended to NOV,
these Indians to the White Earth res
ervation, they would not make an!
> allowance for Mile Laos. The bes
success l found in Red Lake ant
White Earth reservations. sz.
f. ~ -