The independent-reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1909-1955, 1914-08-06
CONVERTED INDIAN ExPOUNOED CATHO.
Lie RELIGION IN THIS VICINITY
Over Two Hundred and Fifty Years Ago---His-
tory of Religious Denominations Presented

In the days of Other centuries when
early settlers located their humble
cabins and cleared their plots of lands,
their minds turned often to the
thoughts of God-and with reso-
lutte and holy faith. these pioneers,
iabored to bring about some means by
which form of religion might be es-
tabished in their midst Thus it was
in cid Canaan, which became success
sive'y Bloomfield and then Skowhegan
and with a perseverance that showed
the same God-like faith of their faith
ers succeeding generations have seen
TO il mat churches were established
and means brought about for the BET
terment of mankind Good men have
labored as the ministers of these
churches and wnile many have gone
to their reward. there are many also
on this side of life. The purpose of
this article then is to bring once more
to the minds of the people of Show
hogan some of the memories of these
revered men and to tell present To-
cations of those who have not yet
been called home. II seems only fit
thing that we tell something of the
history of the early churches of our
town for the lives of these pastors
have been very strongly entwined with
the societies for which they exhorted
and prayed so earnestly. In order to
accomplish this il has been necess try
for us to obtain aid from many of
the citizens of the town and in every
instance they have responded most
genially to our inquiries
In the midst of waving forests or
beside the flowing waters of the beau
tiful Kennebec, with the red men of
ancient Indian tribes as humble wor-
shippers is pictured the entrance of
Catholicism into Skowhegan. The
story of these Indians has oft been
told and though handed down by our
forefathers of centuries ago it has lost
none of its faint of old-time warfare
The tale has largely to do with the
Norridgewock tribe, whose tragic end
came near the borders of Skowhegan
township.
The Norrdgewocks were a part OF
the Abenaquois tribe and the date
when their fortunes began to wane
was probably in about 1907, when the
Popham expedition came to the mouth
of the Kennebec River. The two ma
tons. England and France, were on
this continent as we'll as at home, ex-
tremely hostile. The French appear
to have been friendly to the Indians
and their religion with its attractive
services seemed to be of far more in
terest to them than did the stcrner
demon STATIONS connected with the
piety of the Puritans.
The original advent of Catholicism
into what is now Skowhegan. is of
more or less conjecture. However, in
1912, an Indian who had become con-
verified at Quebec came down the
kennebec telling of the majesty and
beauty of the new faith. Doubtless he
paused in this vicinity for he went as
far as Cushnoc (Augusta) and from
this means considerable intercourse
sprung up between the Indians of the
valley and the Northwest AS a result
from the appeal of the red men to re-
ligionsts in Quebec Father Druillette
was sent from there to this section
and it is quite probable that he was
the first to say mass in the present
Skowhegan. He started on his mis-
sion in 1916 and the next year he re-
turned to Quebec In 1850 he, howeY-
err, came back to his Indian friends
here. but left in March 1852. Father
Druillette died in Quebec in 1879.
The next expounder of the Catholic
faith to enter into the midst of the
converted children of the Forest.
was Father Sebastian Rasle, whose
tragic ending is so closely interviewer
with the history of the community.
He came in 1895 and established his
mission at Norrdgewock. 1t is very
probable that he too said mass in the
vicinity of Skowhegar for it was then
a great stopping place for the Indi-
ans. This priest figured largely in
the conflicts between the English and
Norridgewock tribe, while the former
people believed him to be at the bot
tom of much of the trouble. Finally
the strife gained serious proportions
and the Indians were shot down in
cold blood, many of them. Father
Rasle was seen issuing from his cabin
and his priestly garments were rid
died with bullets. He fell at the foot
of a cross he had erected with his own