The Irish standard., 1915-09-01


paid to the pioneer priests and mis-
sionaries that the Northwest, and es-
pecially the section of what is now
North Dakota can pay tribute to the
sacrifices and refining influences of
the famous sons from the land of
pleasant France; they have enrolled
their names and left the mark of their
zeal on the pages of Dakota history.
The name of Father Cotton is in
timately connected with the name of
Pembina and Walhalla (formerly St.
Ioseph), in the state of North Da-
'kota. Father Cotton was born in
1924 in the apartment of Ain, France;
educated in his native land at the SEM
mary where names familiar in eccel-
istical history in America, especially
in the Archdiocese of St. Paul. are
we'll known-the seminary of MeSi-
mierx. After laboring in his native
land for some years, he desired to
work in the missionary fields in
America. He emigrated to the Unit
ed States in 1857. In 1859 he was
appointed pastor of Pembina, N. D.,
by the then Bishop of St. Paul, Rt.
Rev. Thomas Grace His two mis-
sions in North Dakota, Pembina and
St. Joseph were forty miles apart
With eagerness born Of missionary
zeal he set out for his missions. Upon
his arrival he found that the early
missions had been destroyed by the
Indians. The church and the convent
of the Little Sisters of the Propaga-
ton of the Faith in Pembina being
destroyed by the acts of the savages.
Undaunted in spirit he set about to
remedy conditions at once. With his
own hands he built log hut, which
he used for a church on Sunday and
a dwelling during the week. Stoves
IN those days were a curiosity, there
being but one in the entire Red River
settlement, that being brought by Rev.
Provencher in 1882. The experiences
of Father Cotton are interviewer with
the details of the pioneers with whom
he associated as counsellor, guide and
comforter. He shared their tribula-
tions and trials, their happiness and
their adventures. His crude hut,
homely fare, his Buffalo robe on the
floor, stretched near the homely fire.
place, the parchment window for light,
the chimney made with his own hands
from clay and hay, all indicate the sim
pl1clty of the life of the pioneer mis-
s1oner. TO man raised and educated
in the quiet life of his native France,
the Buffalo hunting which took place
twice annually, in which the priest
accompanied the hunters, was a novel
experience indeed. The hunters
moved with their families, and with
them the priest He celebrated Mass
on the prairies, teaching the women
and children of the company the ele-
ments of religion and the glories of a
Christian life. St. Paul was 400 miles
away. TO make the trip was itself
an event. Ok carts were the only
means of conveyance. On salary of
$50 year the Catholic missioner would
provide his simple wants. In the year
1860 this pious missioner made me-
morable trip to St. Paul. During his
stay in the city he purchased horse
which he hoped would serve him when
attending his missions. After stay
OF few days he started on what he
hoped would be pleasant return to
his mission. The trip back, in COM
pany with some French Canadians,
was made without any event of par
ticular Importance until November l,
within thirty miles of Pembina. He
hoped to reach Pembina in time to say
Mass on All Saints day. He stopped
for the night near Little Salt River
and on the following morning when
he aWoke and removed his buffalo
robe he found that fearful storm
was raging. With the snow six inches
deep covering the ground, he travelled
all day, but did not reach Pembina
as he hoped, and was compelled to
stop for the night, but owing to his ex-
haustion which caused him to be rath-
er unconscious of the cold, he found
next morning that both legs were
badly frozen; that his horse had died
from exposure. To satisfy his hunger
he cut piece of raw flesh from the