The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1921-08-26

on scows. He towed this in the night,
IN order to insure smooth water and
avoid possible collision with other
boats. A lamp was lighted and placed
in each room. It was truly wonder
full scene to behold this hotel on
scows, all lit up, coming down Ke-
weenaw Bay. In the eighties the ho-
tel was presided over by Martin Kel-
sey, father Of the present treasurer
If Baraga county. In the great fire
which destroyed the village Of L'Anse
in the month Ct May, 1896, this hotel
was burned to the ground.
Another incident vsica / have
heard him relate was of pathetic
chsracte-. Copper mining at Isle
P-.s.e had just been started. The
miners lived and labored there only
during the summer season, returning
to the mainland for the winter, but
leaving in charge cf the property a
white man and his Indian wife. At
the close Of the season Captain Ben
dry brought away the miners, and
was to return with lead of supplies
to keep the caretaker and his wife
through the winter. Unfortunately
an early winter. set in, making it i'm
possible for Captain Bendry to re-
turn. In the Spring, just as soon as
the weather permitted. he made his
way to the Island. He found that the
man had died during the winter. Be-
ing an Indian, and accustomed to eat
ing her food withont salt, the woman
lived through the winter, but the
white man died from lack of it. AZ
ter his death she was able to keep
herself alive by snaring rabbits.
Captain Bendry and his wife, Char
lotte, had large family of children,
some of whom are still living in Bar
aga.
AS nv mind goes back to the eight
les, Peter Crebassa stands out as
most interesting and worth while
character. When l first learned to
know him, he was seventy-eight years
old, typical of the Drummond school
Of French inhabitants. Born in the
Red River country of Canada, and
receiving a good education at Mon
treal, he came to the United States
at the age of twenty-one as one of
the agents for the American Fur
Company. For many years he rep
resented this company at different
points along the south shore of Lake
Superior. Finally he losated at
L'Anse and started a store and trad
ing post for himself.
He was the first postmaster in
L'Anse, receiving his appointment in
1852, and serving in that capacity at
least twenty-five years. Both he and
his wife had a preponderance of In
dian blood. They had a family of
eleven children, and many Of the de-
scendants Of this most estimable cou-
pie can be found scattered through
Baraga and the adjoining counties.
The historical records Of Baraga
county can hardly be said to be COM
plete without circumstantial biog-
raphy of the elder Crebassa.
The founder of the mission at Bar
aga, namely, Father Baraga, hardly
did more creditable work than when
he persuaded Girard Terhost to de-
vote his life to the priesthood. He
was placed in charge of the mission
about the year 1861, and continued
to minister to his flock almost down to
hA In ~ Tat e%
was much beloved, respected and
feared by the Baraga Indians.
The stone buildings on the west
side of the bay were built by him with
stone gathered on the ground, togeth-
er with what uncertain help he could
get from his Indian flock.
He understood agriculture. have
seen him working in the fields around
the church buildings, planting and
harvesting the crops needed to feed
his orphans who were being cared fer
in the Orphans. Home, conducted by
the Sisters Of st. Joseph. He
preached every Sunday at the mis-
sion, first in the Chippewa tongue
and then in the English language. 4
In 1885 my school at Baraga had
an attendance of seventy-seven pu-
pills but only two Of them were Prot
estants. On Saturday the Catholic
children who were being prepared for
confirmation used to walk to the mis-
sion, three miles away. to receive re-
ligious instruction. One day / sug-
gested to Father Terhost that inas-
much as he drove by Baraga on his
way to L'Anse every Friday, l would
be pleased to vacate the school in his
favor everv Friday afternoon at three
o'clock. The offer was accepted and
Father Terhcst taught the children
the Catechism in the school house at
Baraga every Friday afternoon dur
ing my principalship Of the school.
For forty wears this man labored
for the greater glory Of Gcd and the
betterment Of man. and in passing
left memory which Is treasured by
all who knew him.
In this narration Of my yesterdays
at Keweenaw Bay / have SOUGHT II
set forth the circumstances and con-
ditions that confronted the builders
of Baraga county in the eighties, ant
insofar as / have been reliably in
formed Of still earlier years.
! In the performance Of this task.
+, have been thoroughly conscious cf it,
/ iimrerfecticns, but, on the other hand
! wish to assure you that no one c6ult
= ns n - -txI