Belt Valley times. [volume] (Armington, Mont.) 1894-1977, 1922-09-21
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and from the annual rendezvous in the Graen
River valley, or in Pierre's Hole under the Tetons
Four braves volunteered to carry the request for
Blackrobes to st. Louis. There were Blackrobes
at this outpost OF civilization. Their presenca
there Is q story In itself. The restoration of tba
Society OF Jesus In 1914, after Al years Of supnres.
sion, found a few old Jesuit priests at Whitemarsh
Md. who had established there the first novitiats
ID the United States. In 1923 an offer of land at
81. Louis was made to them. Twelve SET out for
st. Louis April IL. 1923. They walked all the wav
carrying their goods in wagons. Among them WINS
young De Smet, who had come from Belgium In
1871 at the age Of twenty. In 1927 he was or
GAINED priest. In 1881 the Missouri mission was
made independent. In 1884 the petition of the
Second Provincial council at Baltimore that the
indian Roman Catholic missions of the United
States be confined to the Society of Jesus was
granted Mt Rome. Thus the Jesuits entered upon
a virgin field of labor Of more than half the area
OF the United States.
The four Flatheads Joined the 1881 return
train of William L.. Sublette, one of the famous
Rocky Mountain Fur company's traders, and
reached 81. Louis October 1. They presented their
petition to Bishop Rosati. Two of the Indians fell
Ill. They died and were buried In the Roman
Catholic cemetery. The two survivors left st.
Louis the following spring, but never REACHED
home. They may be the two Indians George Cat-
lin painted-Nos. POT and 208 In his gallery of
Indian paintings.
This unique request from the Flatheads gained
nationwide publicity. A sympathetic account was
published In the Christian Advocate. In 1899 an
editorial in the Christian Advocate pronounced II
a call to the Christian conscience of the world
and exhOrfed the Protestant churches to take n
up In earnest. In those days. TO the East, the name
F1athead included all the tribes In the vast area
from Montana TO the mouth Of the Columbia and
northward into Canada.
The Methodists raised funds and in 1894 started
a missionary expedition under the ieadership of
-. 90. 80 Tu--X. rL-
the Bitter Root country and began operations near
the mouth Of the Columbia.
The Presbyterians In 1885 sent Marcus Whitman
TO Oregon He returned. reported. and In 1879
went back with bis wife and a party to begin his
labors at Waiilatpu among the Cayuses.
Thus the net result OF the first Flathead erpeA
dition to st. Louis for Blackrobes in Montana was
Protestant missionaries in Oregon.
The Flatheads of Montana tried a second fima
to get a Blackrobe. In 1886 Old Ignace with his
sons Charles and Francis went to ST Louis and
returned the following spring with the promise
that a B1ackrobe would be sent In time.
In 1887 the Fiatheads started their third deputs.
tion- In consisted of Old Ignace. three Flatheads
and a Nez Perce. All were massacred by sioux
en- route TO 81. Louis
Not In The least dIsheartened by these three
failures, the Flatheads sent to st. Louis a fourth
time. The two petitioners, Young Ignace and
Pierre Caucher. Travelled safely by canoe down the
Yellowstone and Missouri and arrived October u
1888. Bishop Rosatf promised them a Blackrobe
he following sprfng. GaHcher immediately sat-
'ut with the good news. He arrived In the Bitter
Root valley early In the spring. most remark--
lbic journey. ~
Father De Smet volunteered for the arduous
At Westport KANSAS City) he to,ned
he 1910 expedition of the American Fur comnanv
the Green River rendezvous. There De smet
ound Gaucher and ten Flatheads to meet him
went to Pierre's Hole. where we're encamped
he main body of the Flatheads, who had come
90 miles to meet him, together with BAND. a Ner
'erces.' Pend dOreiIles and KalispeIsEzbout 1yeoo
a all. He baptized and instructed. postponed NJ.
fst to the Bitter Root and reached 81. LouIs nv
Fsy Of the Jefferson and Missouri rivers Decep.
err 81, 1870.
He was then Informed that there were No funds
'r the promised expedition. 30 be went out and
aised funds The spfinx cf 1871 found him on
10 Oregon TraiL accompanied by two priests snd