Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1922-09-21
EZAZ7E4D SQHLAN
E4lXZXZYS .DE[,ERIdZIT

and from the annual rendezvous in the Green 4
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 presence
there is a story in itself The restoration of the
Society of Jesus in 1914 after Al years of suppress
sion, found few old Jesuit priests at Whtemarsh
Md, who had established there the first novtiate
in the United States. In 1923 an offer of land at
st. Louis made to them Twelve set out for
st. Louis April H. 1923 They walked all the way
carrying their goods in wagons Among them was
young De Smet, who had come from Belgium in
1921 at the age of twenty. In 1927 he was
dained priest. In 1881 the Missouri mission
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
granted at Rome. Thus the Jesuts entered upon
virgin field of labor of more than half the
Of the United States.
The four Flatheads joined the 1881 return
train of William L. Sublette, Of the famous
Rocky Mountain Fur cOmpany's traders, and
reached st. Louis October /. 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 POI and 2OS 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 1888 an
editorial in the Christian Advocate pronounced it
call to the Christian conscience of the world
and eXhorted the Protestant churches to take it
up in earnest. In those days, to the East the name
Flathead included all the tribes in the vast area
from Montana to the mouth of the Columbia and
nOrthward into Canada.
The MpthOdiStS raised funds and in 1894 started
a missionary expedition under the leadership of
Jason Lee of Canada The party kept past
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 1886
went back with his wife and party to begin his
labOrs at Waiilatpu among the Cayuses.
Thus the net result of the first Flathead expe
dition to st. Louis for Blackrobes in Montana was
Protestant missionaries in Oregon
The Flatheads of Montana tried second time
to get Blackrobe. In 1885 Old Ignace with his
Charles and Francis went to st. Louis and
returned the following spring with the promise
that Blackrobe would be sent in time
In 1897 the Flatheads started their third deputa-
ton In consisted of Old Ignace, three Flatheads
and a Nez Perez All were massacred by Sioux
en- route to st. Louis.
Not in the least dsheartened by these three
failures, the Flatheads sent to St Louis fourth
time. The two petitioners Young Ignace and
Pierre Gaucher, Travelled safely by canoe down the
Yellowstone and Missouri and arrived October 81
1889. Bishop ROsati promised them a Blackrobe
the following spring. Gaucher Immediately set
out with the good news He arrived in the Bitter
Root valley early in the sprng-a most remark
able journey.
Father De Smet volunteered for the arduous
mission. At WestpOrt (Kansas City, he Joined
the 1910 expedition of the American Fur company
to the Green River rendezvous. There De Smet
found Gaucher and ten Fatheads to meet him.
They went to Pierres Hole, where were encamped
the main body of the Flatheads, who had come
500 miles to meet him, together with bands of Nez
Perces, Pend d'Oreles and Kalispels-about LOGO
In all. He baptized and instructed, postponed his
visit to the Bitter Root and reached st. Louis by
way of the Jefferson and Missouri rivers Decem-
Der 81 1910.
He was then Informed that there were no funds
for the promised expedition So he went out and
raised funds. The spring of 1S41 found him on
the Oregon Trail, accompanied by two priests and