The daily monitor leader. [volume] (Mount Clemens, Mich.) 1942-19??, 1943-10-21

According TO a chronological
survey written by the Rev. Fa-
Their Albert Hutting, assistant
pastor of ST. Peters, ravaging
fire that destroyed a consider
able part Of Detroit in the year
1905 played an important part
in the establishment Of Cath
olicism in this area. The fire
drove numbers of inhabitants of
Detroit into the lake shore re-
gions TO the northeast. Many Of
them settled at the mouth Of the
Clinton river, which was then
called the Huron.
NOT FIRST HERE
These ref ugeeS, however,
were not the first TO take up
residence at this site. Previous
10 the time of the Detroit catas-
trophe numerous families had
established themselves on the
rivers outlet under Squatters
Rights. Among these pioneers
were such names as Campau,
Tucker, Clemens, Peltier, Pare,
ST. Aubin, Allard, Vernier, Abb
bolt, Chapoton, Trembler, Mar
sack, Mature, Thomas, Moran,
Reneau, Du h sn e, Beau
bien, Robertiean, Meldrum, Du-
lac, Rutland, Rivard, Socier, Du-
Bay, Mayet, YAK, Fournier and
others.
The Catholic faith had a large
representation among these ear
" settlers and the first priest TO
administer 10 them was none
other than the famed Rev. Ga
briel Richard who came 10 this
territory in 1899.
Father Richard founded mis-
sion al L'Anse Grouse Bay on a
plot of ground fringing Lake St
Clair and situated on the Rot
tell farm. The name of the
church was 81. Felicitas.
BENEATH WAVES
The church and a cemetery
which surrounded il are now
submerged beneath the waters
OF the lake, a grim reminder Of
the prophecy made by Father
Richard. Struck with the indif-
ference and GOODNESS of his par
ishioners on one occasion, the
jealous priest urged them 10 re
form: otherwise, he admonlshed
them, the very church in which
they worshipped and the land
on which il stood would be hid
den from their site. Thirty-SiX
years later, the priests prophecy
came true. The waters of the
Great Lakes INDUCED in one OF
their high water movements
with the result that the premises
were submerged.
When Father Richard arrived
at L'Anse Grouse he was the
only priest in Michigan. He min
istered 10 the sick from Monroe
10 Port Huron, and his parish
included all of the city of De
troit and the territory lnterven-
ing between the Ecorse and ST.
Clair rivers. In spite of his man
fold tasks he found time to
erect in the year 1900 small
log cabin church on the Moor
farm on the south bank of the
Clinton. This he called Petite
Chapelle.'
APPRECIATIVE
Catholics appreciated his gest-
ure. No longer would II be nee
essary for them 10 ply their ca
noes TO the mouth of the Gin ton
river and around Huron Point
10 L'Anse Grouse or tire k
through trackless forest and
dangerous swampland to get TO
church. They settled quickly
around their new house OF wor-
ship.
The new parish was soon
blessed by the advent of new
priests TO minister 10 the spir-
itual needs of a thriving COM
munity. Among these clergy
men was Rev. Stephen Bodin,
first priest ordained within the
limits of the 10 original states.
brother, Rev. Vincent Bodin,
Associated with him were his
Rev. F. Bohem and Rev. Philip
Janviers, all of whose names are
frequently affixed TO matrimon-
ial records of the early settlers.
GOES TO CONGRESS
In 1923 Father Richard was
elected as the first delegate OF
Michigan TO the Congress of the
United States. In that same year
the Rev. Philip DeJean was APP
pointed as pastor of the congre-
CATION along the Clinton river.
The number of Catholics had so
increased that the little chapel
built by Father Richard could
no longer accommodate the wor-
shippers. Father DeJean then
began searching for a suitable
location for a new church, and
finally built one on the north
side of the Clinton at distance
of about three miles from the
present city of Mount Clemens.
The land upon which the church
was built was donated by Igna-
thus Moross and the church was