OBITUARY: Bishop A M Blanchet, Jackson County, Oregon *********************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net/ ********************************************************************************* Transcribed and formatted for use in USGenWeb Archives by Elizabeth Corethers 27 Nov 2002 ********************************************************************************* BLANCHET, Bishop A. M., Jacksonville (Oregon) Democratic Times, Friday, 4 Mar 1887, p. 3: BLANCHET - At Vancouver, W. T., Feb. 25th, Bishop Blanchet; aged 89 years and 6 months. Another beloved prelate of the Catholic church in America, "who did wonders in his day," has gone to his reward. The venerable Bishop Blanchet died peacefully on the 25th day of February. He had been in failing health for some time past, and, in consideration of his advanced age, his death was not unexpected. However, this does not lessen the grief which his loss has caused, not only in the northwest, but in Montreal, where he labored as a simple priest, and was known as a learned and pious prelate. A. M. Blanchet, first bishop of Nesqually, Washington territory, was the oldest of all our American prelates; he was born in St. Peter's parish, province of Quebec, Canada, on the 22d day of August, 1797; and ordained priest June 3rd, 1821. Father Blanchet was pastor for 25 years in the diocese of Montreal and was consecrated bishop in that city on Sept. 7, 1846. His career as an American missionary began in 1847 in Walla Walla, from which see he was transferred to Nesqually in 1850, having his residence at Vancouver till the hour of death. The venerable bishop resigned in 1879 and retired to St. Joseph's hospital. He was happy to see, before his last moments, the diocese ably administered by his worthy successor, Bishop Junger, who is efficiently seconded by 32 priests and 60 sisters of charity. Before departing for his reward he had the satisfaction to notice in his former diocese two colleges, six literary institutes for boys, eight for girls and eight charitable institutions, with a Catholic population of 15,000. What progress since 1847! Then it was but a small mustard seed; but the little grain was no sooner buried, as it were, in the earth than it quickly sprang up and even grew into a large tree which spreads its branches far and near. "The path of the just is as the shining light." -Proverbs. F. X. B.