Early History of the Catholic Church This history appears in Chapter CI of "History of South Dakota" by Doane Robinson, Vol. I (1904), pages 593-596 and was scanned, OCRed and edited by Joy Fisher, sdgenweb@yahoo.com This file may be freely copied by individuals and non-profit organizations for their private use. Any other use, including publication, storage in a retrieval system, or transmission by electronic, mechanical, or other means requires the written approval of the file's author. This file is part of the SDGENWEB Archives. If you arrived here inside a frame or from a link from somewhere else, our front door is at http://usgwarchives.net/sd/sdfiles.htm CHAPTER CI THE CATHOLIC CHURCH. REVISED BY RIGHT REV. THOMAS 0'GORMAN, BISHOP OF SIOUX FALLS. It may be fairly assumed that LeSeuer, who visited Dakota about 1700, and Verendrye, whose visit was in 1742, were both devoted Catholics, though I have not found the evidence of it. So too were many of the early fur traders who engaged in trade within our boundaries: The Chotiteaus, Manuel Lisa, the Renconters and Picottes, but I do not find record of any Catholic who came here, impelled by the religious motive, until the visit of Father Ravoux to Fort Pierre in 1842. At that date all of the Dakota country was under the jurisdiction of the Bishop of Dubuque, who, having in the spring of 1842 visited St. Louis, was implored by the Catholic fur traders about Fort Pierre, who had half-Indian families, to send a priest there to give their wives and children haptism. In answer to this appeal the bishop sent Father Ravoux across country from St. Paul. He was accompanied by some half-Indian guides as well as by some Indian families and it is probable that he performed acts of worship from his first coming upon the Dakota soil, but at this time (the old father still lives at St. Paul, though far gone in years) he only recalls celebrating mass at the crossing of the James river, which he thinks was within the present Brown county. If his recollection is correct it may then be said that the first Catholic service in Dakota was the celebration of mass, by Father Ravoux, at the crossing of James river in Brown county, in the summer of 1842. Two years later Father Ravoux made a similar trip and for a like purpose from St. Paul by way of Sioux Falls, to Fort Vermillion. When Father DeSmet made his first visit to South Dakota I am unable to determine from any data at hand. He has left a complete record of his visit made in the summer of 1848, but says he was impelled to make that visit by interest aroused during a "transient visit to some tribes of Sioux, on the upper Missouri, on my way back from the Rocky mountains." So it is manifest that he was among them prior to 1848. In the visit of 1848 Father DeSmet came up the Missouri to the mouth of the Platte and thence traveled across Nebraska to the mouth of the Niobrara. There he found the Poncas assembled. He had not seen these people before and says "this was the first time the Poncas had heard Jesus Christ preached by the mouth of a minister;" yet he further relates that when he approached them, they were arranging to attack a party of white men, fifteen in number, who were convoying goods to the fur company, But immediately upon seeing the holy father they raised the cry, "The Black Gown has come, the Black Gown has come," and forgetting all about the contemplated highwayry, joyfully thronged to welcome him. Of his holy calling they had been instructed by a half breed who dwelt among them. They at once presented their children for baptism and professed deep conviction of the power of the great spirit, whom they promised to serve faithfully. Father DeSmet left them the next day. He made a trip up the Niobrara and White into the Bad Lands, where he carefully noted the natural history, and finally made his way down the "Little Missouri" to Fort Pierre, where he was cordially received by the officers and made welcome to the hospitality of the estabishment. Colin Campbell agreed to take him to the several bands of the Sioux, which he did. Just at this time a party of them were returning from a foray against the Omahas, in which they had taken thirty- two scalps and the good father took the occasion to impress upon them a lesson of humanity and charity. The Oglalas also returned from a less successful bout with the Crows. The Crows had given them an unmerciful thrashing, in fact had whipped them so badly that they did not deem it worth while to waste ammunition upon them, but chased them away with clubs. They also captured a daughter of Red Fish, the chief. The old man was in great distress and came to Father De Smet and asked him to pray for the return of the lost child. Father De Smet first administered to the chief a severe reprimand for his wickedness in leading his people into a useless and foolish war with the Crows; told him how to live decently and then offered a prayer for the rescue of the captive. Almost immediately the girl, having escaped from her captors, appeared in the camp, which the Indians believed to be a direct answer to the prayer of the priest, and from the beginning his influence with them was hboundless. He continued among the Indians in the vicinity of Pierre and Fort Bouis, at the Big Bend until the end of October, when he returned to St. Louis for the winter. In June, 1851, Father De Smet accompanied by Father Christian Hoecken, set out from St. Louis for the upper Missouri, on the steamer "St. Ange," of the American Fur Company. Shortly after embarking, Father DeSmet was stricken with cholera and as he was recovering Father Floecken was smitten and soon died and was buried at the mouth of the Little Sioux in western Iowa. The cholera raged fearfully upon the vessel and many died, but as they got up into the open and dry Dakota country the disease died out. When they got to the Big Bend they learned that smallpox was raging at Fort Bouis and Father DeSmet, hastening across the bend while the vessel was passing round, spent a day and a night giving comfort and assistance to the afflicted. He went on to Fort Union that year, but made stops at Fort Pierre and at Arickara to baptize children. Returning, he passed across the country from the Yellowstone to the Oregon trail, down which he passed to the California trail. stopping euroute to visit the Black Hills. At the very summit of the hills, upon a high rock, Father DeSmet engraved a large cross. At Fort Laramie he assisted in a great council of all the western tribes which had been arranged by the government for the purpose of making a treaty for the protection of the California trail, which at that time was becoming a very important thoroughfare. Thereafter until 1866 Father DeSmet made many visits to the Dakota Indians and no other person ever possessed so much influence for good with them as did he. Wherever he went they flocked to do him honor and his slightest wish was promptly obeyed. The government, in recognition of his good work, permitted him to nominate many of the agents to the Indians and chaplains in the army who were to serve in the Indian country. In June, 1850, Father Christian Hoecken made his first visit to the Sioux country and made many baptisms at Fort Pierre and Fort Bouis. That fall he descended the Missouri to Vermillion where he made baptisms and starting home, met Major Holton at the mouth of the Sioux who asked him to attempt to return to Fort Pierre. Securing a guide at Vermillion, he set out on the trip, but was unable to cross the James on account of the freezing weather. They therefore traveled up the James for several days, hoping to find a crossing, but were caught in a terrible blizzard and were compelled to return to Vermillion, which was then in charge of Charles Larpentuer. Thence Father Hoecken returned to St. Louis and it was the next spring while returning to the Sioux that he died, as above related. It appears that whatever work was done among the Dakotas for a long period was by Father DeSmet and like self-sacrificing missionaries who were acting under the archbishop of St. Louis, until 1867 when a considerable number of French Catholics having settled on the Dakota Pan-Handle, Bishop Grace sent Father Pierre Boucher out to organize St. Peter's church at Jefferson. Father Boucher was given the title of Apostolic Missionary, with jurisdiction over the southern portion of Dakota territory, and while pastor of the flock at Jefferson built there the first Catholic church edifice in South Dakota. The growth of the church was slow in the early years, though quite as rapid as the settlements, and by August 12, 1879, when Rt. Rev. Martin Marty came as Prefecto Apostolic, having the power of an administrator of a diocese, during the vacancy of the seat, there were but twelve priests and twenty churches in all of Dakota. No other church established had nearly so many. Mgr. Marty established his seat at Yankton where the sisters soon established a large convent and a bishop's residence was erected upon the eminence west of the city which was named Mount Marty. In February, 1880, Bishop Marty was consecrated. In 1889 he removed his episcopal seat to Sioux Falls, and Dakota Terntory was divided and the diocese of Sioux Falls created to embrace the present state of South Dakota. Bishop Marty continued to administer the affairs of the diocese until 1894, when, owing to some differences which had grown up among his clergymen, he was transferred to St. Cloud, where he died September 19, 1896. Bishop Marty had lived a life devoted singly to his church. In his Dakota work he labored unceasingly for the upbuilding of the church in the hearts of the people. Among the Indians he traveled over wearisome paths to live in their tepees and teach them the consolations of religion. He possessed their affection in a wonderful degree, as he did that of every one, white or red, who came within the sphere of his influence. During the interim following the transfer of Bishop Marty, Rev. Henry Mensing, of Webster, was administrator of the diocese. On January 24, 1896, Rt. Rev. Thomas O'Gorman, then professor of history in the University of Washington, was elected Bishop of Sioux Falls, his consecration occurring at Washington on April 19, 1896, and he was installed at Sioux Falls, on May 2, 1896. Bishop Marty was administrator during the wonderful boom period, and saw the church under his jurisdiction expand and take root in every village and town of the state. From the dozen priests who performed its ministrations in 1877 he saw it grow to sixty-eight settled pastors, with one hundred forty-three churches and many parochial schools. Bishop O'Gorman came just when the state was lifting its head from the great reactionary period following that boom and under his direction it has broadened and deepened its roots, extended its activities and vastly increased its usefulness both among the whites and Indians. Six important hospitals are conducted under its auspices as follows: Aberdeen, Cascade Springs, Deadwood, Pierre, Webster and Yankton. Academies are established at Aberdeen, Elkton, Marion, Sturgis, Vermillion, Jefferson, Tabor, Watertown and Zell. All of these institutions are doing splendid work. The hospitals are great public utilities, the importance of which is daily becoming more recognized and appreciated by the laity. The hospital at Pierre is absolutely indispensable. The people living in the widely extended range country have absolutely no conveniences for the care of the sick and are as a rule so far remote from physicians that it has become the practice, as soon as symptoms of illness are apparent, to hasten the patient to the hospital, where excellent care is guaranteed. These hospitals are attended by- all the physicians of the towns where located regardless of religious tenets. Each of these hospitals has acquired a fine standing, both for the care bestowed upon patients and the skill of attending physicians. The plan has by the natural law of selection developed one or more surgeons of great proficiency at the seat of each institution and operations of the utmost gravity and delicacy are performed constantly with a success not surpassed anywhere. The percentage of radical cures is as great as in the best hospitals in the land. At the latest report there are in the state fifty-five thousand five hundred Catholics, worshipping in one hundred fifty-nine churches, to which ninety-eight priests minister. The following orders are represented: The Benedictine, Mercy, St. Joseph and St. Vincent de Paul, Presentation and St. Frances Sisters. These orders are represented in sufficient numbers so that every section is provided with their ministrations in all of the good offices which they so cheerfully perform, in teaching, nursing, care of hospitals and other benevolent activities. In 1902 the diocese of Sioux Falls was divided and the diocese of Lead created for the Black Hills section, and Mgr. John Stariha was chosen bishop. His consecration and installation, an event of great interest and circumstance, was celebrated at Lead, on October 2, 1902. The Catholics of South Dakota have contributed some substantial additions to literature. Bishop O'Gorman is the author of "The Catholic History of America." Father Peter Rosen is the author of "Paha Sapha," a large and authoritative history of the Black Hills. Chief justice Peter C. Shannon was one of the revisers of the Revised Laws of Dakota in 1877 and at his death was engaged in preparing a Catholic History of South Dakota, which he was not permitted to complete.