Fr DeSmet--Where Are His Records????

[Spirit of the Owl Woman]

I am looking for baptismal records for Charles Francois Picotte, and Charles F Picotte, Jr. Seems there is a question as to their middle names. In "Remember Your Relatives", vol. I, it states, "Charles Francois Picotte's Indian name was Itekeca, or Shaggy Face."

I believe Fr. Madlon's tree is wrong posting name as Charles Felix, "treaty maker" as Charles Felix was the son of Wicincana, wife of Paul Picotte and born abt 1879 long after 1858 and 1868. (And, I am not so sure Charles Felix is a Picotte but rather a Felix instead; something else I am working on).

Although Fr. Madlon's tree indicates Charles F. Picotte had a previous wife by the name of Winona or Wenona. This is true because Louisa/Louise Benoist-Picotte was born abt 1850 and could have bore Henry born abt 1857 and Charles born abt 1859 or even Peter born 1862. Charles and Louise's first born was Lucius born 1874.

I just found an 1860 Census for the Yancton Agency in Unorganized Dakota Territory with the following info:

Name: Chas J Pecot
Age in 1860: 28
Birth Year: abt 1832
Birthplace: Dakota
Home in 1860: Yancton Agency, Unorganized, Dakota Territory
Gender: Male
Post Office: Sioux City
Value of Real Estate: $700 and Personal Estate $3,200
(note: This was just after his "deal" of the 1858 Treaty, coached by his Uncle Charles E Galpin and Stepmother/Aunt, Matilda "Eagle Woman Who All Look At" Picotte Galpin)

Household Members:
Name Age
Chas J Pecot 28
Wenona Pecot 25
Navel Pecot 3
Charles Pecot 1

Navel is the exact same age as Henry and Charles is the exact age of Charles F Picotte, Jr. and Charles J is the exact age of Charles F. I double checked the original and it is clearly a "J." Navel/Newel could be a mistranslation of an Indian name, I don't know, or it could be a middle name for Henry or they just changed it as Indians did so often.

I know Fr. DeSmet had some doing with Charles being shipped off to St. Louis for almost two decades (as he did with the Bruguier's) to "learn" white man's ways before returning to Dakota. So I am thinking he was baptized Catholic.

Does anyone know the name of the Catholic church on the Yankton Agency around the time of his birth, say between 1832 - 1860. Was it Marty Mission? If so, I do not see any records on this site from Marty Mission. Why is that?

Or maybe he was not Catholic, that I don't know either.

Anyway, I would really appreciate any help with this mystery from anyone who may know the answer to my question.

Thank you all for the many times you have helped in my research.

New additions and posting will be coming up soon for my Give-Away family tree.

[Jimmy]

Father DeSmet was Catholic, but I don't know what church he was affiliated with. I know he traveled around quite a bit, baptizing Indians, so he may not have been affiliated with a specific church. I would really like to know more about this. I think he came to the northern plains in the 1830s.

In my family, the story is that my ggg grandmother, Margaret (Hart) Langdeau, a Yankton, was baptized by DeSmet in the 1840s. I have no record of this. I would love to see a complete register of DeSmet's baptisms.

[Spirit of the Owl Woman]

Jimmy, I too, would like to see Fr. De Smet's records. I believe that would be very illuminating to many of us on this site. I did find the following information from the book, "Our Debt to the Red Man; The French Indians in the Development of the United States", by Louise Seymour Houghton, published in 1918. Can be seen fully on Google-Books. It is a hit and miss with regards to facts in my opinion.

"Father De Smet, who was agent of the Dakota Superintendency in 1867, had for interpreters, and
descants (I had to look up the word descants and it means "to have benefited or profited from") upon their "amazing influence," the son of that ' 'old Zephyr Rencontre' ' whom we saw receiving
a reservation with Charles Picotte, and Joseph Picotte, one of the large family of which Charles was
the most prominent member."

So there may be some records with an established Catholic church on the Yankton Agency in 1867 produced by DeSmet. Do you know when Marty Mission was established by Bishop Marty? I am afraid I know very little as to the history of the mission. I do know all of the churches were competing with each other because the government would then grant them land for schools and such, so they did profit by converting as many as possible. I read this in a Vine Deloria book somewhere on my shelves and will have to look into it for further possible info regarding Marty and DeSmet.

With reference to finding possible records with Charles F Picotte's full name; I came across this little ditty in the book, "Once Their Home" by Frances Chamberlain Holley, published in 1890.

"Mr. Picotte was married in 1872, to an intelligent half, breed girl (this would be Louise "Waansidawin" Benoist), by the Rev. J. W. Cook, the Episcopal rector, of whose church Mrs. Picotte is a member"

Does anyone know the name of the Episcopal church reverend by J.W. Cook? And if so, are there records available for the year 1872?

As always, any help would be appreciated.

Lavanah Smith-Judah

[Spirit of the Owl Woman]

Here is something I just located on the Catholic Church in the early history of the Dakota's and it might give clues as to where to start researching for some of these early records.

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, [e-mail]

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

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 high wayry, 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 DeSmet 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 boundless. 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 up building 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.

[Spirit of the Owl Woman]

It has been suggested to me to contact the St Louis University. I called them today but was unable to speak directly to John Waide, Archivist. It was suggested by the person who answered the phone that I email Mr. Waide with my questions regarding the records of Fr. DeSmet. Telephone # 1-800-SLU-FOR-U

But, I thought if they were bombarded with emails from Indians they might finally produce Fr. DeSmet's records.

Here is the email I sent and you can use it to personalize it for yourself. There is strength in numbers!!

To: Mr. John Waide, Archivist
St. Louis University
[e-mail]

From: Lavanah Smith-Judah
Member of the Yankton Sioux Tribe, South Dakota

RE: Fr. DeSmet’s Records of Birth, Baptismal, Marriage and Death of the Great Sioux
Nation from 1840 through 1867

I have been instructed by Brother André Marie, M.I.C.M. of Catholicism.org to contact you with my questions.

I have been researching my Dakota/Lakota Sioux family for the past 18 months extensively, extending from the periods of the 16th, 17th, and 18th centuries. In doing so, I have found that several of my relatives, including but not limited to, Matilda Picotte-Galpin, Charles Galpin, William Benoist, Louis Alexander Benoist, Theophile Bruguier, Honore Picotte, Sitting Bull and others have all had more or less contact with Fr. DeSmet. What interests me is the lack of published birth, baptismal, marriage and death records of Fr. DeSmet when ministering to my people, the Sioux of the Plains.

I have searched the Internet extensively for any public records of my relatives with reference to any religious ceremonies Fr DeSmet may have performed. I do not understand the long over-due delay in presenting these records to the public, except that they maybe a source of revenue for the Jesuits. If that is the case, I implore you to understand the plight of many of my people who do not have the means or the wear-with-all to purchase records which rightfully belong to them. These records must be at least 150+ years old and would cause no harm as all of these relatives are dead. Also, I know I need not remind you that these records are records of blood lineage which the government is demanding more and more frequently for Indians to prove these days.

Please sir, can you help my family and my brothers and sisters of Oyate Research Center acquire the names of the families Fr. DeSmet administered to with the date of those ministrations. Can you direct me to a database in which, these records are readily accessible to the Indian?

You assistance would be of tremendous help. And, if you are unable to assist us in this matter would you be so kind as to forward this email to the proper authority or direct us to someone who can help us obtain this information.

I am ever grateful for your time and consideration on behalf of my people.

I am respectfully,

Lavanah Smith-Judah
Yankton Sioux Tribal Member
Oyate Research Center Member

[hermin1]

Try St.Louis University Archives. there are a lot fo the Early Catholic recordsthere,including Fr. Desmet and his fellow missionaries.
You may be able to find a link by Seeingwhat you can find on his life.
i used this tofindthe websitewhereI foundwherehis andthe others records are.

[hermin1]

unfortunately,Iforgotthe web site,in my exciteness of finding where the records were. I am so sorry.Youmight try the St.louisHistorical Societyand seeifthey can directyou orgiveyou some asistance in finding the records.Desmet is butied in St.Louis,MO.

[Spirit of the Owl Woman]

Thanks Hermin. Before I spend another half day searching the internet for what is obviously hidden and not readily available, I wait to see if John Waide, Archivist, at SLU returns my email with answer to where these records are. See email sent above.

Thanks again, you are always so helpful.

Lavanah

[Spirit of the Owl Woman]

I received a response from the email I sent to John Waide, Archivist, at SLU. The following is the email I received and the response I sent:

DeSmet Sacramental Records

Dear Ms. Smith-Judah:

Pius XII Memorial Library, where the Saint Louis University Archives are housed, is in the middle of a moving project involving hundreds of thousands of books, an effort in which University Archivist John Waide is heavily involved. For this reason I have volunteered to answer your query, originally directed to Mr. Waide, about Father DeSmet's sacramental records regarding the Sioux.

These records are divided between at least two repositories, ours and the Midwest Jesuit Archives here in St. Louis. To my knowledge none of them is available electronically. Absent the infusion of cash for equipment and personnel that would be required to digitize our very diverse holdings of many formats and then mount them on the web, most smaller and mid-level institutions such as ours will probably never be able to make available on the internet more than a tiny percentage of our materials.

The records are, however, open to researchers at our repositories either through personal visits or by contacting the archivist for help in finding specific information, as you have done. Sometimes the search for particular records is so time-consuming that the archivist must recommend the patron hire a local researcher to do the work if the patron is himself unable to visit the archives. I know that these scenarios present an inconvenience for many people, even those who may not want or expect everything to be available online, but this is reality in the underfunded world of (most) archives.

Using the surnames you provided in your e-mail message, I reviewed two journals of DeSmet's that we hold here in the Saint Louis University Archives but was able to match up only a few names. DeSmet may simply write in his journal something like: "Arrived at fort and baptized 27 children"! Even in the lists he sometimes records only the first names or the Indian names of the parents.

Here is what I could gather. If you send me your mailing address I can forward to you Xerox copies of these entries.

1. "Louis Benoist, 5 years; William Benoist, 2 years; Louise Picotte, 10 years old." The name "Henry" is written on the line separating the names of William and Louise. I assume it may be William's middle name but can't be sure. This list of names is on an undated piece of paper. One of the other entries here reads "Henry Gallinau [Gallinan?] 13 April 1862." This may be the year for all the baptisms on this list. The diary in which these lists were found is undated but the years from 1859 to 1862 are mentioned in the text or in the lists themselves.

2. A practically illegible notation in French from the same diary as above: ". . . age de deux [dix?] jours fils de Louis Benoist & de la fille du vieux. . ."

I am not very familiar with the extent or type of DeSmet material housed at the Midwest Jesuit Archives. Archivist David Miros is your contact there. The address is 4511 West Pine Blvd., St. Louis, MO 63108; the telephone number is 314-361-7765; the e-mail address is [e-mail]. I have forwarded your e-mail message to Mr. Miros and told him that you may be in touch.

Please feel free to post this response as part of your thread about the DeSmet records on the website of the Oyate Research Center, in case it can assist others. If you have other surnames you wish me to look for, please e-mail me at the address below.

Cordially,
Christine Froechtenigt Harper
Assistant University archivist, Saint Louis University
Pius XII Memorial Library Rm. 307
3650 Lindell Blvd.
St. Louis, MO 63108
314-977-3109
[e-mail]

My response:

Dear Ms. Harper,

Thank you so much for responding to my inquiry about Fr. DeSmet and the records he kept of the holy sacraments he performed on behalf of the Dakota Sioux.

First, I do not envy Mr. Waide and his task. I once worked for the Hospital of the Good Samaritan here in Los Angeles, as an assistant librarian, during a time when a brand new medical wing and library was completed. I experienced first hand just how to move an old library into a brand new one--with precision and exactness. So believe me when I say, I have total empathy and wish him well in his endeavour.

As I explained in my previous email, many of the members who utilize the Oyate site simply do not have the funds to do as you suggest. May I offer a suggestion that may satisfy everyone all around at very little cost. Perhaps, the Jesusits can do what the Episcopalians have allowed to be done. Please visit the url below by copying and pasting in your browser.

www.scribd.com/doc/6181704/St-Philips-Chapel-Volume-1-18711917

I do not know if this would be realistic due to the fact I have not seen how the good Father kept his records, but it is just a suggestion.

I want to express my gratitude for your offer to take the time to copy some of the pages mentioning my relatives and then sending them to me. Your kindness is very much appreciated, more than you know.

I will post your response on my thread at Oyate Research Center and, in addition, I will send you in a separate email with my address and information about certain relatives in which Fr. DeSmet had personally taken charge of, which has been written about by the different state historical societies. This may assist you in locating a few more records.

Again, your cooperation is much appreciated by all of us at the Oyate Research Center and I will be in touch within the next few days.

Sincerely,

Lavanah Smith-Judah

So that is it so far, in a nut shell, my relatives.

Lavanah

[earthw7]

From researching the records of Father DeSmet he never names the children he baptist, it says in many place baptist 7 children, baptist 20 children so as far as I can find he did not record the children names in many cases

[Spirit of the Owl Woman]

Earthw7 you may be right. But, I feel I need to pursue all avenues. In addition, to many of the state historical societies have written that Fr. DeSmet took the Bruguier's education in hand and took them to St. Louis. Fr. DeSmet took Charles F. Picotte to St. Louis for his education. Fr. DeSmet took Louis Benoist and several other Benoist's to St. Louis to be educated. How do you think Wm Howaste Benoist was able to run a bank, because his father owned lots of banks in St. Louis. So he had to write something down somewhere.

I just received this email in response to the other emails from the Jesuit institutions. So what have I got to lose by seeking info directly from the horses mouth.

Dear Lavanah,

We received your request for information. You may telephone my office
to more forward your request. My direct number is in the signature.

Sincerely,
David Miros

--------------------------------------------------
David P. Miros, Ph.D.
Archivist
Midwest Jesuit Archives
4511 West Pine Boulevard
Saint Louis, Missouri 63108
Telephone: [phone]
Fax: [phone]
Internet Address: www.jesuitarchives.org

[Spirit of the Owl Woman]

Dear Relatives,

Some info I thought I would share with everyone. While it true the good Fr. de Smet's records are all over--- but many can be found. At the suggestion of David Miros, Archivist at the Midwest Jesuit Archives, I visited their online resource website. This is what I found today and do hope that I am not being redundant with someone else who has posted this information previously--please do tell me if so and I will remove this post. Thanks

Marriages and Baptisms of Fr De Smet and Christian Hoecken
Mid West Jesuit Archives
Chapter 26,
The Indians of the Plains

www.jesuits-mis.org/files/Midwest%20Jesuit%20Archives/VirtuallyGarraghan/chap26.htm

The history of the Catholic Church in the Platte Purchase begins with the visit of Father Van Quickenborne to a Potawatomi camp opposite Fort Leavenworth in the present Platte County, Missouri. There, on January 29, 1837, he baptized fourteen Indian children, the first of the number being Susanna, the daughter of Claude La Framboise and a Potawatomi woman. This would seem to be the earliest recorded baptism in the territory known as the Platte Purchase. The first recorded Catholic marriage in the Purchase also took place in the Potawatomi camp, where on May 13, 1837, Van Quickenborne joined in wedlock Michael La Pointe and Mane La Framboise "of the Potawatomi nation " Concluding the marriage-entry in the Kickapoo Register is the missionary's attestation, "Done at the Potawatomi Camp opposite Fort Leavenworth in the State of Missouri." 79

An autograph record (Register Baftismorum liversarum nationum aborigi-nensium anno Domini 1840) of the seventy-eight baptisms administered by Christian Hoecken on this occasion, ranging in date from May 30 to July 19, 1840, is in the Archives of St Mary's College, St Marys, Kansas These are apparently the earliest recorded church ministrations for North and South Dakota. On May 30 there were two baptisms at the Vermilion (au Vermilion) , Louise, daughter of William Dickson, born June 5, 1839, god-father, H Ange, and Victoria, daughter of H Ange and of Marie, born August 15, 1839, god-father, C Hoecken and god-mother, Jeanne Dickson. These would seem to be the first baptisms known to have taken place within the limits of South Dakota Three baptisms "at the village of the Yantons" are recorded for June 3, and thirty-two "at the Little Missouri" for June 13 and 14, the names of the sponsors at the last named place including those of Baptiste Constant, Joseph Allerow, Joseph Oitebize, Antome de Rencontre, Francois Le Picotte, and Messrs Papin, Kipp and Chartron [Chardon] The baptisms at the Little Missouri are the earliest for North Dakota unless it be that they are antedated by extant church records of the Catholic settlement at Pembina on the Red River (Cf Sister Mary Aquinas Norton, Catholic Missionary Activities in the Northwest, 1818-1864 (Washington, 1930), pp 28-45)

June 28 at Fort Union at the mouth of the Yellowstone just within the western boundary of North Dakota Among the baptized were Elizabeth, "daughter of Mr Robert and of a squaw (sauvagesse), Robert, son of Mr Edouard Denis [Denig], Jean Baptiste, six-year old son of Mr Michael Champagne "and of a squaw," and Joseph, "son of Mr Bona\enture le Brun and of a squaw"

On his return trip down the Missouri Hoecken baptized at Fort Clark, July 4, Marguerite, aged thirty-eight years, wife of "Mr Garmere," Marguerite Marie, aged twenty-five, wife of "Mr Chardron [Chardon'1]," and two children of Pierre Garreau, Paul, eleven, and Rosalie, seven.

On July 16 there were four baptisms at Fort Pierre, all children of Joseph Le Compte "and of a squaw " At Fort Lookout, July 17, there were four baptisms, three of them of children of Xavier Rencontre "and a squaw" At the Vermilion, July 19, five persons were baptized, four of them children of Olivier Le Clerc (LeClaire).

The earliest known Nebraska baptisms are the eight administered by Father Christian Hoecken at Bellevue, June 4, 1846 (Sugar Creek Baptismal Register). Among the eight was Emilie, daughter of Logan Fontanelle (grandson of Chief Big Elk of the Omaha and he was also chief) and Depeche, an Omaha squaw. Baptisms and marriages performed by Hoecken in his last missionary trip up the Missouri were recorded by him in the above-mentioned register November II, 1850, he baptized thirteen at the mouth of the Big Sioux (a la grande riviere des Sioux) These are the earliest recorded baptisms for the locality of Sioux City "On reaching Bellevue I learned from Mr Sarpy that Messrs Bruyere and Argot (Ayotte) had started the day before and that I could easily overtake them, that there was no guide for me, and that they knew none about there I bought the necessary utensils, a little pot, tin-pans, provisions, etc , and started in pursuit of the gentlemen who live about thirty miles below Fort Vermilion at the mouth of the Great Sioux. I overtook them the next day at Boyer River I traveled their company seven days when we reached the Great Sioux. I spent three days there instructing the people and baptized fourteen persons They treated me with great kindness and expressed their extreme delight at the prospect of the establishment of a Sioux Mission They promised to pay for their children's board They are not only full of good will, but capable of acting "

Hoecken to Elet, Territory of the Platte, December 28, 1850 CR, De Smet, 4 1255

The children baptized on this occasion were all the offspring of Frenchmen and Sioux women. Five of the number had for god-father Theophile Bruyere (Brughier), first white resident of the Sioux City region, who settled near the mouth of the Big Sioux in 1849, marrying the daughter of War Eagle, a Sioux chief. The earliest recorded baptisms at Sioux City after it became a settlement (1855) were administered by Father De Smet in 1867. Entries of them in the missionary's own hand being in the cathedral register (Mariana and Sophia Versani, August 4, 1867, are the first names recorded). The fourteenth baptism in Christian Hoecken's list of 1850 is dated Vermilion, December 15, and is that of Louis Benoit, two years and nine months old, son of Charles Larpenteur and an Assiniboin squaw. "Mr Charles Larpenteur, whose hospitality you often enjoyed when traveling in the desert to visit the Indian tribes, is now in charge of the post [Fort Vermilion] and he received us with all the goodness of a father. He procured for us all he could May the Lord bless him, for he deserves it I shall spend some days instructing and baptizing a score of people who live around here "

Hoecken to De Smet, Sioux country, Fort Vermilion, December 11, 1850 CR, De Smet, 4 1250

"I have left the Vermilion Post on the 3rd Sunday of Advent, came down as far as the mouth of the Big Sioux river where I met with Major Holton, Agent for the upper Missouri. He tried very much to prevail on me of accompanying him to the Little Missouri Post called Ft Pierre. He is to stay there probably to the middle of January before he will be able to start—God knows what kind of weather it will be then. He made me a present of a beautiful buffalo robe and told me if we established a mission there that he would contribute to it out of his own pocket $100 per annum Another replied, I have 3 children to send to it, I will give $300 and so every one will do,—the one in money, the other in other things—each one according to his abilities.

The Brules and the Yankton of the Sioux nations have said that the missionary would not starve, that they would bring him plenty of meat and buffalo robes to enable him to buy clothes for their children, which they would place under his care "

Hoecken to Elet, December 23, 1850 (A)

The first priests known to have visited Nebraska were the chaplains of the so-called "Spanish caravan,'1 massacred August 11, 1720, by Loup and Otoe Indians within the confines of the state Cf Nebraska History and Record of Pioneer Days, 4 1 Only one of the chaplains escaped After these Spanish missionaries De Smet was apparently the first priest known to have visited Nebraska, relating somewhere that while attached to the Council Bluff. Mission (1838-1840) he said Mass on the west side of the Mississippi, on or near the site of Omaha Moreover, he journeyed a considerable stretch through the state on his Oregon Trail trips of 1840 and 1841 But his earliest Nebraska baptisms (Fort Robidoux, Drips's Fort, Fort Kearney) belong to September, 1851. Father Hoecken baptized December 26, 1850, at Bellevue, Susanne, "daughter of Logan Fontanelle and an Omaha squaw, born February 8 of the past year, godfather, Mr Bruyere," as also Marie, another child of Fontanelle, born December 21, 1848. On December 27, also at Bellevue, was baptized Louis, "son of Joseph La Fleche and an Omaha squaw, born the middle of last May, god-father, Mr Bruyere " (added by Lavanah; Joseph La Flesche was Chief Iron Eye born a Ponca and adopted by the Omaha to later become chief of the Omaha. The Picotte boys, Henry and Peter married Ista Maza’s daughters, Susan La Flesche(1st Indian woman to become a doctor) and Margerite La Flesche.[/b][/b]

CR, De Smet, I 251 et ^eq At Wcstport, April 20, 1840, Just before setting out on his first journey to the mountains, De Smet baptized two children of Andrew Drips, chief of the American Fur Company expedition with which he travelled on this occasion. A record of these baptisms is in the Sugar Creek Baptismal Register. Thereafter records of De Smet's church ministrations are missing until 1846, in which year he administered a number of baptisms in his descent of the Missouri, leaving behind him a memorandum of the same.

These took place at Fort Union, October 12, Fort Pierre, November 4, Medicine Creek, November 5, Fort Lookout, November 6, and Fort Vermilion, November 13. At Fort Pierre he baptized "54 children of which number eleven were half-breeds " At Medicine Creek he baptized among others Jane, daughter of Antoine Bouis, Alexis, son of Zephyr Antoine Rencontre, and Emilia, Paul, Susanne and Marie, children of Joseph Picotte. At Fort Lookout he baptized Maria Culbertson, aged 11, Fanny Cardinal Geant, aged eighteen years, six months, Ferdinand Cardinal Geant, aged eleven (god-father, Campbell), William and Zoe Canceller (probably Counciller) (Kanzler), children of William Canceller, and Louis and Honore Le Clair, children of Grand Le Clair.

Upper Missouri with the intention to carry out the long projected mission"98 In 1858 De Smet, while on his way to Utah in the capacity of army chaplain, met thirty lodges of Oglala at Cottonwood Springs, "two days' march above Fort Kearney " "At their request I baptized all their children In 1851, at the Great Council on the Platte, I had brought them the same blessing They told me that a great number of their children had died since, carried off by epidemics which had raged among the nomadic tribes of the plains They are much consoled at the thought of the happiness which children obtain by holy baptism They know its high importance and appreciate it as the greatest favor which they can receive " 99

99 Idem, 2 722 De Smet's autograph register of his baptisms on the journey of 1851, which were 1856 in number, bears the caption, "List of persons baptized by me in my late journey among the Indians on the Upper Missouri and its tributaries addressed to the Right Revd Bishop Miege Vicar Apostolic of the Indian Territory


105 CR, De Smet, 4 1287 The following entries occur in De Smet's record of baptisms in the course of his upper Missouri journey of 1866 "April 30, 1866— on board the steamer Ontario Mrs Mary Tilton, wife of the editor of the Montana Post, Virginia City, g [god] mother Mrs Elizabeth Meagher. May 5, Yankton Agency Rosalie about 1 yr of age, d [daughter] of F B Chardon and his Sioux wife—gf [god-father] Alexis] Giou Maria Tshapa (Beaver) about 40 yrs of age, of the Sioux nation, wife to Alexi Giou, g f F B Chardon (Co Judge) " "Baptized large number of children belonging to united camp of Indians (200 lodges) of Yanktons, Yantonnais, Brules, Ogallalas, Deux Chaudieres (Two Kettle) Santies and Piedsnoirs Sioux " (Charles Primeau was god-father to all these).

"May 21, Fort Berthold Virginia (b 25 June '65) d of Frederick Gerard and his Ric-caree wife, g f W Conkey, gm Elizabeth Meagher May 25 Fort Union Nicolas b Febr 8, 1866, son of Philip Alvarez and his Assmaboine wife; bapt number Assmabome children, g f to all, Theodore L'Espagnol. May 30 on board Ontario bapt Marie (7) and Pierre (5) children of Little Wolf, Crow chief, gm Elizabeth Meagher. June 7 Fort Benton I baptized Joseph born in Sept 1863, legitimate son of Cyprian Mott and Mclme his wife. At Fort Berthold June 18, 1866, to end of month I baptized 147 children belonging to the three United Bands of Indian Riccarees, Mimtarees and Mandans, g f Pierre Garrot.

On board of steamer Minor below Fort Rice I baptized Dominic about 2 yrs old s of Franc La Framboise and his Sioux wife July 2, in an island of the Missouri 2 children of Benjamin Cadotte and his Sioux wife. July 6 [Yankton Agency?] I baptized Pannaniapapi or L'Homme (The man) qui (who) frappe (struck) lc Riz (by ree) great chief of the Yankton tribe and I baptized Anna Mazaitzashanawe his wife under the patronage of S Pieter and S Anne Peter is about 66 years of age, Anne about 50, g f P J De Smet. I baptized Alec Rencontre about 25 yrs of age son of Zephyr Rencontre and Lucy his wife about 25 yrs of age gf of both Alexi Giou "' Alexis Giou was Yankton interpreter "I took up my lodging in the house of the excellent interpreter of the nation, Mr Alexis Giou, who loaded me with kindness and friendliness" CR, De Smet, 3 867

106 At the Yankton Agency, May 7, 1867, was baptized Francis, born in November, 1866, son of Chardon (Chnstian name not given) and a Blackfoot Sioux mother. Large numbers of Indian children were baptized Thus, May 7-11, at the Yankton Agency, seventy-one children of the bands of Pmanmapapi (Yankton chief), ), La (Her) Belle (Pretty/Good) Rade (Road) and La (Her) Vache (Cow) de Medicine,. Possibly Cankuwastewin, Good Road Woman and Wakanptewin, Holy Cow Woman or Medicine Cow Woman?? Suggestions anyone?

May 19, in camp of Le (masculine) Tonnere (no translation that I could find) qui (who) Saute (jump; sudden change; wind)and camp of the Brule Tetons about one hundred and ten children, May 21-22, in camp of the Zuan [sic] Teton chief, some eighty-one, May 27, in camp of Brules, Deux Chaudieres (Two Kettle) and Yantonnais, about one hundred and thirty-five, May 3 1, at old Fort Sully, about two hundred and twenty-nine children of the Two Kettle Band, Blackfeet Sioux, Mmicanjous, Sans Arcs, Yantonnais. July 4, at old Fort Buford or Union in camp of Tourniquet, Assiniboin chief, about forty-five children. A great many Sioux children received baptism at De Smet's hands in the course of the journey of 1868 At Fort Rice, May 28, Uncpapakan (Hunkpapa) and others. May 29, Camp of Two Bears, Yantonnais, Sisscton, a large number of children "June 25 On my way from the Uncpapa hostile camp baptized about 54 children June 28 baptized Paul Zete-memsapa (Black All Over) " "July 3 Fort Rice,,baptized Old Owl orator of the Uncpapa camp about 65 yrs old and his wife and La femme (the woman) qui (who) regarde (looks) en (while) sortant (sitting out), about 60 yrs of age.

July 4, Fort Rice, baptized wife (Matilda “Eagle Woman That All Look At” Picotte) of Major Galpin, 49 years old July 8, 1868. Near Fort Sully in the United Camp of Big Mandan, Yellow Hawk, and Red Fish large number of children "

www.jesuits-mis.org/PublicationsResources/MidwestJesuitArchives/OnlineResources/VirtuallyGarraghan.aspx

[akhummingbird]

Thank you Lavanah for posting this info from Father DeSmet...recognized a few family members and their baptism dates...interesting reading also.

warm regards,
Barbara

[hermin1]

Jimmy posted the journal of Fr. Hoecken on our web site @ 2-3years ago.he alsopostedan article from the south Dakota Historical Society Collections( I don'trememberwhich volume it was) about both Fr. Hoecken and Fr. Madlon. it alsoincluded entries from fr. Hoecken journal listing the baptisms he did.
contact Virginia Hansen at the South dakota historical Archives in Pierre. she can help you also.

[Vicky]

Some of his records are located at the Nebraska State Hist. Soc. They have been transcribed for the book The Tepee and the Church which I have posted here-

oyate1.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=records&action=display&thread=594

Try various spellings of names while searching the index.
The originals (in the Fr. Michael Shine Collection) cannot be accessed right now, as the hist. soc. is closed at least all of this year for renovations.

[Vicky]

In searching the index for the names you have posted in bold above, most of them can be found in this book.

[Spirit of the Owl Woman]

Thanks Vicky for the tip.