"In a memorial on the affairs of Louisiana by M. Le Bailey Messager, dated December 17, 1749, a proposition was made to establish a 'central power on the Wabash.' In the early part of the same year, 1749, a mission or church was established at Post Vincennes by the missionary Sebast. Lud. Meurin."* On quitting the Post he left one Phillibert, a notary public, in charge, to keep the records and to administer baptism to laymen privately during the absence of a priest. The records of the Catholic church here make no mention of the missionaries until the year 1749, when Father Meurin came here. For more than half a century this was the only church in Indiana.† From the departure of Reverend Louis L. Metrin there seems to have been no priest at Vincennes until the arrival of Reverend Pierre Gibault, who, upon his ordination in Canada, had been sent to the "Illinois Country," his objective point being Kaskaskia, as Vicar-General, by the Bishop of Quebec. In the line of his duty Reverend Gibault visited Vincennes first, in February, 1770. "In March he returned to Kaskaskia, the usual place of his residence, but for several years continued to pay occasional visits to the Post. He was for a time the only priest in Indiana. We find from the records of the church that in July, 1778, he was in Vincennes, exerting himself successfully in inducing the French inhabitants to declare in favor of the United States against Great Britain."‡ His mission here at this time was, in some degree, as ambassador of Colonel George Rogers Clark, who had won over

*"In 1749 a church or mission was established under the charge of Missionary Meurin at Piankeshaw village, which stood at the site of Vincennes."- Dillon Hist., p. 403.

† W. H. Smith's Hist. Ind., p. 255.

Law's Hist. Vincennes, p. 146,

the Father to the American cause, after his capture of Kaskaskia. His services were invaluable, and he should be held in grateful remembrance by all American citizens.

The English Government being in full possession of the Northwest Territory at that time, with the exception of Kaskaskia and Cahokia, Father Gibault, in showing sympathy with and giving active aid to Colonel Clark's army, showed rare patriotism to the cause of liberty in thus exposing himself to the risk of capture and trial for treason by the English. His good services prepared the way for Clark's successful attack and capture of the town and fort at Vincennes, February 25, 1779. "In July, 1779, Father Gibault again visited Vincennes, then in the possession of the Americans. He remained three weeks, discharging the duties of his office. Five years elapsed, after this, without a visit from a priest, when Gibault reappeared in 1784, accompanied by the Reverend M. Payet. In May, 1785, he established himself at the Post as the resident pastor. He remained here until October, 1789, when he finally left and settled at Cahokia, and afterwards at New Madrid, Missouri, where he died in 1804. A layman, Pierre Mallet, acted as guardian of the church, having been thus appointed by M. Gibault, until the arrival of M. Flaget, in 1792."* It is said by the same author that he remained at this Post two years.

As to the location and character of the first church building, I will quote from the history of the late Honorable John Law, a very intelligent gentleman, who came to Vincennes in the year 1817, and who had access to the church library and was well qualified to make a true state

Law's Hist. Vincennes, p. 147.

ment on the subject. The first building was doubtless erected during the pastorate of Father Louis L. Meurin about the year 1749, as before stated, as the records of the church then begin to be kept. Law says: "It is not beyond the memory of the oldest inhabitant of the Postindeed, it is within the recollection of all who dwelt here forty years since that fronting on Water street, running back to Church street, toward the present cathedral, there was a plain building with a rough exterior, built of upright posts, 'chuncked and daubed', to use an architectural expression purely western, with a rough coat of cement on the outside; in width about twenty feet; in length about sixty feet; one story high, with a small belfry, and an equally small bell, now used at the more elegant and symmetrical building ***. The building I have described -placed in the cemetery, where the various mortuary memorials, which piety and affection had dedicated to those who had gone before, headed with the symbol of their faith, and for the most part of wood, the inscriptions, from moss and time almost illegible--was the ancient church of St. Francis Xavier * * * and was without doubt the only church used here for Catholic worship until the foundations of the new edifice which has superseded it was laid and the building prepared for worship."*

The History of Knox County, p. 289, has this to say: "Father Gibault says, in 1784, a new church had been built, 90x42 feet." This statement is not borne out by the facts, and it is presumed that the Father has been misrepresented. If such a building had been erected upon the Father's advent the last time he came, in May, 1785, where

*Law's Hist. Vincennes, p. 141.

was it in 1792, when Father B. J. Flaget came to serve the church? He said: "The building was poor, open and neglected; the altar, a temporary structure, was of boards and badly put together. I found the congregation in a worse state even than the church. Out of nearly 700, but twelve could be induced to approach holy communion during Christmas festivities." If a new church had been built in 1784, as alleged, it is not probable that it could have become so dilapidated as described by the reverend Father, in only a few years' time; and the size of the reputed new building, 90x42 feet, does not correspond with the one described by Law, 20x60 feet, and "one story high," when he came to Vincennes in 1817. What Father Flaget said in 1792 about the building goes to show that it was the same as originally constructed, but possibly improved somewhat by St. Ange, who added a belfry and a bell, which was used in church service until the erection of the new cathedral, and, for some purpose, up to the present time."+

There is a living witness to corroborate Judge Law's statement, Mrs. Elizabeth Andre, now in her ninety-third year. She told the writer, May 7, 1902, that she, in company with the late L. L. Watson and Mr. Vital Bouchie, now living, took their first communion in the first church built here, and describes it as built of posts or upright slabs, and further stated that this old church was used up to the time of the erection of the present cathedral. She describes the entrance to the church as facing the river; said that sometimes there were long intervals between the visits of the priests; that she remembers when two came,

Hist. Knox County, p. 236.

† Law's Hist. Vincennes, p. 15.

having walked and carried their packs on their backs a longdistance; and remembers Father Flaget as the first bishop to come to Vincennes. She seems bright in intellect and memory as ever, and says that her recollection of incidents. in her early years is as clear as it ever was-much better than it is of incidents happening fifty years ago. The foregoing statements indicate definitely that the present cathedral has had but one preceding church.

There was no regular supply of the church here until Congress, at the petition of Bishop Carroll indorsed by President Washington, passed an act giving an annuity to the church of $200. Then the Bishop appointed Reverend John Francis Rivet, who arrived here in May, 1795. His first official act recorded was the baptism of Antoinette Rous, May 3, 1795, when he signed the record "Rivet prete missionary." He continued here until 1804. Then there appears to have been no regularly stationed priest here for about a period of about two years. Those who officiated remained here but a short time and were attached to missions in Illinois, or to the diocese of Kentucky. M. Flaget, having been consecrated Bishop of Bardstown, Ky., revisited Vincennes in 1814, and again in 1819, 1823 and 1832 * * *. He was the first bishop who served at Vincennes. He died in Louisville in February, 1850. The See of Vincennes was erected in 1833 and Reverend Simon G. Brute was consecrated October 28, 1834, at St. Louis, and took up his residence at Vincennes. As his field of labor was very extensive and his flocks scattered over a vast. extent of territory, there being only two priests under his jurisdiction, and they two hundred and twenty-five miles

Hist. Knox County, p. 291.