GERMAN PROTESTANT.

The St. John's Evangelical and the St. John's Lutheran Churches worshipped as one body in 1855, in a church on the corner of Eighth and Scott streets, and this union continued until 1859, when a division occurred, the Lutheran branch purchasing the interest of the Evangelicals for the sum of $400, and becoming the owners of the church edifice.

LUTHERAN.

The St. John's Lutheran Church was served then by the Reverend Peter Senel, who was installed October 16, 1859. He was succeeded by the following pastors, in the order named: The Reverends J. D. F. Mayer, J. W. Mueller; F. R. Forman, September 26, 1869; C. R. W. Huge, September 26, 1880; G. Goesswein, January 11, 1885; Carl Kretzeman, September 12, 1897, the present efficient and eloquent pastor who has for his assistant the Reverend Martin Kretzeman, who was installed as such assistant August 4, 1901.

The old church gave way to the present substantial and commodious building in 1876.

A parochial day school and Sunday school are conducted by the pastors. A parsonage is also erected on the half square occupied by the church and school buildings. Total voting membership of this church is eighty-two; total membership, 370; total scholarships, ninety. The church has prospered greatly and is harmonious.

ST. JOHN'S GERMAN EVANGELICAL.

This organization separated from the Lutheran branch in August, 1859, and had for its pastor the Reverend C. Hoffmeister. They built a frame church on the corner of Fifth and Hart streets. In 1886 a commodious brick structure was erected on the corner of Fifth and Shelby streets. This congregation has also more recently erected a parsonage and parochial school building. They have had as pastors the following, in the order named: The Reverends F. Durlitz, William Jung, N. Burkhardt, Peter Webber, Albert Schorey, O. J. Kuss, Frederick Reller, Henry Mehl, and again Albert Schorey. The Reverend Louis Hohmann is now pastor.

The present membership of the church is eighty-eight. This church has prospered under its several pastors, and is doing a good work in the interests of Christianity.

AFRICAN METHODIST EPISCOPAL.

This church was organized by the Reverend W. P. Quinn, at what period no record exists to show. Samuel Clark, Cornelius Sims, W. H. Stewart, James Brunswick, and Henry Ryder were the initiatory members. The first building erected was in the year 1839, on the corner of Tenth and Buntin streets. This one was replaced by a brick structure, 35x50, in 1875. The name of the present pastor is the Reverend G. H. White.

CUMBERLAND PRESBYTERIAN.

This branch of the Presbyterian Church must have held service in this county sixty years or more ago, as they organized a church in Palmyra township about that time,

yet no record is given by the pastor of the church in Vincennes that preaching ever occurrred here before the advent of the Reverend Henry Clay Yates in 1890, when a church was organized with a membership of twenty-one. The church building was erected during the year 1890, and was dedicated in the spring of 1891. The Reverend Yates was its first pastor, continuing six years, when he was succeeded by the Reverend F. A. Grant, who remained but six months, being succeeded by the Reverend J. N. McDonald. The latter was pastor for four years, being succeeded by the Reverend J. B. Miller, present pastor, in 1901.

Total membership of Vincennes Church is 175. Total membership in the State, 3,788. Total value of property, $183,300. Amount contributed for church purposes in 1900 was $17,370. The church seems fairly prosperous under its energetic pastor.

Chapter VII.

BIOGRAPHIES-FRANCOIS MORGAN, SIEUR DE VIN

M

CENNES.

UCH has been written about the founder of Vincennes, regarding his nationality, genealogy and

age, and the question may not yet be considered settled; but the presumption is that all is now known that will ever be. From the best sources of information obtainable it may be stated that he was born in Canada (although some say that he was a native of France), but at what time is not positively known. It is recorded that he received an ensign's commission in 1699. He is believed to be the son of Louisa Bissot (the sister of Jean Baptiste Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes), whose husband was Seraphim Morgane. According to Duboison's narrative, page 9, the subject of this sketch fought gallantly in defending the fort at Detroit from a combined Indian attack, May, 1712. He was subsequently sent West, and was at Mackinaw, and, according to Law's History, he was engaged in some service on the lakes toward St. Marie in 1725. "At what time he took possession here is not exactly known; probably somewhere about the year 1732."

On the death of his uncle, Jean Baptiste Bissot, Sieur de Vincennes, he assumed his title of Sieur de Vincennes. He worked his way west to the Posts Miamis and Ouiatenon, after which he is known to have been at Kaskaskia,

October 20, 1727, where he and Louis St. Ange, his fellow-officer, attended the nuptials of two of the inhabitants.*

The next recorded history of his whereabouts is that of his being at the Che-pe-ko-ke village in 1733. Law, p. 19, says: "There are other documents there (Kaskaskia) signed by him (Vincennes) as witness in 1733-1734, among them (records) a receipt for one hundred pistoles, received from his father-in-law on his marriage. From all these proofs it is clearly evident that he was here previous to 1733." That he was at the village previous to that time is positive; for his letters recently published (1902) by the Indiana Historical Society, dated March 7 and 21, 1733, Vincennes, show this. In his letter of March 21, 1733, he says, in answer to the inquiry as to his progress at the post, "I have built a fort and erected two houses, but need a guard-room and a barracks for lodging soldiers, and thirty more soldiers and an officer, as it is not possible to remain in this place with so few troops." It would seem from this statement of Vincennes that what some writers have said about the Indians here receiving the priests and French soldiers with open arms is entirely too rosy and absurd for credence. The savage Indian can no more change his nature toward the white man than a leopard can change his spots. He stated further that he was “embarrassed by the war with the Chickasaws, who have been here twice this spring."

He continued here as commandant until 1736, when his superior officer, Major de Artagette, ordered him to join his forces in a campaign war against the Chickasaw Nation in Louisiana. This wing of the army was to be

*Mason, "Kaskaskia and Its Parish Records," in American History, Vol. VI, p. 175.