A standard history of Oklahoma; an authentic narrative of its development from the date of the first European exploration down to the present time, including accounts of the Indian tribes, both civilized and wild, of the cattle range, of the land openings and the achievements of the most recent period, Vol. V, Part 26

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 644

USA > Oklahoma > A standard history of Oklahoma; an authentic narrative of its development from the date of the first European exploration down to the present time, including accounts of the Indian tribes, both civilized and wild, of the cattle range, of the land openings and the achievements of the most recent period, Vol. V > Part 26

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Hin Yer. Theo Meerschwert Tto of oklahoma

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HISTORY OF OKLAHOMA

with the L. C. Smith Typewriting Company at Shawnee; and Gertrude, a stenographer at Shreveport, Louisiana.

BISHOP THEOPHILE MEERSCHAERT was born August 24, 1847, in the Village of Russignies, about an hour's walk from the City of Renaix, in the Belgian Province of East Flanders. His father was of that sturdy stock which has played so great a part in the history of North- ern Europe; the stock which was first to declare its in- dependence of feudalism to build up the great manu- facturing and commercial cities of the middle ages- Ghent, Bruges, Lille, Audenarde and Ypres-cities of the guilds, the Christian prototypes of our modern trades unions; eities which sent forth their armies of tradesmen and mechanics, who, under the walls of Courtrai, in 1302, humbled the pride of Philip the Fair and his courtiers in the battle of the Golden Spurs. His mother was of that other race of Belgium, Walloon, whose ancestors Caesar, in the introduction to his History of the Gallic Wars, declares, "Of all these, the bravest are the Belgians."

He was the eighth of ten children, a family of only average size in that country even now. His earliest in- struetiou was received in the publie school of his native village, as at that time the public schools of Belgium were all Catholic. In 1859, at the age of twelve years, his vocation to the priesthood must have been already marked, for he entered the then recently founded diocesan College of Renaix. Here the child studied each day from 8 A. M. to 6 P. M., making the journey of three miles to and from home on foot. His first great sorrow came during the first eollege year, on May 28, 1860, when his mother died after an illness of only a few hours. His eldest sister, Victorine, who had intended to enter the convent, at once took her mother's place in the eare of the growing family, remaining for their sake in, but not of, the world, an humble heroine of simple devotion to duty. She, whom the Bishop loves to eall his second mother, died December 23, 1914, on the forty-second anniversary of his ordination to the priesthood.

When the College of Renaix, which was then far from its present rank as it now ineludes, besides a complete classical course, a famous school of weaving and other manual training, eould take him no further in his studies, the young Theophile entered the diocesan College of Audenarde in October, 1864, whenee he was graduated in August, 1868. While there, he devoted his leisure to the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, and found in its work a suitable outlet for his zeal and charity toward the sick and poor. He was successively secretary and president of the local conference, and obtained from the first the rare privilege of being allowed to visit the sick at the hospital, which he did each week for four years.

The time was now at hand to begin his immediate training for the priesthood; and as he was resolved to be a missionary in America, young Mr. Meerschaert en- tered the American college at Louvain in October, 1868. Here he had as professors the famous Dupont and Mon- signor Cartuyvels, long the beloved vice-rector of Louvain University. On June 10, 1870, he received minor orders; took the irrevocable step to, subdeaconship, December 17, 1870; was ordained deacon June 3, 1871, and priest, December 23, 1871; remaining, however, as a student in the American college until July, 1872.

It may not come amiss to notice here an ineident of his seminary days that will serve to shed some light upon his later life. A neighbor in his village, who lived alone, had died. Victorine, his sister, invited the young semi- narian to come with her and prepare the body for burial. The man had been dead nearly twenty-four hours when they arrived. It was summer, and although he took hold

bravely enough, the flesh was weaker than the spirit. As she saw him about to faint, Victorine cried out, "Shame on you: Is that the kind of man who wants to Le a missionary?" The lesson was never forgotten and served to buoy him up through many a sickening ordeal in after years.

Now came the second great trial, the parting from home and friends. To those who go abroad for a visit or for recreation, there is little in this; yet even then there is frequently a reluctance at the last moment that · causes emotion. For those who leave home for a longer period to study in preparing for life work, the trial is greater; yet even here there is great hope of return to live at home; and the knowledge that one's life is not being torn up by the roots to be transplanted in an alien soil. But when we definitely leave behind all that is dear, and know that if we ever do return it will be only as a visitor; when we go forth to face what difficulties we know not, and to give ourselves for strangers who may not appreciate or welcome our sacrifice; to labor among people whose language, whose eustoms, whose very out- look upon life is foreign and perhaps repugnant to our own; and when we know that after all we need not go; that friends without number would gladly bid us stay; ah then, there is something to give up! The Belgian loves his home and native land. This is abundantly shown by the fact that although it is the most densely populated land upon the face of the globe, and condi- tions of life are correspondingly hard, yet the number of its emigrants is negligible. If our young missionary, then, shed a few tears at parting, can we find it in our hearts to blame him? Especially since through it all, like so many of his brave countrymen, his purpose never faltered, nor took one backward look on what it left be- hind. On September 26, 1872, Father Meerschaert left Russignies. He arrived in New York October 13th. His first sea voyage was a long one, but was thoroughly en- joyed by the young missionary, who was from the first an excellent sailor. He did not tarry long to enjoy what to him must have been a new world full of wonders, but proceeded as rapidly as circumstances and the then slow and arduous means of transportation would permit, to report for duty to Bishop Elder of Natchez, Mississippi, afterwards Archbishop of Cincinnati.

The young priest was blessed in his bishop. A man whose combined learning and true holiness with greatness of mind and soul and the simplicity of an apostle, Bishop Elder was in deed as in word a pattern to his flock. His angelie pity for the poor and suffering, and his heroism during the repeated visitations of his war-scarred diocese by the yellow fever, made him loved by both priests and people.

On November 16, 1872, Father Meerschaert, after a few weeks at the bishop's house, was sent to his first charge. No doubt he felt quite flattered to think he was at once to be a pastor. This feeling, however, promptly subsided after his first visit to his missions. His parish consisted of the missions of Jordan River, Pearl River and Wolf River, in Hancock and Harrison counties, along the sea coast. Although invited to make his head- . quarters with a neighboring pastor in a well established parish, he reserved this privilege for one week in three months, and lived the rest of the time as best he could in his own poor missions.

The first visit was not very encouraging. It was sixty miles through the pine woods and swamps to his destina- tion, and the trip was made in a little eart. Six or seven miles out, while fording a stream, his valise fell out into the water. To add to his discomfort a norther eame up and it began to sleet and freeze. Father Meerschaert was afraid that his aged driver would be ill, so, although

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he himself was wet through from the rescue of the after having spent the whole night by the bedside of a dying German, he was called by a Protestant old lady, one of those who thought Catholics so bad that they would not even sell vegetables to the priest, but who said in calling him: "Mr. Priest, my neighbor is sick and wants you. She is a Catholic and I know you will do her good." It was three miles in the country and the trans- portation was apostolie; that is, on foot. After he had given the sacraments to the dying girl, "Mr. Priest," said the old lady, "you are sick, too?"""No," replied precious valise, he wrapped the old man in his cassock. They walked and drove alternately for twenty-five miles, and at 3 o'clock in the afternoon arrived at the resi- dence of a Catholic family, a one-room house, where they sat down to a dinner of rice and cabbage. It is safe to say that was the best rice and cabbage the young priest had ever tasted. The aged driver was ill, and there was not much room to spare, so Father Meerschaert walked three miles to the home of a relative of his host to spend the night. There he found a family of ten, again in a . Father Meerschaert, "Only a bad cold." "But you look one-room house. The evening meal was sweet potatoes, bad; perhaps you are afraid?" "Well, hardly, after nursing the sick for eight weeks." "Well, if you take the fever, send for me; I will come and nurse you." The following day, Saturday, she came after Mr. Priest to come and bury the dead girl, and on Sunday, during Mass the premonitary symptoms appeared. After Mass came the chill; and a non-Catholic, whose daughter was being instructed for first communion, put the priest to bed. On Tuesday he suffered a relapse, and for a week his life was despaired of, as he had even the black vomit, considered a sure sign of death. The next day, though still unable to sit up, he was brought six miles into the country in a spring wagon, supported by a man on each side, to give the last sacraments to the little girl he had been instructing for first holy communion, the daughter of the man who had put him to bed. He was brought back home, arriving at half past one in the morning. The girl died the same morning at nine. served alone. The missionary had not yet learned to like them, so he concluded to wait for the second course. But there was no second course! His bed was in the corn crib upon a husk tick with one quilt for covering. Old saeks were hung before the cracks in the corn crib to keep out the wind. On this bed he lay down, fully dressed and tried to pray himself to sleep, while the wind howled through the pines, and the latter kept up a con- tinual crashing as they rid themselves of their accumu- lated burden of encrusted sleet. The next morning he set up a portable altar between the beds in the house, and thus celebrated his first Holy Mass as pastor in his new missions. As his feet were badly swollen from the pre- vious day's trip, he decided to return on horseback. The saddle was not well girded and when he attempted to mount, it promptly turned under the horse. Finally he got it securely fastened and rode off. Being yet but an inexperienced horseman he got his horse into a hole at the Wolf River ford, and was plunged into the icy water to the hips. Before he could dry his clothes or obtain food he had to ride through the cold three miles further to a farmhouse.

It will readily be seen from these incidents, that his people were desperately poor. They were people of some education and refinement but had lost all their wealth in the Civil war, then comparatively recent. For the most part Catholics, they were sadly in need of instruction. Many full grown and even old persons among them had never made their first Confession or Communion, and knew next to nothing of their religion. Added to this was a certain spirit of hostility toward the church, and this spirit it was the task of the young missionary to eradicate.

During the first winter he called his people to a week's encampment at a central point. Here each day was begun with Mass, followed by a solid forenoon's instruc- tion on the catechism, the prayers, the ceremonies of the church, etc. At noon a recess for lunch, and all after- noon was again devoted to study and instruction. Con- fession began Thursday, and Sunday morning nearly a hundred, ranging from sixteen to seventy years, made their first Holy Communion. All received confirmation at the hands of Bishop Elder at Bay St. Louis, February 2, 1873.

Father Meerschaert was changed to Ocean Springs in August, 1874, and had been in his new parish not quite a year when yellow fever broke out. The first cases oc- curred in the latter part of June, but the epidemic reached its greatest virulence in September and October. From the first outbreak the young pastor was in the thick of the danger. He did not confine himself to spiritual ministrations, but busied himself with nursing the sick, Catholics and non-Catholics alike, sitting up with them every alternate night, as a rule, and by word and example heartening the people to care for their own afflicted ones, instead of fleeing in panie to a place of safety, and leaving husbands, wives or children to die without consolation, as was so often the case in other communities. Finally, on the last Friday in October,

In 1878, while on his first visit to Europe, he learned that the yellow fever had again broken ont in Mississippi, and hurried back to his flock. This enidemic was worse than the preceding one and out of twenty-six priests, six died with the fever, and thirteen sisters. During this second epidemie, Father Meerschaert had to attend, not only his parishioners, but those of Biloxi, and Pascagoula as well, as the pastors of both these places were down with fever.

In June, 1879, Father Leduc, then pastor of Bay St. Louis, was sent away on sick leave, and Father Meer- schaert was sent to replace him until his return. In November, 1880, he was appointed to Natchez, where he remained until his appointment as Vicar Apostolic of the Indian Territory. In Natchez he continued the same course which had so endeared him to the people in his former parishes. No one, whether Protestant, Catholic, Jew or atheist ever fell ill, without being visited by Father Meerschaert and no one who was not glad to call him friend. After the coming of Bishop Janssens, after- wards Archbishop of New Orleans, in May, 1881, Father Meerschaert became acting vicar general, and after the death of Father Grignon in April, 1887, he received the title. Bishop Janssens was promoted to New Orleans August 6, 1888, and Father Meerschaert was designated Administrator of the Diocese of Natchez until the coming of the new bishop. Bishop Heslin arrived in Natchez June 23, 1889, and appointed Father Meerschaert again vicar general.

On April 20, 1891, Archbishop Janssens received a cablegram that Father Meerschaert was selected as Vicar Apostolic of the Indian Territory. The news reached Natchez the same night at 3:30, but as Father Meer- schaert was out visiting the sick, he did not receive it until 6 o'clock in the morning. The announcement was made in Consistory on May 7, 1891, and on June 11th, the bulls appointing him Bishop of Sidyma and Vicar Apostolic of the Indian Territory were issued. The new bishop-elect made his retreat preparatory to consecration at Jefferson College in New Orleans, from August 27th to September 3d. His consecration took place in the cathedral at Natchez, September 8, 1891. The conse-

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crator was his dear friend, Archbishop Janssens, assisted by Bishops Fitzgerald of Little. Rock, and Heslin of Natchez.

The consecration of the new bishop was, most appro- priately the grandest church function witnessed in Natchez up to that time, or even since. Prelates, priests and people vied with one another to do honor to the man, who, after many years of arduous labor among the people of Mississippi, was now called by the voice of the Supreme Pastor to a greater but no less trying field. Among the testimonials of regard received by Bishop Meerschaert on this occasion were, a purse of $700, full pontifical robes, crozier, mitres, pectoral cross and chain, chalices, etc. On the evening of his consecration he was tendered a public reception by the citizens of Natchez, and on the following evening, by the colored people. While they could not but rejoice at the honor bestowed upon one so dear to them, still their hearts were saddened at the thought that these honors signalized their separa- tion from one whom they all, irrespective of religion; had grown accustomed to call "Father."

Our Bishop's first Holy Mass in his new vicariate was celebrated in the convent at Purcell in the early morning of September 19, 1891. He arrived at Guthrie, the place designated by the Congregation of the Propaganda as his residence, the same day, and was met at the station by Governor Steele, numerous officials of Oklahoma Terri- tory, and other prominent citizens.

Let us now glance briefly at the conditions existing in the new vicariate, comprising what is now the State of Oklahoma, but at that time known as Oklahoma and Indian Territory. Truly a beautiful land, but still slumbering in the ignorance of childhood regarding the bounteous material resources hidden within its breast, and having as yet no idea of the greatness a few short years would bring. Vast reaches of its area were as yet forbidden to the settler. The only inhabited portion of Oklahoma Territory comprised the counties of Logan, Kingfisher, Oklahoma, and Canadian, with a part of Lin- coln, Pottowatomie, and Cleveland. The population of this territory was less than 6,000 souls. The Indian Territory with its five civilized tribes and some smaller tribal governments, together with a comparatively small number of whites and negroes, numbered less than 200,- 000. Of railroads, there were only what are now known as the main lines of the M. K. & T., the Santa Fe, and the north and south line of the Rock Island, the latter terminating at El Reno. In the Indian Territory there were no laws but the tribal governments, and this por- tion of the future state was largely a refuge to the law- less of other states. There were but sixteen priests, all told; and nearly half of them were but more than fully occupied with the labors and trials incident to the solid foundation and upbuilding of College and Indian School at Sacred Heart. The number of secular priests was three. The total number of baptisms the first year was 347, of marriages, 52, and of burials, 78; while the total Catholic population, white, Indian and colored, was 7,994, and the total number of children in the Catholic College and schools was 766.

One of our bishop's first cares was to visit and con- firm in every part of his vicariate. Though he was then, as he has been ever since, received with honor, loyalty, and the affection which those who know him best under- stand so well, yet the physical labor of traversing so great an area largely by wagon, fording streams, braving storms, and enduring the hardships inseparable from travel in a new, wild country, was always great. He had now, however, to concern himself more and more with the spiritual burdens and financial responsibilities of his position. He has traveled a great deal, both in and out

of the state; and has always made good use of his travels, especially his trips to Europe, to obtain young and zealous priests and has employed the donations of the charitably disposed to assist those laboring in the poorer missions, as well as to provide for the education of those who de- sire to devote their lives to missionary work, and who would otherwise be prevented by lack of means. He has always made his house a home for priests, and many a weary missionary, coming to see the bishop after months of discouragement and almost hopeless, has re- ceived refreshment, both material and spiritual, and after a short rest has departed with courage renewed for his field of labor.

On August 23, 1905, the vicariate was erected in the Diocese of Oklahoma with the Episcopal See at Okla- homa City. Since that time, as before, its growth has been steady, even during the reaction which followed the early boom days. By way of comparison with the statis- ties given for the first year of our bishop 's presence here we see that in 1915 there were in the diocese 71 secular and 34 regular priests, 64 churches, with residence priests, 84 missions with churches, 127 stations, and 4 chapels, Besides these there are 12 Brothers of the Sacred Heart in Muskogee, and in the diocese 320 members of religi- ous sisterhoods. There are 15 ecclesiastical students, 3 colleges for boys, Sacred Heart, Muskogee, and the Catholic University in Shawnee; 238 college students, two academies for young ladies, with 190 boarders, 2 hospitals, St. Anthony's in Oklahoma City and St. Mary's Infirmary in McAlester; St. Joseph's Orphanage at Oklahoma City, with 70 orphans; 39 schools for white, 8 for Indian, and 2 for colored children with a total of 4,972 pupils and a total of 5,152 young people under Catholic care. There were during the year 1,620 bap- tisms, of whom 201 were converts; 387 marriages and 365 burials, and the Catholic population was 40,633.

It must not, however, be imagined that everything has been easy sailing in the diocese during all these years. The bishop has had his trials, and they have been both many and heavy. The one thing that has sus- tained him when everything looked darkest has been his spirit of prayer. He has always enjoyed to a very high degree the love and loyalty of both his priests and his people, and forsooth the hope and prayer of all is-

"May he be still our Bishop and our Father for many years to come."

LEONIDAS HORTON MCCONNELL, M. D. The arrival of Dr. Leonidas Horton McConnell at Elmer was coincident with the opening of the village. At that time he was but recently graduated from his medical college, and he was forced to pass through the period of hard struggle to gain a foothold that all young physicians must experi- ence; but his abilities and knowledge of his calling soon made themselves felt, and since that time he has at- tracted to himself an excellent practice and established himself firmly in the confidence and esteem of the people.

Doctor McConnell was born at Maryville, Blount County, Tennessee, November 29, 1871, and is a son of J. R. B. and Sarah (King) McConnell. The branch of the family of which he is a member originated in Scot- land and the original emigrant located in Virginia, prob- ably prior to the War of the Revolution. J. R. B. McConnell was born in 1840, also at Maryville, where he was engaged in farming at the time of the outbreak of the Civil war, and enlisted in a Tennessee infantry regi- ment in the Union Army, with which he served until the declaration of peace. He continued to be a resident of Tennessee until 1902, in which year le came to Oklahoma, locating at Guymon, the county seat of Texas County, where his death occurred in 1907. Mrs. McConnell, who

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was born in Knox County, Tennessee, in 1845, died at Maryville, that state, in 1885. They were the parents of nine children, as follows: Moses, who was a farmer and died at Maryville, Tennessee, in his thirty-second year; Jennie, who resides at Guymon, Oklahoma; Dr. Leonidas Horton; Josephen, who married John Nuchals, and died in 1907; Annie, who married Clell Ballinger, a carpenter and builder of Guymon; Elizabeth, who is the widow of M. G. Wylie, an attorney, and resides at Guymon; Adelia, who is the wife of Jolin Curtis, a mer- chant at Guynion; John, who is the editor of a news- paper at that place; and Olive, who died at Carlsbad, New Mexico, as the wife of R. R. Cline, a mechanic.

Leonidas H. McConnell grew up on his father's Ten- uessee farm. He attended the schools of Maryville, where he was graduated from the high school in 1893, and Maryville College, where he pursued a full course of three years. Following this, he spent three years in teaching school in Blount County, and in the meantime applied himself to the study of medicine, which he had decided upou as his life profession. In 1898 he matricu- lated at the Chattanooga (Tennessee) Medical College, where he was graduated in 1901, with the degree of Doctor of Medicine. Between medical school courses he taught public school to make the next medical school year. While a member of Maryville College he was active in college literary circles and a member of the Athenian Literary Society. After a short period of practice in his native state, July 11, 1901, Doctor McConnell came to Oklahoma, first taking up his residence at Yelldell, near the present Town of Elmer, and when the latter town was founded, in the same year, transferred his residence and professional headquarters to this place. Here Doctor McConnell has carried on a broad and general medical and surgical practice, being equally at home in both branches. He has kept in close touch with the profes- sional brotherhood, belonging to the organizations of his calling. His well-appointed offices are located on Main Street, iu the Elmer Drug Store. Doctor McConnell is a republican in national affairs, but in local matters is dis- posed to hold views of a rather independent nature, preferring to use his own judgment in the selection of candidates for office. He is somewhat interested in fra- ternal work, being a member of Yelldell Lodge No. 196, Ancient Free and Accepted Masons, Elmer Chapter of the Order of the Eastern Star, and Elmer Camp, Wood- men of the World, and has many friends in each. He has always been known as a public-spirited citizen who can be depended upon to give his energetic support to movements of a progressive and advantageous nature.

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Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941 Publication date: 1916 Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society Number of Pages: 644

Author: Thoburn, Joseph B. (Joseph Bradfield), 1866-1941
Publication date: 1916
Publisher: Chicago, New York, The American Historical Society
Number of Pages: 644