USA > Texas > Galveston County > Galveston > Diamond jubilee, 1847-1922, of the diocese of Galveston and St. Mary's Cathedral > Part 4
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Like most soldiers and statesmen who participated in the early struggles of the country, he derived little material benefit from its redemption.
If we turn from the public to the private life of Sherman, we find that the spirit so restless and daring in the field, was indulgent and affectionate at home. Between himself and mem- bers of his family existed a devotion singularly close and tender, and in the long years of repose that followed an active and event- ful life, he found all the domestic endearments that filial affec- tion and gratitude could bestow.
In 1830 he married Miss Cox, of Kentucky, who was dis- tinguished for great moral worth, intellectual accomplishments and personal beauty. His wife and a son and a daughter have preceded him, but he had the gratification of seeing his four remaining daughters grow into womanhood and become honor- able members of society. Assiduous and devoted, they watched the day and night by his bedside. alleviated his sufferings, cheered him by their presence, and received his last blessing and farewell.
Let Texans follow, as a last mark of respect, this patriot to his grave, and moisten, as they deserve to be, the ashes of glory with the sweet tears of gratitude. By an historical propriety,
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the remains of General Sherman should rest in the same ceme- tery by the side of the first and last president of the Republic of Texas. They are inseparably connected in the inheritance of a common glory ; and they had been friends in early life, closely bound together by public and private ties. The same grand ainis had inspired their souls to hazard life and fortune in the cause of independence; to look down with disdain on temptations, aggrandizement and danger ; and to perform the unselfish office of laboring zealously for the public good. The friendships which had existed in full vigor through the storms of revolution, re- splendent with the virtues of manhood and courage, have been dissolved only by the hands of death. Let the dust of our illus- trious pioneers and statesmen mingle with the dust of our illus- trious soldiers. Together they endured the vicissitudes and tur- moil of time; together let them enjoy the repose of eternity.
General Sherman was a member of St. Mary's Cathedral Parish and was buried from the Cathedral August 3, 1872, Father Chambodut celebrating the Mass.
Closely associated with Bishops Timon and Odin in the building of the first church of Galveston was Dr. N. D. Labadie, a sketch of whose life we present from the Texas Almanac. Dr. Labadie was also a veteran of San Jacinto.
Memoirs published in Texas Almanac, 1868.
NICHOLAS B. LABADIE, M. D., Galveston.
Nicholas D. Labadie was born at Windsor, Canada West, December 3, 1802. His parents were Antone Louis and Mrs. Charlotte B. Labadie. His mother was the daughter of Pierre and Charlotte Chapaton and before her marriage to Mr. Labadie, the widow of Lieut. Louis Raume.
Antone Louis Labadie was three times married and the father of thirty-three children, the youngest of whom was the subject of this memoir.
Francis Labadie, an ancestor of Dr. Labadie, was born in the diocese of Xanites, France, in 1644, and when a young man moved to Canada, where he married and permanently settled. Some of his descendants (among them the representatives from whom Dr. Labadie is immediately descended) returned to France.
An old chronicle, speaking of Pierre Descomptes Labadie, grandfather, and Antone Louis Labadie, father of Dr. Labadie, says they "settled on the western frontier at any early date and,
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subsequently, in company with several members of their family, moved to Detroit, after retiring from military service, where they spent the remainder of their lives."
Dr. Labadie was reared on the frontier in Canada West; emigrated to Missouri when twenty-one years of age; studied for the Catholic priesthood at an institute at Barrens, Perry County, Mo., from 1824 to 1828; for some cause abandoned his intention to take holy orders. (He ever remained a devout communicant of the Mother Church), and about the year 1829 went to St. Louis, where he clerked in a store, read medicine, and secured his degree of M. D .; went to Fort Jessup, Louisiana, in 1830 and there divided his time between clerking in a store and attend- ing to professional "calls" among the soldiers and civilians resi- dent at the post ; made a prospecting trip to Nacogdoches and thence to San Felipe, in Austin's colony, where he met Col. Sanı'! L. Williams, who went with him to Brazoria and other points of interest ; returned to Louisiana, and a month later set sail from New Orleans with a stock of medicines aboard the schooner Martha, bound for Anahuac, at the mouth of the Trinity; on reaching his destination was made post-surgeon by Col. Brad- burn, who commanded the Mexican garrison (300 men) at Anahuac ; also opened a store in co-partnership with Mr. Wilcox. and engaged in the general practice of his profession ; not long after taking up his residence in the town, met and married Miss Mary Norment (born in Mississippi), sister of Thomas Nor- ment (afterwards a soldier at San Jacinto) ; joined the Texas patriot army March 11, 1836, as a soldier in Capt. Wm. M. Logan's company, 2nd Regiment of Volunteers, on its organiza- tion at Liberty, and with the command reported to General Hous- ton at Benson's on the Colorado on the 20th of the same month ; was on a scout with a detail under Captain Karnes when the retreat to San Felipe began; rejoined the army at Groce's and was there, April 6, made surgeon of the ist Regiment of the Regulars and placed in charge of the medicine chest by General Houston ; fought in the battle of San Jacinto as a volunteer in Captain_Logan's company, part of the left wing, commanded by Gen. Sidney Sherman; was ordered some days after the battle to report to General Rusk at Galveston; stopped on the way at Anahuac to see his family; found that during his absence one of his houses had been burned and the other pillaged, that his little son had died, and that his wife and remaining children were without the necessaries of life; was himself taken danger- ously sick and, upon recovery, found that he had become totally deaf (his hearing was never restored) ; lived for a short time on Lake Charlotte, in what is now Chambers County, and in 1837 moved to Galveston, where he afterwards resided until the time of his death, March 13, 1867.
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He was one of the first.actual residents of the city and one of the first to engage in business there, opening a drug store at the corner of Twenty-second and Market Streets, where the Alvey building now stands.
The yellow fever epidemic took away his wife and left three little girls, the eldest six years and the youngest a babe of five months. During that and subsequent visitations, up to and in- cluding the last, that of 1867, he stood bravely at his post, "prov- ing himself," as a writer well says, "worthy of the title bestowed on St. Luke-'Beloved Physician'."
December 9, 1840, he married Mrs. Agnes Rivera, then living at Galveston, a daughter of John and Mrs. Jennet Harkness. Only one child was born of this union, Joseph. His second wife died in 1843. He afterwards married a third time, but without issue. The following children, born of his first marriage, lived to maturity : Sarah, wife of Solomon Wallis; Charlotte L., and Cecelia.
Dr. Labadie established a line of sailing vessels that ran in early days between Pensacola, Florida, and Galveston, and brought much of the lumber used in building the first business houses and residences on the island; built the wharf at the end of Twenty-second Street that still bears his name; built the first marine ways; purchased lots in the new town and erected sub- stantial buildings ; contributed liberally to the construction of the first Catholic Church in the city; was one of the first to sub- scribe to the building of the Charity Hospital, erected after the war between the States, and in every way that lay in his power contributed to the welfare and building up of the city.
During the war (being too old for active field duty) he was appointed a member of the medical examining board of the Ist Brigade, Texas state troops, and served as such until the close of hostilities.
A few years before his death Dr. Ibadie published the fol- lowing account of Santa Anna's being brought into the Texas camp and the interview with General Houston; it differs ma- terially from that so long given currency by writers of Texas history :
"While I was engaged in attending the wounded Mexican prisoners, a Mr. Sylvester rode up to the prison-square with a prisoner, who refused to enter. I was called upon to interpret, as neither the sentinel nor Mr. Sylvester could speak Spanish. I told him that this was the place where all prisoners were kept. He replied, 'I want to see General Houston. Is he in camp?' 'Yes,' I replied, 'Mr. Sylvester, take this man to yonder oak tree, where General Houston lies.' As they were departing, the prisoner whose wounds I was dressing, a Mexican lieutenant,
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whispered to me, 'Es el presidente' (He is the president). I at once folded my instruments and followed after them, and met Colonel Hockley calling me to come quickly, as I was wanted. I found General Houston lying on his back on the ground under the oak tree (he was wounded) ; and on his left the prisoner was sitting on a chest. He politely returned my salute, and I said to him in Spanish, pointing: 'This is General Houston. Do you want anything of him?' He replied, 'Tell General Houston that General Santa Anna stands before him a prisoner.' General Houston, hearing this interpreted, appeared much surprised and turning on his left side, said: 'General Santa Anna, in what condition do you surrender yourself?' 'As a prisoner of war,' said he, and continuing: 'Whilst I was in the camino royal- the public highway-I met two of your soldiers, to whom I sur- rendered myself a prisoner of war.' 'Well,' said Houston, 'tell Santa Anna that, so long as he shall remain in the boundaries I shall allot him, I will be responsible for his life.' Upon hearing this, Santa Anna's countenance brightened. He said: 'Tell General Houston I am tired of blood and war and have seen enough of this country to know that the two people cannot live under the same laws, and I am willing to treat with him as to the boundaries of the two countries.' In reply General Houston said: 'Tell him that I cannot treat with him, but that the Cab- inet that is in Galveston will make a treaty with him.' Here the crowd pressing against us, interferred with the conversation and the guard had to force them back. Colonel Hockley appear- ing with young Zavala to serve as interpreter, I returned to my wounded, who had been taken across the bayou to the Zavala place, which was thereafter used as a hospital."
As we learn from the letter written by the Propaganda to Bishop Blanc, President Sam Houston was favorably disposed to the Catholic Church, and when Father Timon visited Austin in 1840 as Vice-Apostolic of Texas he carried a letter from Cardinal Fransoni to President Mirabeau B. Lamar which was accepted as the recognition by the Pope of the independence of Texas.
General Sam Houston was always favorably disposed to the Catholic Church and is traditionally credited with having been baptized. The deposit of faith was not lost, for two of his grandchildren are most devout communicants at our Seminary Chapel.
--
BISHOP JOHN TIMON, C. M. Prefect - Apostolic of Texas, 1840
.
THIS
CHAPTER V.
THE AWAKENING BY THE LAZARISTS.
The last Franciscan had departed from the Missions of East Texas, and the people met at Nacogdoches under the guidance of an old beadle for the recitation of prayers and the teaching of Catechism. Texas had severed the civil bonds of Mexico and had been recognized as an independent Republic. In some form news of the sad condition of religion in Texas reached the Sacred Congregation of the Propaganda in Rome and with that tender solicitude for souls that has ever characterized the Holy See, the following letter was sent to Rt. Rev. Anthony Blanc, Bishop of New Orleans.
Illustrious and Reverend Sir :
It has been made known to the Sacred Congregation that, in the whole province of Texas, no Catholic priest is to be found, that there is a great multitude of Catholics, dwelling there, eagerly solicitous for religion, and that the President of the Republic shows himself to be benevolently disposed to the Catholic faith. I have judged it proper to write to you this letter that I might commend this serious matter to you, and to say that you will do a thing most pleasing to the Sacred Con- gregation, if without any delay you send some priests to the aforesaid Province. When afterwards the Sacred Congregation shall have received a true relation of conditions, from the priests whom you shall have sent, then the Apostolic See will determine what is best for procuring of the permanent good of religion. Asking God etc.
Sacred Congregation of the Propagation of the Faith,
16 January 1838.
1
J. Ph. Card. Fransonius Prefect.
Illme et Rme Dne.
S. Congrii relatum est in tota Provincia Texas nullum Sacer- dotem Catholicum reperri, magnam autem Catholicorum multi- tudinem in ea commorantem Religionis esse valde studiosam ipsumque Provinciae Presidem Catholicae Religioni se in primis benevolum demonstrare. Scribendam igitur Ampli. Tuae hanc epistolam iudicavi, ut Tibi commendarem rei gravitatem, Ti-
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HISTORY OF THE
bique significarem Te rem gratissimam S. Congrii. esse factu- rum, si sine mora aliquos ad memoratam Provincias Sacerdotes mittas. Postquam vero S. Congr. relationem rerum Religionem in ea Provincia respicienitum sua tempore acceperit a Sacerdoti- bus, quos miseris, tunc Sedes Aplica decernet quae ad Religionis bonum stabili ratione ibi procurananda magis opportuna vide- buntur. Precor Deum, ut Amplem. Tuam diu sospitem et felicem servet.
Amplitudini Tuae
Romae ex aedibus S. Cong. de Prop. Fide 16 Ianrii 1838. uii frater studiossimus P. Ph. Card, Fransonius Praef. Rdo. P. Dno. Antonio Blanc
Epo. Novae Aureliae.
On the 25th of November 1838 Bishop Blanc made known to the Cardinal Prefect his determination to send Father Timon, Superior of the Lazarists to Texas to make an investigation and on the 22nd of February 1839 Cardinal Fransoni asked him to do nothing without consulting Monsignor Rosati, Bishop of St. Louis.
Illmo e Rmo Signore.
In replica alla lettera da V. S. scrittami in data 25 di Novembre mi credo tenuto a parteciparle che circa la spedizione al. Texas ch' Ella penserebbe di fare del Signore Timon Superiore dei Lazzaristi in codeste parti, tale spedizione non la faccia se non dopo ottenuto il consenso e beneplacito di Mgr Rosati Vescovo di St. Louis. Sicuro che V. S. di buon grado si conformera a. questa mia communicazione, prego il Signore che lungamente La conservi : e La prosperi.
Di V. S.
Roma dalla Propaganda 22 Febbrajo 1839. Come Fratello affmo. G. J. Card. Fransoni Praef.
Mgr Antonio Blanc
Vescovo di Nuova Orleans.
But Bishop Blanc had evidently acted at once and in Novem- ber, 1838, Father Timon and Father Lleberia, C. M., made ar- rangements to visit Texas and left New Orleans on Christmas Eve. Their story is best told by their own letters :
Letter to Father Nozo, Superior General, C. M. Annales de la Propagation de la Foi. Tome XII Janvier 1840 No. LXVIII. The text of this letter is incomplete; the complete text is found in the following letter :
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1762884
DIOCESE OF GALVESTON
My dear Superior :
For some years, Texas, an obscure province of Mexico, was, so to say, neither known nor inhabited; there was known only the City of San Antonio, founded in 1698; Bahia, built in 1716, also called Goliad; Nacogdoches, founded in 1732, and a little later Victoria and Refugio, constructed by the Mexicans. Aside from these villages which were not much, Texas was nothing but a vast desert overrun by savages. About the year 1820 Mr. Austin, an American of the United States, demanded and ob- tained permission to found there a colony of his compatriots, and the Mexicans accorded him ample privilege to encourage an enterprise that they deemed useful. A little afterwards Mex- ico declared its independence from Spain and the United States recognized that independence in 1823. The same year the Em- peror Augustine Iturbide published a law according great privi- leges to the inhabitants of Texas. His intention was to favor immigration into that country and to increase the population. In 1824 Mexico adopted a federal constitution formed after that of the United States, and, in consequence the provinces of Texas and Coahuila forined one of the states of the new federation. As a result a great number of Americans passed into Texas and settled there.
In 1832 they wished to change the form of government and Texas opposed with very earnest resistance; but soon General Santa-Anna succeeded in founding a Central Republic upon the ruins of the Federal Republic. The Texans renewed their objec- tions and demanded the Constitution of 1824. Finally seeing their views rejected, they separated from Mexico. Then Santa Anna turned his armies against them. This was in 1836. He failed in his enterprise, was defeated and made prisoner.
The population of Texas at this time is about two hundred thousand, and it is increasing daily in a wonderful manner. As the area of the State is 70,000 square leagues, there is a vast quantity of land that lies uncultivated, and the land is very fertile. In this vast extended state there are now only two Mexican priests, and their conduct unfortunately is not irreproachable. They live at San Antonio,, a city of 1,500 Catholic Mexicans, 50 Catholic Americans and about one hundred Protestants. That city has a beautiful Church, which could not be built today for 750,000 francs, but it has been damaged by fire, and more by the · carelessness of those who have left it in a state of uncleanliness positively revolting. The faith is still alive. The Church pos- sesses considerable property, and the country round about is the most beautiful and the most fertile of all Texas, in fact of all America. The climate also is very healthful. About three leagues from San Antonio is Goliad. That city, sufficiently populated
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HISTORY OF THE
before the war, is now reduced to 15 or 20 families, the greater part Mexicans. It was in the Church at Goliad that were placed, as a secure location, all the vestments, chalices, etc., of the Churches round about, but nothing was saved; all were lost in the war, the walls of the Church alone remain.
At ten leagues to the southwest of Goliad is found the city, or rather the village of Refugio, which has for its whole popula- tion forty Irish Catholic families. One sees that the Church here also suffered much from the war, but that it will be easy to restore it anew. It possesses sufficient land to support it and a little revenue assured by the Mexican laws. Four square leagues of land are set aside to sustain the establishment built for the instruction of youth. They desire to effect the conveyance of this immense property into the hands of a Catholic institution. They have reason to believe that the Government of Texas will consent thereto.
Four leagues from Refugio is San Patricio on the Nueces River. There existed a Church and a hall but the war destroyed everything. There is not an inhabitant left.
Ten leagues to the east of Goliad is situated Victoria. The population is largely Irish ; there are about two hundred Catholics and thirty or forty Protestants. There is a frame Church fifty feet in length and twenty wide, and also two bells, according to the custom long established every property holder of the city gives two and a half francs to the priest who serves the Church.
To the east of Victoria and as far as the Colorado River, and to the south to the Gulf of Mexico, there are scattered Catholics but few in number.
The Texans claim as the borders of their state, on the west the Rio Bravo or Rio Grande. The country between the Rio Grande, the Colorado and the Gulf is magnificent. It is never cold in the winter and the heat of the summer is tempered by the breeze that blows from the sea. But the fear of being at- tacked by the Mexicans or by the savages, causes this country to be lightly populated. As soon as effective means are obtained to repulse the attack of these enemies, there will certainly be a large population.
The Senators of San Antonio wish to ask from the govern- ment a piece of land of about four square leagues for a Catholic college. They believe that it will be easy to obtain if they can secure Catholic priests to take charge of the establishment. A college at San Antonio would be of immense good. As the site is the most healthy in all America and there would be a great number of pupils and no difficulty in attracting students from Mexico. I desire very much to occupy myself soon with this work, which would be a great resource for the Mission.
Houston is the Capital of the new Republic. About two years
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DIOCESE OF GALVESTON
ago there was not a trace of a house where it now stands nor for two leagues round about, and now there are five thousand people, of whom three hundred are Catholics. We arrived in this city on the 3rd of January, in bad weather. I searched for some time to find a place to lodge. Congress was in session and the town was crowded and every place filled.
I had no letter of introduction to anyone and everybody. to whom I applied seemed to be afraid of priests and ashamed to acknowledge that they were Catholics. We found ourselves from a human standpoint, sufficiently sad, and without any resources except the Providence of God to which we confided ourselves and it did not fail us. There was on board the vessel which brought us from New Orleans, a poor Irish woman to whom I had been able to render some service. She acted in our behalf and so disposed a Protestant lady with whom she had relation that she gave us a little room, miserable and apart from her home. That room was so located that it facilitated our contact with in- fluential persons. We erected an altar, and the following day, the Octave of St. John, the Evangelist, we said Holy Mass in the place, where without doubt the Holy Sacrifice was offered for the first time in Houston. The same day I had the pleasure of meeting a senator and two members of Congress. They gave us their confidence on learning who we were and what the pur- pose of our trip was. They put themselves at our service to furnish all the information that we might desire. It was through them that we were able to meet all the important personages of the Republic. Things went so well that I was invited to preach the following Sunday in the Capitol in presence of the representa- tives of the State. There was a great concourse of people, and even four Protestant ministers. After the sermon Mr. Burnet, the Vice-President of the Republic, made known his desire to see me and invited me to visit him. Many senators and other persons of distinction came to offer their services with every evidence of earnest good will. In consequence nobody was ashamed to ac- knowledge that he was a Catholic, and I saw with consolation that there were many sheep in Houston who belonged to the sheepfold of the Savior. Many came to look us up and we coun- seled together to obtain a small piece of ground and sufficient means to build a Catholic church. Everyone worked zealously and they gave us the assurance that it would be soon accomplished. It will be the first religious edifice built in Houston.
There are a great number of Protestant ministers in this town, but their ministry is sterile. They have not as yet succeeded in building any church. Some of them who assisted at my instruc- tion, heard the development of Catholic dogmas. They have not ventured a criticism of the truths I preached, either at the Capitol or in the assemblies of their own co-religionists. It is true that
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I tried on that occasion to imitate St. Francis de Sales and to start controversy without seeming to go too far. Every day we had some people at Mass, and on Sunday a great number. I heard seven confessions, the first fruits of our Mission to Texas.
I was introduced to General Houston, the ex-President of the Republic. He invited me to lunch with him, and did not hesitate to start a conversation on religion, with arguments extremely honest. He confided to me all his difficulties and appeared satis- fied with my explanations, and as I had to take my departure soon, and time was lacking to treat the grave questions on which he desired light, he permitted me to send him some books which may carry conviction to his soul. I see clearly that there is in the hearts of a great many a well-defined penchant for the Catholic religion, and that much good can be done here. I have found nevertheless among some hostile feelings. The Protestants of the United States, and in particular the Presbyterians, are making incredible efforts to establish their sect; to one of their ministers they have just sent twelve thousand five hundred francs, and he is to receive a like sum every year. This minister is securing some aid in the state also, so that he is being made rich but is not making spiritual conquests. The gentlemen have made many at- tempts to claim lands belonging to the Catholic Church. At Nacogdoches they attempted to build a church on ground belong- ing to the Catholic Church. Although the Constitution declares that all religions are equally protected by the law, and forbids favoritism to any one, I see nevertheless by the power accorded since the revolution to the municipalities of the old towns, that there is danger of our lands being declared public property if respectable priests are not here to defend the rights of Catholicity.
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