Missionary; born in
Termonde, Belgium, Dec. 31, 1801 studied in the
Episcopal seminary of Mechlin.
With five other students he sailed from
Amsterdam in 1821 for the
United States, and entered the
Jesuit school at
Whitemarsh, Md. In 1828 he went to
St. Louis and aided in founding the
University of St. Louis, where he later became a professor.
In 1838 lie founded a mission among the
Pottawattomie Indians on
Sugar Creek.
In July, 1840, he went to the
Peter Valley in the
Rocky Mountains, where he met about 1,600 Flathead
Indians, whom he found easy to convert, as they had retained much of the influence of the teaching given them two centuries before by the
French missionaries.
By the help of an interpreter he translated the Commandments, the
Lord's Prayer, and the Creed into their language, and these within two weeks time the Flatheads learned.
During his journey back to
St. Louis he was several times surrounded by the
Blackfeet Indians, who, when they saw his crucifix and black gown, showed him the greatest respect.
On Sept. 24, 1841, with a party of other missionaries he reached
Bitter Root River, where the mission of St. Mary's was begun.
After spending about a year in learning the Blackfeet language and in endeavoring to make St. Mary's a permanent mission, he went to
Europe to solicit aid. After arousing great enthusiasm in
Belgium and
France he sailed from
Antwerp in December, 1843, with five Jesuits and six sisters,
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and in August, 1844, arrived at Fort Van couver, and planted a central mission o the
Willamette River.
In 1845 he undertook a series of missions among the Sinpoils, Zingomenes, Okenaganes, Kootenays, and Flatbows.
He made severe trips to
Europe for aid.
Father De Smet wrote
The Oregon missions and travel over the Rocky Mountains;
Western missions and missionaries;
New India sketches, etc. He died in
St. Louis, Mo in May, 1872.
