Page:History of Goodhue County, Minnesota.djvu/505

 E1IST0RY OF GOODHUE COUNTY i:;i priests were ordained by Bishop Cretin, and administered to the faithful dispersed throughoul the diocese. Priests from St. Paul and Hastings occasionally visited Red Wing, reading mass at the home of Thomas Taylor till 1850. It was at this time that Minne- sota was admitted to statehood. In 1858 Rev. Felix Tissot was given charge of the Catholics living in Wabasha and Goodhue comities, with residence in Wabasha. From the latter village the youthful missionary began regular trips through his extensive parish. The baptismal rec- ords in Wabasha bear witness of a goodly number of Catholics in Goodhue county at that time. On his visit to Red "Wing, January 12, 1859, two children were baptized by Father Tissot. The Rt. Rev. Thomas L. Grace was appointed successor of Bishop Cretin in 1859. The opening of government land for set- tlers then attracted a large number of Catholics from the older states. The glowing accounts sent to Germany and Ireland by Catholics who first came induced others to follow. In conse- quence, Father Tissot 's labors seem to have materially increased in 1860 throughout the county. The number of the faithful became too large in Red W T ing for services in private houses. Lots five and six, at the corner of Fifth and Park streets, now occupied by St. Joseph's school, were secured, and organization of the parish was begun. Arrangements to build a suitable church were made during the periodical visits of Father Tissot. On April 14, 1860, he baptized three in Red Wing, and on the 25th two more. On the 26th, he baptized one in Cherry Grove, return- ing to Red Wing on the 27th to baptize another. On July 6, 1860, we find an account of his visit to Pine Island, where he adminis- tered the sacrament of baptism to twelve, whose plighted vows were faithfully observed by the Martins, Kennedys, Doyles, Gor- mans and Keanes, the pioneers of the church in that section. In Belle Creek he placed an O'Reilly upon his record, July 10. The same clay saw four added to the church in Hay Creek. Frontenac furnished three in December, Koch, Miller and Schlundt. Father Tissot, in 1861. continued to make the same rounds through the county. On April 13, 1862, Red Wing gave evidence of the need of a place of worship, when eleven were presented for enrollment as Christians. The following interesting statistics from the records at Wabasha present to our view the busy life of this early mission- ary: May 1. baptized at Red Wing, 1; May 13, baptized at Pine Island, 4; May 14. baptized at Cherry Grove, 2; May 15, baptized at Belle Creek, 2; May 16, baptized at Red Wing, 1; May 17, was at AYabasha. Upon his visit to Red W T ing, in June, that town redeemed itself by having five for him. On his visits, which seem to have become monthly, he labored among the evidently increas-