This text was obtained via automated optical character recognition.
It has not been edited and may therefore contain several errors.

---

flT)
ANNUNCIATION PARISH — KILN COMMUNITY
by
Rev. A. C. Denis
Kiln, situated 15 miles from Bay St. Louis, on the Jordan river, and formerly known by the latter name, is one of the oldest Catholic settlements in the diocese. Indians of the Choctaw -Muskhogean family inhabited this territory before white settlers began to reside in it early in the 18th century. Baptismal records of the pioneer Catholics are to be found in the parochial registers of St. Louis Cathederal, New Orleans, La., and the Church of the Nativity of the Blessed Virgin Mary, Biloxi, evidence which indicates that Catholic missionaries from these parishes visited the Jordan River missions.
When the Diocese of Natchez had sufficient priests, Bishop Chanche requested Rev. Louis Buteux on July 31, 1847, to take charge of Jordan River, Pearl River, Wolf River and Pass Christian as missions of Bay St. Louis. Rev. H. LeDuc, successor of Father Buteux, continued to visit this territory. His annual report under date of September 17, 1860, Indicates that the Jordan River mission was attended by him once every six weeks and that a chapel was being erected there. At this time the Catholic population amounted to some 300 souls with a slightly lesser number scattered around the outlying territory.
Rev. H. A. DeMorangles took charge of Jordan River (Kiln) and its missions in April, 1869, being introduced to his flock by Father LeDuc, who, writing to Bishop Elder on June 10, 1870, says: "Father DeMorangies is well and doing his best; he travels continually in the rivers (i. e., Jordan River, Pearl River and Wolf River, this territory being known as "The Rivers "of* "Three Rivers")...
The congregation is so poor, The dear Father has now a good horse." Jordan
c
River became known as Kiln in 1813. * Before long a new school building (S2Q&X) XstfBi opened its doors at Jordan River with a satisfactory enrollment. A new church was built on a convenient site after a brief delay and the spiritual and material foundations of the community became organized. Father DeMorangies was promoted to Holly Springs in April , 1871, and an elderly priest. Father Florent,
succeeded him for some months when, forced by ill health, he resigned and Father LeDuc of Bay St. Louis resumed the repponsibility of attending the missions until the arrival of a resident priest at Jordan River.
Church Built