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Page Four	SOUVENIR	CENTENNIAL	EDITION,	HANCOCK	COUNTY	EAGLE	August,	1958	Ai
HISTORY OF BAY ST. LOUIS . . .
(Continued from Page 1)
Madame Mezieres, were, from all indications, the pioneer settlers of Bay St. Louis. It was during this period that the “filles de la cassette” or Casket Girls, arrived here from France. - These women were imported from France to furnish brides for the colonists. Some were sent by force, while others came willingly, some were of questionable morals, while others were of irreproachable character. Each young lady carrying a trousseau packed in a little chest, anxiously awaited while the representative of Ur-sulines arranged a suitable marriage. Some of the descendents of the Casket Girls, may be still found on the Gulf Coast of Mississippi.
The treaty of Paris, February 10, 1763, brought to an end the long fight between France and England for supremacy in North America. The Most Christian King of France ceded to His Brittanic Majesty, the Mississippi River, the Port of Mobile, a:-d all the possessions on the east side of the Mississippi, with the exception of New Orleans, which he ceded to Spain. The lilies of France over Fort Conde at Mobile were lowered and the British flag was raised to the music of bagpipes.
The British were now in possession of the Coast, but their rule was to be of short duration. On May 8, 1779, His Catholic Majesty of Spain declared war against England; and Galvez, Provincial Governor of Louisiana quickly joined in the hostilities against his traditional enemy. Within a space of two years Galvez had forced the capitulation of every English stronghold on the River and along the Gulf Coast. It was then that Spain again came into possession of the territory of West Florida.
•In the fall of 1800, Spain secretly ceded Louisiana to Napoleon, by the Treaty of San Ildephonso. Spain, however, remained in actual possession of this territory. A diplomatic triple play was executed in ,New Orleans in the fall of 1803, when Louisiana went from Spain to France to the United States within the relatively short space of twenty days.
When the War of 1812 was on the horizon, Governor Claiborne sent Dr. William Flood to organize parishes at Biloxi and Pascagoula. On the banks of Pearl River, Flood chose Simon Favre, an educated and prosperous farmer to serve as Justice of the Peace. He then moved to Bay St. Louis, where he commissioned Philip Saucier, a venerable gentleman of suave manner, with a oatriarchal influence. The flag of'the United States was raised over the Bay on the 9th day of January, 1811. Similar appointments were made at Biloxi and Pascagoula; but it was impossible to find any resident of either of these places who could read or write.
The American Atlas of 1823, gives the population of Hancock County as 1594. Concerning the climate of the State, the Atlas says: “The Bay of St. Louis, in the southern part, is esteemed as one of the most healthy places in that latitude; and is the retreat for many of the citizens of New Orleans during the sickly season.”
Hancock County, of which Bay St. Louis is the County seat was established December 14, 1812, during the territorial era. On February 5, 1841, this county was divided and a portion of it was embodied in the newly formed County of Harrison. Another division took place February 22, 1890, when Pearl River County was established.
This settlement was originally known as Bay St. Louis. Subsequently it was called Shieldsboro, named after Thomas Shields one of the early settlers. For many years both names were used. The Mayor and Board of Aldermen at their first meeting, January 4, 1858, made an attempt to clarify the matter, by incorporating the city under the name
of Shieldsborough. This, however, did not meet with general approval, so on March 2, 1875, the first name was restored, and the city incorporated as the City of Bay St. Louis.'
Although the age of chivalry may have passed, the spirit of the Crusaders yet survived; and wherever the French explorers unfurled their banner, they brought religion, planting at the same time the Cross of Christ. Side by side stood the noblest knights, with the consecrated priests, patient in suffering, fearless in danger, sublime in enthusiasm. The expedition of d’Iberville was no exception to this rule. Father Athanasius L'ouay and Father Don-enave accompanied him on the very first expedition to the Coast. From what is known the pioneer settlers of Bay St. Louis were all Catholic, and it is not unlikely missionaries from the neighboring settlements visited them occasionally. In later years, they depended on chance visits of priests from Mobile and New Orleans. In 1820 the Bay was attended occasionally by a young missionary named Michael Portier; then in the second year of his priesthood. On May 15, 1829, this zealous priest became the first Bishop of Mobile. From 1821 to 1836, the following priests attended the Bay as a mission.
The Lazarist Fathers: Borgna, 1821; De Angelis, 1822, 25, 26, 27. 31, 36; Asquisosi, 1823.
Seculars: Gallapher, 1824; Gury, 1831; Martin, 1834.
Pope Gregory XVI eseablished the Diocese of Natchez, July 28, 1837. Rev. John M&ry Joseph Chance," a Sulpician, who had refused the mitre in Baltimore, Boston and New York, accepted the appointment of Bishop of Natchez and was conseerated March 14, 1841. When he was installed as Bishop of Natchez, he found few attractions and much hard work. He did not have a single church or institution. Two missionaries who had been sent by the Archbishop of New Orleans, were the only priests in this vast state.
In 1842 Bishop Chanche sent Father Labbe to take charge of the Gulf Coast. During his residence on the Coast, Father Labbe attended Bay St Louis; and in 1843 he began the very difficult task of building the first church in this city. The Bay remained under his jurisdiction during the years 1843-44; and the next two years, 1845-46 we find Father Boheme making the weary journey from Paulding, to attend to the spiritual needs of this mission. In the early part of 1847, Father Symphorien Gui-nard attended the Bay from Biloxi, until the first resident pastor was appointed.
It is especially interesting to know that the City of Bay St. Louis has been known, at different times by three different names. Two of the names, Shieldsboro and Bay St. Louis, are official and of record. Before the first white man set foot here, the Indians knew this settlement as Chica-poula, which means, “Bad Grass.” This name is not too surprising to those of us who are familiar with the1 rock-a-chaw grass that still infests our land.
There is no official record of the Community when it was known as Chicapoula, only historical data that has been gathered in fragmentary lots here and there.
The City of Shieldsboro, preceding Bay St. Louis, was incorporated on January 14, 1858. The first Mayor was P. C. Monet, the second was Robert W. Toulme.
On March 2, 1875, the City of Shieldsboro changed its name to Bay St. Louis named after the body of water on which it is located. Its first mayor was B. Sones. At this time there was no City Hall. The City’s business was carried on in a room in the Court House. Soon it became necessary to secure -space elsewhere. The City Offices were moved to a cottage-like building on the beach front.
As the City grew, it became inoperative for it to have its own building. The present City Hall was built on property on Second
ST. AUGUSTINE'S FOR COLORED PRIESTS
During their early struggles to bring the light of True Faith to the iNegroes in the missions of Mississippi, the Divine Word Missionaries came to realize more and more the great influence of the Negro Protestant ministers among their people. They began to consider what a great and good influence zealous Catholic priests of the same race would have on Negroes. They thought of the wisdom of the Catholic Church in insisting that each people, each) nation, each race, should have native sons as priests whenever and wherever possible.
At a meeting of the Levine Word Fathers in Mississippi in 1914, the question of Negro priests was discussed. The two most ardent advocates of a native American clergy were Father Mathew Christman, S. V. D. Pastor of Sacred Heart Church, Greenville, Miss., and Father James Wendel, S. V. D., pastor of St. Joseph’s Church, Meridian. Father Wendel did much to spread the idea by his writings, and in this, he encountered great and formidable opposition. Nevertheless, he finally approached Bishop Gunn, of Natchez, Miss., in 1919, seeking permission to found a seminary in his diocese for the training of colored priests.
Bishop Gunn was favorable and later officially gave permission to the Very Rev. Peter Janser, S. V. D., provincial at that time. In the beginning of 1920, the Superior General of the Society of the Divine Word gave his approval and the new project was ready to be launched.
Participation in the successful achievement of the plan was- denied Father Wendel who had done so much to make it possible. He died February 24, 1920, a few months before the new seminary was opened. Father Christman was put in charge of the undertaking.
Three separate gifts of $2,000 each came from Monsignor John Burke of New York, Mother Katherine Drexel (Foundress of the Sisters of the Blessed Sacrament) and a Mr. Murphy.
The Sacred Heart Mission in Greenville, with its well organized high school and spacious grounds, was chosen as temporary location of the seminary—hence, its first name—Sacred Heart College. A smell two-story frame building, containing classrooms, a dining room and kitchen were erected. The attic of the parish school was fixed as a dormitory for the prospective seminarians.
The first two students arrived in September, 1920. Others came at different times during that year. At the close of the first school year at Sacred Heart College, there were fourteen students, among whom were three of the first four priests ordained in 1934. Father Christman was rector, prefect and teacher in the seminary, while remaining pastor of the parish. Father Anthony Jacobs, S. V. D., who is still living, assist-er Father Christman.
In June, 1923, the seminary was moved to its present location in Bay St. Louis, and it was renamed St. Augustine’s Seminary, in honor of the great African Doctor and Bishop of the Church.
Street which had been purchased from the Sisters of St. Joseph, for the sum of $950.00. Contract price for the construction of the building was $8,750 and the contract was awarded to Gaston G. Gardebled, who later became Mayor.
In order to keep abreast with modern times, the City of Bay St. Louis abandoned the Mayor and Aldermanic form of Government, decreeing it obsolete and inadequate to meet the needs of a fast growing city. Hence, the City adopted the Commission form of Government on January. 1st, 1928.
Present Council members are John A. Scafide, Mayor; J. Cyril Glover, Commissioner of Public Utilities; Warren Traub, Finance Commissioner.
The new seminary building was dedicated by Bishop Gunn on September 16, 1923.
Twenty-two students enrolled in the seminary that year, and four Fathers composed the faculty. The year 1926 saw the first class graduate from the six year high school and junior college course. In September three of the four graduates entered the novitiate of the Society of the Divine Word, then located in East Troy, Wis. In 1928, two of these novices made their religious profession, thereby becoming the first Negro members of the Society of the Divine Word. They were Frater Maurice Rousseve, S. V. D., now pastor of St. Benedict the Moor Church, Duson, La., and Father Vincent Smith, S. V. D.
On May 23, 1934, the Bishop of Natchez, The Most Rev. Richard O. Gerow, S. T. D., ordained the first four Negro priests of St. Augustine’s. Father Christman was not present to rejoice with his spiritual sons. He had been called to his eternal reward in February 1929.
On June 24, 1953 a singular
honor was bestowed upon St. Augustine’s when his Excellency, Bishop Joseph O. Bowers, S. V. D'., J.
C.	L., LLD., an alumnus of the Seminary, ordained two priests at St. Augustine’s.
Five priests both in 1955 and 1956 and two in 1957 were ordained at St. Augustine’s S'eminary.
The seniinary began later the training of colored youth for the Brotherhood in the Society of the Divine Word. At present, there are twelve professed colored Brothers, two of whom are assigned to the Mission in Accra, Ghana. The consecration of Bishop Joseph O. Bowers on April 22, 1953, in Our Lady of the Gulf Church by his Eminence, Francis Cardinal Spellman of New York, was the greatest event in the history of St. Augustine’s Seminary.
At present, the Very Rev. Robert Hunter, S. V. D. is Provincial of the Southern Province of St. Augustine’s which comprises the southern third of the United States from Florida to California. The Very Rev. Harold Perry, S. V.
D.,	an alumnus of St. Augustine’s, is the present rector
Ben Hille, Local "Olds" Dealer
The first Oldsmobile built by organized in 1897, was this “horse-same year. It was produced in a ing, Michigan, and was the prede which since have been manufactur now the Oldsmobile Division of now permanently housed in the ington, D. C., as as example of ear
Established in 1924 as an Automobile Repair Shop on Washington St., the Ben Hille Motors has continued operations in Bay St. Louis for 34 years. It is the oldest established operating automotive business in Hancock County.
Founded by Ben Hille, Sr., the business expanded and the Olds-
before you buy or sell - CONSULT
Benham Real Estate
102 Burnette St.
Bay St. Louis, Miss.
m ::m
Member of the Mississippi Real Estate Commission
RESIDENTIAL - COAAMERCIAL PROPERTY RENTALS - VACANT LOTS - ACREAGE — LICENSED REAL ESTATE BROKER — Phone for immediate, dependable action!
DIAL HO-7-4345
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the Olds Motor Vehicle Company, less carriage” turned out that tiny shop on River Street in Lans-cessor to millions of Oldsmobiles ed in the vast plants of what is General Motors Corporation. It is Smithsonian Institution in Wash-ly automotive pioneering.
mobile Dealership was secured by the firm in 1936.
Located at 604 South Beach, the Ben Hille Motors Company includes Mrs. Hille, wife of the founder, who has done book work for the firm through the years, and three sons, Ben, Jr., Frank and Ralph Hille.
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