Appendix 6 to Father Ponziglione's Memoir. A sketch of my Biography.
A Sketch of my Biography
I Gave to Very Rev. Father James F.X. Hoeffer S.J.
Rector of St. Ignatius College
Chicago, Ill.
I Gave to Very Rev. Father James F.X. Hoeffer S.J.
Rector of St. Ignatius College
Chicago, Ill.
To comply with your special request, I will say that I was born on the 11th of February 1818 in the city of Cherasco, 20 miles south of Torino, Italy. My father was Count Felice Ferrero Ponziglione di Borgo di Ales and my mother was Luigia Ferraro Ponziglione di Borgo di Ales Nata dei Marchesi Ferrari di Castelniovo.
When I was 10 years old I entered into a regular course of education in the best college our society had in the Kingdom of Sardinia in Ital, first in the city of Novara, next in that of Torino. In the University of this I was graduated.
On the 27th of February, 1837, I withdrew to the novitiate of our Society in the city of Chieri, not far from Torino. Having taken my first religious vows, I was employed in studying and teaching and I was acting as Vice Minister in our College of Genova at the breaking of the Revolution of 1848.
On the night of the 28 of February, 1848 the fanatical leaders of the Revolution in that city succeeded without much trouble in making the arrest of 18 old Jesuit Fathers, whom they kept for a while as captives in the Palace of the Governor. I had the honor of being added to them that same night. At 2 o’clock after midnight a strong military escort conducted us to the sea, and shipped us to the Fregata Ste. Michelle, the largest war vessel of the King of Sardinia. The room there assigned to us was a narrow dingy, shapeless kind of cellar in the hull of that vessel, on which without knowing why, were kept prisoners 3 days, when we were transported to a steamer which landed us early on the next morning in the Gulf of Spezia. Some people of that vicinity having been requested by the leaders of the Revolution, to give us a reception, they understood the meaning of the request, and greeted us with rocks and dirt, I was one of those who had the honor of being wounded in my head by one of those rocks. They acted with us as savages!
Fortunately, were not far from the state line of the Duchy of Modena. We hastened to cross over it, and there we met people who treated us kindly. About 2 p.m. we reached Massa-Currar and rested for a while with the Fathers of the College we had in that city, But not to cause any disturbance with the partisans of the Revolution, we declined to stop there for the night.
My companions scattered over the mountains, I took the way to Roma. That day I had great difficulty in crossing from the State of Modena into that of Tuscany, but with the help of God, succeeded in reaching the city of Pietrasanta, where I passed a tranquil night with a good friend of mine. This, on the next day took me to Livorno, and provided me with all the money I might need on my way to Roma. On the next day, which was Quinquagesima Sunday, a steamer from Sivorn was carrying me to Civitavecchia, and the evening of the 7th of March I reached Roma.
Following the advice of Very Rev. Father General during the prevailing excitement, I went to St. Andrew’s house to prepare with several other scholastics to receive ordination. In fact, on the 25 of March, 1848, I together with my companions had the pappiness of being ordained priests.
Sometime in the fall of 1847 being in Genova, I met with Rev. Father Anthony Elet, superior of the Missouri Province, then on his way to Roma. The Father having requested me whether I would have any objection to come with him to St. Louis, Missouri, my reply was that I had none. In less than a month Father A Elet notified me, that Very Rev. Father General had destined me for the Missouri mission, and this was the reason why from Massa-Currar I went to Roma where I expected I would make arrangements for coming to coming to America.
About the end of May, having received the blessing from Pius IXI was leaving Roma for Torino. From this place I went to Paris. Times were very dangerous also in Paris, it was in the days of the barricades, but I had no trouble of any sort, and kept on to Havre de Grace, and from that city on the 17th of June1848 I was leaving for New York. No regular steamers being then running between the two places, I was bound to make the crossing on a sail vessel in which we were tossed to and fro for 48 long days, during which period we suffered some very severe storms, and had to contend with the small pox. At last, thanks be to God, on the Feast of Our Lady of Snow, the 5th of August we landed at New York. Having passed few days around the city, I started for Cincinnati, where I remained for about one month at our College, and next cam to St. Louis, Missouri, where I was most kindly received by Very Rev. Father Antonio Elet, just one year after having met him in Genova.
For little over 2 years I was detained partly in in Missouri, and partly in Kentucky. In March 1861 I left with Rt. Rev. Bishop John B. Miege S.J. for the Indian Territory of the west. From that time till December 12th, 91 I have been dealing with the wildest of Indians you can find from Fremont Peak in Wyoming, down to Mount Scott near Fort Sill in the Indian Territory, and I feel proud to say, that I was well treated by all of them.
The Osages, however, are this with whom I passed the longer part of my missionary life. The mission with them was flourishing for several years. The children proved themselves to be very intelligent. The grown people, though slow in adopting Christianity, never have been any way hostile to it.
St. Ignatius College, Chicago Ill.
Feb. 20, 1898
Paul Mary Ponziglione S.J.
When I was 10 years old I entered into a regular course of education in the best college our society had in the Kingdom of Sardinia in Ital, first in the city of Novara, next in that of Torino. In the University of this I was graduated.
On the 27th of February, 1837, I withdrew to the novitiate of our Society in the city of Chieri, not far from Torino. Having taken my first religious vows, I was employed in studying and teaching and I was acting as Vice Minister in our College of Genova at the breaking of the Revolution of 1848.
On the night of the 28 of February, 1848 the fanatical leaders of the Revolution in that city succeeded without much trouble in making the arrest of 18 old Jesuit Fathers, whom they kept for a while as captives in the Palace of the Governor. I had the honor of being added to them that same night. At 2 o’clock after midnight a strong military escort conducted us to the sea, and shipped us to the Fregata Ste. Michelle, the largest war vessel of the King of Sardinia. The room there assigned to us was a narrow dingy, shapeless kind of cellar in the hull of that vessel, on which without knowing why, were kept prisoners 3 days, when we were transported to a steamer which landed us early on the next morning in the Gulf of Spezia. Some people of that vicinity having been requested by the leaders of the Revolution, to give us a reception, they understood the meaning of the request, and greeted us with rocks and dirt, I was one of those who had the honor of being wounded in my head by one of those rocks. They acted with us as savages!
Fortunately, were not far from the state line of the Duchy of Modena. We hastened to cross over it, and there we met people who treated us kindly. About 2 p.m. we reached Massa-Currar and rested for a while with the Fathers of the College we had in that city, But not to cause any disturbance with the partisans of the Revolution, we declined to stop there for the night.
My companions scattered over the mountains, I took the way to Roma. That day I had great difficulty in crossing from the State of Modena into that of Tuscany, but with the help of God, succeeded in reaching the city of Pietrasanta, where I passed a tranquil night with a good friend of mine. This, on the next day took me to Livorno, and provided me with all the money I might need on my way to Roma. On the next day, which was Quinquagesima Sunday, a steamer from Sivorn was carrying me to Civitavecchia, and the evening of the 7th of March I reached Roma.
Following the advice of Very Rev. Father General during the prevailing excitement, I went to St. Andrew’s house to prepare with several other scholastics to receive ordination. In fact, on the 25 of March, 1848, I together with my companions had the pappiness of being ordained priests.
Sometime in the fall of 1847 being in Genova, I met with Rev. Father Anthony Elet, superior of the Missouri Province, then on his way to Roma. The Father having requested me whether I would have any objection to come with him to St. Louis, Missouri, my reply was that I had none. In less than a month Father A Elet notified me, that Very Rev. Father General had destined me for the Missouri mission, and this was the reason why from Massa-Currar I went to Roma where I expected I would make arrangements for coming to coming to America.
About the end of May, having received the blessing from Pius IXI was leaving Roma for Torino. From this place I went to Paris. Times were very dangerous also in Paris, it was in the days of the barricades, but I had no trouble of any sort, and kept on to Havre de Grace, and from that city on the 17th of June1848 I was leaving for New York. No regular steamers being then running between the two places, I was bound to make the crossing on a sail vessel in which we were tossed to and fro for 48 long days, during which period we suffered some very severe storms, and had to contend with the small pox. At last, thanks be to God, on the Feast of Our Lady of Snow, the 5th of August we landed at New York. Having passed few days around the city, I started for Cincinnati, where I remained for about one month at our College, and next cam to St. Louis, Missouri, where I was most kindly received by Very Rev. Father Antonio Elet, just one year after having met him in Genova.
For little over 2 years I was detained partly in in Missouri, and partly in Kentucky. In March 1861 I left with Rt. Rev. Bishop John B. Miege S.J. for the Indian Territory of the west. From that time till December 12th, 91 I have been dealing with the wildest of Indians you can find from Fremont Peak in Wyoming, down to Mount Scott near Fort Sill in the Indian Territory, and I feel proud to say, that I was well treated by all of them.
The Osages, however, are this with whom I passed the longer part of my missionary life. The mission with them was flourishing for several years. The children proved themselves to be very intelligent. The grown people, though slow in adopting Christianity, never have been any way hostile to it.
St. Ignatius College, Chicago Ill.
Feb. 20, 1898
Paul Mary Ponziglione S.J.
