A Catholic Mission
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Our Story
    • 1. The Stage is Set
    • 2. The Osages Enter Kansas.
    • 3. Earliest Commerce
    • 4. Earliest Protestant Missions
    • 5. The Catholic Osage Mission >
      • 5A. The Mission Complex
      • 5B. The Osage Manual Labor Schools
      • 5C. A Beacon on The Plains ...
    • 6. Progress and Tragedy
    • 7. The Missionary Trails >
      • 7A. Missions, Stations, Churches
    • 8. A Dangerous Balance - The Civil War >
      • 8A. Confederate Officers Massacred
    • 9. The Osage Leave Kansas >
      • 9A. The Missionaries Did Not Abuse the Osage.
      • 9B. Fr. Schoenmakers Speech
    • 10. A Very Unique Community is Born >
      • 10A. A Church Raising
    • 11. Regional Boarding Schools >
      • 11A. St. Francis Institution for Boys
      • 11B. St. Ann's Academy for Girls
    • 12. Transitions
    • 13. The Passionists Era Begins
    • 14. Citizen Lawmen - The A.H.T.A. >
      • A.H.T.A. Chanute - October 1914
    • 15. The Passionist Influence is Expanded
    • 16. The Schools Today >
      • 16..1 Champions & Records
  • Characters
    • The Osages
    • The Missionaries >
      • Father John Schoenmakers >
        • Father Schoenmakers' Windows
      • Fr. John Bax >
        • Father John Bax II
      • Mother Bridget Hayden
      • Fr. Paul Ponziglione >
        • Father Paul's Memoir >
          • Index - Father Paul's Memoir >
            • Dedication & Introduction
            • IX. Construction & Acceptance of Mission Buildings.
            • X. Fr. Schoenmakers Arrives at Osage Mission
            • XI. Miss Lucille St. Pierre Came to the Neosho
            • XII. Progress of the Schools
            • XIII. Origin and Development of the Roman Catholic Church in Kansas
            • XXVII - Winds of War
            • XXVIII — Fr. Schoenmakers Return
            • Chapter XLII - Farming Issues, Death Of Father Colleton
            • Chapter XLIX - Includes The Death of Fr. Schoenmakers
            • Chapter L — Dedication of the New Church
            • Conclusion
            • Appendix I — Copy of a letter to Sister M. Coaina Mongrain about the coming of the Sisters of Loretto at Osage Mission
            • Appendix 6 — A Sketch of my Biography
            • Appendix 7 - Letter to W. W. Graves
      • Father Philip Colleton
      • Brother John Sheehan
    • W. W. Graves
    • 17 Sisters
    • 17 Sisters II - Fr. Fox's Sermon
    • Who's Behind the Window >
      • Who We Were 120 Years Ago
      • 1. The Thomas Carroll Window
      • 2. The W.W. O'Bryan Window
      • 3. The Jas. Owens & Family Window
      • 4. The C.P & C.J. Hentzen Windows
      • 5. The Dr. McNamara & Family Window
      • 6. The Fitzsimmons & Family Window
      • 7. The Parents of T.K. Joyce Window
      • 8. J.E. Sevart & Family Window
      • 9. The Rev. John Schoenmakers S.J. Window
      • 10. The Patrick Diskin and L&M George Window
      • 11. The J.A. Johnston & Family Window
      • 12. The Peter & Jacob Bonifas Windows
      • 13. The Mr & Mrs. Patrick Keeting Window
      • 14. The John Butler Window
      • 15. The Mr. & Mrs. Gutting Window
      • 16. Rosette Window Above Doors
      • 17. The Michael A. Barnes Window
      • 18. The Henry M. O'Bryan Window
      • 19. The John and Bridget McCarthy Window
      • The Sodality Windows
    • The Church Women's Bonfire (Graves)
    • Beechwood
    • John and Margaret Naudier
    • The Dimond Family and Estate Sale
    • Dear Sister >
      • Friend Gertrude
    • A Year and a Day — Passionist Memories.
    • Mary Elizabeth Lease
    • K of C Council 760 - The Early Days
    • Our Hometown Boys
    • SPHS Class of 1956
  • Places
    • The Great American Desert
    • St. Francis Catholic Church
    • St. Francis de Heironymo Catholic Church Grounds
    • St. Paul - 135 Years Ago
    • St. Paul - 1890's as a Scale Model.
    • St. Paul - The Booming 60's
    • Osage Mission as a Statewide History Finalist
    • St. Francis Cemetery
    • Hope Cemetery
    • The Basement Chapel
    • World War I Museum Display
    • St. Paul Middle School >
      • Some Great Folks!
    • Ladore
    • St. Boniface, Scipio KS
    • Road Trip - Father Emil Kapaun
    • Exchange State Bank Robbery!
  • Thoughts ...
  • Links
  • Link Page
INDEX.
The handwritten index of Fr. Ponziglione's manuscript included four columns described here as 1 - 4, left to right.  
  1. ​Date, A. D.:  When he got past the first few entries he use the left column to indicate the time-frame applicable to the chapter.  In the Appendix section, he entered the appendix number.
  2. Chapter Number, Synopsis: In some cases the synopsis is a fairly lengthy account of chapter contents.
  3. Book:  The memoirs were written on a set of ruled composition notebooks, not unlike those used by todays students.  They appeared to be leather bound. 
  4. Page:  Starting page numbers, for each chapter, were entered in the far-right column.
The Book and Page columns are not relevant to this web version of the memoir and have not been used.  It is noted, however, that Father Paul used four books and the last appendix started on page 553.  The entire work used 556 pages.  The header and background of this page illustrates the appearance of the books. 

As the memoir is transcribed, finished pages will appear as orange shaded links.

​

       
Back to "Father Paul's Memoir" Including Cover and Opening Comment
Dedication & Introduction.
A.D.
     
Chapter I
Osage Genealogy — How the received the gift of knowledge — They go exploring — meaning of their name — Their home government. ​
1673
Chapter II
Antiquity of the Osage Nation — Father Marquette with Them — Respect they have for the Black Gown — Kansas connection with the Osages — Their Condition in 1687.
1712
Chapter III
Battle of Pontchartrain
1719
Chapter IV
Fort Orlean — 
1796
Chapter V
Division among the Osages — First Osage treaty — Second treaty
1820
Chapter VI
The Osages request .........​
1830
Chapter VII
The Osage form new settlements — Neosho River — Flat Rock Creek — Walnut - Hickory - Lightning - Canvilles - Owl's - Villages - Elks - Augusts - La-Bette - Four Mile Creek
1831
Chapter VIII
​Unsettled Condition of the Osages .....
1846
Chapter IX
Two log houses are put up for the _____ of the Mission — The Osages meet with bad luck on the plains — Origin of Big Hill Settlement — Father De Coen receives the two buildings. 
1847
Chapter X
Father Schoenmakers leaves from St. Louis — His arrival at Osage Mission — He starts the Manual Labor School.
     
Chapter XI
Miss Lucille St. Pierre comes to the Neosho — Stays with Mr. Michael Giraud — Gets lost — is found.
Value
Chapter XII
Progress of the School — Father Schoenmakers goes to St. Louis to engage some Sisters — He gets 4 Sisters of Loretto from Kentucky — They reached Osage Mission
Chapter XIII
Origin and Development of the Roman Catholic Church in Kansas
1848
Chapter XIV
Father Schoenmakers trys to persuade the Osages to dwell in houses — Osage morning prayers — A grist mill is put up — They start on spring hunt — Br. O'Donnell's arrival.
1849
Chapter XV
Br. O'Donnell Induces the Osages to go to work — Father Schoenmakers helps them — Their labor is lost.
1850
Chapter XVI
The Osages are once more attacked by the Cholera Morbus — Location of their villages — Heroism of Father Schoenmakers
1851
Chapter XVII
____________ of Roman Catholics settling in the Ind. Territory — Rt. Rev. F. B. Miege S. J. appointed Vicar Apostolic — His first visit to the Osages — Father Schoenmakers sickness. 
1852
Chapter XVIII
Death of George White Hair — The Medicine Men persuade the Osages not to farm — George is succeeded in office by Gratamantze —Black measles and scurvy Death of Br. A. Tolley — Death of Fr. Bax.
1853
Chapter XIX
Success of the school — Children of different tribes are recorded in school — Tei-cio-anias ambition — Kansas Territory is partially opened — Tei-cio-anias dies.
1854
Chapter XX
Nivala becomes of age — His marriage — Dry season — Grasshoppers first appearance — The Osages leave on a hunt — The Little Osages attack the Comanches.
1855
Chapter XXI
An epidemic breaks out among the little Osages — Neashuimani dies of it —More grasshoppers — Death of Mr J. Hallowy — Sister LeBeau's adventure.
1856
A very severe winter — Great western blizzard — Happy Christmas.
1857
​Chapter XXIII
Anthony Nivala loses his health — He reconciles with the Catholic Church — His wife send for Medicine men — Anthony _______ here severely — He ___the Missionaries —Their beliefs in the immortality of the soul — Indian burial.
1858
​Chapter XXIV
​Gratamantze conducts the worship — What the Osages believe about it —  Father Schoenmakers lecturing them on farming
1859
Chapter XXV
Success of the Osages on Farming — La-Bette Creek is visited — Antonia Garzia brings her daughter t the Convent School — Antonia is murdered by her husband  — Father Schoenmakers saves her daughter — Tanasia is killed.
1860
​Chapter XXVI
Jane Garzias death — Prosperous condition of the School — Great drought in Kansas — An adventurer on his way to Pikes Peak — A peddler from Humboldt.
1861
​Chapter XXVII
Indian life — Death of Gratamantze — Little White Hair succeeds — The breaking of the Civil War — A plot against Father Schoenmakers.  The Father leaves the mission — Ravages of the war — Some of the Osages join the Union Army — Plunderers attack the mission — Confederates first raid against Humboldt — Capt. John Matthews protects the Sisters Convent — His death — Confederates second raid on Humboldt — Father C. James Van Goch's life in danger.

1862
​Chapter XXVIII
The Osages find several refugee Indians — They remain faithful to the Union — Return of Father Schoenmakers.
1863
​Chapter XXIX
Father Schoenmakers gives assistance to the Osages — Battle on Rebel Creek — The Osages are invited to make a treaty — Burglars make a raid on the Mission — The assassinate a poor family — Troops come to protect the mission.
1864
​Chapter XXX
The ravages of war are daily increasing — General distrust among people — In Fitz-Dennis adventure.
1865
Chapter XXXI
President Lincoln amends the Osage treaty — The Osages reject the  ____ document — Lincoln is assassinated — President A. Johnson ratifies the treaty.
1866
​Chapter XXXII
_____________ — He is condemned  to death — He _____ his fellow prisoners — Father acts as a peace maker — Grasshopper incursion.
1867
​Chapter XXIII
Milder winter — Grasshoppers — St. Patrick's Day — Abundant crops — Father Schoenmakers donates ground for his town of Osage Mission.
1868
​Chapter XXXIV
Drum Creek Treaty — Two different factions — Father Schoenmakers advise to the Osages — A whit man is murdered — Father Schoenmakers returns to the Mission — The treaty is signed — an addition is made to the old church — Father Philip Colleton is charged with the care of the school.
​
1869
​Chapter XXXV
The Osages have trouble with the new settlers — Father Colleton Success — Building of the new Convent — Death of Little White Hair — F. Watcia-Cahicihia success in office — He calls himself by his father's name.
1870
​Chapter XXXVI
The Drum Creek Treaty is ratified — The Sisters of Loretto take possession of their new house — St. Francis Institution and St. Ann's Academy are chartered.
1871
​Chapter XXXVII
St. Francis Hall — St. Francis Institution — Death of Brother Lyons S. J.
1872
Chapter XXXVIII
Br. Michael Kavanaugh — Laying the corner stone of the new church
1873
​Chapter XXXIX
Severe winter — School programs — Summers vacations — Osage Mission population begins to decrease
1874
​Chapter XL
St. Francis Institution keeps improving — Return of Grasshoppers.
1875
​Chapter XLI
An invasion of black ____ — Father Schoenmakers ____ the Osages — Unexpected change in the weather — The Father gets very sick — Recovery and returns to our Mission.
1876
Chapter XLII - Farming Issues, Death Of Father Colleton
​
Another dry season — Return of Grasshoppers — Farmers keep working — Father Schoenmakers is succeeded by Father A. Sweere — Death of Father Colleton
1877
​Chapter XLIII
Mild winter — Total destruction of the grasshoppers — Abundant crops — Death of Brother O'Donnell.
1878
​Chapter XLIV
Hard winter — The new school house is finished  — Death of Brother O'Donnell.
1879
​Chapter XLV
Some work is done at the new church — Father John J. Kuhlmann succeeds Father Sweere — Death of Br. F. Sheehan.
1880
​Chapter XLVI
The Osages are allowed to send few of their children to St. Francis Institution — An investigating commissioner with the Osages — Work is done at the new church.
1881
​​Chapter XLVII
Kansas Seasons — A panic at St. Francis Institution.
1882
Chapter XLVIII
Jealousy of white settlers — Adventure of a so called commissioner.
1883
Chapter XLIX - Includes The Death of Fr. Schoenmakers.
Transfer of missionary stations and churches to Rt. Rev. Bishop of Leavenworth — A residence is made in Parsons — Golden Jubilee of Father Schoenmakers first Mass — His death — A memorial bell in honor of the Father.
1884
Chapter L
Dedication of the new Church.
.
​Conclusion
.
The End Of These Memoirs
.
​Appendix
1
Copy of a letter to Sister M. Coaina Mongrain about the coming of the Sisters of Loretto at Osage Mission ​
2
​Answer to a letter of Father Flavio Rimeri S. J. about events of 1878
3
​Address given at Osage Mission on the occasion of my Golden Jubilee in the Society
4
​Copy of a letter to E. B. Park, Esq. on the condition of Kansas.
5
Copy of a letter to Mother Katherine Drexel about the Osages - With an Affidavit. ​
6
​A sketch of my Biography I gave to the Rev. Father James F. X. Hoeffer S. J.
7
​​To W. W. Graves.  History of St. Francis Church at Osage Mission.
Picture
Home
Story
​Characters
​Places
About
Contact

acatholicmission.org is a privately hosted website.  We hope that our site will educate and entertain those who are interested in the fascinating Osage Mission - St.  Paul - Neosho County Kansas story.  Ours is a regional story that crosses state lines, ethnic groups, faiths and a variety of frontier and post-frontier interests.  Enjoy.

acatholicmission.org Copyright © 2016 - 2023. All rights reserved.
(See copyright note on Contact page.)
  • Home
    • About
    • Contact
  • Our Story
    • 1. The Stage is Set
    • 2. The Osages Enter Kansas.
    • 3. Earliest Commerce
    • 4. Earliest Protestant Missions
    • 5. The Catholic Osage Mission >
      • 5A. The Mission Complex
      • 5B. The Osage Manual Labor Schools
      • 5C. A Beacon on The Plains ...
    • 6. Progress and Tragedy
    • 7. The Missionary Trails >
      • 7A. Missions, Stations, Churches
    • 8. A Dangerous Balance - The Civil War >
      • 8A. Confederate Officers Massacred
    • 9. The Osage Leave Kansas >
      • 9A. The Missionaries Did Not Abuse the Osage.
      • 9B. Fr. Schoenmakers Speech
    • 10. A Very Unique Community is Born >
      • 10A. A Church Raising
    • 11. Regional Boarding Schools >
      • 11A. St. Francis Institution for Boys
      • 11B. St. Ann's Academy for Girls
    • 12. Transitions
    • 13. The Passionists Era Begins
    • 14. Citizen Lawmen - The A.H.T.A. >
      • A.H.T.A. Chanute - October 1914
    • 15. The Passionist Influence is Expanded
    • 16. The Schools Today >
      • 16..1 Champions & Records
  • Characters
    • The Osages
    • The Missionaries >
      • Father John Schoenmakers >
        • Father Schoenmakers' Windows
      • Fr. John Bax >
        • Father John Bax II
      • Mother Bridget Hayden
      • Fr. Paul Ponziglione >
        • Father Paul's Memoir >
          • Index - Father Paul's Memoir >
            • Dedication & Introduction
            • IX. Construction & Acceptance of Mission Buildings.
            • X. Fr. Schoenmakers Arrives at Osage Mission
            • XI. Miss Lucille St. Pierre Came to the Neosho
            • XII. Progress of the Schools
            • XIII. Origin and Development of the Roman Catholic Church in Kansas
            • XXVII - Winds of War
            • XXVIII — Fr. Schoenmakers Return
            • Chapter XLII - Farming Issues, Death Of Father Colleton
            • Chapter XLIX - Includes The Death of Fr. Schoenmakers
            • Chapter L — Dedication of the New Church
            • Conclusion
            • Appendix I — Copy of a letter to Sister M. Coaina Mongrain about the coming of the Sisters of Loretto at Osage Mission
            • Appendix 6 — A Sketch of my Biography
            • Appendix 7 - Letter to W. W. Graves
      • Father Philip Colleton
      • Brother John Sheehan
    • W. W. Graves
    • 17 Sisters
    • 17 Sisters II - Fr. Fox's Sermon
    • Who's Behind the Window >
      • Who We Were 120 Years Ago
      • 1. The Thomas Carroll Window
      • 2. The W.W. O'Bryan Window
      • 3. The Jas. Owens & Family Window
      • 4. The C.P & C.J. Hentzen Windows
      • 5. The Dr. McNamara & Family Window
      • 6. The Fitzsimmons & Family Window
      • 7. The Parents of T.K. Joyce Window
      • 8. J.E. Sevart & Family Window
      • 9. The Rev. John Schoenmakers S.J. Window
      • 10. The Patrick Diskin and L&M George Window
      • 11. The J.A. Johnston & Family Window
      • 12. The Peter & Jacob Bonifas Windows
      • 13. The Mr & Mrs. Patrick Keeting Window
      • 14. The John Butler Window
      • 15. The Mr. & Mrs. Gutting Window
      • 16. Rosette Window Above Doors
      • 17. The Michael A. Barnes Window
      • 18. The Henry M. O'Bryan Window
      • 19. The John and Bridget McCarthy Window
      • The Sodality Windows
    • The Church Women's Bonfire (Graves)
    • Beechwood
    • John and Margaret Naudier
    • The Dimond Family and Estate Sale
    • Dear Sister >
      • Friend Gertrude
    • A Year and a Day — Passionist Memories.
    • Mary Elizabeth Lease
    • K of C Council 760 - The Early Days
    • Our Hometown Boys
    • SPHS Class of 1956
  • Places
    • The Great American Desert
    • St. Francis Catholic Church
    • St. Francis de Heironymo Catholic Church Grounds
    • St. Paul - 135 Years Ago
    • St. Paul - 1890's as a Scale Model.
    • St. Paul - The Booming 60's
    • Osage Mission as a Statewide History Finalist
    • St. Francis Cemetery
    • Hope Cemetery
    • The Basement Chapel
    • World War I Museum Display
    • St. Paul Middle School >
      • Some Great Folks!
    • Ladore
    • St. Boniface, Scipio KS
    • Road Trip - Father Emil Kapaun
    • Exchange State Bank Robbery!
  • Thoughts ...
  • Links
  • Link Page