St. Louis, Reverend Petrus Mannes "Philip" b. 15 Apr 1848 Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA d. 25 May 1928 Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, USA: 1FAMILYTREE Genealogy

1848 - 1928 (80 years) Has 6 ancestors but no descendants in this family tree.

Name	St. Louis, Petrus Mannes "Philip"
Prefix	Reverend
Nickname	Philip
Born	15 Apr 1848	Little Chute, Outagamie, Wisconsin, USA [1]
Gender	Male
Religious Vows	7 Apr 1876
Died	25 May 1928	Colorado Springs, El Paso, Colorado, USA
News Mention	2 Jul 2012
Antigo Daily Journal
Prime Times History: Father St. Louis led first Mass in Deleglise cabin July 2, 2012 (Editor's note: It was 80 years ago this spring, in May, 1932 that Antigo residents gathered for the formal dedication of the Deleglise cabin on the grounds of what was then the Antigo Public Library. The Antigo Daily Journal covered the event in a series of articles that looked at the program, the Deleglise family and the history of the cabin. This is an abridged version of a paper by Luke Leiterman read at dedication.) ----- To us assembled here, this log cabin with the tablet it now bears, tells two stories, - the one about itself as the first dwelling in Antigo, and the other with this cabin as the scene of the first Holy Mass to be celebrated here. We wish to deal with the latter, and more particularly with the life and labors of the Reverend Philip St. Louis who brought the first spiritual consolations of the Catholic religion to the Catholic settlers of this community. Father St. Louis Philip St. Louis, the youngest of 12 children of Ephraim and Marie St. Louis, was born on April 15, 1848, at Little Chute. His studies were made under the Jesuit Fathers in Milwaukee and also under the guidance of the Servite Fathers who had established their first American home on Doty Island at Menasha in the summer of 1870. He later became a professed religious in that community and was the first Servite priest to be ordained in America. He was ordained to the priesthood on April 7, 1876, by Bishop Krautbauer of Green Bay, this being the first time since his elevation to the episcopate that the prelate had been called upon to perform that duty. Drew Plans for Monastery In the following September Father St. Louis went to Chicago, and while there drew the plans and superintended the erection of the Servite monastery in that city, and the church at Cicero. In May, 1879, while on a visit to Little Chute from Chicago, Father St. Louis undertook a visit to relatives who had previously settled at Phlox , and on this occasion administered to the spiritual wants of the people. In an older letter to a local resident, Father St. Louis writes of this visit: "I came here (that is, to Phlox) for the first time in the month of May, 1879, and said Mass in Mr. Joseph St. Louis' old log house. I left Little Chute in the train and went as far as Clintonville (at that time the northern limit of the railroad) and there took a team and wagon and drove to Phlox. It took us two days and had to sleep in the woods.'' Call To The North Just what induced Father St. Louis to direct his thoughts to a rather permanent life of labor in northern Wisconsin may be read in his own words: He writes: "I thought I was tired, - tired in body and in mind - attending a congregation 10 miles from Chicago, building a church and large convent, looking to the masons and carpenters, working until midnight drawing plans, and, without explanations. I was sacristan, treasurer, and procurator; work and responsibility weighed heavily upon me. A man strong in mind and body could have borne it, but not I. Perhaps it was a want of will...but...I thought I was tired.'' Consequently, early in 1880, Father St. Louis was transferred from Chicago to the Servite monastery on Doty Island, Menasha. First Mass in Antigo In April, 1880 Father St. Louis made his second visit to Phlox. Having heard of the Antigo settlement he journeyed thither on foot and on May 2, 1880, within the walls of this humble cabin, he celebrated the first Holy Mass in this community. Picture to yourselves that memorable event: Father St. Louis in youthful priestly enthusiasm entering the settlement with a pack on his back containing the necessary vestments and articles for the celebration of Mass; the greeting and warm reception at the door of the Deleglise cabin; the preparations, and finally the Mass itself. All unnecessary furniture was removed from the cabin, benches improvised, a large bureau converted into an altar, and even a volunteer choir led by a young bride sang the Mass without the aid of accompaniment. A true missionary zeal led Father St. Louis to seek permission to visit the scattered Catholics at Phlox and Antigo, whom he attended monthly for the next two years from Menasha. Neither bad roads and cold weather, nor the drawbacks of a none too robust constitution kept Father St. Louis from his missionary labors. Account of Experiences The truly heroic zeal and determined effort of Father St. Louis on such occasions is aptly exemplified in the following account from his own pen, wherein he describes his experience on a trip from Appleton to Phlox. "I left Appleton on Friday on the train and went as far as Eland Junction. Thence I walked to Birnamwood, there being no railroad then, and slept there at Mr. McDermott's boarding camp. It was a stormy night and there was fear that some trees would be blown down on the camp. In the morning the weather was raw, and a cold rain was drizzling. The McDermott family tried hard to detain me from going to Phlox on that day, (a distance of 24 miles), but Mass had to be said at Phlox on Sunday; I was determined to go. The kind woman lent me a short but waterproof cloak which was found of great service. With this cloak and my bundle I started on the surveyor's line for the right-of-way of the Lake Shore railroad, and at about 10 o'clock I reached the place, where is now the village of Elmhurst. There, seeing the marks of the Government survey on a tree, and thereby knowing that Phlox could be reached by traveling straight east, I turned to the direction. By that time the rain had turned into snow, and it was falling thick and fast; I was soaked clear through my clothing except the shoulders protected by the welcome cloak. It was no easy task to keep in the right direction; a small compass in my possession was not working on account of being soaked with water.'' ...Having entered a large swamp and "advanced a short distance I took the pocket compass, shook it, and bit it, trying to take out the crystal, and finally lost in the snow and moss. It was a thoughtful moment: wet and cold, without matches to light fire, and the probability of passing the night in such a place. The swamp seemed endless, in fact I did not cross it, but followed it in all its length, having arrived, after four hours traveling, half a mile out of my way. I had traveled at the rate of one mile per hour. I now found a settler, and from there was a road to Phlox, where I arrived after dark.'' Later years When the Antigo mission was given over to Father Lochman of Clintonville in the summer 1882, Father St. Louis took up his residence at Phlox and continued his labors there for the next 11 years. Here he organized St. Joseph parish, erected the church, and opened the parochial school. In September, 1893, Father St. Louis moved to the St. Joseph Orphanage at Green Bay and later to the Immaculate Conception parish at Florence, the duties of which he assumed on Oct. 10, 1895. In 1899 he was transferred to St. Patrick's parish at Lebanon. Two years later he took charge of Holy Cross parish at Mischicot, where he remained until he was transferred to St. Patrick's parish at Stiles, in Oconto County in 1909. From this place he attended a station at Abrams, also in Oconto County. Father St. Louis health was failing rapidly and in 1914, he repaired to Colorado Springs, Colo. During Holy Week and on Easter Sunday, 1928, he assisted at the services held in St. Mary's church at Colorado Springs. On Easter Monday he was taken ill. For six weeks he lingered between life and death, but finally on May 25, following a heart attack, at the advanced age of 80 years, the angel of death called him to his Maker Almighty God had granted his oft repeated wish "To die in the harness, serving his Master until the end.'' His mortal remains were interred in the priest's lot in the Evergreen cemetery at Colorado Springs. The memory of him, however, was not interred with his bones, for many people are now wont to speak of him as that "wonderful old man,'' or "dear old saint,'' for such he truly was.
Marriage Status	Never Married
Person ID	I101273	1FamilyTree \| RogerNavarre184704
Last Modified	20 Jun 2016

Father	St. Louis, Ephraim, b. 16 Jul 1810, Yamachiche, St. Maurice, Québec, Canada , d. 27 Sep 1892, Plymouth, Sheboygan, Wisconsin, USA (Age 82 years)
Mother	Manseau, Marie DesAnges, b. 5 Nov 1806, Baie-Du-Febvre, Canada , d. 16 Oct 1895, Florence, Florence, Wisconsin, USA (Age 88 years)
Family ID	F33104	Group Sheet \| Family Chart