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Gabriel Richard
From the inside cover:
Father Gabriel Richard has long been honored by Detroiters as one of their city's leading early citizens, but his story is no more a purely local one than it is purely sectarian. This comprehensive biography of Father Richard is a much needed addition to the literature of the settlement and civilizing of the early American frontier.
Driven from France by the violent anticlericalism of the French Revolution, Richard was a champion of liberty and democracy. In Detroit, a rough, French speaking frontier village when Richard arrived in 1798, he helped establish schools, set up one of the Territory's first printing presses, published Michigan's first newspaper and its first books, and was a cofounder of what is not the University of Michigan. He established missions for the Indians and his enlightened attitude become the basis of American Indian policy. He promoted religious tolerance and strongly influenced the Americanization of the early French settlers.
Richard's life was filled with the dramatic. He witnessed the Great Fire of Detroit of 1805 and helped rebuild the city. During the War of 1812 he was imprisoned by the British for his strong pro-American stand and later released at the insistence of the Indian chief Tecumseh. After a hard-fought campaign Richard was elected as Michigan's territorial delegate to the United States House of Representatives and thus became the only Catholic priest to have sat in the halls of Congress.
Father Richard died attending victims of the devastating cholera epidemic of 1832 in Detroit.
The authors have produced a biography of Gabriel Richard which is both faithful to fact and sensitive to the demands of narrative. It is an exciting history-biography.
Father Gabriel Richard has long been honored by Detroiters as one of their city's leading early citizens, but his story is no more a purely local one than it is purely sectarian. This comprehensive biography of Father Richard is a much needed addition to the literature of the settlement and civilizing of the early American frontier.
Driven from France by the violent anticlericalism of the French Revolution, Richard was a champion of liberty and democracy. In Detroit, a rough, French speaking frontier village when Richard arrived in 1798, he helped establish schools, set up one of the Territory's first printing presses, published Michigan's first newspaper and its first books, and was a cofounder of what is not the University of Michigan. He established missions for the Indians and his enlightened attitude become the basis of American Indian policy. He promoted religious tolerance and strongly influenced the Americanization of the early French settlers.
Richard's life was filled with the dramatic. He witnessed the Great Fire of Detroit of 1805 and helped rebuild the city. During the War of 1812 he was imprisoned by the British for his strong pro-American stand and later released at the insistence of the Indian chief Tecumseh. After a hard-fought campaign Richard was elected as Michigan's territorial delegate to the United States House of Representatives and thus became the only Catholic priest to have sat in the halls of Congress.
Father Richard died attending victims of the devastating cholera epidemic of 1832 in Detroit.
The authors have produced a biography of Gabriel Richard which is both faithful to fact and sensitive to the demands of narrative. It is an exciting history-biography.
158 pages, Hardcover
Published January 1, 1958
About the author
Frank B. Woodford
12 booksFrank B. Woodford (1903–1967) was chief editorial writer for the Detroit Free Press. He authored eleven books, including Lewis Cass, The Last Jeffersonian (1951); Mr. Jefferson’s Disciple: A Life of Justice Woodward (1953), co-authored with Albert Hyma; Gabriel Richard: Frontier Ambassador (1958), co-authored with Phil Mason; Alex J. Groesbeck: Portrait of a Public Man (Wayne State University Press, 1962); and Harper of Detroit: The Origins and Growth of a Great Metropolitan Hospital (Wayne State University Press, 1964). At the time of his death, he was serving as city historiographer of the City of Detroit.
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May 19, 2020
Great overview of Gabriel Richard's life as well as the history of the early days of the frontier that would become Michigan. It includes details about Detroit, the French, the politics, the big events, the changing boundaries, the native tribes, etc. Well worth a read if you are interested in this time period (mostly 1791 - 1832) and history of this part of the Northwest Territory. Apparently, the copy I have one is one of a thousand copies placed in school libraries -- likely from a school that has since closed (which I think would have made Father Richard sad unless it was to make room for a better school of course!).
Displaying 1 of 1 review