Gabriel Richard digital project collection, 2018

Summary

Creator:

Richard, Gabriel, 1767-1832.

Abstract:

Digitized letters, legal documents, notes, honors, awards, certificates, ecclesiastical notes, sermons, small publications, images, and other materials created by or about Fr. Gabriel Richard, biographical materials, and project administration materials.

Extent:

7.75 cubic ft. (in 16 boxes)

Language:

English

Authors:

Collection processed and finding aid created by A. Dean, M. Matyn

Background

Scope and Content:

In 2018, at the behest of the Archdiocese of Detroit (AD), the Clarke Historical Library digitized letters, legal documents, notes, honors, awards, certificates, ecclesiastical notes, sermons and documents, small publications, images, and other materials created by or about Fr. Gabriel Richard. During processing the paper copies printed from the combined digitized project resulted in 16 boxes (7.75 cubic feet) of materials. Original manuscripts were in the Early Church Records and Gabriel Richard Collection, 1735-1835, 4 manuscript and 2 oversized boxes, housed at the Archdiocese of Detroit (AD) Archives, and the collection of Monsignor Edward J. Hickey, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, 1767-1976, 4 cubic feet, housed at Sacred Heart Major Seminary Archives (SHMSA), Detroit. This resulting collection also includes biographical material on Richard; finding aids for both original paper collections; spreadsheets (file naming lists) which list and describe the folder contents of both original collections linked with digital file folder numbers; and paper prints created from the watermarked JPEG files which were converted to PDF files. Please note that three folders listed on the spreadsheets were not given to the Clarke for digitizing, including: SHMSA Box 2 folders 1-2 and Box 8 folder 1. Part of the agreement with the AD is that the Clarke has permission to allow researcher’s access to the digital project collection paper prints only in our reading room, not online. The collection is mostly in English, although there are numerous letters and documents in French. Hickey transcribed letters in his collection from French into English. Some of the publications are in various combinations of English, French, Latin and German. The Clarke also has many hardcopy versions of most of the publications about Richard found in this collection. There is also a list of legal terms in Latin and a letter that might be in Dutch. There are some inconsistencies due to spelling in original documents. Copyright questions should be referred to the AD.

The collection is organized alphabetically by the name of the original collection. The folder labels are AD 1-1 or 1-2, indicating the first two folders in the original AD or SHMSA collection. Further description of each folder content has been added to this box and folder listing from the original finding aids to assist researches, but is not found on this collection’s labels in the boxes. Original folder listing continues in this collection’s boxes. For example, in this collection, Box #7 includes the last AD folders originally from AD Box 2. AD 2-30 through 2-33, and the beginning of the first Hickey box SHMSA 1-1 through 1-9.

Originally oversized materials were housed out of order in oversized boxes in both AD and SHMSA. As a result of digitizing all prints now fit into legal-sized folders. For example, oversized AD-13 is in folder AD-13, not in a separate folder or box marked as oversized items.

The Early Church Records and Gabriel Richard Collection, 1735-1835, 4 manuscript and 2 oversized boxes, is housed at the Archdiocese of Detroit (AD) Archives. The collection contains some of Father Richard’s papers as well as papers of other Detroit settlers. The appointment of Frederick Rese as the first bishop of Detroit is in the collection, as are documents relating to the parishes of St. Antoine in Monroe and St. Felicity in St. Clair Shoes. The collection documents the growth and development of the Catholic Church in Detroit in the late 18th and early 19th century.

In addition, the collection includes books thought to have been printed on Richard’s press and a few items that belonged to Father Richard.

The collection is organized in five series: I.Correspondence and Legal Documents, 1782-1834; II. Financial Records, 1802-1832, This series contains materials relating to the financial and business transactions of GR (both personal and on behalf of the Church of St. Anne) as well as private citizens in the Detroit area. Included are such items as promissory notes, ledger and accounting records, receipts and bills of sale.; III. Personal Papers and Notes, undated, The series has material relating to GR’s discussions of the theories and principles of various academic subjects.; IV. Printed Materials, 1735-1831, This series contains printed materials relating to GR’s work in the community as well as Detroit history. Included are US Congressional bills with provisions regarding efforts to educate and care for deaf-mutes.

The collection of Monsignor Edward J. Hickey, Chancellor of the Archdiocese, 1767-1976, 4 cubic feet, is housed at Sacred Heart Major Seminary Archives (SHMSA), Detroit. This material was transferred to the AD in 2017 and is on deposit there from SHMSA. The collection includes: artifacts and documents related to Father Gabriel Richard and the early history of the Diocese of Detroit. The collection may only be accessed with the permission of the SHMSA Library Director. Monsignor Hickey transcribed numerous original letters of Father Richard in French, and then translated them into English. There are also texts of speeches and talks given by Monsignor Hickey on the subject of Father Richard; pamphlets and articles by others on the life of Father Richard; a list of the books in the private collection of Father Richard; paintings, photographs and prints of Father Richard and important places in his life; and other material pertaining to Monsignor Hickey and his family. The collection mostly follows the original organization by Father [Earl] Boyea. The collection was inventoried by Steve Wejroch, Archivist for the Archdiocese of Detroit, in August 2017.

The collection is organized in eight series: Box 1: Articles on Gabriel Richard; Box 2: Gabriel Richard’s Correspondence; Box 3: Honors to Gabriel Richard, 1929-1948; Box 4: Honors to Gabriel Richard, 1949 – Present; Box 8: Richard Correspondence – Originals

Biographical / Historical:

Biography:

Gabriel Richard (GR) was born in France in 1767 and ordained there into the Roman Catholic priesthood in 1790. He became a member of the Sulpicians, a teaching order. In 1792 he came with other Suplicians to evade the Revolution and to establish a teaching seminary in the U.S. He served as a parish priest in Kaskaskia, Illinois Territory. Richard was then transferred to Detroit, Michigan, where he served first as assistant priest, later as pastor of Ste. Anne's parish. By 1805 he was the only priest in Michigan. Richard opened a religious school in 1804, which expanded to six schools by 1808. In 1809 he had the first printing press in Michigan, and printed the first Michigan newspaper, as well as prayer books, song books, and school texts. In 1817 Richard was one of several men who founded what became the University of Michigan. He was elected in 1823 to serve as a U.S. congressional delegate from Michigan Territory, serving until 1825: he was the only Catholic priest elected to office until after World War II. He advocated for the construction of the Chicago Road which opened the Great Lakes and Midwest to increased travel and trade. Richard died at the end of the cholera outbreak in Detroit on September 13, 1832. He is buried in Ste. Anne's chapel. (This information is from the collection.)

Monsignor Edward J. Hickey (1893-1993) was a major scholar of the life of and collector of materials by and about Fr. Richard. He was ordained into the Roman Catholic priesthood in 1919. Hickey transcribed letters in the collection in French and translated them into English. He also gave numerous speeches and talks about Richard.

Frederick (Frederich) Rese (1791-1871) was a German-born American Roman Catholic bishop, who served as the first Catholic bishop of the Diocese of Detroit, 1833-1871. (This information is from the collection; Msgr. Hickey's online funeral card, accessed via findagrave.com on March 19, 2019. This information is from an online site about Bishop Reese, accessed March 19, 2019.)

There are also materials in the collection concerning two Michigan parishes: St. Antoine (of the River Raisin) Parish, Monroe, which is now St. Mary of the Immaculate Conception Church, Monroe, and what was St. Felicity Territorial Mission Church, St. Clair Shores, which, with its cemetery, washed during a storm with its cemetery into Lake St. Clair in 1855 and was discovered there by divers in 1995. (This information is from online parish information and news articles, accessed March 19, 2019).

Acquisition Information:

Acc# 76411

Arrangement:

Arrangement is alphabetical by the name of the original collection.

Subjects

Click on terms below to find any related finding aids on this site.

Subjects:

Catholic Church--Michigan--Detroit.
Catholic Church--Michigan--History.
Michigan imprints--Detroit.
Michigan authors.
Printing--Michigan--Detroit--History.

Names:

Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Detroit (Mich.)--History.
Sacred Heart Seminary (Detroit, Mich.)
St. Anne's Church (Detroit, Mich.)
St. Mary of the IMmaculate Conception Church: Monroe, Mich.)
St. Felicity Territorial Mission Church (St. Clair Shores, Mich.)
Catholic Church. Archdiocese of Detroit (Mich.)
Great Lakes Greyhound Lines, Inc.
Detroit Historical Society.
Richard, Gabriel, 1767-1832.
Hickey, Edward J. (Eward John), 1893-
Rese, Friedrich, 1791-1871.
Osborn, Chase S. (Chase Salmon), 1860-1949.
Pargellis, Stanley, 1898-1968.
Connely, Mildred M.
Hyma, Albert, 1893-1978.
Tonnellier, P. M.
Baisnee, Jules Albert, 1879-
Quaife, Milo Milton, 1880-1959.
Borgess, Caspar Henry, 1826-1890.
Greenly, Albert Harry, 1881-

Places:

Michigan--Church History.
Detroit (Mich.)--Church History.