Recollections of My Life and Reflections on Times and Events During It: A Memoir by Father W. J. Howlett Main Menu Introduction Table of Contents Page 1 Page 2 Page 3 Page 4 Page 5 Page 6 Page 7 Page 8 Page 9 Page 10 Page 11 Page 12 Page 13 Page 14 Page 15 Page 16 Page 17 Page 18 Page 19 Page 20 Page 21 Page 22 Page 23 Page 24 Page 25 Page 26 Page 27 Page 28 Page 29 Page 30 Page 31 Page 32 Page 33 Page 34 Page 35 Page 36 Page 37 Page 38 Page 39 Page 40 Page 41 Page 42 Page 43 Page 44 Page 45 Page 47 Page 48 Page 49 Page 50 Page 51 Page 52 Page 53 Page 54 Page 55 Page 56 Page 57 Page 58 Page 59 Page 60 Page 61 Page 62 Page 63 Page 64 Page 65 Page 66 Page 67 Page 68 Page 69 Page 70 Page 71 Page 72 Page 73 Page 74 Page 75 Page 76 Page 77 Page 78 Page 79 Page 80 Page 81 Page 82 Page 83 Page 84 Page 85 Page 86 Page 87 Page 88 Page 89 Page 90 Page 91 Page 92 Page 93 Page 94 Page 95 Page 96 Page 97 Page 98 Other Writings by Father W. J. Howlett Timeline Howlett Family Tree William J. Howlett Family Tree Maps and Geography: Howlett's First Trip West Fr. Howlett moved with his family to Denver when he was a child, and then moved to St. Thomas Seminary in Bardstown, KY several years later. This map recounts the path he took to get to both places. Maps and Geography: Howlett's European travels Fr. Howlett traveled far and wide during his trip to Europe. Here is a map of the places he recorded visiting. Maps and Geography: Howlett in Paris, 1872-1873 This map shows the locations that Fr. Howlett mentioned visiting while in Paris, France. Maps and Geography: Howlett in London, 1874 This map shows the locations that Fr. Howlett mentioned visiting while vacationing in London, England Maps and Geography: Colorado Missions with Terrain Fr. Howlett's Colorado mission locations, with Colorado terrain. Index Acknowledgements Contributors' Biographies HIST 394 at CUA, Spring 2020

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young man who was glad to accept it, to the satisfaction of all concerned. This was James J. Bent, who eventually became a priest for the Diocese of Covington, Ky.

          The new church at Kalamazoo was considered the finest Catholic church in western Michigan. It was a brick structure and the Archbishop told us it cost $65,000 and was paid for with the exception of $5,000. This was not the case, for Father Leber [Lebel] was a poor bookkeeper, and after his sudden death a much larger indebtedness was found and Bishop Rorgess of Detroit found difficulty in clearing up the affairs and having legal claims paid off. In the end the matter was never satisfactorily settled. Father Lebel was at our house in Barron Lake, and when my mother presented me for his blessing he remarked to her inquiry that he thought I would be a priest and that I had a fine head for a bishop. I thank God that there were not bishoprics enough for all the fine heads, and that the supply of heads never ran so low that min[e] had to go into the market.

          Another old pastor whom I visited was Father Baroux of Silver Creek. This was once an Indian Mission but now all the Indians had gone except one named Topash, and he was the organist of the little church. Father Baroux told me something of his early life, and how he was so frightened at his examination for ordination by Bishop Bouvier in France that he could not bless himself. It was only after the strongest pleadings of the superior of the seminary and his willingness to assume all responsibilities for young Baroux that the bishop consented to ordain him. The superior made no mistake in that case. He also read for me extracts from his very interesting diary of mission work in India at the time of the Sepoy rebellion in 1857, but it was a hot day and I was just after dinner and so sleepy that I was ashamed of my lack of attention, and consequently lost much of his reading.

          My headquarters that summer were at Niles with Father Cappon, and from there I returned to St. Thomas for the opening of school in September.

          Old St. Thomas! The name thrills me yet. But is there another to whom it brings the same thrill, born of experience in the carefree and hopeful days of youth? Yes, there is one, a layman, Mr. John Doyle, now of Chicago, but for many years a resident of Louisville, Ky, who has never forgotten its charm, even if he did not follow out to the end the motive that made him seek its guidance, but who, nevertheless, wrought as much good along other lines as he probably would if events had not deverted [diverted] his life’s work. But among the clergy I know not one to whom it is more than history and a hearsay, but that at least it will remain as long as the printed word interests those who share in the benefits of its legacies.

          St. Thomas was not impressive in its looks but it did impressive work. Its opening day in Kentucky was June 11, 1811, the day Bishop Flaget was installed in his new diocese that embraced Kentucky, Tennessee and the West and Northwest from the eastern boundary of Ohio to the unexplored regions of the unnamed territories beyond the Mississippi. Bishop Flaget brought his students and professors with him, and temporarily established his seminary on the spot where I

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