The Rev. AAA Schmirler

Originally posted on "Sheldon - Remembering Our Past."

      I have an article written by A.A.A. Schmirler that carries the headline “First Ransom County Settler Came in 1867.” The Rev. Schmirler served the Catholic church in Sheldon for a number of years and delved in an avocation of studying and writing about the history of the area. This article is an example of his studies. It is too long to post here in its entirety, but I will summarize some of his points.

     His opening paragraph states: “The distinction of being the first bona fide settler in Ransom County has been awarded to David Faribault, who established a way-station known as Pigeon Point on the west bank of the Sheyenne River, about six miles west of the Richland County line, in 1867.” 

     I have to interject a noticeable omission he made as is usually the case in this “man’s world” of the time. Faribault’s wife was not included, but she was there.  From my reading of this history, I’ve found that she did most of the work in the enterprise. Part of her background was Native American from where she took the name Winona. The white culture knew her as Nancy. Her story is actually more interesting than David Faribault’s, but back to Schmirler.

     Pigeon Point existed to serve as a halfway point between forts - Fort Ransom and Fort Abercrombie. People could find overnight accommodations there and Schmirler found that Father Jean Baptiste Marie Genin was among the first. Genin rises in the article as a man of importance because he explored the area and believed a road would be built through Fort Ransom that would lead to the gold fields of Montana, therefore making it a hub of traffic. He also wondered if a river route on the Sheyenne could be developed as a viable source of transportation.

     Genin knew and travelled with a couple well-known Catholic clergymen whose names are familiar here - Bishop Shanley and Bishop Grandin. One question in my mind found an answer in the article. I always wondered what a large solitary cross standing in a field commemorated, and here is the story: The only monument directly related to early missionaries in southeast North Dakota is a field cross 100 yards west of Highway 81 and about six miles south of I-94. One had originally been built by Father Genin, then in 1929  the Daughters of the American Revolution replaced it. Then about in 1965 the Knights of Columbus erected a new cross. Next time I drive that way, I’m going to try to spot it again. City development has begun reaching so far that it might make it difficult to see.

     I need to dig around some more to find it, but I have a story of a priest who would walk out from Moorhead to conduct religious services. Their dedication and concern for the settlers’ spiritual lives has to be commended.