Michael Levadoux
Encyclopedia
Michael Levadoux was a French Sulpician, one of those who went to the United States and founded St. Mary's Seminary in Baltimore
, in the aftermath of the French Revolution
.
In consequence of the threatening aspect of affairs for Catholicism in France, Jacques-André Emery
, Superior-General of the Sulpicians, deemed it prudent to found a house of their institute abroad, and at the suggestion of Antonio Dugnani, nuncio
at Paris, the United States was chosen. Negotiations were opened with Bishop Carroll, recently consecrated, and after some delay Rev. Francis C. Nagot, S.S., was named first director of the projected seminary at Baltimore. With him were associated MM. Levadoux, Tessier, Gamier, and Montdésir, together with several seminarians.
Rev. M. Delavau, Canon of St. Martin of Tours, and François-René de Chateaubriand
joined the party, which sailed from Saint Malo, 8 April, 1791, and after a tempestuous and roundabout voyage reached Baltimore 10 July. For one year M. Levadoux, as treasurer, assisted M. Nagot in organizing the Seminary of St. Mary's, and was then sent by the latter to the Illinois
mission, for which M. Emery had at first destined M. Chicosneau, deeming M. Levadoux a better administrator of temporal affairs. Empowered as vicar-general by Bishop Carroll, he took his departure for the West on 15 January, 1792.
His missionary labours centred around Cahokia
and Kaskaskia
. The registers of the latter place bear his signature from Dec., 1792, and he seems to have spent most of his time from 1793 to 1796 at Cahokia, though after Benedict Joseph Flaget
left Fort Vincennes in 1795 he visited that post also. Meanwhile as the health of M. Nagot, superior of the Sulpicians in the United States, was failing fast, he was desirous of having M. Levadoux near him at Baltimore, that he might be ready to succeed him in office; but Bishop Carroll was no less anxious to secure his services for Detroit. The bishop's wishes prevailed, and M. Levadoux became parish priest of St. Anne's in 1796. It was he who performed the obsequies of Rev. F. X. Dufaux, S.S., missionary to the Hurons at the parish of the Assumption opposite Detroit, who died at his post 10 September, 1796.
After the death of Dufaux, M. Levadoux had frequent occasion to minister to the spiritual wants of the Native Americans
and of other scattered Catholics from Sandusky
and Mackinaw to Fort Wayne. In 1801 M. Nagot recalled M. Levadoux to Baltimore.
In 1803 he received orders from M. Emery to return to France, where he was soon appointed superior of the Seminary of St. Flour in Auvergne, and remained there until the dispersion of the Sulpicians by Napoleon I, in 1811. When their institute was revived, in 1814, the Rev. M. Duclaux, successor of Emery, placed M. Levadoux at the head of the Seminary of Le-Puy-en-Velay.
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
, in the aftermath of the French Revolution
French Revolution
The French Revolution , sometimes distinguished as the 'Great French Revolution' , was a period of radical social and political upheaval in France and Europe. The absolute monarchy that had ruled France for centuries collapsed in three years...
.
Life
He entered the Sulpician Seminary at Clermont, 30 October, 1769, where he studied theology, then went to the "Solitude", or Sulpician novitiate, for one year. He was appointed, in 1774, director of the seminary at Limoges, where he remained till 1791.In consequence of the threatening aspect of affairs for Catholicism in France, Jacques-André Emery
Jacques-André Emery
Jacques-André Emery was a French Sulpician monk, Superior of the Society of St-Sulpice during the French Revolution.-Life:...
, Superior-General of the Sulpicians, deemed it prudent to found a house of their institute abroad, and at the suggestion of Antonio Dugnani, nuncio
Nuncio
Nuncio is an ecclesiastical diplomatic title, derived from the ancient Latin word, Nuntius, meaning "envoy." This article addresses this title as well as derived similar titles, all within the structure of the Roman Catholic Church...
at Paris, the United States was chosen. Negotiations were opened with Bishop Carroll, recently consecrated, and after some delay Rev. Francis C. Nagot, S.S., was named first director of the projected seminary at Baltimore. With him were associated MM. Levadoux, Tessier, Gamier, and Montdésir, together with several seminarians.
Rev. M. Delavau, Canon of St. Martin of Tours, and François-René de Chateaubriand
François-René de Chateaubriand
François-René, vicomte de Chateaubriand was a French writer, politician, diplomat and historian. He is considered the founder of Romanticism in French literature.-Early life and exile:...
joined the party, which sailed from Saint Malo, 8 April, 1791, and after a tempestuous and roundabout voyage reached Baltimore 10 July. For one year M. Levadoux, as treasurer, assisted M. Nagot in organizing the Seminary of St. Mary's, and was then sent by the latter to the Illinois
Illinois
Illinois is the fifth-most populous state of the United States of America, and is often noted for being a microcosm of the entire country. With Chicago in the northeast, small industrial cities and great agricultural productivity in central and northern Illinois, and natural resources like coal,...
mission, for which M. Emery had at first destined M. Chicosneau, deeming M. Levadoux a better administrator of temporal affairs. Empowered as vicar-general by Bishop Carroll, he took his departure for the West on 15 January, 1792.
His missionary labours centred around Cahokia
Cahokia
Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site is the area of an ancient indigenous city located in the American Bottom floodplain, between East Saint Louis and Collinsville in south-western Illinois, across the Mississippi River from St. Louis, Missouri. The site included 120 human-built earthwork mounds...
and Kaskaskia
Kaskaskia
The Kaskaskia were one of about a dozen cognate tribes that made up the Illiniwek Confederation or Illinois Confederation. Their longstanding homeland was in the Great Lakes region...
. The registers of the latter place bear his signature from Dec., 1792, and he seems to have spent most of his time from 1793 to 1796 at Cahokia, though after Benedict Joseph Flaget
Benedict Joseph Flaget
Benedict Joseph Flaget was a U.S. bishop. He served as the Roman Catholic Bishop of the Roman Catholic Diocese of Bardstown between 1808 and 1839, then as bishop of the Diocese of Louisville between 1839 and 1850 when the See was transferred to Louisville in 1839.-Education and Call to Ministry:At...
left Fort Vincennes in 1795 he visited that post also. Meanwhile as the health of M. Nagot, superior of the Sulpicians in the United States, was failing fast, he was desirous of having M. Levadoux near him at Baltimore, that he might be ready to succeed him in office; but Bishop Carroll was no less anxious to secure his services for Detroit. The bishop's wishes prevailed, and M. Levadoux became parish priest of St. Anne's in 1796. It was he who performed the obsequies of Rev. F. X. Dufaux, S.S., missionary to the Hurons at the parish of the Assumption opposite Detroit, who died at his post 10 September, 1796.
After the death of Dufaux, M. Levadoux had frequent occasion to minister to the spiritual wants of the Native Americans
Native Americans in the United States
Native Americans in the United States are the indigenous peoples in North America within the boundaries of the present-day continental United States, parts of Alaska, and the island state of Hawaii. They are composed of numerous, distinct tribes, states, and ethnic groups, many of which survive as...
and of other scattered Catholics from Sandusky
Sandusky
-Cities and towns:* Sandusky, Indiana* Sandusky, Michigan* Sandusky, Ohio* Sandusky, Wisconsin-Townships:* Sandusky Township, Crawford County, Ohio* Sandusky Township, Richland County, Ohio* Sandusky Township, Sandusky County, Ohio-People:...
and Mackinaw to Fort Wayne. In 1801 M. Nagot recalled M. Levadoux to Baltimore.
In 1803 he received orders from M. Emery to return to France, where he was soon appointed superior of the Seminary of St. Flour in Auvergne, and remained there until the dispersion of the Sulpicians by Napoleon I, in 1811. When their institute was revived, in 1814, the Rev. M. Duclaux, successor of Emery, placed M. Levadoux at the head of the Seminary of Le-Puy-en-Velay.