Father Menetry Helps Found Mission in ’54
This ad appeared in the Missoulian Centennial issue.
The Rev. Joseph Menetry, S.J., who helped found the St. Ignatius mission in 1854 with Father Hocken, S.J., died at St. Ignatius April 27, 1891. He was born in Switzerland, Nov. 28, 1812, and entered the Society of Jesus Sept. 29, 1836. He came to the United States in 1847 and helped establish several missions in the then Oregon country.
Father Menetry supervised the construction of the church at St. Ignatius, a project which took about eight years to complete. He served at various times also in Benton, Helena, Marysville, Bozeman, Hell Gate, Frenchtown, Stevensville and Missoula. He converted many of the Kalispels, Pend d’Oreilles, Colville, Spokane and Blackfeet Indians. He was considered one of Montana’s greatest missionary pioneers.