A Stan Klos Website
DUBOURG, William Louis, R. C. bishop, born in
Cape Francois, Santo Domingo, in 1766; died in Besançon, France, in 1833. He was
sent to the seminary of St. Sulpice, Paris, for his education, and was attending
lectures at the Sorbonne when the Revolution began, and he had to take shelter
with his family at Bordeaux. Thence he escaped to Spain, and embarked for the
United States in 1794. He entered the seminary of St. Sulpice, Baltimore, on his
arrival, and was ordained a member of the society in the following year.
He was appointed president of Georgetown College in
1796, and spent the next three years in extending the interests of that
institution. He was sent to Havana in 1798 with the object of founding a
Sulpician College in Cuba. He was not successful in his immediate purpose, but
many of the inhabitants entrusted him with the education of their children, and
on his return to Baltimore he opened a College, which was soon crowded with
students from the West Indies. In 1803, however, the Spanish government sent a
frigate to take back his pupils, being alarmed at so many sons of Cuban planters
being educated under republican influences.
In 1806 he succeeded in having St. Mary's College, which
he had founded, raised to the rank of a University by the Maryland legislature.
Father Dubourg had so much to do with the establishment of the Sisters of
Charity in America that he is in a certain sense their founder. He persuaded
Mrs. Seton to remain in the United States when she was about to join a religious
order in Europe, invited her to Baltimore, assisted her in founding a home for
her community, and was appointed ecclesiastical superior of the Sisters by
Archbishop Carroll.
When Mrs. Seton decided on removing to Emmettsburg, he
purchased the land on which she built her convent. In 1812 he was appointed
administrator apostolic of the diocese of New Orleans. His efforts to animate
the patriotism of the people of Louisiana on the advance of the British troops
received the warm commendation of General Jackson, and on the repulse of the
enemy he was entrusted with the task of reading an address welcoming the victor
to the City.
In 1815 he went to Europe in order to lay the wants of
his mission before the pope, and on his arrival in Rome was consecrated bishop.
In France he persuaded several students and priests to volunteer for the
American mission, and took a leading part in founding the Association for the
propagation of the faith at Lyons. In 1817 a war vessel was placed at his
disposal by Louis XVIII., and he embarked for America.
He landed at Annapolis, and went to St. Louis, which he
made his Episcopal residence. He founded a College and an ecclesiastical
seminary at the Barrens, in Missouri, which were confided to the care of the
Lazarist fathers, and shortly afterward he opened a College in St. Louis. He
next directed his attention to the Indians occupying the southwestern territory,
and created an establishment at Florissant, which supplied missionaries for the
Indians.
He visited Washington in 1823, and procured the transfer
of the Indian tribes in his diocese to the care of the Jesuits, obtaining a sum
of money from the government for this purpose. He founded several schools for
the education of girls under the care of the Sisters of Loreto, and also
introduced the Ladies of the Sacred Heart from Paris, for whom he founded
convents and schools in Florissant and in St. Louis. He also erected a new
cathedral in St. Louis.
In 1824 he took up his residence in New Orleans, but in
1826 went to Europe, and never returned, being transferred to the diocese of
Montauban, in France. In 1833 he was elevated to the archbishopric of Besançon.
Bishop Dubourg was the author of "The Sons of Saint Dominick," and of a volume
entitled “Saint Mary's Seminary and the Catholics at large Vindicated,” besides
other controversial writings.
Edited Appletons Encyclopedia, by John Looby Copyright © 2001
StanKlos.comTM
DUBOURG, William Louis, R. C. bishop, born in Cape Francois, Santo Domingo, in 1766; died in Besanon, France, in 1833. He was sent to the seminary of St. Sulpice, Paris, for his education, and was attending lectures at the Sorbonne when the Revolution began, and he had to take shelter with his family at Bordeaux. Thence he escaped to Spain, and embarked for the United States in 1794. He entered the seminary of St. Sulpice, Baltimore, on his arrival, and was ordained a member of the order in the following year.
He was appointed president of Georgetown College in 1796, and spent the next three years in extending the interests of that institution. He was sent to Havana in 1798 with the object of founding a Sulpitian College in Cuba. He was not successful in his immediate purpose, but many of the inhabitants entrusted him with the education of their children, and on his return to Baltimore he opened a College, which was soon crowded with students from the West Indies. In 1803, however, the Spanish government sent a frigate to take back his pupils, being alarmed at so many sons of Cuban planters being educated under republican influences. In 1806 he succeeded in having St. Mary's College, which he had founded, raised to the rank of a University by the Maryland legislature. Father Dubourg had so much to do with the establishment of the Sisters of Charity in America that he is in a certain sense their founder. He persuaded Mrs. Seton to remain in the United States when she was about to join a religious order in Europe, invited her to Baltimore, assisted her in founding a home for her community, and was appointed ecclesiastical superior of the Sisters by Archbishop Carroll. When Mrs. Seton decided on removing to Emmettsburg, he purchased the land on which she built her convent. In 1812 he was appointed administrator apostolic of the diocese of New Orleans. His efforts to animate the patriotism of the people of Louisiana on the advance of the British troops received the warm commendation of General Jackson, and on the repulse of the enemy he was entrusted with the task of reading an address welcoming the victor to the City.
In 1815 he went to Europe in order to lay the wants of his mission before the pope. and on his arrival in Rome was consecrated bishop. In France he persuaded several students and priests to volunteer for the American mission, and took a leading part in founding the Association for the propagation of the faith at Lyons. In 1817 a war vessel was placed at his disposal by Louis XVIII., and he embarked for America. He landed at Annapolis, and went to St. Louis, which he made his Episcopal residence. He founded a College and an ecclesiastical seminary at the Barrens, in Missouri, which were confided to the care of the Lazarist fathers, and shortly afterward he opened a College in St. Louis. He next directed his attention to the Indians occupying the southwestern territory, and created an establishment at Florissant, which supplied missionaries for the Indians. He visited Washington in 1823, and procured the transfer of the Indian tribes in his diocese to the care of the Jesuits, obtaining a sum of money from the government for this purpose. He founded several schools for the education of girls under the care of the Sisters of Loreto, and also introduced the ladies of the sacred heart from Paris, for whom he founded convents and schools in Florissant and in St. Louis. He also erected a new cathedral in St. Louis.
In 1824 he took up his residence in New Orleans, but in 1826 went to Europe, and never returned, being transferred to the diocese of Montauban, in France. In 1833 he was elevated to the archbishopric of Besancon. Bishop Dubourg was the author of "The Sons of Saint Dominick," and of a volume entitled "Saint Mary's Seminary and the Catholics at large Vindicated,' besides other controversial writings.
