Adrien Rouquette
Encyclopedia
Adrien Rouquette was a writer and a Catholic missionary among the Choctaw
Native Americans
.
His interest in the Choctaws began in his youth. He was sent north in 1824 to divert his mind from them. In 1829 he was sent to France and finished his collegiate studies in Paris, Nantes
, and Rennes
, winning his baccalaureate
in 1833. He returned to New Orleans, and spent much time alone or among his Choctaw friends. Later he returned to Paris to study law, but preferred literature, and returned to Louisiana. In 1842 he made a third visit to France, where he published his first poetic essay, Les Savannes. This was well received and he returned to Louisiana to become editor of Le Propagateur Catholique. Before long he was ordained priest. Assigned to duty at the St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans
, he served for fourteen years as a priest in the city, then suddenly, in 1859, he severed all connection it and made his home for twenty-nine years as a missionary among the Choctaws on the banks of Bayou Lacombe.
Choctaw
The Choctaw are a Native American people originally from the Southeastern United States...
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...
.
His interest in the Choctaws began in his youth. He was sent north in 1824 to divert his mind from them. In 1829 he was sent to France and finished his collegiate studies in Paris, Nantes
Nantes
Nantes is a city in western France, located on the Loire River, from the Atlantic coast. The city is the 6th largest in France, while its metropolitan area ranks 8th with over 800,000 inhabitants....
, and Rennes
Rennes
Rennes is a city in the east of Brittany in northwestern France. Rennes is the capital of the region of Brittany, as well as the Ille-et-Vilaine department.-History:...
, winning his baccalaureate
Bachelor's degree
A bachelor's degree is usually an academic degree awarded for an undergraduate course or major that generally lasts for three or four years, but can range anywhere from two to six years depending on the region of the world...
in 1833. He returned to New Orleans, and spent much time alone or among his Choctaw friends. Later he returned to Paris to study law, but preferred literature, and returned to Louisiana. In 1842 he made a third visit to France, where he published his first poetic essay, Les Savannes. This was well received and he returned to Louisiana to become editor of Le Propagateur Catholique. Before long he was ordained priest. Assigned to duty at the St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans
St. Louis Cathedral, New Orleans
Saint Louis Cathedral , also known as the Basilica of St. Louis, King of France, is the seat of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of New Orleans; it has the distinction of being the oldest continuously operating cathedral in the United States...
, he served for fourteen years as a priest in the city, then suddenly, in 1859, he severed all connection it and made his home for twenty-nine years as a missionary among the Choctaws on the banks of Bayou Lacombe.
Publications
- La Thébiade de L'Amérique
- L'Antoniade
- La Nouvelle Atala
- Wild Flowers