History of Fr. Pandosy

October, of 2009, marks the arrival of Father Pandosy, OMI, Father Richard, OMI, Brother Surel, 150 years ago. They arrived along with Cyprian Laurence, wife Teresa, Theodore his brother, a Flathead native and his wife and their packer William Pion. They settled for the winter at the South end of Duck Lake. Near them, located on the flats, was a family of squatters, the Parsons.

It had not been an easy journey for them. There were setbacks from the start of their trip. Father Pandosy, OMI had been directed to go to Colville to pick up supplies from the Jesuits. Unfortunately the crops had not been that great and so they were only able to gather a portion of the supplies they would need.

The party settled in but were unprepared for the very harsh winter that lay ahead of them. They did not have enough food or adequate clothing for the cold Valley temperatures. With little or no support from their superior they had to rely on themselves. Water was hard to retrieve as the small lake froze out along the edges. With supplies running low, they eventually had to kill most of their horses to survive.

In the spring they scouted around the valley and decided to move their location 12 miles south of Duck Lake and there they proceeded to build the Chapel.

Father Richard registered the 160 acres of land on November 30^th, 1860, at the Land registry office in Rock Creek. Thus began the first white settlement in the Okanagan Valley.

On August 8^th, 2009, there will be a Pioneer Day event at the Mission site that will include demonstrations of some of the old equipment and other displays. If anyone would like to participate in this event by making butter, carding wool, making soap, quilting, etc. please contact Alice Lundy at (250) 763-3458.

The big event planned for the site will be on August 7^th 2010, when the 150 year anniversary of the building of the Chapel and registration of the land will be celebrated. At the present time, a Holy Mass and other events are planned. Again, if you are interested in helping in any way please contact Alice at (250) 763-3458.

Father Pandosy's first 'settlement' in 1859 was actually at the south end of Duck lake ( quite a ways from Mission Creek) where he nearly froze and starved to death. In fact the natives and some early French settlers kept him alive. The Mission Creek settlement was not until 1860.

McDougall's fur trading post was already in the area and thus some other settlers. Pandosy was NOT the first.

There is also evidence that the native people did succeed at 'schooling.

All this information is freely available online. Or contact Bob Hayes bob22@telus.net and/or Reg Volk [/sqmail/src/compose.php?send_to=regvolk1@uniserve.com] for correct and more information regarding Fr. Pandosy's history.