Reverend Richard Baxter, S.J. was born in Carlisle, England on March 21, 1821.  He was the second son of Samuel Baxter and Mary Anne Bennis.  Both of his parents were Irish.  His father was from Tyrone and served as a military tailor of the 15th Regiment of Foot and was a staunch Protestant.  His mother, who was born in Limerick, was a devout Catholic.  One written account indicates that Father Baxter had four siblings, however another indicates that he had three brothers; Samuel, John and Wiliam and three sisters; Hester, Rosa and Anna.  In 1830, the Baxter family immigrated to Canada and settled in Barrie, Ontario.  It was there that Samuel Baxter and his children were received into the Catholic Church.

EDUCATION

As a young adult Richard had been attending school in Toronto, but after his reception into the Catholic church, he enrolled in the Séminaire du St. Sulpice in Montreal.  After graduating, on September 17, 1845 he entered the first Canadian novitiate of the Jesuit Order located at the Rodier Residence  in Montreal.  He was the first English-speaking novice to enter the society of Jesus in Canada.  In 1847, he took his first vows at Fordham, New York and began a teaching assignment at the St. Francis Xavier School, started by Fr. John Larkin, teaching Grammar and French.  He completed his theological studies at St. John’s College and was ordained to the priesthood on August 15th, 1854; the Feast of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary.

MINISTRY YEARS

Fr. Baxter’s first assignment was in Troy, N.Y. where he was involved in parish work and preaching.  He spent several years in Sault Ste. Marie, Garden River and in the Georgian Bay area.  On June 4, 1872, Fr. Baxter arrived at the Mission of Immaculate Conception near Fort William where he joined Fr. Dominique du Ranquet, the Mission Superior, and immediately began his ministerial duties there. 

The following is a summary of Fr. Baxter’s missionary activities in the region:

1872 to 1878

• As early as June 14th, 1872, Fr. Baxter made his first entry into the first Port Arthur Baptismal Register. 
• A month later, he secured a house on south Bay Street near Cumberland in which to open a small chapel for the growing population at Prince Arthur’s Landing.  He also spent time ministering to the the Catholic population at Silver Islet, Isle Royal and other mining centers in the area.
• In 1873, once the land had been acquired from the Crown for a new Catholic church, he began collecting funds for construction of what would be the first St. Andrew’s Church structure.
• He was responsible for the construction of the first St. Andrew’s Church structure which opened in 1874 and was dedicated to St. Andrew in 1875.
• He constructed a small presbytery on the church grounds in 1875.
• In 1876, he began ministering to the workers who were constructing the rail line for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
• During 1877 and 1878, he was a regular contributor to Port Arthur’s first Newspaper “The Thunder Bay Sentinel” providing information on the progress of the C.P.R. from West Fort William to Bonheur.

1878 to 1880

• In 1878, Fr. Baxter was transferred to Troy, N.Y. where he spent a year before relocating to Guelph where he spent the following year.

1880 – 1893

• Fr. Baxter returned to Prince Arthur’s landing in the summer of 1880.
• He was once again assigned to St. Andrew’s Church as well as ministering to the miners at Silver Islet and workers along the C.P.R. line.
• In 1880, he was responsible for the fundraising and construction of a convent for the Sisters of St. Joseph to house the nuns coming to the area for the purpose of teaching.
• After the first church structure was burned to the ground on February 6, 1881, Fr. Baxter immediately initiated plans to build the second St. Andrew’s church which opened for worship in August 1881.
• In 1882, with the assignment of Fr. Pierre Hamel to St. Andrew’s Parish, Fr. Baxter began work on the initial phase of construction of the first St. Patrick’s church as the small chapel at the mission on the Kaministiquia River could no longer accommodate the growing population of Fort William.
• In 1884, Fr. Baxter began building St. Agnes Church at the Town Plot (now Westfort).
• In 1885, Fr. Baxter resumed his missionary visits traveling along the rail line from Bonheur to the west and Chapleau to the east.  This work continued until the summer of 1893.

1894 – 1897

• At the age of 73, Fr. Baxter was relieved of his railway mission and relocated to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan in 1894 where he served as pastor.

1897 -1901

• Fr. Baxter returned to St. Andrew’s Church as an assistant priest until failing health forced his retirement from active ministry.

 

RETIREMENT

Fr. Baxter returned to Montreal in 1901 where he spent his final years at the Hôtel-Dieu du Sacré Coeur de Jésus.  He died on May 8th, 1904 at the age of 83 having spent 50 years in the priesthood and 59 years as a Jesuit.

Excerpts from  a narrative written by Rev. Francis Nelligan, S.J. in 1957 and published in the St. Andrew’s Church Centennial Booklet described Fr. Baxter as follows:

“Father Baxter was not long in the north country before his engaging personality, jovial ready wit, and universal friendliness caught the attention and won the affection of people of every class and creed.  He presented at first a sight rather bizarre in appearance with his long beard, rusty black cassock, and much worn hat.  Then on his frequent journeys he carried crisscross on his shoulders numerous canvas bags and bundles which excited curiosity and some amusement.  These contained of course his vestments, candles, his portable altar, and the famous tin horn on which he was wont to blow a strident blast to summon the Catholics together.  People might laugh at him at first, but as his figure grew familiar they learnt to respect and love him.  His generosity to the poor was proverbial.  A friend who had given him a warm coat and mittens was surprised to find him without them on a cold day shortly afterwards: a poor sick women had the greater need was the only excuse the embarrassed priest could offer.”

“For all the warm humility that usually characterized Father Baxter’s conduct there was something fierce and uncompromising about him when he had to confront organized vice or troublers of the public morals.  A pioneer mining center or camp of workmen living together far from home, often attracted the whiskey dealer or the patron of the gambling den or house of ill repute.  Father Baxter became a terror to such wrong-doers, for he rebuked them fearlessly, warned them repeatedly, and when there was no amendment, set the constables full upon them.  In the course of an active missionary life like that which Fr. Baxter pursued he had to encounter many dangers and hardships.  Yet neither the severe northern cold to which he was often exposed, nor his visits to fever-infested cabins, nor the fatigue of long tramps through forest trails, ever seemed to affect his health.  His sturdy frame seems to have been specially built by Divine Providence for apostolic work in northern frontier camps and communities.”

Fr. Baxter was officially recognized for his contributions to the development of Northwestern Ontario’s Catholic Community in 1978 when a provincial plaque was erected in his memory by the Ontario Heritage Foundation, Ministry of Culture and Recreation on the grounds of St. Andrew’s Church. 

The Plaque is located at the back end of the parking lot on the southeast side of the church near the entrance to Our Lady’s Chapel and Father Baxter Hall.