Shannon Stirnweis (Arizona, New York, New Hampshire Oregon, B. 1931) "Bishop Frederic Baraga" Signed lower right. Original Oil painting on Illustration Board. Provenance: Collection of James A. Helzer (1946-2008), Founder of Unicover Corporation. This painting is the original painting which was published on the Fleetwood First Day of Issue U.S. 13c Postal Card for Frederic Baraga issued June 29, 1984. During the 1800's the spirit of adventure and the promise of rich farmlands lured pioneers into the great American West ... and into the heart of Indian country. Many of these early settlers lived in great fear of the Indian tribes ... and confrontations were many. But one brave man, Bishop Frederic Baraga didn't fear the Indians, and actually worked with them, taming their hostility toward the white man and showing them the ways of the modern world. Bishop Baraga first came to the Great Lakes region in 1830 when he volunteered for a fur trapping mission. Bargaining with the Indians, he surprised them by quickly learning their language, and they soon began to trust the Bishop. Living in the Ottawa town of Harbor Springs, Michigan, Bishop Baraga completed the task of learning the Ottawa dialect of the Algonquian Indian tongue while he endured great physical hardships trying to reach all of the Indians in his area. His great interest in languages helped him to later publish the only dictionary of the Ottawa dialect and a vocabulary book of the Chippewa tribe. In 1868, Bishop Baraga was buried in Marquette, Michigan, leaving behind a life of teaching, preaching, and helping to erect churches and schools for the welfare of the Indians. Because of the efforts of this kind, brave man of God, the Indians lived a better life. Even today, the region where Bishop Baraga lived and worked is sometimes called Baragaland. Image Size: 17.5 x 15 in. Overall Size: 20 x 17 in. Unframed. (B08850)