Joseph Renville
Encyclopedia
Joseph Renville was an interpreter, translator, and an important figure in dealings between white men and Dakota (Sioux) Indians in Minnesota
. He contributed to the translation of Christian
religious texts in to the Dakota language
. The hymnal
Dakota dowanpi kin, was "composed by J. Renville and sons, and the missionaries of the A.B.C.F.M." and was published in Boston in 1842. Its successor, Dakota Odowan, first published with music in 1879, has been reprinted many times and is in use today.
Joseph Renville's father, also named Joseph Renville, was a French Canadian fur trader, and his mother, Miniyuhe, was a Dakota, possibly a daughter of Mdewakaton-Dakota chief Big Thunder
. Renville's bicultural formative years may have included some education in Canada.
The town of Renville, Minnesota
, is named in honor of Joseph Renville, as are Renville County, Minnesota
and Renville County, North Dakota
.
to explore the south and west of the Louisiana Purchase
, as well as the U. S. expedition in 1823 to Red River of the North
led by Major Stephen Harriman Long
.
By 1827, Renville had settled at Lac qui Parle
, Minnesota , where he built a stockade
, kept a band of warriors, and continued his livelihood as a fur trader. In 1835, Thomas Smith Williamson, M.D. (1800-1879), arrived at Lac qui Parle, the first of several missionaries. Another, Stephen Return Riggs
(1812-1883) arrived in 1837. Two others, Gideon Hollister Pond (1810-1878) and his brother Samuel William Pond (1808-1891) were largely responsible for the creation of the Dakota alphabet. Renville and the missionaries translated The Bible into English.
Renville's French Bible, printed in Geneva, Switzerland in 1588, was used for translating. Riggs wrote that the little group of translators "usually consisted of Mr. Renville, who sat in a chair in the middle of his own reception room, in which there was at one end an open fireplace with a large blazing fire, and Dr. Williamson, Mr. G. H. Pond, and myself, seated at a side-table with our writing materials before us. When all were ready, Dr. Williamson read a verse from the French Bible. This, Mr. Renville, usually with great readiness, repeated in the Dakota language. We wrote it down from his mouth. If the sentence was too long for us to remember, Mr. Renville repeated it... That winter, the Gospel of Mark was finished..."
In 1836, Renville employed a clerk named Eugene Gauss (1811-1896), who, during his service as a private
in the United States Army
, had become "a pious Presbyterian and decided he wanted to be a missionary." Gauss assisted with translation of the Bible from French
into Dakota, and Dr. Williamson wrote, "Brother Gauss, Mr. R's present clerk being pious and feeling a deep interest in the spiritual welfare of the Dakotas and my own increasing knowledge of the French language make it more practicable to give religious instruction than heretofore." Eugene Gauss was a son of the renowned German mathematician and physicist, Carl Friedrich Gauss
.
s in Dakota Odowan are designated as Dakota Native Airs. Their names are LACQUIPARLE (number 141), LA FRAMBOISE (number 142), and RENVILLE (number 145). The first of these appears in many modern hymnals and is probably the world's most widely known melody of American Indian origin.
An examination of distinctive meters and other evidence leads to the conclusion that Joseph Renville probably composed the three hymn tunes, and he certainly composed the three Dakota texts. In modern English-language hymnals, a paraphrase by Philip Frazier, loosely based on Renville's text, appears with the tune LACQUIPARLE, and it is known to many Christians by the opening words, "Many and great, O God, are thy works, maker of earth and sky".
The hymn tune RENVILLE has been adapted for modern congregational singing in Singing the New Testament, a hymnal copublished in 2008 by The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and Faith Alive Christian Resources.
Minnesota
Minnesota is a U.S. state located in the Midwestern United States. The twelfth largest state of the U.S., it is the twenty-first most populous, with 5.3 million residents. Minnesota was carved out of the eastern half of the Minnesota Territory and admitted to the Union as the thirty-second state...
. He contributed to the translation of Christian
Christianity
Christianity is a monotheistic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus as presented in canonical gospels and other New Testament writings...
religious texts in to the Dakota language
Dakota language
Dakota is a Siouan language spoken by the Dakota people of the Sioux tribes. Dakota is closely related to and mutually intelligible with the Lakota language.-Dialects:...
. The hymnal
Hymnal
Hymnal or hymnary or hymnbook is a collection of hymns, i.e. religious songs, usually in the form of a book. The earliest hand-written hymnals are known since Middle Ages in the context of European Christianity...
Dakota dowanpi kin, was "composed by J. Renville and sons, and the missionaries of the A.B.C.F.M." and was published in Boston in 1842. Its successor, Dakota Odowan, first published with music in 1879, has been reprinted many times and is in use today.
Joseph Renville's father, also named Joseph Renville, was a French Canadian fur trader, and his mother, Miniyuhe, was a Dakota, possibly a daughter of Mdewakaton-Dakota chief Big Thunder
Big Thunder
Big Thunder may refer to* Big Thunder National Training Center, a Nordic skiing center in Thunder Bay, Ontario, Canada** Big Thunder Ski Jumping Center, a ski jumping hill* Big Sky Thunder, a professional indoor football team...
. Renville's bicultural formative years may have included some education in Canada.
The town of Renville, Minnesota
Renville, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 1,323 people, 508 households, and 329 families residing in the city. The population density was 948.9 people per square mile . There were 544 housing units at an average density of 390.2 per square mile...
, is named in honor of Joseph Renville, as are Renville County, Minnesota
Renville County, Minnesota
As of the census of 2000, there were 17,154 people, 6,779 households, and 4,623 families residing in the county. The population density was 18 people per square mile . There were 7,413 housing units at an average density of 8 per square mile...
and Renville County, North Dakota
Renville County, North Dakota
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 2,610 people, 1,085 households, and 748 families residing in the county. The population density was 3 people per square mile . There were 1,413 housing units at an average density of 2 per square mile...
.
Lac qui Parle
He participated in the 1805 Pike expeditionPike expedition
The Pike Expedition was a military effort authorized by the United States government to explore the south and west of the recent Louisiana Purchase. Roughly contemporaneous with the Lewis and Clark Expedition, it was led by United States Army Captain Zebulon Pike, Jr...
to explore the south and west of the Louisiana Purchase
Louisiana Purchase
The Louisiana Purchase was the acquisition by the United States of America of of France's claim to the territory of Louisiana in 1803. The U.S...
, as well as the U. S. expedition in 1823 to Red River of the North
Red River of the North
The Red River is a North American river. Originating at the confluence of the Bois de Sioux and Otter Tail rivers in the United States, it flows northward through the Red River Valley and forms the border between the U.S. states of Minnesota and North Dakota before continuing into Manitoba, Canada...
led by Major Stephen Harriman Long
Stephen Harriman Long
Stephen Harriman Long was a U.S. army explorer, topographical engineer, and railway engineer. As an inventor, he is noted for his developments in the design of steam locomotives. He was also one of the most prolific explorers of the early 1800s, although his career as an explorer was relatively...
.
By 1827, Renville had settled at Lac qui Parle
Lac qui Parle
Lac qui Parle is a reservoir located in western Minnesota, United States, which was formed by the damming of the Minnesota River. The dam was built by the Works Progress Administration . Lac qui Parle is a French translation of the native Dakota name, meaning "lake which speaks".The northernmost...
, Minnesota , where he built a stockade
Stockade
A stockade is an enclosure of palisades and tall walls made of logs placed side by side vertically with the tops sharpened to provide security.-Stockade as a security fence:...
, kept a band of warriors, and continued his livelihood as a fur trader. In 1835, Thomas Smith Williamson, M.D. (1800-1879), arrived at Lac qui Parle, the first of several missionaries. Another, Stephen Return Riggs
Stephen Return Riggs
Stephen Return Riggs was a Christian missionary and linguist who lived and worked among the Dakota Indians....
(1812-1883) arrived in 1837. Two others, Gideon Hollister Pond (1810-1878) and his brother Samuel William Pond (1808-1891) were largely responsible for the creation of the Dakota alphabet. Renville and the missionaries translated The Bible into English.
Renville's French Bible, printed in Geneva, Switzerland in 1588, was used for translating. Riggs wrote that the little group of translators "usually consisted of Mr. Renville, who sat in a chair in the middle of his own reception room, in which there was at one end an open fireplace with a large blazing fire, and Dr. Williamson, Mr. G. H. Pond, and myself, seated at a side-table with our writing materials before us. When all were ready, Dr. Williamson read a verse from the French Bible. This, Mr. Renville, usually with great readiness, repeated in the Dakota language. We wrote it down from his mouth. If the sentence was too long for us to remember, Mr. Renville repeated it... That winter, the Gospel of Mark was finished..."
In 1836, Renville employed a clerk named Eugene Gauss (1811-1896), who, during his service as a private
Private (rank)
A Private is a soldier of the lowest military rank .In modern military parlance, 'Private' is shortened to 'Pte' in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries and to 'Pvt.' in the United States.Notably both Sir Fitzroy MacLean and Enoch Powell are examples of, rare, rapid career...
in the United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
, had become "a pious Presbyterian and decided he wanted to be a missionary." Gauss assisted with translation of the Bible from French
French language
French is a Romance language spoken as a first language in France, the Romandy region in Switzerland, Wallonia and Brussels in Belgium, Monaco, the regions of Quebec and Acadia in Canada, and by various communities elsewhere. Second-language speakers of French are distributed throughout many parts...
into Dakota, and Dr. Williamson wrote, "Brother Gauss, Mr. R's present clerk being pious and feeling a deep interest in the spiritual welfare of the Dakotas and my own increasing knowledge of the French language make it more practicable to give religious instruction than heretofore." Eugene Gauss was a son of the renowned German mathematician and physicist, Carl Friedrich Gauss
Carl Friedrich Gauss
Johann Carl Friedrich Gauss was a German mathematician and scientist who contributed significantly to many fields, including number theory, statistics, analysis, differential geometry, geodesy, geophysics, electrostatics, astronomy and optics.Sometimes referred to as the Princeps mathematicorum...
.
Three Dakota Native Airs
Three of the hymn tuneHymn tune
A hymn tune is the melody of a musical composition to which a hymn text is sung. Musically speaking, a hymn is generally understood to have four-part harmony, a fast harmonic rhythm , and no refrain or chorus....
s in Dakota Odowan are designated as Dakota Native Airs. Their names are LACQUIPARLE (number 141), LA FRAMBOISE (number 142), and RENVILLE (number 145). The first of these appears in many modern hymnals and is probably the world's most widely known melody of American Indian origin.
An examination of distinctive meters and other evidence leads to the conclusion that Joseph Renville probably composed the three hymn tunes, and he certainly composed the three Dakota texts. In modern English-language hymnals, a paraphrase by Philip Frazier, loosely based on Renville's text, appears with the tune LACQUIPARLE, and it is known to many Christians by the opening words, "Many and great, O God, are thy works, maker of earth and sky".
The hymn tune RENVILLE has been adapted for modern congregational singing in Singing the New Testament, a hymnal copublished in 2008 by The Calvin Institute of Christian Worship and Faith Alive Christian Resources.