Born: Ennezat, Puy-du-Dôme, France, November 27, 1833.
Took the habit: N.-D. de l’Osier, October 31, 1856.
Vows: Montolivet, February 17, 1858 (N. 450).
Priestly ordination: Marseilles, April 7, 1860.
Died: Ennezat, France, December 11, 1902.
Jean Séguin was born in Ennezat, diocese of Clermont-Ferrand, France, on November 27, 1833. His parents were Antoine Séguin, farmer, and Couronne Livebaudon. After his classical studies, Jean began to study medicine. Then he entered the major seminary of his diocese. He began his novitiate in Notre-Dame de l’Osier on October 31, 1856 and he took vows in Montolivet on February 17, 1858. He did his scholasticate studies there from 1857 to 1860. In the novitiate the novice master, Father Florent Vandenberghe, always praised the novice’s piety, his docility and his simplicity. Before sending him to Marseilles, in September 1857, he wrote: “Séguin will now begin his theology. He is a good religious with qualities that are not brilliant, he is solid and has average capability. He will do good by his docility and his dedication.” Father Antoine Mouchette, moderator of scholastics, gave a similar opinion with regard to this candidate when he wrote in January-February 1860: “Still very good. A good-humoured character, thinks nothing of sacrifices and pain, plenty of good will. He is happy now that he knows he will be going to Red River. I believe he will be of great service there. He is a precious man, knowing something about everything and since he has no pretensions he will do much good.”
Bishop de Mazenod ordained him to the priesthood on April 7, 1860 and sent him to the missions in the Canadian Northwest. The young priest spent some time in Île-à-la-Crosse, Saskatchewan (1860-1861), where he began to study the Montagnais language. He then spent some weeks in Portage-la-Loche (1861) and, in the company of Brother Patrick Kearney, he travelled to Fort Good Hope, in the Northwest Territories (1861-1891). This was the only obedience in his missionary life.
Father Séguin visited Peel River (Fort McPherson) and then La Pierre House and Fort Yukon in 1862. That was his only journey to the Yukon but time and again he made the journey from Fort Good Hope to the Red River Arctic (to “Tchikatchik” or Fort MacPherson) and back by canoe: at least 30 times until about 1890.
For about twenty years he worked at the building of the chapel in Fort Good Hope. Its paintings on wood and its sculptures have made it a veritable chef-d’œuvre still today.
He was almost blind when he was sent back to France to be cured in 1901, hoping that he could be cured and return to his mission. He lived in his native village, Ennezat (1901-1902). It did not take the local population long to call him “saint”. That is where he died on December 11, 1902 and it is there he is buried. In 1873, Bishop Clut had put forward his name as a candidate to be apostolic Vicar of Alaska.
Yvon Beaudoin
and Gaston Carrière, o.m.i.
