Father William Judge, S. J.

Father William Judge is remembered as the “Saint of Dawson.” An American Jesuit missionary, he went to Alaska in 1890 to work among the Indians of the lower Yukon. He moved to Forty Mile in 1895, and when gold was discovered near Dawson he followed his parishioners there in 1897. Judge devoted himself totally to the physical and spiritual well-being of the miners. He built Dawson’s first hospital, St. Mary’s, and for one year single-handedly ran both it and his church. He was well-loved by the local people and his death caused widespread mourning throughout the community.

On se souvient du père William Judge comme du «saint de Dawson». Missionnaire jésuite américain, il se rend en Alaska en 1890 pour oeuvrer chez les Indiens du bas Yukon. Il déménage à Forty Mile en 1895 et, suite aux premières découvertes d’or près de Dawson, il y rejoint ses ouailles en 1897. Là, il se consacre entièrement au bien-être physique et spirituel des mineurs. Il construit le premier hôpital de Dawson, St. Mary’s, qu’il dirige seul, en même temps que sa paroisse, pendant un an. Sa mort sème le deuil parmi toute la collectivité locale, qui lui vouait un profond attachement.