St. Louis Cemetery - Gervais, Oregon - American Guide Series on Waymarking.com

"ST. LOUIS, 3. m. (180 alt., 50 pop.), which grew up about the Roman Catholic church established by Father Vercruisse in 1846. The settlement consists of a church, a parish house, a parish school, and a handful of scattered houses. In the old cemetery is the GRAVE OF MARIE DORION, who accompanied the Astor overland party of 1811 (see TOUR. 1a). According to an early description, she was a tall, dignified, and strikingly handsome woman of much character." -Oregon: End of the Trail, 1940

The small community of St. Louis is a very interesting portion of "Tour 2B" in the Oregon guide. This excerpt notes the St. Louis cemetery and erroneously states that the famous Madame Marie Dorion is buried there.

The reality is that a notable local mystery is connected with the location of the remains of Madame Marie Dorian, an American Indian from the Iowa tribe and only female member of the Astor Expedition, who served as interpreter. She is a heroic figure, having attempted to save the life of a French member of the party during an attack by Indians. She ultimately settled in St. Louis and upon her death in 1850, she was buried inside the original St. Louis church. When that church was burned in 1880, her remains were forgotten and their exact whereabouts are no longer known. The current 1880 church building was erected but the exact site of Dorion's remains are unknown.

A historic marker, located behind the "St. Louis" highway sign south of the church, memorializes Madame Dorion. Also, the road to the cemetery is called "Dorion Lane" in her honor.

The cemetery itself remains as it was when the guide was published. It is known as one of the oldest pioneer cemeteries in Oregon and is maintained in excellent condition; it appears to have stayed clear of the vandalism that has plagued other local pioneer cemeteries.

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