# Catholic Encyclopedia *Reference work cited in this record for its 1913 characterization of Louis Hennepin.* The *Catholic Encyclopedia* appears in the Minnesota record for one passage. Its 1913 entry on [[Louis Hennepin]], the Recollect friar for whom Hennepin County is named, states that Hennepin "has been denounced by many historians and historical critics as an arrant falsifier."[^1][^2] The evidence pack does not contain the entry's full text. The passage is quoted here as Wikipedia's article on Hennepin reports it.[^1] The project's at-issue record on the county's name sets the passage beside two other items. The first is the [[Minnesota Historical Society]]'s account of Hennepin's later books. The second is Hennepin County's own history page, which states that "the final choice was designed to honor Father Hennepin" and does not mention the record of his published claims.[^2][^3] ## What In the sentence Wikipedia quotes, the words "an arrant falsifier" summarize how many historians and critics had denounced Hennepin. The project's dossier and at-issue pair shorten this to the encyclopedia calling him "an arrant falsifier."[^1] Wikipedia's article also reports that Francis Parkman denied much of Hennepin's account.[^1] The Minnesota Historical Society's reference work, MNopedia, records the claims made in Hennepin's later books. They claimed a journey "from Illinois down to the Gulf of Mexico and back before his capture", some three thousand miles in a single month. They also falsely positioned him as La Salle's most trusted associate.[^2] The sources disagree on Hennepin's dates. MNopedia gives ca. 1640–ca. 1701, and Wikipedia gives 1626–1704.[^2][^1] The project's link catalogue also carries a New Advent copy of a separate *Catholic Encyclopedia* entry, *Oil of Saints*. That entry does not concern Hennepin.[^4] ## In the at-issue record The pair is filed as [[At issue 059 - Hennepin County is named for a man the]], in the block headed "The Land and the Name". It makes three statements: - the Minnesota Historical Society documents Hennepin as a fabricator; - the 1913 *Catholic Encyclopedia* called him "an arrant falsifier"; and - the county's history page "does not mention what he is best documented for."[^2][^1][^3] The pair lists a March 2025 White House presidential action as its anchor. The pack does not show that this document addresses Hennepin or the county.[^5] ## Omissions in official accounts - Hennepin County's history page records that the county was originally to be named *Snelling County* and that "the final choice was designed to honor Father Hennepin." The page does not mention the Gulf-journey claim or Hennepin's false self-positioning as La Salle's associate.[^3] - MNopedia records both of those items.[^2] ## In the Minnesota record ### Who - La Salle sent Hennepin ahead in February 1680. A [[Dakota]] party captured him on April 11–12, 1680, and held him near Mille Lacs until late June or early July. While there, he renamed the falls for St. Anthony of Padua.[^2] ### When - 1680: Hennepin is captured and detained near Mille Lacs.[^2] - March 6, 1852: the Territorial [[Legislature]] establishes Hennepin County.[^3] - 1913: the *Catholic Encyclopedia* entry on Hennepin is published.[^1] ### Where - Hennepin County, [[Minnesota]], with [[Minneapolis]] as its county seat.[^3] ## Notes [^1]: Wikipedia, *Louis Hennepin* — quotes the 1913 *Catholic Encyclopedia* ("has been denounced by many historians and historical critics as an arrant falsifier"), reports Parkman's denial, and gives his dates as 1626–1704. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Louis_Hennepin [^2]: Minnesota Historical Society, MNopedia, *Hennepin, Louis (ca. 1640–ca. 1701)* — records the February 1680 dispatch, the April 11–12, 1680 capture, the detention near Mille Lacs and the renaming of the falls. It also records the later books' Gulf-journey claim and false positioning as La Salle's associate. https://www.mnhs.org/mnopedia/search/index/person/hennepin-louis-ca1640-ca1701 [^3]: Hennepin County, *History of the County* — establishment on March 6, 1852 by the Territorial Legislature, Minneapolis as county seat, the original *Snelling County* plan, and "the final choice was designed to honor Father Hennepin." https://www.hennepincounty.gov/government/about/county-overview/history-county [^4]: New Advent, *Catholic Encyclopedia*, *Oil of Saints* — a separate entry of the encyclopedia held in the project's link catalogue. https://www.newadvent.org/cathen/11228d.htm [^5]: The White House, presidential action on eliminating information silos (March 2025) — listed as the anchor of the at-issue pair. https://www.whitehouse.gov/presidential-actions/2025/03/stopping-waste-fraud-and-abuse-by-eliminating-information-silos/