ACCOLTI, MICHELE. - Jesuit missionary, b. at Conversano (Bari) on 29 Jan. 1807, d. at S. Francisco on 7 Nov. 1878. Having entered the Society at Rome in 1832, he was assigned in 1843 to the Indian missions of North America and embarked at Antwerp with Fr. Pierre-Jean de Smet (v.). A lengthy account of his journey was published by B. Accolti-Gil, Padre Michele Accolti, Bari 1916, pp. 65-129. In 1849 he founded, with Fr. Giovanni de Nobili, the new mission of California, and in 1850 he became superior of that of Oregon. Having come to Rome in 1853, he succeeded in having these two missions accepted by the Turin province of the Order. On returning to America, A. was professor and prefect of studies at Santa Clara, and preached in Nuova York and S. Francisco, where he spent his last ten years.
ACCOLTI, MICHELE
BIBL.: G. J. Garraghan, The Jesuits of the Middle United States, II, Nuova York 1938, pp. 295-435 passim; W. Bischoff, A sketch of Jesuits activities in the Pacific Northwest, The Jesuits in Old Oregon, 1840-1940, Idaho 1945.
Cite this article
“ACCOLTI, MICHELE.” Enciclopedia Cattolica, vol. I (1948), p. 146. Azione Romana digital edition, https://azioneromana.com/article/accolti-michele.