Chanche, John Joseph

Chanche, John Joseph a Roman Catholic bishop, was born in Baltimore, Md., of French refugees from St. Domingo, Oct. 4, 1795. He was ordained in 1819, became a member of the Society of St. Sulpice, acquired a high reputation as professor and president of St. Mary's College, Baltimore, was consecrated bishop of the newly erected diocese of Natchez, Miss., March 14, 1841, and after attending the Council of Baltimore in 1852, died suddenly at Frederick, Md., July 22 of the same year. Chanche, a man fitted to shine among the learned, gave his talents to an obscure and laborious field, zealously serving as a missionary priest, building up with no-resources a new diocese. See De Courcy and Shea, Hist. of the Cath. Church in the U. S. p. 150, 604-606.