The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1897-08-19
BISHOP JACKSON KEMPER
A Sketch of the Man For Whom Kemper
Hall Was Named.

Hall was Named.
Large preparations are being made
for the sessions Of the missionary coun-
Gil in Milwaukee, beginning October
49, At the same time will be celebrat
ed the semi centennial Of the diocese
of Milwaukee, which, as the diocese of
Wisconsin, was organized in 1917.
Churchmen throughout the country are
invited and urged to be present.
1t is now more than sixty years, says
the Living Church Quarterly, since
Jackson Kemper was sent in 1885,
sngle-handed, to plant the standard of
the cross in those portions Of the coun-
try not yet organized into dioceses.
His title officially read, " missionary
bishop Of Missouri and Indiana, i" but
practically his jurisdiction was extend
ed over the whole of the boundless
west. Kentucky had been a diocese
since 1929, and Bishop Smith was al
ready at work within her borders;
Tennessee since 1923, with Bishop
Otey at her head. Illinois had organ
lied prior to the meeting of the general
convention of 1885, and had elected,
though extra economically, Rt. Rev.
Philander Chase, D. D., as bishop, and
the election was confirmed, though not
without opposition, by the same gen.
eraI convention. Michigan, which then
included the present state of Wiscon-
sin, had organized during the early
part of 1885, but was still without
bishop. Hence Bishop Kemper's orig
inal jurisdiction was exclusively west Of
the Mississippi, with the exception Of
the state Of Indiana, which was sepa-
rated from Missouri by the whole
breadth of Illinois, long and tedious
overland journey Of many days. Later,
the territory Of Wisconsin having been
separated from the state of Michigan,
| the feeble church in Wisconsin, by one
of those anomalous acts which were
only possible in pioneer days in church
and state alike, declared her independ-
ence of the bishop and diocese of
Michigan Bishop McCoskry having
been consecrated in 1856, and invited
Bishop Kemper to assume episcopal
charge of the churches in Wisconsin.
The action was warmly contested by
Michigan. and it became, though long
since almost forgotten among the many
controversies of frontier days, nation
al issue in the church, in which Bishop
Kemper and Bishop McCoskry both
claimed jurisdiction over the church in
Wisconsin. 1t was finally settled by
stipulation, confirmed by the general
convention Of 1888, and Michigan re-
coded from her claims. leaving Wiscon-
sin in the undisputed jurisdiction of
Bishop Kemper. In the meantime
Indiana had organized as a diocese,
and Missouri did the same thing in
1910; though for several years they
remained under Bishop Kemper's epis
copal oversight Wisconsin, however,
was gradually recognized as the radius
from which Bishop Kemper's mission
airy journeys were made. Bishop
Hawks was consecrated for Missouri in
1914, and Bishop Kemper then re-
moved his residence from st. Louis to
Nashotah, where Breck and Adams
were already at work in the associated
mission whichshas made Nashotah one
of the most familiar names in the leXi-
geography of the church.
From that time Bishop Kemper was
most largely associated with Wisconsin.
| His official title seems to have been
constantly changing. In the records of
the general convention of 1914 and
1847 he is described as Bishop of
Iowa, Wisconsin and Indiana In
1850 and 1853 as missionary bishop
of Wisconsin, Iowa, etc. "a large ct
cetera being understood. In 1856 he
was /" bishop of Wisconsin and mis-
sionary bishop of the Northwest" In
1859 he resigned his missionary COM
mission and was from thencefOrth
bishop of Wisconsin alone.
These, with many others, are the
missionary honors which will be COM
memorated in the approaching cele-
bration, in connection with which the
august missionary council will hold its
deliberations. Churchmen from all
quarters will gather to do reverence to
those who builded better than they
knew, and laid the foundations for
more dioceses, probably, than have
been founded by any other one bishop
since st. Paul.
Seriously Injured.