The Irish standard. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn. ;) 1886-1920, 1915-06-12
FATHER KETCHUM HoNoRED

At the commencement of Fordham
University, June 14th, the Degree of
Doctor of Laws, will be conferred upon
Reverend William Henry Ketcham,
Director of the Bureau of Catholic In
dian Missions, Washington, d. c..
Father Ketcham is one of the best
known Catholic clergy stationed in
the national capital. He was born
June l 1863, at Sumner, Brewer coun-
ty. Iowa. and studied in the private
schools of Willow Point and Hubbard,
Texas; st. Charles College, Grand
Coteau, Louisiana; and Mount st.
Mary's of the West, Cincinnati, Ohio.
He was ordained March 10, 1892, by
Rt. Rev. Theophile Meerschaert, d. D.,
and appointed missionary to the PEG.
pie of the Creek and Cherokee Nations
and of the Quapaw Agency. Indian
Territory (now Oklahoma) with head
quarters at Moskogee Greek Nation),
where he served until 1897, when he
was appointed to labor among the peo-
pie of the eastern portion Of the Choc-
taw Nation, with headquarters at Ant
lers.
While missionary in Indian Terri
tory, he completed the church in Mus.
kogee, built factory and established
there school (boarding and day. for
boys and girls, with Sisters as teach
ers; also built churches in Eufaula
and Wagner. Creek Nation; in Vini-
ia, Cherokee Nation; built church and
rectory and schools tboarding and
day. for boys and girls, under the
management of Sisters among the
Quapaws of Quapaw Agency, and
among the Choctaws of Antlers; made
the initial preparation toward the
building of churches in Cayuga, Seneca
Nation; Lenapah, Cherokee Nation;
Telsa, Greek Nation; established mis-
sion stations in other portions Of the
Creek and Cherokee Nations, and
among the Wyandottes, Peorias, and
Miamis of the Quapaw Agency; also
throughout the southern, central and
eastern districts of the Choctaw Ma
ton; the principal stations of these
sections being an Antlers and Potean.
In all the missions Father Ketcham
received large number of Indian
and white converts into the Catholic
Church.
In 1901, Father Ketcham was ap-
pointed Director of the Bureau of
Catholic Indian Missions, Washington,
where as head of this bureau, with the
help of friends he rallied to the cause
of the Indian missions, he has brought
about various noteworthy results, such
as amicable and cordial relations be-
tween the Government and the Bureau
and between the missionaries and the
Government officials; the abolishing
of the Browning Ruling whereby the
right to choose school for an Indian
child was taken from the parent and
vested in the Indian agent; the recog-
milton of the right of Catholic pupils
in Government schools to attend Cath
olic services and to receive Catholic
instruction, and the securing of
priests for this work; the securing of
the use of Indian Tribal funds for sup
port and education of Indian pupils
in certain mission schools to the
amount on an average of about $685.
900 year, which was expended in full
by contract on the Catholic mission
contract schools; the restoring of ra-
tions to children in mission schools,
wherever those schools are located on
ration agencies; the securing of fee
simple titles to such of the land &C.
cupied by missions and schools on In
dian reservations; the establishing of
new schools, churches and missions.
Father Ketcham has promoted
throughout the various dioceses the
Society for the Preservation of the
Faith many Indian Children-which
has become a great factor in the main
tanning of the AZ mission schools
that do not receive any tribal assist
ance. He also published an annual,
entitled, THE Indian Sentinel" in the
interest of this Society. He has Wis.,
tied and inspected most of the Indian
reservations and missions of the
United States.
On December s. 1912, he was ap-
pointed by President Taft, a member
of the Board of Indian Commissioners.
Father Ketcham is at present in Ok
lahoma, inspecting Indian missions
and schools.