THE HISTORIOGRAPHER of

THE NA TI ON AL EPISCOPAL HISTORIANS AND ARCHIVI STS and

THE HISTORICAL SOCIET Y OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURC H published t o promote the preserving

of church records and the writing of parochial and diocesan history

Winter 2011 Vol. XLIX No. I

Editor: Deborah B. Crall, Trinity Cathedral, 100 West Roosevelt Street, Phoenix, AZ 85003 TheHistoriographer@gmail.com

Russellville

On 6 April 1935 the banner headline in the national edi- Americans, not only as equal citizens, but as equal

tion of the Norfolk, Virginia Journal and Guide newspa- churchmen and fellow Christians. Russell's non-stop

per read "SCOTTSBORO RULING CALLED NEW efforts and persistence led eventually to a legislative rec-

BILL OF R IGHTS." The ruling by the onciliation of the races within the Episcopal

United States Supreme Court represented a Church-a reconciliation that he did not

major shift in the trials of some of the de- live to see unfold in his own diocese. If

fendants citing deficiencies in the fairness nothing else the Episcopal Diocese of

of the court system in the State of Alabama.:' Southern Virginia, of which Russell was

Seventy-seven years earlier the Supreme archdeacon for 'co!ored work,' slowly

Court made its infamous Dred Scott deci- came to recognize that African American

sion of 1857 declaring that blacks are not churchmen are indeed equal not only at the

and never could be citizens of the United Lord's Table but in the Councils of the

States. Therefore Scott himself had no right Church. lt is certainly interesting and possi-

to sue for his freedom. In comparing the bly providential that Russell was born in

latter Supreme Court decision with the for- the year of the 1857 Dred Scott decision

mer, a sense of progress in the movement and that he died days before the high court's �---------� toward freedom for African Americans could be dis- adjust ment to the "Scottsboro Boys"' earlier trials.

cerned. fmportant as it was, the "Scottsboro" banner and Born into a slave family in Mecklenburg County, Vir-

its articles shared the newspaper's front page with an-ginia, James Solomon Russell's childhood was one of

other notable story but placed in a secondary headline constantly searching for truth, seeking to learn anything

which read: "3 Bishops, 40 Priests Among 3,000 at J.S. and everything with a mind of such probing inquiry that

Russell Rite." In the exact years between these two dif-his overseers and slave master could only be impressed.

ferent Supreme Court decisions lived a man who played Despite his subordinate status as a slave child he was

out his life in a struggle to free all humankind from all never intimidated by his master or his condition in life.

forms of slavery.

James Solomon Russell (1857-1935) was well-known

enough to garner national attention at his passing because

of his life's work and in the founding of what is now

known as St. Paul's College in Lawrenceville, Virginia.

He, too, was possibly the pivotal actor in the fight to get

the Protestant Episcopal Church to recognize African

Russell became the first student at the newly organized

Branch Theological Seminary in Petersburg, Virginia

after attending, off-and-on, Hampton Institute. The semi­

nary opportunity was so important to Russell that he

ended his Hampton studies early. But his relationship

with faculty and staff was so good that Samuel Chapman

Armstrong, Hampton's founder and principal, com-

Continued on page 3

NATIONAL EPI SCOPAL HJSTORIANS AND ARCHJVISTS

509 Yale Avenue Swarthmore, PA 19081

Phone/Fax 610-544-1886 E-mail: nehahqs@aol.com

www.episcopalhistorians.org

The Rev. Christopher M. Agnew P resident 12433 Richards Ride King George, VA 22485 540-775-6245

Ms. Susan Witt Vice-President 31 Central Avenue Hamburg, NY 14075 716-881-0660

Ms. Elizabeth Allison Secretary 18 First Street Vergennes, VT 05491 802-877-3895

Ms. Sa rah H ockings Treasurer 200 Library Place Princeton, NJ 08540 609-921-6284

The Rev. Philip Ayers 3232 NE 12th Avenue Portland, OR 97212 503-281-9610

Ms. Susan Rehkopf Diocese of Missouri 1210 Locust Street St. Louis, MO 63103 314-231-1220

The Rev. Bindy Snyder 539 Cherry Road Memphis, TN 38117 901-682-0438

Ms. Mamre Ma rsh Wilson 302 Moore Street Beaufort, NC 28516 252-728-5442

HJSTORICAL SOCIETY OF THE EPISCOPAL CHURCH

Ms. Susan Ann Johnson, Director of Operations PO Box 1749

Harlingen, TX 78551 Phone: 866-989-5851

Fax: 956-412-8780 E-mail: adm inistration@hsec.us

www.hsec.us

The Rev. D r. Robert W. Pri cha rd President 3737 Seminary Road Alexandria, VA 22304 703-461-1737

The Rt. Rev. Ca rol Gallagher 1st Vice-President 288 Harrison Avenue Harrison, NY 10528 914-835-4716

Prof. J. M ichael Utzi nger Secretary 842 Graham Hall Hampden-Sydney College Hampden-Sydney, VA 23943 434-223-63 13

M r. George DeFilippi Treasurer 3417 Barger Drive Falls Church, VA 22044 703-414-5302

D r. Edward Bond Editor, Anglican and Episcopal History 902 State Street Natchez, MS 39120 601-445-9366

The Rev. D r. Alfred Moss Cha i rman, African American H istorical Collection Committee 1500 N. Lancaster Street

Arlington, VA 22205 301-405-43 17

For information on Book Reviews, contact Dr. Carl Stockton at cr.stockton@comcast.net.

2

Who Owns the Past?

Reprinted with permission from anglicansonline.org

It started with a priest-friend who gave us upon retire­

ment a collection of book� that had been the rich intellec­

tual and spiritual garden of successive rectories until they

became too much to transplant even one more time. Then

there were the groaning deaccession shelves at theologi­

cal colleges and seminaries-abundance dispersed!

There were astonishing finds in the least likely of places,

too: a bric-a-brac shop in rural Saskatchewan; a book­

store at the airport in Milwaukee; a jumble sale at Christ

Church, Emerald City; the Odd Lots section of

an auction catalog. And

most recently, we've

found ecclesiastical treas­

ures of the material sort

hiding in plain view on

eBay and similar online

auction websites.

portraits, service leaflets, CDVs [carte de visite-see

http:! /en. wikipedia.org/wiki/Ca rte de visite], stereo­

views, medals, furniture, maps, and manuscripts. Some­

times, it has seemed as though the presence of one dead

bishop's papers in a house creates an almost magnetic

attraction for the papers of another dead bishop. And we

can assure you that CD Vs are a gateway addiction ....

We've done our best to repatriate these items when in

some cases they appear to have gone astray from their

proper places through improper channels. Oftentimes, we

never have so much as a reply when writing to a national,

diocesan, or parochial institution to ask whether it would

welcome the return of a cache of sermons or letters by a

distinguished church leader, a photo album from the par­

ish picnic in 1934, or an engrossed baptismal certificate

for a figure who went on to religious or civic promi­

nence. In real-life examples with identifying details

Deadlines for 2011:

Issue Spring Summer Fall

Submission Deadline 15 April 15 June I September

Continued on page 6

Bulk Mail Date 23 May 18 July 3 October

Russellville, continued from page I

plained that the Bishop Whittle of Virginia was "savage"

in taking Russell from his charge. Russell's second year

at Hampton happened to be the graduating year for

Booker T. Washington. Later in life Washington and

Russell would cross paths in their common quest for bet­

ter education opportunities for former slaves.

What became the St. Paul Normal and Industrial School

was incorporated in the Commonwealth of Virginia in

1893 and was an institution of the Episcopal Church.

This connection with the Church, though necessary for

support and initial funding purposes, became a thorn in

Russell's side years later when the American Church

Institute for Negroes (ACIN) became the prime funding

(and controlling) agency for southern black Episcopal

Church schools. Though ACIN provided some funding

for St. Paul's, it was necessary for Russell to spend much

of his time writing letters and traveling in fund-raising

campaigns for his school, not unlike university presidents

of today.

The AClN was modeled after the General Education

Board (GEB). The GEB, founded in 1902, was an arm of

the Rockefeller Foundation whose purpose it was to pro­

vide funding for the education of former slaves in the

South. Many of the contributors to the GEB (and other

secular foundations) were wealthy Episcopalians. Bishop

David Hummel 1 Greer of New York created the idea of

ACIN and wanted to attract contributions from those

wealthy Episcopalians. The first director of ACIN was

Samuel Bishop, who had difficulty controlling James

Solomon Russell and made charges of financial misman­

agement against him. In 1911 Bishop even tried to re­

move the popular Russell from the leadership of St.

Paul's by sending him and his son Alvin on a "vacation"

trip to Europe. Russell, after returning from Europe,

launched a counter-attack attempting to get Bishop re­

moved as director of ACIN. Neither ploy worked even

though a settlement was reached where operational and

accounting changes were made a St. Paul's. But the

ACIN itself never became what was intended and may be

deemed as another failure by the Church to appropriately

fund black schools.

Russell was appointed archdeacon for colored work by

the bishop of the new Diocese of Southern Virginia, A.

M. Randolph, in 1892. It was this work in the planting of

black churches within the large population of Negroes

living in the southeastern part of Virginia that made the

3

educational entrepreneur an evangelist. Archdeacon Rus­

sell was adept at self-promotion and learned to use his

position as archdeacon to upgrade his school. His self­

promotion was not the style of a self-centered person but

purpose-driven, a person who knew the hard work it

would take to keep his school not only afloat but to grow

and prosper. Concurrently, Russell founded or helped

found at least thirty-four African American congrega­

tions within the Episcopal Church in Southern Virginia.

This alone was a magnificent achievement in faith given

that the Methodists and the Baptists were the more suc­

cessful denominations in ministering to 'colored' congre­

gations. Most slaves once freed wanted to get away from

the church of their former masters. Russell, nonetheless,

persevered in his evangelism because of the Episcopal

Church's theology, its restrained and dignified liturgy,

and its ecumenical orientation, despite problems with

hard-line leaders on multi-racial governance. He was a

fighter in the best sense of the word.

How ironic it was, immediately after young Deacon Rus­

sell's graduation from Bishop Payne Divinity School

(originally Branch Theological Seminary), that he was

assigned to St. Andrew's Parish in Lawrenceville, a

'white' church with a fairly significant 'colored' mem­

bership. The white rector asked the bishop to assign Rus­

sell to St. Andrew's because of its racially mixed congre­

gation. The rector probably thought that the number of

blacks was sufficient to begin a separate congregation for

blacks only. Twenty years after Emancipation, blacks

were worshiping with white people in one church, albeit

in the gallery. Russell accepted the appointment and thus

began his 'adventure in faith.'

The founding of the St. Paul School was a joint effort of

James and his wife Virginia, but it was James who over

the years found himself traveling to the North seeking

funds for his school. As the school grew Russell also

founded a Farmers' Conference held every summer since

1902 to help and assist black farmers and tradesmen with

their futures. Russell gave speeches around the country

to both religious and secular groups. His speeches on

progress were laden with year-to-year statistics of the

success of blacks (economically and otherwise) in the

Southside of Virginia (an area covering more than just

Mecklenburg, Brunswick, Dinwiddie and Greenville

counties). He believed that he had to prove to his patrons

the year-to-year "facts" of progress in order to continue

to receive funds for his school. His churches grew also.

Continued on page 4

Russellville, continued from page 3

At one time the Convocation for Colored People in the

Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia was the largest

African American Episcopal group in the nation, not just

the South. The mentality of the South during the late 19th and early 20th centuries was that of separate but equal.

Indeed, the Supreme Court decision of Plessy v. Fergu­

son did not help. Russell was a Christian evangelist. His

African American missions

grew and he had to raise

funds for those congrega­

tions as well. It appears that

although Southern Virginia

was home to the largest

population of African

American Episcopalians it

had one of the lowest levels

of support for its Colored

Convocation. Other South­

ern dioceses had colored

congregations-it was the

norm of the day. In his re­

ports to the Annual Council

ary jurisdiction. The Convocations in the dioceses of

North Carolina and East Carolina were in the forefront of

this movement. The African American author and Afro­

American Episcopal Church historiographer, George ; . Freeman Bragg, Jr., also was an ardent supporter of this

movement. But it was Russell who persevered in oppos­

ing the special jurisdiction. It was Russell, a catholic­

minded (not Anglo-Catholic minded) churchman, who

resisted the movement for a

special jurisdiction; resist­

ing it because it meant

separation. He resisted be­

cause he believed it tore at

the soul of the church; he

resisted because he be­

lieved separation to be out­

side the Will of God. Rus­

sell asserted himself as a

force of reconciliation

within the Church. Rus­

sell's work and his popular­

ity played a role in his elec-

.·- tion as the first black

of the Diocese of Southern bishop suffragan in the con-

Virginia, Russell would tinental national Church. Group of Alumni of the Bishop Payne Divinity School, with boast of the growth of the Archdeacon Russell, its first graduate, seated in the center. Russell declined the Dio-

Convocation but he would Photo from Virginia Theological Seminary, Alexandria, VA. cese of Arkansas election

also provide the Council sufficient information suggest- and preempted a consideration by North Carolina to do

ing that the diocese did not support its 'colored' missions

and clergy effectively or fairly.

If financial support was not at par, representation in the

Council of the Church was worse. White parishes in

Southern Virginia had a vote in Annual Council and each

of their clergy (whether one, two or three clergy) had a

vote each. Conversely, the Colored Convocation

(anywhere from 10 to thirty-four parishes or missions)

had only one vote, collectively. Only grandfathered col­

ored clergy had a vote. The undivided Diocese of Vir­

ginia had granted council voting rights to all clergy re­

gardless of racial identification. But when Southern Vir­

ginia was formed, it developed canons limiting black

clergy votes on a grandfathered basis. This type of think­

ing of the Church had even deeper implications and cre­

ated division.

In many African American Convocations of the South

both lay persons and clergy wanted to have their own

racial bishop thereby having their own racial or mission-

4

the same.

The social status of the Negro in the years after Recon­

struction was not good in America's South. The Chris­

tian Church in America had been co-opted by regional

and political norms. Nonetheless, as Russell saw it, the

Gospel of Jesus Christ will prevail and the work of rec­

onciliation must be entered into.

Once when Bishop Arthur Seldon Lloyd addressed the

citizens of Brunswick County, Virginia at St. Paul's

School, he referred to the town as "Russellville." The

audience laughed as if the good bishop had erred. But,

no! The bishop knew exactly what he was saying. James

Solomon Russell and the St. Paul's School was the larg­

est single employer in Lawrenceville and Brunswick

County and many of Lawrenceville's finest buildings

were constructed by students from the Normal and Indus­

trial School.

The two bookends-the Dred Scott decision of 1857 and

the "Scottsboro Boys" trial reversals in 1935-provide

Continued on page 5

EWHP History Conference:

"Making Do, Getting It Done"

The Episcopal Women's History Project was founded in

1980 "to promote and encourage research, writing and

publication in all matters touching upon the history of

women in the Episcopal Church; to promote and encour­

age the collection and preservation of records and other

artifacts of interest pertaining to such history; to foster

and promote public knowledge of interest in such his­

tory."

In this spirit all interested persons are invited to a Confer­

ence in Seneca Falls, New York, 24-27 October 2011.

This years theme is "Making Do, Getting it Done."

Women of faith have traditionally had to "make do" with

whatever resources they could muster, working within

and transcending limitations imposed by economic, cul­

tural, and political realities as well as by the church itself.

In our current time of economic recession, political re­

entrenchment and growing environmental concern, the

theme of "Making Do" seems particularly relevant.

Seneca Falls is the site of the first Women's Rights Con­

vention in 1848, where women like Elizabeth Cady··

Stanton, Amelia Jenks Bloomer, and Lucretia Mott

"made do" and started a revolution in women's rights

that is still going on. Please join us in exploring this site,

Russellville, continued from page 4

the timeframe and context of the life and work of James

Solomon Russell. Russell's life, flanked by these two

monumental secular-social Supreme Court decisions,

provides the foundation and a model for future efforts at

recognizing the human dignity and human rights for all

persons. To this day Russell and his life's work directly

or indirectly influence not only those who made or make

laws and those who pass judgment on and correct laws,

but neighbors and friends living next door or down the

street.

fn 1996 the Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia

made Russell a local saint. fn the future the name of

James Solomon Russell should be honored in the Episco­

pal Church's prayer book as a national saint.

Bibliography

Anderson, Eric, and Alfred A. Moss, Jr. Dangerous Dona­

tions: Northern Philanthropy and Southern Black Edu­

cation, 1902-1930. Columbia: University of Missouri

Press, 1999.

5

their stories, and stories of other women in the church

who have said, "Yes, we can."

The EWHP Board extends an invitation to scholars and

others interested in women's history to contribute papers

of 15-20 minutes in length on such topics as a solitary

woman or group of women motivated by their religious

faith or working within their church communities who

"made do." Please send a 1-2 pp. summary of major

points, the bibliography you intend to use, and a brief

biographical statement to the program chair, the Rev.

Barbara Schlachter, 7 Glenview Kn! NE, Iowa City IA

52240 or b.schlachter@mchsi.com by 1 May 2011.

Here is a brief schedule of the conference: In the evening

of Monday, 24 October, there is dinner, an orientation,

and a visit from Elizabeth Cady Stanton herself.

On Tuesday, 25 October, hear papers on the theme, as

well as a Living History Panel featuring some of the

clergy and lay women who were active in the struggle for

the passage of the canon authorizing women's ordination

to the priesthood. The founding of the Episcopal

Women's Caucus and the early years of the struggle is

similar to the experience of the Seneca Falls women.

On Tuesday evening, Mary Donovan, a co-founder of

EWHP, will speak and then we will see a video funded in

Continued on page 6

Raper, Derris L., and Constance M. Jones. A Goodly Heri­

tage: The Episcopal Diocese of Southern Virginia

1892-1992. Norfolk: Pictorial Heritage Publishing

Company, 1992.

Russell, James S. Adventure in Faith: An Autobiographic

Story of St. Paul Normal and Industrial School, Law­

renceville, Virginia. New York: Morehouse Publishing

Company, 1936.

Archives of the Episcopal Church

Journal of the Diocese of Southern Virginia, 1909.

Journal of the Diocese of Virginia, 1889.

No1folkJournal & Guide, 6 April 1935.

Southern Workman, Hampton Institute: 35, no. 9

(September, 1906); 37, no. I 0 (October, 1908)

Worth E Norman, Jr. Independent researcher,

Birmingham, Alabama

woodE.norman@gmail.com

Who Owns the Past, continued from page 2

changed to protect the guilty:

We donated a small collection of 19th-century church

newspapers to a central church archive, and never re­

ceived an acknowledgment.

We inquired whether a diocese

would like the free return of a

cache of century-old personal

papers by one of its most illustri­

ous bishops, and received a per­

functory reply saying that they

already had quite enough of his

stuff, thank you very much.

We donated a rare liturgical book

from the 1920s to a seminary

library and received a kind email

thanking us. A month later, we

received an email from a friend

who studies there and knew of

our interest in the period, asking

whether we would like the self­

same book, as it had turned up in

the deaccessions shelf of items free for the taking.

So, having lost the trust for some church archival institu­

tions that we ought to have, we are content to be guardi­

ans of our goodly heritage for as long as necessary. The

papers and other items that have found their way to us

will be cared for, loved, and studied until we find more

permanent homes for them. But they are now personal

belongings of aficionados rather than the common prop­

erty of the larger Church that produced them, and this

should not have to be. A church should serve its mem­

bers-and, indeed, the world-by making the riches of

history easily accessible to those who wish to learn from

E WHP, continued from page 5

part by EWHP about Marge Christie, one of the most

influential early supporters of women's ordination.

On Wednesday, there are more papers on the theme fol­

lowed by visits to the historic sites associated with the

first Women's Rights Convention. That evening there is

an optional dinner at a local winery. On Thursday morn­

ing, there is an optional tour of local wineries and beauti­

ful sites of the Finger Lakes.

Overnight accommodations, breakfasts, and Monday and

6

them. Selling them for pennies on the pound to Jhe com­

mercial market where they may or may not be acquired

by good custodians is only marginally better than allow­

ing them to moulder unseen in basements. This vexing

subject raises a host of ,questions to which we're sure

there are no simple answers.

Who owns the past?

Why does the Church (with some major

and delightful exceptions) seem so often

bent on casting the pearls of its history

before Mammon?

Who on earth allowed a manuscript of

King Kamehameha's translation of the

BCP into Hawa'iian to be put up for

commercial sale this year?

Can a church be nourished in its own

saving faith without a knowledge of its

past? Put another way, how can we be

equipped to feed those with hungry

stomachs when our souls have not been

transformed by the renewing of our

minds?

It's stuff that matters in the complex answers to these

questions. It is stuff-printed, written, painted, sewn,

built-that carries and encodes our culture as Anglicans,

and it is this culture that gives us a framework in which

to pray, care, think, teach, heal, grow, feed, and sing.

See you next week, when the present will already be the

past, and when we're fairly sure our newest archival ac­

quisition-a gernrna ecclesiastica of unusual impor­

tance-will have arrived safely.

All of us at Anglicans Online 6 February 2011

http:! I anglicansonline. org

Tuesday dinners will be at the Hotel Clarence in Seneca

Falls. The historic church of Trinity, Seneca Falls, will be

our meeting location on Monday, and the historic church

of St. Paul's in Waterloo will be our site on Tuesday.

Ground transportation is available from the Syracuse

Airport. For more information, please contact Barbara

Schlachter at 3 19-35 1-4380 or email her at

b.schlachter@rnchsi .corn.

By Train to Pokegama, Oregon

On 6 April 1906, Bishop Benjamin Wistar Morris died at

assumed the dignity of a diocese, it still remains a vast

missionary field. Now look at the map again and trace

the boundaries of Crook, Klamath, Lake, Harney, Mal­

heur, Grant, Gilliam and Wallowa coun­

ties. Here we find that the Church has not

one church building nor service in this

territory as large as the whole of the New

England States. An appeal came from a

place in this vast field some weeks ago

asking for a church building and services.

This place is by name Klamath Falls and is

located in Klamath Co. Hither the General

Missionary went to investigate the possi­

bilities for the Church

the age of 87 years. A new Bishop, Charles

Scadding, was elected on June 14th but did

not arrive in Oregon until November 4th of

that year. In the interim Archdeacon Henry

D. Chambers took charge of the affairs of

the diocese. As the following article indi­

cates, he was particularly concerned with

how to serve the far flung reaches of the

vast region. One of those areas was the

Klamath Basin, located east of the Cascade

Mountains on the California-Oregon bor­

der. Bishop Morris had visited the area

then known as Linkville, as early as 1886,

and again several times in the 1890's. A

recently discovered letter in the Diocese

Archives opens a window on these times. L_����������--'

The way was long and tedious. Starting

from Portland at 8.45 P. M on the South­

ern Pacific R.R. and traveling a distance of

382 miles to a place called Thrall in Cal,

Archdeacon Chambers ( 1864-1936) wrote the following

article for publication in the national periodical "Spirit of

Missions" to solicit financial help. The article was re­

jected by the editor in a letter dated 4 September 1906, as

inappropriate and stated that this request should come

from the new Bishop after he was installed. The article

was never published and rendered mute. In 1907, a new

Missionary District with its own Bishop was created for

Eastern Oregon and a Parish Church, St. Paul's, was es­

tablished at Klamath Falls.

The letter indicates among other things, what travel was

like a century ago. Long gone are two communities

which are mentioned in the letter, Thrall and Pokegama.

Thrall was a significant railroad point between Ashland,

Oregon, and Yreka, California. Pokegama was a signifi­

cant lumbering community on the Klamath River just

inside of the Oregon border, an area well known to the

author.

Richard L. Van Orman, Historiographer and Archivist, Episcopal Diocese of Oregon,

historian@diocese-oregon.org

"A New Work in Southeastern Oregon" "If the readers of the spirit of Missions will take their

maps of Oregon and look at the size of the state, 98, 030 square miles, with only one diocese, while Main(e), Ver­

mont, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Rhode Island,

New Jersey, Delaware, and Maryland have only 88,480 square miles and 14 dioceses and bishops. This glance at

the map will give some idea of the extent of the diocese of

Oregon, and let it be understood that while Oregon has

7

where a stop was made over night in a tent. Then at 7:30 A. M taking a train on a logging road for a place called

Pokegema in Ore., a distance of 28 miles, here was found

two stages, drawn by four and six horses each The first

carried eleven passengers, and the latter twenty one.

The ride was 24 miles over the boulders on what/or lack

of a better name is calls a road, through virgin pine for­

ests, and also through a cloud of red dust. A stop was

made for dinner at a spring where horses were changed,

and then on again to Keno the lower end of Lower

Klamath Lake. Here we found a small steamer waiting to

take us to Klamath Falls a distance of 20 miles. After

washing the dust from our faces we were in a position to

enjoy some of the finest scenery that can be imagined.

Arrived at the city at 6.15 P. M Over this route all the

freight is hauled by "Freighters" that is used by the peo­

ple in this vast valley. Upper Klamath Lake is a large

body of water and is now being put to use. The U S. Government is spending four million dollars in digging

an irrigation canal, and in reclaiming tule land in and

around the lakes. Over 280, 000 acres will be brought

under cultivation, which will make this whole section a

vast garden. A R.R. is being built from Weed, Cal. To

Klamath Falls as fast as men can do the work. So the U S. Government and the R. R.s are seeing the value of this

section of the state. Shall it be said that the Church does

not? There are two religious organizations doing work in

the town and who are backed by their missionary boards.

The town has gown from 900 to 2000 in nine months and

as soon as the R.R. reaches the city will easily gain 1000 more in one year.

The missionary found about ten families of Church pea-

Continued on page 9

Epiphany Mission and Father Nakajo

The Vicar and the entire con­

gregation of Epiphany, an Ore­

gon Diocese Mission Church,

was incarcerated and forcibly

removed from the state, but

they continued to be an active

part of the Diocese. How and

why could this happen?

The Rev. Kenneth W. The October 1935, Oregon

.___N_ak_a_jo_,_c_._1_9_43_·_� Churchman, reported that a

new mission Epiphany Mission, for Japanese, had been

established at 22 S. W. Columbia Street, Portland, with

Deacon Kenneth W. Nakajo in charge. He had been or­

dained by the Bishop of Utah, on 7 July 1935. By De­

cember it was reported that the Epiphany Church School

numbered 50, including 1 1 adults. On 29 December,

Bishop H-uston of the Diocese of Olympia confirmed 18.

This also was the first use of an altar which had been

presented to Epiphany by Trinity Church School.

By March 1936, Fr. Nakajo also was working with 85

Japanese to start a congregation in the Gresham/Boring

area. A Japanese Mission Church School was started at

Boring, on 27 April, with 17 children attending the first

session. With the ordination of Nakajo to the Priesthood

on 30 August 1936, his work became a diocesan sup­

ported mission and his canonical residency changed to

Oregon.

On 5 December, approximately 150 members of Epiph­

any Mission held a reception in the Parish House of St.

Stephen's Cathedral for the Fr. Nakajo and his new bride

the former Miss Hoshiko "Esther" Kasuga, a member of

All Saints, Koishikawa, Japan, where they had been mar­

ried on 20 September 1937, in a marriage arranged by Fr.

Nakajo's sister.

In 1938, Epiphany moved to 125 Montgomery Street,

Portland, where on 18 December Bishop Dagwell con­

ducted a confirmation class. The Mother's Group, from

Gresham, met at Epiphany on 7 January 1939, to discuss

religious education of children.

The February 1940, Oregon Churchman reported Epiph­

any had a fine church school, weekly English language

classes, Japanese culture and history classes, mother's

club, women's guild and young people's fellowship.

English language classes and weekly services were also

conducted in the Gresham area. The 20 August 1941,

North American, Seattle, reported Epiphany has a school

8

named Seijo Gakuin, the " Stars and Stripes Sch_ool" that

endeavors to provide a Christian education taught in

Japanese. The article goes on to say; "We can declare

without hesitation that all the second-generation Japa­

nese are loyal American citizens ... "

No services were held at Epiphany after 7 December

194 1 (Pearl Harbor), because Fr. Nakajo had been imme­

diately jailed in Portland, and 20 days later sent to an

alien camp at Ft. Missoula, Montana. A letter he wrote

on 14 April 1942, indicates that his vestments had arrived

and that he had conducted a baptismal service in the Post

Chapel on 19 April.

On 19 February 1942, President Franklin D. Roo­

sevelt issued Executive Order #9066 which re­

quired all Japanese-Americans, including native

born, to be removed from the west coast. This

order impacted only those living in California,

Oregon and Washington and did not include those

elsewhere including the huge Japanese population

in the Hawaiian Islands.

Because the Japanese in Utah were not under Executive

Order #9066, Fr. Nakajo made several attempts to be

transferred to the Bishop of Utah, but to no avail.

In Oregon, all Japanese were ordered on 28 April, to re­

port by 5 May, to the Pacific International Exposition

Grounds, the " Portland Assembly Center", on Marine

Drive. They were "housed" in cattle barns. This order

included all the members of Epiphany Parish, Fr. Nakajo,

his pregnant wife and small daughter. The contents of

Epiphany including the altar and an organ were stored.

While at the Assembly Center, Fr. Nakajo taught classes

and ministered to his flock. On 26 June 1942, Mrs. Na­

kajo gave birth to a son. In September of 1942, the 2,3 18

Japanese assembled at Portland, were moved to the Mini­

doka Relocation Center, fdaho.

By May 1943, Fr. Nakajo was listed on the roles of the

Diocese of Oregon as Vicar, Epiphany, Relocation Cen­

ter, Hunt, Idaho. Bishop Dagwell confirmed a class at

Epiphany, Minidoka, Idaho, on 14 June 1943. By No­

vember of that year Fr. Nakajo was enrolled at Virginia

Theological Seminary, Alexander, Virginia, as well as

assisting at Emmanuel Church, Washington DC. The

irony of all this was that he was allowed to be a free citi­

zen in the nation's capital, but was considered a danger­

ous security risk in Portland, Oregon. The April 1945,

Diocesan Convention reported that Fr. Nakajo had once

Continued on page 9

By Train to Pokegama, continued from page 7

pie who are among the prominent people in town. These

are willing to do all they can to assist in building a

Church and sustaining the services. Two lots can be se­

cured as a donation but not central a site in a central

location will cost $2,500. The missionary secured $240, pledges in material for the building and, placed subscrip­

tion papers in the hands of active business men, and

hopes to hear soon that something has been done by the

people. Now the church building will cost $2,500 and if a

lot has to be purchased then add $2,500 more. So some

help must come from the outside. This church will be the

first one of ours in this vast territory larger than 8 dio­

ceses in the east. We ought to place a man in this field at

once, but he must be a missionary and live on missionary

fare and be content. If we had the means to sustain a man

here fro three or our years the place would be self sus­

taining. Hence I write in the hope that some one may see

this and also see the need and come to the aid of these

people.

I may add that the Diocesan Board of Missions are in

hearty accord with me in this work, and also that had we

a bishop at this time the appeal would have come from

him. The Rev. Charles Scadding, Bishop elect is taking

upon himself a great missionary task in accepting the

election, and yet a task which will bring in a rich harvest.

There are many more places in Ore. presenting serious

needs but this one ought to be attended to at once. I am

asking the General Board to accept subscriptions for

Klamath Falls, Ore. Or they can be sent to me and will

be acknowledged, or to Mr. Paul Van Fredagh, Se. of the

Diocesan Board of Missions, Concord Bid. Portland,

Ore. All subscriptions should be marked plainly.

Klamath Falls Work in Oregon.

Sincerely, [H D. Chambers} General Missionary, Diocese of Oregon 544 191" St. Portland, OR

Epiphany Mission, continuedfrompage 8

again settled in Utah. World War II ended on 2 Septem­

ber 1945. After the war no new mission work among the

Japanese in Oregon appears to have occurred.

In January of 1946, Bishop Dagwel 1 sent an organ to Fr.

Nakajo for use at his parish church of Holy Cross, Salt

Lake City. It is not known if this was Epiphany's original

organ. Fr. Nakajo continued to work in Utah, with out­

reach mission work in Provo, Bingham Canyon, Brigham

City and Layton unti 1 1949. He wanted to extend his mis­

sion work to Ontario, Oregon (Diocese of Eastern Ore­

gon) but apparently never did. During 1950-51 he was

Chaplain at St. Mark's (Episcopal) Hospital, Salt Lake

City. His canonical residence continued to be Oregon

until his death in Salt Lake City, 6 July 1953. Upon his

death, his wife, two daughters and two sons returned to

Japan to live. However, Mrs. Nakajo returned at some

point and was living in San Francisco in the early 1970's

Richard L. Van Orman, Historiographer and Archivist, Episcopal Diocese of Oregon,

historian@diocese-oregon.org

Na ti on al Episcopal Historians and Archivists [_ -�-- . -�j Search this site

l\l:IL-\ Hom• 20ll 1'li!L-\ Conference Attirities Publications Resonrce Links Past l'<e.nts History Bl��, Contact Sitemap

NEHA Website Makover

The NEHA website at www.episcopalhistorians.org has

had a makeover! Matthew Payne of the Diocese of Fond

du Lac was recently appointed websexton by the NEHA

Board and began a process to make the website more

useful in achieving NEHA's goals. Our thanks to former

websexton Nancy Walsh for her years of work on the

website.

After a process undertaken to understand the desired use

of the site and evaluating a variety of ways to implement

them, an action plan was developed. The plan included a

free hosting service (saving NEHA over $ 100 a year)

with the ability to provide an archive for Episcopal histo-

9

rians and archivists. Of course an archive is useless if one

can't find information that isn't there, so over time the

site is being populated with a variety of resources.

Some information being considered for publication in­

cludes back-issues of The Historiographer, an obituary

page with those we have published in the Historiogra­

pher, content from past engagement calendars, various

lists of past board members, meeting sites, etc.

In addition, NEHA is now on Facebook Uust search for

NEHA) and has a YouTube account to allow posting of

video content.

If you haven't visited the site recently, why not do so

today at www.episcopalhistorians.org.

2011 NEHA Conference Details

Eden: The End of the Oregon Trail

Tuesday, 14 June 2011 2 :00-4:00 pm Registration, University Place Hotel, PSU

3 :30 & 4 :30 Shuttle runs to The Bishop's Close

4 :00 pm Tour Elk Rock Gardens & Diocesan Archives

5 :30 pm Welcome to Oregon-Bishop Michael Han­

ley; Evensong in Chapel of St . Mary the Vir­

gin, Reception & Buffet

7 :00 & 7:30 Shuttle runs to University Place Hotel, PSU

Wednesday, 15 June 201 1 8 :00 am Tour bus departs, University Place Hotel, P SU

Morning Prayer on bus-Fr. Phillip Ayers

l. The Rev. St . Michael Fackler's homestead, Butte­

ville & Champoeg

2.Town of St . Paul, 1838 Roman Catholic Church­

Monsignor Moyes

3. Salem, box lunches

4. Pacific Northwest Methodist Archives, Salem,

Willamette University, State Capitol

5 . Mt . Angel Benedictine Abbey & Library

5 :15 p .m. Vespers, Abbey Church,

German Dinner : The Glockenspiel Restaurant Pub

6 . Oregon City, Willamette Falls

7. Old St . John's Church, Milwaukie

Thursday, 1 6 June 201 1 7 :30 am Registration Desk "pens, Trinity Cathedral

8 :00 am Morning Prayer, Trinity Cathedral Chapel

8 :30 am Episcopalians in Oregon-"Rusty" Kimsey,

9 :30 am

10 :30 am

11 :00 am

12 :00

2 :30 pm

3 :00 pm

4 :00 pm

5 :00 pm

retired Bishop of Eastern Oregon

501" Anniversary ofNEHA & Remembrance

of Larry Fish

Break

Cathedral Tour-Prof. Ann Weikel

Eucharist, Trinity Cathedral-Bishop Hanley

Lunch in the Morrison Room

The Rev. William Richmond, First Missionary

to Oregon-Jean Ballard Terepka

The Rev. Reuben Nevius, Pioneer-Gregg

Nelson

Sir Francis Drake in Early Oregon-James

Baxendale

Evening free

Friday, 17 June 2 0 11 7 :30 am Morning Prayer, Trinity Cathedral Chapel

8 :00 am Breakfast in the Morrison Room

9 :00 am NEHA Business Meeting

10 :00 am Archival Methods

1 1 :00 am

12 :00 am

Writing a Parish History

Lunch in the Morrison Room

Fr. Lawrence Crumb-Creator & Singer of

Extraordinarily Witty Songs

10

GENERAL CONFERENCE INFORMATION

Dates: Tuesday, June 14, 2011 thru Friday, June 17, 2011

Location: Trinity Cathedral, 147 NW 191" Avenue, Portland

OR 97209; www.trinity-episcopal.org '

Hotel: University Place Hotel and Conference Center, 310

SW Lincoln Street, Portland, OR 97301; phone 503-221-

0140 or 1-866-845-4647, www.uplace.pdx.edu

Ask for 2011 National Episcopal Historians and Archivist

Conference for Conference rate of$79.00 plus tax for king

or double.

Conference Registration Options:

$ 210.00 with 1 April postmark: All events and meals per

agenda, reception, Transportation and tour

$ 240.00 with 15 May postmark : All events and meals per

agenda, reception, Transportation and tour

$ 90.00 for Thursday and Friday : All events and meals per

agenda

Travel:

Air travel is via Portland International POX.

NO shuttle is available to University Place Hotel but light

rail is available from POX to downtown where taxi or bus is

available to University Place Hotel .

Train travel via Amtrak : Union Station is in downtown Port­

land, taxis and buses are available.

Auto travel : Parking is available at University Place and

Trinity Cathedral.

Note : You will find that Portland has an extensive public

transportation system which includes a light rail, street cars,

and buses.

The following meals are provided in the registration fee :

Tuesday : Evening reception buffet

Wednesday : box lunch and beverage

Thursday : lunch

Friday : breakfast and lunch

Hot breakfast Buffet available at hotel for guests

Meals not covered : Wednesday bus tour dinner, Glocken­

spiel Restaurant. Plan on prices between $15.00 and $25.00

plus beverages .

Weather: The Willamette Valley is known for its frequent

showers, so bring light weight rain gear. Temperatures are

mild to warm.

Special needs: Please indicate on registration form any spe­

cial dietary or physical needs that you may have.

Q uestions: Contact Richard Van Orman, Conference Chair

richardvanorman@msn.com

NEHA CONFERENCE REGIST RAT ION FORM

Mai l completed form with check to the address at bottom of page

NOTE: last postmark for this registration is May 15, 20 1 1

Use one form per person

NAME: _______________________ _

MAILING ADDRESS: _________________ _

CITY, STATE/PROVINCE, ZIP ______________ _

Email: PHONE: __________ _ -------------

FULL REGISTRATION FEE per person:

Postmarked by April 1

Postmarked by May 1 5

2 days only; Thursday and Friday

MAKE CHECK PAY ABLE TO: Episcopal Diocese of Oregon

$ 210.00

$ 240.00

$ 90.00

(Note : NEHA Conference on memo l ine of check)

MAIL COMPLETED FORM and CHECK TO:

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Episcopal Diocese of Oregon Richard L. Van Orman Historiographer and Archivist 1 1 800 SW Military Lane Portland, OR 972 1 9-843 6

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HOTEL RESERVATION: If you are staying at University Place Hotel be sure to reserve your room by April 1 2, 20 1 1 for NEHA Confer­ence rate. University Place Hotel and Conference Center

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503-221-01 40 -or- 1-866-845-4647

See page 1 2 for bus tour lunch options.

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The National Episcopal Historians and Archivists c/o Trinity Cathedral 100 West Roosevelt Street Phoenix, AZ, 85003

NONPROFIT ORG. US POSTAGE

PAID PHOENIX, AZ PERMIT NO. I

R -' C '""' t !d '

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

BUS TOUR LUNCH

Bus tour lunches: Please circle the number of your lunch choice

and return with your registration form.

#I ROASTED TURK EY with dill havarti, herbed mayo, lettuce and tomato of foccacia

#2 B LACK FOREST HAM & BRIE with Dij on-pepper spread on foccacia

#3 ALBACORE TUNA with lettuce, red onion, lemon-caper mayo on multi-grain bread

#4 CLASSIC CAP RESE provolone, roma tomatoes, fresh basil, balsamic vinaigrette on French baguette

#5 M E DITERRANEAN WRAP with hum m us, red peppers, cucumber, Greek olives, cream cheese, lettuce wrapped in a flour tortilla

#6 CHICK EN-HAZELNUT SALAD with dried cranberries, red onion, lettuce, cucumber-dill dressing on multi-grain bread

#7 PEAR CHICKEN SALAD; marinated chicken breast, can­died pecans, fresh pears, crumbled blue cheese, roasted pear vin­aigrette

#8 ORGANIC M IX E D G REENS & G RI LLED CH ICK EN; chicken , tomato, cucum ber, red onion, house made dressing (circle one: creamy cucumber dill, blue cheese, balsamic vinai­grette, roasted pear)

1 2

• Russellville, pages 1, 3-5

• Who Owns the Past, pages 2, 6

• E WHP History Conferen-ee, pages 5-6

• By Train to Pokegama, pages 7, 9

• Epiphany Mission and Father Nakajo, pages 8-9

• NEHA Website Makeover, page 9

• . NEHA Conference Details, Information, & Regis­

tration, pages 1 0-12

Upcoming Events N EHA Conference:

Eden : The End of the Oregon Trai l

Trin ity Cathedral

_ Portland, OR

1 4- 1 7 June 20 1 1

www . ep is co pa lh istoria ns. o rg/ activi ties/20 1 1 -n eh a-conference