The Rt. Rev. Philander Chase, D.D. was the founder and first President of Kenyon College serving from 1824 to 1831. Chase was also the first Episcopal Bishop of Ohio. This collection of his letters is kept in the College Archives and is available to researchers.
The Philander Chase letters were written in the 18th and 19th century and therefore may contain language that we understand today as harmful or offensive. You may encounter paternalist descriptions of Native Americans, racial slurs, or sexism. For more information, see our policy page.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Charlotte Ward and Mary Ward
7-12-1824Charlotte and Mary Ward thank Chase for his letter and regret that they will not see him again.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Duff Macfarlane
7-12-1824Miss Macfarlane states that she will pay for the blankets that Mr. Wiggin is to tell Chase about. She hopes that the effects of an "un-Christian" article in the British Critical will soon fade. She will make sure that Chase's boxes are sent to him before he leaves for America.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Peter Roe
7-12-1824Roe tells Chase that he will happily support his cause and will reach out to his friends in Dublin to see about extending the cause in Ireland. He has written to William Sparrow and hopes he is well.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Robert Dow
7-12-1824Dow regrets that he could not see Chase but did not receive his letter in time. He notes that perhaps he should not have mentioned Chase's opinions on emancipation to anyone in England, but assures him that he should not feel "at war" with his conscious as letting "those people" free would only make them miserable. He admits that this is a subject for conversation and not letters, but believes he may have some authority as he has spent any years living in a "mixed society." Dow provides an update on the health of many of Chase's friends and wishes him well in America.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Lady William Somerset
7-13-1824Lady Somerset promises to do her best to advance the college and reports on the donations she has received.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Duff Macfarlane
7-13-1824Miss Macfarlane updates Chase on the subscriptions and tells of a letter she received about him from a Bishop in Scotland.
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Letter to Philander Chase
William Vale
7-13-1824Vale regrets that he will not see Chase again and asks to be added to his list of correspondents. He pledges his support for Chase's cause and promises to send him a parcel of books from Sheffield.
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Letter to Miss Kenyon
Philander Chase
7-13-1824Chase expresses his condolences for the death of Rev. William Jones and tells Lord Kenyon's daughter of the respect he has for her father.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Eliza Wiggin
7-14-1824Eliza regrets that she cannot see Chase and congratulates him on his newborn son. She asks for prayers as she will begin school soon.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Ambrose Dawson
7-15-1824Ambrose sends the Biblia Sacra and blesses Chase's new theological seminary.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Timothy Wiggin
7-15-1824Wiggin gives Chase financial advice on the purchase of land for the Ohio Seminary.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Margaret Kenyon
7-15-1824Margaret regrets that she won't see Chase again and sends gifts him from her sisters. She also sends her best wishes for his final departure from England.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Lady Olivia Sparrow
7-15-1824Lady Sparrow updates Chase on his cause and pledges her further support wherever he may need assistance.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Rev. W. Ward
7-16-1824Rev. W. Ward lists the friends that he has in different areas and gives Chase some general advice for the constitution of his church.
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Letter to Lord Kenyon
Philander Chase
7-16-1824Chase writes that he is on board the ship but won't sail today and that he received a letter from L. K and M.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Lord Kenyon
7-19-1824Kenyon discusses the recent subscriptions of the Archbishops of York and Canterbury, as well as ongoing issues with Bishop Hobart.
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Letter to Philander Chase
James Digges Le Touche
7-20-1824Le Touche regrets to hear that Chase has already left England and hopes that the letter will reach him. He reassures Chase of his support for Chase's cause.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Timothy Wiggin
7-31-1824Wiggin has been in regular contact with Lord Kenyon and reports that Chase's friends in England continue to work for his cause. The Arch Bishop of Canterbury has donated after a delay because he mistakenly believed Chase to be working with Bishop Hobart. Kenyon and Wiggin do not yet know who told him so. Wiggin proposes a plan for spending the money until subscriptions can be raised in America and assures Chase that Bp. Hobart has been the only significant dissenting voice against his cause.
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Letter to Josiah Pratt
Avison Terry
7-31-1824Terry reports that his friend Mr. Thompson has been swayed towards Chase's cause by the British Critic's article. He encloses £10 that Mr. Thompson has donated to the Seminary.
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Letter to Philander Chase
G.W. Marriott
7-31-1824Marriott reflects on Chase's success in England and updates Chase on the matter regarding the British Critic article. He also provides an update on the subscriptions at Oxford and hopes that they will soon extend to Ireland.
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Letter to Philander Chase
L.H. Sigourney
8-23-1824Poem inspired by Lady Rosse's generosity to the creation of Chase's church in Ohio. References the death of Philander Jr.
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Letter to "Friends in Ohio"
Philander Chase
9-1-1824Circular sent out upon Chase's arrival in America. Chase informs recipients of his safe arrival and sets a date for the Church assembly in Chillicothe.
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Letter to Margaret Kenyon
Philander Chase
9-8-1824Poem for Margaret Kenyon about religion in old age
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Letter to Philander Chase
Margaret Kenyon
9-14-1824Margaret asks Chase if her family can build a summer house in the Ohio woods and also requests the plans for the Seminary so the Kenyons can make a model of it.
