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 W. M. Douglas
Philander Chase
11-22-1842Philander Chase informs Mr. Douglas that he will be the first clergyman to preach at Jubilee Chapel.
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Letter to Mary Olivia Chase
Philander Chase
11-30-1842Philander Chase updates his granddaughter Mary Olivia about the state of Jubilee College, as well as news from the family and friends of the Chases.
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Letter to Laura Chase
Philander Chase
11-30-1842Philander Chase updates Laura on the progress of Jubilee College and hopes it does not go into the debt Kenyon has gone into.
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Letter to the Editor of the Banner of the Cross
Philander Chase
12-8-1842Philander Chase implores the editorial board of the Banner of the Cross to solicit money for the Missionaries in Illinois, who are not being supported by the Church. He writes that he would aid them financially himself but he does not have enough money for this.
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Letter to Laura Chase
Philander Chase
12-11-1842Philander Chase scolds his granddaugther for not writing to her cousin Mary Olivia more often. His health has improved an he plans to go on tour with Dudley.
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Letter to Laura Chase
Philander Chase
12-21-1842Philander Chase laments his sister Rachel's illness and updates his graddaughter Laura on the progress of Jubilee College. He implores her to avoid being carried away into the Millerist movement.
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Letter to the Editors of the Churchman
Philander Chase
1843Philander Chase writes to the editor of the Churchman regarding disparities in statements made by Bishop McIlvaine and the Board of Trustees at the General Convention.
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Letter to Mary Olivia Chase
Philander Chase
1-13-1843Winter has been harsh on Philander Chase, with half of his winter provisions for his farm animals already exhausted by January 12th. He informs his granddaughter Mary that he is healthy as is the rest of the family and discusses an ongoing debate about the status of the Mormon Church.
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Letter to H. H. Kellogg
Philander Chase
1-25-1843Chase responds to a letter from Kellogg regarding Chase's letter to his Clergy. Chase clarifies that in that letter, he did not mean to demean religious dissenters.
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Letter to Charles McIlvaine
Philander Chase
2-1843Philander Chase writes to Bishop McIlvaine to warn him against publishing a statement against him concerning the financial status of Kenyon College, and reprimands him for calling a Special Convention on the potential sale of the South Section of Kenyon College.
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Letter to Philander Chase
Samuel Chase
2-1843Samuel has read the statement about Kenyon's finances written by Bishop McIlvaine, and corrects what he sees as errors in its analysis. He argues that Philander Chase was given too much blame for the institution's debts.
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Reply of Bp. Chase concerning sale of "South Section" by Kenyon
Philander Chase
2-1843Chase is disappointed in Bishop McIlvaine's "erroneous" address to the convention at Newark which gave Chase too much blame, he believes, for Kenyon's debts.
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Letter to Anna Ingraham
Margaret K.L.
2-3-1843Margaret K.L. writes to her niece Anna Ingraham apologizing for her lack of correspondence and explains that she has been ill. She then informs Anna of other illnesses among her family and friends, including scarlet fever. She gives Anna advice for marrying a clergyman and tells her to remain pious.
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Letter to Rachel Denison
Philander Chase
2-23-1843Philander Chase empathizes with the illness of his sister Rachel.
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Letter to Edward Benson
Philander Chase
3-16-1843Philander Chase defines some ecclesiastical terms concerning the legitimacy of baptism.
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Letter to Rachel Denison
Philander Chase
3-24-1843Philander Chase wishes his sister Rachel good health and tells her he has been praying for her. He updates her on the health of the rest of the family at Jubilee.
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Letter to Laura Chase
Philander Chase
4-10-1843Philander informs Laura that he has appointed his son Dudley as an itinerant missionary, and they will travel together around the Diocese in the summer. Philander's nephew Samuel has recently had a son, March. Chase also reports on Jubilee College's increasing reputation and again affirms his disdain for the Millerites.
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Letter to Philander Chase
B. G. Roots
4-24-1843B. G. Roots advises Philander Chase on his travels, and tells him to stay with Mr Tuthill in Mt Vernon on his way to Chester as it is equidistant from Pinckneyville, where he had intended on staying.
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Letter to Simon Greenleaf
Samuel Fuller Jr. and Mrs. Fuller
6-27-1843Mr. Fuller writes to Simon Greenleaf to inform him that "the Ohio question is at length settled" and that he will travel to Gambier soon. His wife then takes over and writes the second half of the letter, informing her father that the flu is going around the family.
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Letter to Laura Chase
Philander Chase
7-10-1843Philander Chase describes his short tour of the Midwest to his granddaughter Laura. He visited Quincy, Chester, Mount Vernon, Grayville, New Harmony, and Kaskaskia.
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Letter to Philander Chase
S. A. Marriott
7-13-1843Mrs. S. A. Marriott fills Philander Chase in on a variety of issues including the appointment of a friend as Bishop of Tasmania (a penal colony), the appointment of her son Fitzherbert as Archdeacon of Hobart Town, meetings with friends in London and in the southwest of England, worries about the state of the Episcopal Church, and a former Kenyon student named Mr. Spencer who is now a missionary in New Zealand.
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Letter to Laura Chase
Philander Chase
7-29-1843Philander Chase has returned home after his long and arduous journey south. His health which was poor on the trip is now improved, but there is a drought at Jubilee.
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Letter to the Bishops
Philander Chase
7-31-1843Chase writes to the Bishops in vehement opposition to their ordination of Arthur Carey, who Chase sees as a sinner and a heretic.
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Letter to Dr. Coleman
Philander Chase
8-7-1843Chase writes vehemently against the rise of Roman Catholicism and derides a recent piece on it which was published in the Western Gospel Messenger. He enlists Dr. Coleman in helping him in this "battle with the Romanists."
