Samuel Cook Edsall (February 15, 1860 – February 17, 1917) was a

bishop A bishop is an ordained clergy member who is entrusted with a position of authority and oversight in a religious institution. In Christianity, bishops are normally responsible for the governance of dioceses. The role or office of bishop is c ...

North Dakota North Dakota () is a U.S. state in the Upper Midwest, named after the indigenous Dakota Sioux. North Dakota is bordered by the Canadian provinces of Saskatchewan and Manitoba to the north and by the U.S. states of Minnesota to the east, So ...

and

Minnesota Minnesota () is a state in the upper midwestern region of the United States. It is the 12th largest U.S. state in area and the 22nd most populous, with over 5.75 million residents. Minnesota is home to western prairies, now given over to ...

in The Episcopal Church.

Biography

The son of James K. Edsall,

Illinois Attorney General The Illinois Attorney General is the highest legal officer of the state of Illinois in the United States. Originally an appointed office, it is now an office filled by statewide election. Based in Chicago and Springfield, Illinois, the attorne ...

, and Caroline Florella More, Edsall graduated from

Racine College Racine College was an Episcopal preparatory school and college in Racine, Wisconsin, that operated between 1852 and 1933. Located south of the city along Lake Michigan, the campus has been maintained and is today known as the DeKoven Center ...

, and after admission to the bar in 1882, initially followed his father's career, practicing law in

Chicago (''City in a Garden''); I Will , image_map = , map_caption = Interactive Map of Chicago , coordinates = , coordinates_footnotes = , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name ...

. However, Edsall became increasingly drawn to spiritual matters. He attended

Western Theological Seminary Western Theological Seminary (WTS) is a private seminary located in Holland, Michigan. Established in 1866, it is affiliated with the Reformed Church in America, a mainline Reformed Protestant denomination in Canada and the United States. ...

, was ordained

deacon A deacon is a member of the diaconate, an office in Christian churches that is generally associated with service of some kind, but which varies among theological and denominational traditions. Major Christian churches, such as the Catholic Chur ...

on December 23, 1888, and

priest A priest is a religious leader authorized to perform the sacred rituals of a religion, especially as a mediatory agent between humans and one or more deities. They also have the authority or power to administer religious rites; in partic ...

on June 2, 1889, by Bishop William Edward McLaren. He served as rector of St. Peter's church in Chicago for a decade. The 1898

General Convention The General Convention is the primary governing and legislative body of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. With the exception of the Bible, the Book of Common Prayer, and the Constitution and Canons, it is the ultimate authority ...

chose Edsall as the Missionary Bishop of North Dakota and he was consecrated in Chicago on January 25, 1899. In June 6, 1901, he was elected Coadjutor Bishop of Minnesota, and upon the death of bishop Henry Whipple, he succeeded as diocesan. He was installed on October 3, 1901. He then moved to

Minneapolis Minneapolis () is the largest city in Minnesota, United States, and the county seat of Hennepin County. The city is abundant in water, with thirteen lakes, wetlands, the Mississippi River, creeks and waterfalls. Minneapolis has its origins ...

and made it the new headquarters of the Diocese of Minnesota. He served 16 years, dying in office and succeeded by his suffragan,

Frank McElwain Frank Arthur McElwain (December 14, 1875 – September 19, 1957) was a Bishop of Minnesota in The Episcopal Church. Early life and education McElwain was born on December 14, 1875 in Warsaw, New York, the son of James Frank McElwain and Mary S ...

References and external links

New York Times reports his election as bishop

New York Times obituary

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Edsall, Samuel Cook 1860 births 1917 deaths Episcopal bishops of Minnesota People from Dixon, Illinois Illinois lawyers Racine College alumni Seabury-Western Theological Seminary alumni 19th-century American lawyers 19th-century American Episcopalians Episcopal bishops of North Dakota