The "Life And Legacy Of Episcopal Priest Enmegahbowh" Story

It was an ordinary day.  Checking the website for my church, St. James Episcopal, when I came upon an interesting story.  The story began telling about a fellow named John Johnson.  After becoming confused while reading, I began a search for information about the fellow known as John Johnson.  Needless to say, there are many sites to check, unless I can narrow the name down a bit.  John Johnson was supposed to be the first Native American to be ordained a priest in the Episcopal Church in the United States.  But, seems his name was at one time Enmegahjbowh which derives from Enami'egaabaw (which means "He that prays for his people standing.")  Enmegahbowh was born about 1820 and was the only child of the chief of an Ojibwe Band on Rice Lake near Peterborough, Canada.  I found that this group of Ojibwe "trade Indians" remained behind while others moved farther up the Great Lakes in search of furs.  

Enmegahbowh

Enmegahbowh was raised in a Christian village near Petersburg which was affiliated with the Methodists.  An Episcopal clergyman, Rev. Armour, persuaded Enmegahbowh's parents to send him to read and speak English.  After three months the young boy ran away and after two days of roaming, found his own people.  Enmegahbowh's grandfather was a medicine man and inducted him into the tribal religious organization known as Midewiwin.  At the age of  21 he married, are you ready for this, Biwabikogeshigequay (aka Iron Sky Woman, but baptized Charolette) who was the niece of Hole-In-The-Day.  It was at that time in his life that he met Rev. Ezekiel Gilbert Gear, the chaplain at Fort Snelling at the point where the Mississippi and Minnesota Rivers met, and became an Episcopalian.  Rev. Gear eventually introduced Enmegahbowh to the Rev. James Lloyd Bruce, a missionary who had arrived in the area in 1851, who baptized Enmegahbowh.  

The Rev. Enmegahbowh

In 1859 Enmegahbowh was ordained a deacon and went to Crow Wing, Minnesota to assist in founding St. Columba Mission.  Eventually Mille Lacs, known as Chief Fine-Day, took over the mission in 1861.  Now, to back up just a bit, in 1821 the Sioux Indians along the upper Minnesota River entered into two treaties with the US Government which gave millions of acres of Sioux land to the US.  In return the Sioux were to receive a reservation and annual payments totaling more than two million dollars.  Well, you know how that went.  They ultimately got a few trade goods, since the money was taken by white traders.  When Minnesota became a state in 1858, the Sioux sent representatives, led by Little Crow, to Washington, D.C. to complain.  Once again, you know had that ended.  Due to the resentment that resulted, the Dakota War of 1862 began.  Enmegahbowh, who was living in the reservation, escaped and traveled to Fort Riipley to warn them of an impending Indian attack.  When all was settled, Enmegahbowh was ordained a priest in 1867 by Bishop Whipple.  In March of 1880, Enmegahbowh and Chief Fine-Day traveled across the eastern United States for three months in order to raise money for a new St. Columba Episcopal Church at White Earth.  Over $6,000 was raised, but Chief Fine-Day died in the process.  Enmegahbowh recommended that a stained glass window be placed in the church to memorialize him.  Enmegahbowh died on June 12, 1902 at the age of 95 and is buried in St. Columba's churchyard.  Every June, during the White Earth Pow-Wow, Enmegahbowh is honored.  The Episcopal calendar of Saints remembers Enmegahbowh on June 12.  He will be remembered today in Episcopal churches around the world.  It was another extraordinary day in the life of an ordinary guy.