Edward Marsden facts for kids
Edward Marsden (1869–1932) was an important leader and missionary from the Tsimshian nation. He was born in Canada and later became an American citizen. He made history as the first Alaska Native person to become an ordained minister.
Early Life and Education
Edward Marsden was born on May 19, 1869, in Metlakatla, British Columbia. From a young age, he was mentored by William Duncan, a lay minister who founded a Christian community there. Edward's father, Samuel Marsden, was one of Duncan's first followers. Edward's mother was Catherine Kitlahn.
Duncan taught young Edward many skills, including reading, music, and how to manage money. When Edward was a teenager, he joined about 800 other Tsimshian people on a long canoe journey. In 1887, they traveled to Annette Island in Alaska to start a new community called "New Metlakatla".
William Duncan was very strict and didn't want Marsden to leave the island for more schooling. However, another missionary named Sheldon Jackson stepped in. Jackson convinced Duncan to let Marsden go to an industrial school in Sitka, Alaska. This school is now known as Sheldon Jackson College.
At the school, Marsden became Jackson's student. He did very well in his studies and learned how to preach. During this time, he also changed his religious beliefs, moving from Duncan's Anglican faith to Presbyterianism.
Jackson helped Marsden attend the Carlisle Indian Industrial School in Pennsylvania. After that, he went to Marietta College in Ohio. This made him the first Alaska Native to get a higher education in the "lower 48" states. While studying, he officially joined the Presbyterian Church. This created a bigger difference between him and Duncan.
In 1894, Edward Marsden became a U.S. citizen, which was another first for an Alaska Native. He then studied at Lane Theological Seminary in Cincinnati, Ohio, and graduated in 1898. That same year, he became an ordained minister in Athens, Ohio. In 1897, he was also the first North American Indian to be licensed to preach in the U.S.
Missionary Work and Leadership
William Duncan did not want Marsden to work in Metlakatla. He especially disagreed with Marsden's idea of starting a Presbyterian church on Annette Island. This church would serve the Tlingit families living there, who were mostly Presbyterian.
Instead, Sheldon Jackson arranged for Marsden to become a minister in Saxman, a Tlingit community near Ketchikan. This new mission helped Saxman become an important gathering place for different Tlingit groups. From Saxman, Marsden and Duncan had a strong rivalry. Marsden worked to gain the loyalty of the Tsimshian people. He even joined a campaign to have Duncan removed from his leadership role by the Bureau of Indian Affairs (BIA). Many people, including Marsden, felt that Duncan had too much control over the community's economy. They also believed Duncan stopped people from seeking better education or jobs outside the island.
Marsden married Lucy Kinninook, a Tlingit chief's daughter. She was the person who translated his English sermons into Tlingit. William Duncan refused to perform their marriage.
Marsden was also involved with a sawmill community called Port Gravina, near Ketchikan. This community started in 1892 but burned down in 1904. It was a group that had branched off from Metlakatla. They followed Presbyterianism instead of Anglicanism and wanted individuals to have more economic freedom away from Duncan's control.
After William Duncan passed away in 1918, Marsden helped with the change to new leadership. He became a partner in running the Metlakatla Commercial Company, which was very important for the community's economy.
In 1922, Marsden began building a Presbyterian church in Metlakatla. He served as the minister there until he passed away. He was also an important political leader in the community.
Death
Edward Marsden died in May 1932 in Ketchikan. He passed away from injuries he got during a rough sea trip between Metlakatla and Hydaburg, Alaska.
Legacy
Edward Marsden and William Duncan had a strong rivalry. Even today, people who are connected to the Metlakatla community have strong feelings about this period. You can see this by comparing different historical accounts. For example, a 1955 book about Marsden by William Gilbert Beattie (who supported Marsden) and a 1985 book about Duncan by Peter Murray (who supported Duncan) show how different perspectives can be.
Archival Collections
The Presbyterian Historical Society in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, has a letter written by Edward Marsden. In this letter, he talks about William Duncan's death and his own work in Alaska.
