Philander Chase was elected the first Bishop of Ohio on June 3, 1818, less than a month after the death of his beloved spouse, Mary. It took eight months and nine days before he was consecrated to that office. The why and wherefore of this is an important story and fodder for another article. To whet your appetite, there were some in the church who tried to malign Philander’s character by stating that he had been a slaveowner while serving as the rector of Christ Church in New Orleans, Louisiana. For more information about this attempt to refute his election (and indeed his worthiness), see Smythe’s History of the Diocese of Ohio. Happily, for Philander and the fledgling church in Ohio, the issues were resolved beyond reproach and on February 11, 1819 the Right Reverend Philander Chase was consecrated a Bishop in God’s church by William White, assisted by John H. Hobart, James Kemp, and John Croes. The very next day, he mounted a horse and headed back to his diocese.