History of Delafield, (Waukesha County) Wisconsin United States of America

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Biographies:

Jackson Kemper, first missionary bishop of the American church and 31st in succession in the American episcopate; was born in Pleasant Valley, Dutchess county, N.Y., Dec. 24, 1789; son of Col. Daniel and Elizabeth (Marius) Kentper, and a descendant of Jacob Kemper. He was graduated at Columbia College in 1809, studied theology under Bishop Hobart, and was made deacon, Maroh 10, 1811, and ordained priest, Jan. 28, 1814, in Christ ohuroh, Philadelphia, Pa., by Bishop White. He was assistant to Bishop White, who held the rectorship of the united parishes of Christ church, St. James's, and St. Peter's, Philadelphia, Pa., 1811-31; diocesan secretary, 1811-18, and in 1819-20 was engaged in securing funds for the General Theological seminary. He became rector of St. Paul's church, Norwalk, Conn., in 1831, and four years later was elected missionary bishop for Missouri and Indiana. He was consecrated in St. Peter's church, Philadelphia, Pa., Sept. 25, 1835, by Bishops White, Moore, Chase, Henry U. Onderdonk, Benjamin T. Onderdonk, Smith and Deane. In addition to his own extensive diocese his care of the churches extended over the Northwestern territory, afterward embraced by Iowa, Wisconsin, Minnesota, Nebraska and Kansas, which was fast becoming inhabited. His visitations were made under great difficulties and only the most primitive means of travel were at his command. He also made extensive apostolic visitations in Arkansas, Mississippi, Louisiana, Alabama, Georgia and Florida, 1837-38. He declined the bishopric of Maryland in 1838, and of Wisconsin on the erection of that diocese in 1847. In 1854 he was unanimously elected bishop of Wisconsin and accepted on condition that he should still remain missionary bishop of Missouri and Indiana, but in 1859, on account of his increasing years and infirmities, the missionary duties were surrendered. He was active in establishing Nashotah House, Nashotah, Wis. a theological seminary which passed under the control of the bishops of Milwaukee, Missouri, Quincy, Springfield and Salt Lake. Bishop Kemper was never out of his own country. The statement that he attended the Lambeth conference in London in 1868 is contradicted by his grandson, the Rev. William Poyntell Kemper, of Lakeview, Wash., who cites as authority "An Apostle of the Western Church," by Greenough White, M.A., p. 213. He received the degree of D.D. from Columbia in 1829, and from Oxford, England, in 1868, and LL.D. from the University of Cambridge in 1868. He died at Delafield, Wis., May 24, 1870.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor

William Barker Cushing, naval officer, was born in Delafield, Wis., Nov. 24, 1842; son of Dr. Milton B. and Mary Barker (Smith) Cushing. When he was quite young his father died and his mother had the care of four sons. William Barker was a page in the house of representatives at Washington and received from President Buchanan an appointment as a cadet at the U.S. naval academy, Annapolis, in 1857. He resignedMarch 23, 1861, in order to volunteer and thus gain advance not afforded by the regular service. He was commissioned master's mate in May, 1861, and was attached to the North Atlantic blockading squadron. On the very day of his arrival in Virginia waters he captured a tobacco schooner valued at $30,000, the first prize captured by the U.S. navy. He was commissioned lieutenant, July 16, 1862, and in November of that year commanded the U.S. gunboat Ellis in the sounds of North Carolina. He was directed to capture Jacksonville, N.C., intercept the Wilmington mail and destroy the salt works at New Juliet. In this exploit he secured the mail, took two prizes, shelled and captured the town. Nov. 23, 1862, and destroyed a Confederate camp. On undertaking to cross the bar of the Onslow river on returning from the expedition, November 25, the Ellis ran aground and he was obliged to transfer his crew and property to a schooner, one of his prizes. While the vessels afloat stood off the inlet, Lieutenant Cushing with six volunteers and a single pivot gun defended the Ellis until a cross fire from the Confederates on shore made the position untenable, and after setting fire to the steamer, he escaped with his men in an open boat under the enemy's guns. He conducted various expeditions in the sounds and up the Cape Fear and Little rivers, and on the night of Oct. 27. 1864, he encountered the Confederate iron-clad Albemarle returning to her anchorage after her successful encounter with the Federal fleet. The Albemarle was apparently invulnerable and the consternation of the officers was unspeakable. A second visit would surely destroy the entire Federal heel. In tills emergency Lieutenant Cushing proposed a plan for destroying the monster and with a steam launch, a volunteer crew and an armed cutter in tow, he silently ran the picket guards stationed along the river banks and reached the Albemarle, looming up in the darkness, with a solitary sentinel pacing her deck. Casting off the cutter, Cushing ordered ber crew to engage the picket guard while he, with the launch under a full head of steam, made for the Albemarle, which was guarded by an extended raft of logs anchored so as to prevent boardirg. The noise of the steam awoke the Albemarle's crew who were called to quarters, but the launch was so close as not to be noticed. The cutter further down the stream was discernible in the darkness and was fired upon, responding with her single howitzer. The speed of the launch had carried her over the logs and just as a shot from the Albemarle had found the little craft and disabled her, Cushing swung his torpedo spar under the great hulk and the explosion that followed rent an immense hole in the ironclad's side below the water line. The Albemarle filled and sank in a few minutes, her crew escaping to the shore. Cushing, with a word to his companions, who were with him in the water, to look out for themselves, swam down stream for half a mile and then took to the swamp, through which he wandered for hours greatly exhausted. Finally a friendly negro conveyed him to the Federal gunboats at the mouth of the river. Of his companions two were drowned, others were taken prisoners and only one reached a place of safety. As Cushing left on his daring volunteer service, he laughingly remarked, "Another stripe or a coffin." He received letters of commendation from the secretary of the navy, the concurrent thanks of both houses of congress, and on Oct. 27, 1864, was promoted to the rank of lieutenant-commander. He buoyed out the channel of the bay for the passage of the fleet in its attack on Fort Fisher, N.C., in December, 1864, exposing himself in an open beat for six hours under fire from the fort till he accomplished the task. In the attack on the fort in January. 1865, he commanded a company of sailors and marines from the Monticello, landing them on the sea front of the fort, and with them crossed the sands for one hundred yards under a short range fire from the fort. He then led the remnant over the parapet and aided the land forces in gaining possession of the fort. He next served on the Pacific and then on the Asiatic squadrons. He commanded the Lancaster, 1866-67, and the Maumee, 1868-69. He was promoted commander, Jan. 31, 1872, the youngest officer of that rank in the navy, and was granted leave of absence on account of ill health. He died in Washington, D.C., Dec. 17, 1874.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor