John Morgan Walden was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
Background
John Morgan Walden was born near Lebanon, Ohio, the son of Jesse and Matilda (Morgan) Walden, who moved to Hamilton County in 1832. He was of Virginian ancestry, his great-grandfather Walden having moved from Culpeper County to Kentucky in 1770, and his grandfather, Benjamin, to Ohio in 1802. After the death of his mother in 1833 John went to live with relatives near Cincinnati.
Education
He attended a school until 1844. He attended Farmers' College, College Hill, Ohio. He was graduated in 1852 and for two years was a teacher there.
Career
Becoming a wanderer, he found employment as a carpenter, in a country store and postoffice, and in connection with theatrical performances. A carpenter for whom he worked interested him in Thomas Paine's writings, and he became a skeptic. He read extensively in Scott and Goldsmith and wrote romantic stories over the name of Ned Law for the Hamilton, Ohio, Telegraph (1849 - 53). In 1849, he taught for a year in Miami County, where he was converted by a Methodist circuit rider. In 1854 he went to Fairfield, Ill. , where he published the Independent Press, opposing in his editorials the liquor traffic and "squatter sovereignty. " The Illinoisans starved him out by refusing to support his paper, and in 1855 he returned to Ohio, where he reported for the Cincinnati Commercial. So deeply interested in the Kansas troubles did he become while reporting the National Democratic Convention of 1856 that he went to Kansas, where he established the Quindaro Chindowan, a free-soil organ. He was a delegate to five free-state conventions, including the Leavenworth constitutional convention (1858). That same year he campaigned over half the Territory, opposing the Lecompton constitution. On September 8, 1858, he was admitted on trial to the Cincinnati Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. The first two years of his ministry were spent on circuits. In 1860 he was admitted to the Conference in full connection and sent to the York Street Church, Cincinnati. While he was here the Civil War began, and he became very active and raised two regiments to defend the city against threatening attack. After service in connection with the Ladies' Home Mission in Cincinnati (1862 - 64) and as corresponding secretary of the Western Freedmen's Aid Commission and of the Methodist Freedmen's Aid Society, he became in 1867 presiding elder of the East Cincinnati District. The following year he was chosen an assistant agent of the Western Methodist Book Concern. His penchant for statistics and organization, his business ability, and his sympathetic cooperation with preachers made the Concern a financial success. At the General Conference of 1884 he was elected bishop. In his official capacity he presided at sometime over every Conference in the United States and inspected Methodist missionary work in Mexico, South America, Europe, China, and Japan, doing much to shape the missionary policy of his Church. He was a delegate to the Ecumenical Conferences in London, 1881, Washington, 1891, and Toronto, 1911.
Walden died on January 21, 1914 at Daytona Beach, Florida, and is buried in Spring Grove Cemetery in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Achievements
Religion
With respect to church organization he insisted upon strict adherence to the written law, but otherwise he was liberal in his views.
Personality
He was noted for his wit and for his optimistic spirit. He was happiest when, attired in a white slouch hat and linen duster, he started out for a day's recreation with fish bait in his pocket.
Connections
On July 3, 1859, he married Martha Young of Cheviot, Ohio. They had five children.