St. Peter's Parish, May 1925 - August 1934
The Rev. Milton J. Hersey, Rector

Following the death of the Rt. Reverend Bishop Hunting, D. D, Bishop of Nevada, the District of Nevada was placed under the jurisdiction of the Rt. Reverend Arthur W. Moulton, D. D., Bishop of Utah. Due to the vast distances to be traveled in both Nevada and Utah, this was a very difficult undertaking for any bishop. St. Peter's Parish, during that period and for some time prior, was having many difficulties. The Church and Rectory were badly in need of repairs and there were other accrued debts. There was no available money to take care of it. Many mines in adjacent areas had closed, and younger people had moved away. The Vestry wished to leave the Church closed until they could get out of debt and get some vital repairs to the property made. Bishop Moulton felt that this period should not extend too long as people were apt to lose interest, and not attend services. He felt that the best clergyman for the Parish would be someone who could fulfill the religious needs of the people, and at the same time be able to take active leadership in reconstruction of the property. It would, also, be necessary to give some inspiration in raising the necessary funds and establish friendship and good Public Relations with the townspeople in general. Early in September of 1924, Bishop Moulton sent the Reverend M. J. Hersey to Carson City to hold services, meet the people, and become familiar with the Church problems of Carson City, Virginia City, and the surrounding area. He found the architecture of St. Peter's charming and friendly.

Excerpts from a letter to Sr. Warden C. C. Taylor, in Carson City, Nevada:
"I want to thank you for being so kind to Mr. Hersey. He returned today and informed me of the fine time you had given him and how much he enjoyed the little trip to Nevada. He liked the Church and people at Carson very much... " am confident that such a man as Mr. Hersey, for example, could reconstruct the Parish and give it a great boost, but I might be able to send other men from time to time, in order that you may have a real choice in the matter...."

Background of St. Peter's new Rector: Milton J. Hersey was born in Holton (should be Houlton), Maine, June 10 1866. He was the son of Elizabeth and Ira Hersey. He spent his early childhood in Holton and then moved with his family to Waupaca, Wisconsin, where he attended school and grew to manhood. After some years, his father, who was a lumberman and carpenter by profession moved his family to Tacoma, Washington where there was a thriving lumber business. The family was never able to attend regular Church Services, due to frontier distances, but his mother, being a devout Methodist saw that her family had religious training. Son Milton worked with his father and at various other occupations, but finally decided he wanted to go into the grocery business. He took a job as clerk and delivery man, for one of the grocery stores in Tacoma. Strangely enough this led to his becoming a lay reader, Missionary, and a Priest in the Episcopal Church.

(The following is a quote from a Sermon by the Reverend Buzzelle of Minneapolis, Minnesota, June 12, 1936); "A Mission that Failed?"
"The opening session of the General Convention at Denver was a most impressive occasion, and I mingled with the huge crowd leisurely pushing its way into the auditorium. I became conscious of a man by my side who seemed especially interested in me. Presently he turned about with the question, "Are you Buzzelle?" I admitted it. And then he threw his arms about me and kissed me on the cheek, much to my astonishment, and the interest of those in the crowd who noticed the incident. "Forty years before this, as a young priest, I stepped from the train at Tacoma, Washington. Looking about, after learning that the Bishop of the District was ill in the east, I found the south end of the City and its adjacent suburb, Edison, site of the N. P. B shops, uncared for and proceeded to preempt the same, conscious that it was somewhat uncononical proceeding, I went to work at once securing the use of an old store building, and making a few rude benches, with a box for an altar, and prayer books and hymnals secured in the same way. A mission was duly organized (strenuously objected to by the then rector of the adjacent parish of the Holy Communion) and named Grace Church. From this place as a center of the whole county and surrounding country was worked, a number of laymen being pressed into Service.
"At Grace Church, someone was needed to build the fire and light the lamps for the evening service upon my return from Puyallup, where I held service in the afternoon. A rather likable young fellow delivered groceries at the house, and I made bold to ask him. He readily consented, and for some weeks, the building was lighted and warmed, but the young man was no where to be seen. On Sunday, the jerkwater train was ahead of time, and I arrived before he had made his getaway. He did not have the nerve to leave then, and remaining to the service, never missed another one. He was baptized and in due time confirmed. I taught him to read the service and used him in church school, and left him to close the service, when I had to exit to Edison.
"Dr. and Mrs. Paul Carter left Edison to take a position on the Mojave Reservation in Arizona. Shortly a letter came from the Doctor asking to send a Missionary, saying the people had never heard of God. Milton Hersey seemed to fill the bill. I wrote to Bishop Kendrick of Arizona and New Mexico, giving a full account of the matter and waited. In due time, a reply and a check for expenses and a request for Mr. Hersey came. "Forty years passed in fruitful work in Parker, Arizona. Years so fruitful that the late lamented Bishop Spalding of Utah, shortly before his tragic death, told me that he considered Milton J. Hersey the best missionary to the Indians he had ever known.

"Some day perchance I shall stand before the great Judge of all to give an accounting- so much left undone, so much wrongly done. As I crowd towards the Judgment seat, perhaps a stranger will walk by my side, and looking into my face will ask again the question asked at Denver. "Are you Buzzelle"? and hand in hand we will go forward, and with Milton Hersey will come the long train of the little ones of Christ, the simple souls who saw but dimly perhaps, but who learned to love God through him. Much I failed to do, of so much, but by the help of God I who learned to love God through him. Much I failed to do, of so much, but by the help of God I won a man to the Cross, whose faith and zeal and life has blessed, and will still bless thousands. A Mission that failed! Hardly!"

Mr. Hersey found the Mojave Indians to be a kindly, loving people eager to learn and receptive to the Christian teaching, after some time given to religious instruction and overcome the language barriers. An unusual result came on Sunday morning. Mr. Hersey was proud to have the Tribal Chief come with the wish to be baptized and he came to the Church Service, bringing his family and most of his tribe with him.
That morning before the outdoor Altar and Font, placed in the shade of one of the buildings, Mr. Hersey baptized almost one hundred persons, men, women, and children. Many of these people continued to attend Services as long as Mr. Hersey remained there.
The happiest event during Mr. Hersey's life in Parker, Arizona, was his marriage to Miss Ruby Buckles, a teacher in the Parker schools. They were married in Needles, California. Shortly after this, they were transferred to Randlett, Utah. Five children two girls and three boys came to brighten the household. After many years of help and companionship, Mrs. Hersey died and was buried in the church yard cemetery at Randlett.

Following the Meeker Colorado Massacre by the Ute Indians, the United States Army moved the Tribe to the Uintah Indian Reservation in eastern Utah and established Fort Duchesne nearby, with an Indian Agent and a Cavalry division to control their warlike tendencies and to keep them on the Reservation. The White River branch of the Tribe refused to be relocated and continued their raids and wanderings.
In 1898, the Bureau of Indian Affairs in Washington, D. C. asked the Episcopal Church to build churches and send a Missionary for the Indians, hoping that teaching Christianity might civilize them where the Government had failed. Knowing Mr. Hersey's success with the Mojave Indians, he was asked to undertake this rather dangerous task.

In addition to his work with the Indians, Mr. Hersey held services for the white people living in the area and the Army personnel at Fort Duchesne. Monthly services were held at St. Paul's church in Vernal, Utah. The last few years before coming to Carson City, Mr. Hersey moved to Vernal to have regular services. Working with primitive people and raising a family left no opportunity to attend a seminary, so Bishop Leonard, then in charge of the Missionary district of Utah, advised a reading and study course under his direct supervision. After due study and examination, Mr. Hersey was ordained to the Deaconate by Bishop Leonard. After more private tutorage by the Reverend Olin Ostenson, a seminary instructor and clergyman, who came west for his health, Mr. Hersey was ordained to the priesthood of the Church, at the Church of the Good Shepherd, Ogden, Utah, on June 2, 1909, by the Rt. Reverend Franklin Spencer Spalding, D. D., Bishop of Utah.

On May 4, 1925, Mr. Hersey and Miss Anna g. Higley were married in the Episcopal Church in Provo, Utah, by the Ven. Wm. F. Bulkley, a long time friend and co-worker of Mr. Hersey. At the invitation of the Vestry and Congregation of St. Peter's Church, Bishop Moulton arranged to have Mr. Hersey take charge of St. Peter's Parish. He and his family arrived in Carson on Sunday morning, May 10, 1925, and the first service was held that evening. The Choir had arranged special music and the service was well attended. The Bishop had arranged for St. Peter's Clergyman to take on the added task of having regular Sunday Services at Silver City and Dayton. It became his duty to have one monthly service at the Nevada State Prison. On several occasions condemned prisoners requested to have Mr. Hersey with them during their last hour of earthly life. In most cases he was able to help them to sustain their faith and courage to meet their punishment bravely.

During the school year, weekly religious instruction classes were held at Stewart Indian School for the Episcopal children in attendance. Once each month, the children who had been confirmed were brought to St. Peter's for a Communion Service. This extra work was a heavy load for any clergyman, but since this work came under Missions, it made it possible for Bishop Moulton to use missionary funds to help pay the Clergyman's salary, travel expenses and to use other discretionary funds to help in other ways. Bishop Moulton was such a dedicated, sincere, understanding person, that all Nevada people loved him and cooperated with him to their utmost ability. Carson City people were no exception. After establishing regular religious services, the next urgent need was to find means of starting on vital repairs. The Vestry, Ladies Guild and members of the Congregation were all wonderful, and eager to help. The Ladies Guild began an active campaign with dinners, bazaars, card parties, etc. The Vestry and Mr. Hersey went back over old records to find members who had been connected with St. Peter's and had moved away, and who might be interested in helping in restoring their former place of worship. Many personal friends of all interested persons were contacted. Many of these people responded with gifts large or small to help preserve the historic Church.

One interesting sidelight was that the very first gift of one hundred dollars came from a Roman Catholic lady of New York City, who was a friend of the Rector. This hundred dollars made it possible to start putting on a complete new roof for the Church. The roof had been in such a bad condition that water had leaked into the lovely old pipe organ, and soaked loose several feet of the historic plaster of Paris molding. Other gifts and contributions were received and soon the roof was finished and painted. St. Peter's was taking on a new interest in the community. Many Church people felt that with the interior protected by a new roof, the rest of the repairs might be left a bit longer. However, the south and west sides of the Church, being exposed to winter storms and hot sun were badly in need of paint, if the siding was to be saved. One evening while discussing the need for painting and the lack of funds, the Rector said, "I don't know what the rest of you are going to do, but I am buying a gallon of paint and putting it on." This started a campaign of sanding and painting. Men stopped on the way home from their businesses to work for an hour. Even a group of Carson's socially prominent ladies, including the Governor's wife, came one morning, and selecting easily visible portions of the building, painted for a time, as an inspiration to the men. Since the steeple was not a safe place for an unskilled workman, a regular painter was hired to do that part, for which the Vestry and Ladies Guild were able to pay.

The Church interior was eventually repaired, reconditioned, including papering of the Church proper, painting woodwork, replacing sections of the plaster of Paris molding, and replacing sections of windows that had been broken. The original color scheme was carefully adhered to, as many of the older members wished to maintain the original appearance of the Church, so that they might feel at home there. The pews had originally been placed so close together that there was little room for kneeling. During his ministry the Rector personally took up all the pews and reset them at a wider space and made a number of kneeling benches that older people might be more comfortable. In a few years, a friend from the east, who was a builder of organs, cleaned and repaired the pipe organ as his contribution during his stay in Carson. The Rectory, also, needed much repair and Mr. Hersey personally sorted out any reusable shingles from the Church and Rectory roofs and reshingled and painted the Rectory himself with the Guild and Vestry furnishing needed materials. Financially, these were the "lean years," but people of the Vestry, Guild, and congregation and townspeople in general were wonderful, kind and encouraging and to the utmost of their ability very generous.

In spite of handicaps, the comparatively limited population including Carson City and townspeople, St. Peter's grew and at the time of Mr. Hersey's retirement, the property was in good repair. There was an active and interested Sunday School, for religious instruction, also a summer School with the added crafts and games carried on for several years, two weeks in summer.

After retirement, Mr. Hersey conducted occasional Church Services at the invitation of the Vestry at Trinity Church, during sickness or vacation of the Rector. A great deal of time was given to Civic and Community affairs. Mr. Hersey was a member of the City Council and an active member of the Lion's Club. Much time was given to Lodge work. He was a member of many branches of Masonry and was Chaplain and Prelate of the Grand Lodges in the State [of Nevada]. He enjoyed his association with men.

Mr. Hersey died at his home December 5, 1948. Burial Services were held at St. Peter's Church with Bishop Wm. Fisher Lewis officiating, assisted by the Rector, the Reverend Arthur Kean and others. The Church was well filled with friends and the floral offerings were beautiful. he was buried in the Masonic cemetery in Reno, Nevada, with Bishop Lewis conducting the Committal Service.
The Knights Templar in full uniform, formed an escort of honor both at the Church and Cemetery. Thus another beloved pioneer priest and friend was laid to rest beneath the sunny skies of northern Nevada.

(Author not identified but probably Bishop Wm. Fisher Lewis or Reverend Arthur Kean at the funeral service.)

-Contributed by Marilyn Hersey Brown

For more information on Reverend Milton Hersey, see also An Indian Christmas