Stories from the First Cathedral 25: Walter Milligan, veteran of the Civil War

William Milligan came to the First Cathedral in 1865 when the war ended. His first task was to prepare the wood for all the pews in the nave and choir of the new Cathedral. He was paid $1.25 per 10 hour day. In 1869 when the building was finished, William stayed on as the Cathedral Verger or caretaker of the bishop's house. William liked to be called "Major" and served as the "Bishop's Man." I don't know if he was the bishop's body guard!

""In 1930 Milligan was featured in the St Paul Pioneer Press: 'Yes I guess I'm almost a member of the Bishop's family. [. . .] Have been for years. Why I remember going into the Bishop's study wearin' overalls, and he would introduce me to whoever was a'visiting him. Great men came to see Bishop Whipple."

Speaking of Whipple's study, he remarked, "I've seen nearly every kind of man in this room. [. . .] You're whistlin', I have. Indians, and Negroes, too. And the Bishop treated them all alike" (The First Cathedral by Robert Neslund and The Venerable Ben Scott).

Cornelia Whipple died in 1890. Bishop Whipple died in 1901. Evangeline lived eight quiet years in the house until she left to take care of her ill brother in France. She put "Major" Milligan in charge, with strict orders that the Bishop's rooms and library be kept exactly as he and she had left them. The rooms were never opened and Evangeline would never return. "Major" Milligan guarded everything and lived in the basement until the 1930s. He died at age 93 and served as the Cathedral Verger for 52 years and was employed by the Whipple household for 69 years. The Whipple house was torn down in 1934. There was a large auction of all the contents and Bishop Whipple's Indian Art collection was split between Shattuck-St Mary's School and the Minnesota History Museum. The auction and Indian collection will be future material for the Stories of the First Cathedral.

One of the treasures in the archives of the First Cathedral is "Major" William Milligan's scrapbook. It contains wonderful newspaper articles, souvenirs and comments by the old Verger. It is a mystery how it survived!