Stories from the First Cathedral 3: Special Gift for Bishop Whipple

Two years before the construction of the First Cathedral in 1860, Bishop Whipple received a very special gift from his father-in-law, Mr Wright of Waterloo, NY. The gift was a beautiful black horse, who was eight years old and named Bashaw. Bashaw was a second cousin of the celebrated horse George M Patchen (Dan Patch). Bashaw was widely known throughout the state of MN having carried Bishop Whipple over 50,000 miles over prairies and wilderness in the course of his pastoral calls. Bishop Whipple would take a carriage pulled by two horses. Bashaw had six partners in the course of his career for the Bishop. The carriage used by Bishop Whipple is a treasure of Blue Earth County Museum in Mankato, MN. Bashaw loved Bishop Whipple and Bishop Whipple loved Bashaw. Bashaw's sensitivity, intellect, and faithfulness were qualities that saved the Bishop's life several times. Next week I will tell such a story from Bishop Whipple's autobiography, called The Lights and Shadows of a Long Episcopate.