Correspondences

 Sept-Oct 2005 

Legacy of William Marshall is of

Super Man for All Time

By Jim Erickson

He was fast as a bullet to help those in need. He was powerful as a locomotive in his conviction for defending civil rights. He was able to leap blasting cannons on his loyal horse, and was a mild man and reporter for a growing metropolitan city newspaper. This is not a paraphrase of the introduction to the comic book hero, “Superman.”  It is a description of a man who is aptly described as a super man. His name is William Rainey Marshall. He was a man with a complex personality who did much for the state of Minnesota, his country, and Virginia Street Swedenborgian Church.

Marshall was born in Missouri and found his way to Minnesota like many others who were lured to the newly established state for opportunities it offered entrepreneurs. During his life Marshall ventured into the newspaper business, the hardware business, and politics. He established one of the early newspapers, “The Minnesota Republican”. His venture into business as a newspaper man and hardware merchant were not a good match for his personality. He was competent but seemed to long for something else.

William Marshall really hit his stride in politics. When members of Minnesota’s legislative body were writing the constitution for the newly formed state he intervened on behalf of civil rights. When politicians forged the original state charter stating the rights of citizens they wrote it to include only those described as “white”.  Marshall objected and gave such an eloquent and passionate speech to the legislative body pleading for the rights of all people that the word white was dropped. This fueled the beginnings of Minnesota’s strong civil rights tradition.

Marshall’s passionate and forceful address on civil rights seemed for many to contradict the man they knew in other situations. He was often described as a “very nice, soft spoken man”. He was the epitome of the admonition given by Teddy Roosevelt to, “Speak softly but carry a big stick”.

Marshall’s usually mild demeanor was also belied by his bravery in battle. Many of those whom were part of the St. Paul Society of Swedenborgian churches formed in 1860 interrupted their lives to support the Union cause in the Civil War. Marshall was one of them. As a Union commander in the conflict he was known for his bravery, as described in one of many battles he fought with courage. A witness described how during one conflict Marshall led the charge and, “Leaping over the firing Napoleons (cannon) on his horse”, he captured the enemy position.

After returning when the war ended Marshall resumed a leadership role in the Society and when elected as the fifth Governor of Minnesota in the 1870s meetings and worship services were held in his chambers in the capitol building. The Governor also was the key figure in selecting Cass Gilbert to design the Virginia Street Church.

Mr. Marshall also played a role in the saga of the Jesse James/ Younger Gang. When the  gang of robbers led by Jesse James met their demise at Northfield, Minnesota Cole and James Younger were captured. After serving a prison term James Younger was released and fell in love with a woman from St. Paul.

The laws of the time stated that for them to marry, Younger needed a pardon from the Governor of Missouri where the gang lived at the time of their capture. The Governor refused. William Marshall in his usual manner of feeling compassion, even for the despised, strongly appealed to him to pardon Younger, but to no avail. Younger became depressed, wrote a final goodbye note and, alone in a small St. Paul hotel room, put a gun to his head and squeezed the trigger.

William Rainey Marshall was a multifaceted man. He was truly a product of his time and lived out the ideals of the Swedenborgian Christianity that he loved. He was truly a super man during his exemplary life and contributed much to our nation, the state of Minnesota, and the Virginia Street Swedenborgian Church. He left a legacy that will endure through time.