Well-Known Indian Pastor Answers Call

The Rev. Edward James Conner, 72, one of the organizers of the Spalding Presbyterian church and the organizer of the Methodist Episcopal church at Lapwai, died Friday evening at a Pendleton hospital. He had been ill three days. The Rev. Conner was prominent in Nez Perce and Umatilla reservation matters and was one of the best known Indian ministers of the northwest.

Tentative funeral arrangements include a service at Pendleton this morning at 10 from the Pendleton Methodist church with the Rev. L. A. Kirby officiating. The body will be brought to Spalding where final rites will be held tomorrow at 10. The pastors and place of burial will be decided today.

He was a grandson of James Conner, one of the pioneers in the Whitman and Spalding party emigrants in 1830. He was a student in the reservation mission school and devoted his life to the ministry. His organizational work at the Spalding church was about 1896. The Lapwai church was organized in 1911.

From 1922 to 1924 he was active in tribal timber rights, visiting Washington, D. C., several times to discuss the time contracts. He retired in 1925 and became a superannuate minister. He moved to the Umatilla reservation the same year and continued his interest and work in the churches there. He returned to Lapwai often, the last time this summer when he visited the church briefly.

Survivors are his wife, Jeanette Jones Conner and a son, Gilbert Conner, both of the Umatilla reservation; a daughter, Mrs. Elizabeth C. Watters, Craigmont, and 12 grandchildren.

Lewiston Morning Tribune
Wednesday, October 23, 1940

Hundred Honor Rev. E. J. Conner At Final Rites

Spalding, Oct. 22

This historic village today was the mecca from hundreds of Indians of northwest tribes for the funeral services of a leader, the Rev. Edward J. Conner, who died Saturday at Pendleton after a three-day illness.

From the Colville, Spokane, Fort Hall, Yakima and Umatilla reservations men, women and children came to pay respects to the memory of Rev. Conner, who during his 32 years ministry sowed the seeds of Christianity among his people in many parts of the western country.

Funeral rites were in the Spalding Presbyterian church which he helped to organize. The capacity of the church was overtaxed and the anteroom at the rear of the edifice was packed, there being an estimated 350 present for the service, including a sprinkling of whites. The Rev. Daniel Scott, Spalding, was in charge of the obsequies, assisted by the Rev. Harry Moffett, Kamiah, the Rev. James Dickson, Kamiah; the Rev. James Cook, of Fort Hall reservation Presbyterian church; the Rev. Stephen Reuben, pastor of the Methodist church at Lapwai, all Indians; and the Rev. Malcolm Sylvester, minister of the Lapwai Presbyterian church. Rev. Moffett addressed the mourners in English. Rev. Sylvester spoke on the great work of Rev. Conner and of his interest in the religious work among both whites and Indians.

Hymns were sung by a mixed Indian choir of 12 voices, accompanied by Sam Waters, Organist. The body was borne to its final resting place in the family cemetery in a little knoll near Spalding. Because of the condition of the narrow road from the foot of the hill to the place of burial only two cars made the ascent, while hundreds walked to hear Rev. Dickson preach as the casket was lowered.

In his eulogy of Rev. Conner, Rev. Moffett compared him with the great men of the Nez Perce tribe, lauding his work among the Indians and his sacrifices to spread the gospel. Pallbearers were: Charles White, Jr., Jesse Jones, Sam Luton, William Allen, James Miles and Leander Kipp. Jones and Luton represented the Umatilla tribe.

Edward James Conner was born in October, 1869, near Alpowa. He was the son and grandson of families prominent in early history of the northwest. His maternal grandfather, Chief Timothy, was the man who saved Col. Steptoe and his troops from massacre at what is now Steptoe butte in 1859, and he was also one of the first Indian converts of the missionaries of the Oregon country. He received his theological training from Miss Kate McBeth, Lapwai, famed missionary among the Nez Perces.