knowledge varied and extensive, his imagination lively but well regulated, and his eloquence was unusually powerful. He was careful in the administration of discipline, and intruduced system into all the operations of the church. Bishop McKendree's influence was patent everywhere, but especially was he regarded in the West. He had given years of earnest labor to establishing Methodism on the western frontier. He therefore felt a deep and abiding interest in the success thereof. He thus earned the nickname "Father of Western Methodism", and was considered one of the greatest Bishops of the M.E. Church. People named for Bishop McKendree include William McKendree Springer, William McKendree Robbins, William McKendree Gwin and James McKendree Reiley's son William McKendree Reiley. See also List of bishops of the United Methodist Church References Leete, Frederick DeLand. Methodist Bishops. Nashville, The Methodist Publishing House, 1948. Paine, Robert. Life and Times of William McKendree: Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 2 volumes. Nashville, 1874. Accessed via Google Book Search Short, Roy Hunter. Chosen to be Consecrated: The Bishops of The Methodist Church, 1784-1968. Lake Junaluska, N.C., General Commission on Archives and History of the United Methodist Church, 1976. Simpson, Matthew, ed. Cyclopaedia of Methodism. Revised edition. Philadelphia: Louis H. Everts, 1880. Sketches of Holston Preachers External links Ohio History Central web site (Ohio Historical Society). Stuart A. Rose Manuscript, Archives, and Rare Book Library, Emory University: William M'Kendree papers, 1790-1855 1757 births 1835 deaths American Methodist Episcopal bishops Bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church History of Methodism in the United States Virginia militiamen in the American Revolution 19th-century Methodist bishops People from King William County, Virginia