"Big Tui"

When Arthur Barksdale Kinsolving II was born into Baltimore's famed Episcopal family 38 years ago, his father was Bishop of Southern Brazil. Growing up there, he was nicknamed "Tui"--Portuguese diminutive for Arthur. He went to Episcopal High School in Virginia, and to the University. A cousin who followed him a few years later became "Little Tui." Off to War v:ent "Big Tui," to serve in the French ambulance corps for two years and finish as a U. S. first lieutenant. He returned with a Croix de Guerre, sold bonds for a time, entered Virginia's Theological Seminary, was ordained in 1926. For the past six years "Big Tui" has been chaplain at U. S. Military Academy at West Point where--a tall, stalwart, one-time Virginia halfback, an able golfer, tennis player and rider-to-hounds--he is much admired and respected. Last week Chaplain Kinsolving got a new post, the deanship of Long Island Cathedral, which has been vacant since Very Rev. George Paull T. Sargent became rector of Manhattan's smart St. Bartholomew's.* Chaplain Kinsolving will take office as soon as the War Department accepts his resignation. West Point's most striking memory of him will likely be a recent one. The sexton hanged himself in the gallery of the West Point Chapel. Few days later, during a lull in the inquest, the presiding officer said to Chaplain Kinsolving: "I hope you like the new man I sent you to take the late sexton's place." "Yes, I liked him very much," replied Chaplain Kinsolving in all innocence. ''I showed him all the ropes."

Families of preachers are rarer in the U. S. than families of polo-players or bankers. But Rev. Ovid Americus Kinsolving (1823-94), descendant of British settlers in Tidewater, Va., set a record. He gave to the church four sons, four grandchildren, one great-grandson. Of the sons, two are dead. The late Rt. Rev. Lucien Lee Kinsolving, longtime Bishop of Brazil and father of "Big Tui," was tall, handsome. It was customary for graduates of Virginia Seminary to hand their diplomas publicly to a girl, but for his there was such competition that he gave it to his mother. The late Rt. Rev. George Herbert Kinsolving, also tall and, like the rest of the family, personable, un-ministerial and straightforward, was Bishop of Texas. After his election someone told him of Sherman's statement that "if he owned Hell and Texas, he would farm out Texas and live in Hell." Said the Bishop: "Well, General Sherman seems to have had his choice, so I think I will go down and see what I can do with the farm." Bishop Kinsolving once appeared in Baltimore wearing a broad-brimmed hat. A bootblack asked him if he were Buffalo Bill, who was expected in town. "No." said the Bishop, "I'm Texas George." Before his death in 1928, "Texas George" ordained his son, Rev. Walter Ovid Kinsolving (now of Summit, N. J.), and his nephew "Little Tui."

Youngest brother in the original lot was Rev. Wythe Leigh Kinsolving, who lives in retirement in Manhattan, writes letters-to-editors. Still active is the other brother. Rev. Arthur Barksdale Kinsolving, rector of St. Paul's in Baltimore. He is father of seven, among them Anne, a onetime reporter who married rich John Nicholas Brown (TIME, Nov. 10, 1930); Eleanor (Mrs. Beverly Ober), leader at young peoples' conferences at Northneld, Mass.; and "Little Tui"--Rev. Arthur Lee, one-time Rhodes scholar, rector of Boston's famed Trinity Church, leader in the Episcopal movement to get college men in the church.

Few years ago. New Year's funsters observed the Bishop of Brazil and his son "Big Tui" blowing horns in a merry parade on Broadway in Manhattan. The Kinsolvings are celebrated in song as well as story:

"My brain is revolving," cried Bishop Kinsolving.

"Heigh, ho, we'll blow the men down!"

But this was written to plague a nonecclesiastical member of the family, at the University of Virginia.

*Succeeding the late Rev. Dr Robert Norwood, popular and eloquent mystic. Instituting lank, bespectacled Dr. Sargent last month. Bishop Manning admonished him to revive parish visitations.

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