USA > Maryland > Clergy in Maryland of the Protestant Episcopal Church since the independence of 1783 > Part 1
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GENEALOGY COLLECTION
THE BOUND TO PLEASE Heckman Bindery INC.
SEPT .. 65 N. MANCHESTER
INDIANA
ALLEN COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY 3 1833 02251 7756
Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2016
https://archive.org/details/clergyinmaryland00alle_0
CLERGY IN MARYLAND
OF THE
Protestant Episcopal Church
SINCE THE INDEPENDENCE OF 1783,
BY
REV. ETHAN ALLEN, D. D. OF THE DIOCESE OF MARYLAND.
BALTIMORE: James S. Waters. I860.
PRINTED BY JOHN D. TOY.
806 111
=19-1-9
1314673
PREFATORY.
THE list of the Clergy presented in the following pages, is intended to exhibit, as far as I have been able to learn:
THE PLACE OF EACH ONE'S NATIVITY;
IN WHAT RELIGIOUS CONNECTION HE WAS TRAINED OR GREW UP;
WHEN ORDAINED AND BY WHOM;
WHAT PARISH OR PARISHES HE HAD, AND WHEN ENTERED ON, OR OTHER OFFICIAL POSITIONS; HIS PUBLICATIONS, IF ANY ; THE YEAR OF THE DEATH OF THOSE DEAD AND THEIR AGE, AND OTHER INCIDENTAL NOTICES, WITH REMARKS INTRODUCTORY AND IN CONCLUSION.
It contains, on these several points, whatever I have found in the Journals of the Convention, State and Parochial Records, or have learned from state- ments of individuals, who have favored me with them. If mistakes or defi- ciencies shall be found-while it will be a matter of sincere regret-the wonder, nevertheless, must be, that with such limited time and means, so much has been gathered that is accurate and reliable, from more than one hundred different sources.
In relation to the dates of many of the Clergy entering on their respective charges, when not perfectly correct, they are the dates of the Convention Journals, when their names first appear there, or their own reports. In cases where mistakes may be found, or blanks occur, I shall be most thankful for any information from any source, by which they may be corrected, or the deficiencies supplied. It is the only way to render this undertaking complete. Much assistance has indeed been cheerfully rendered by very many friends, in making up this completion-for which the author's thanks are all that he has to give, and these are honestly and frankly tendered. His collections, touching Maryland Churchmen and Church matters, would fill many volumes-but whether any thing further may be published, will depend on the favor which this little volume receives.
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There is one thing which these pages will reveal, to which an earnest con- sideration must be given by the Church of Maryland. Of the five hundred and fifty Clergymen here mentioned, less than one hundred and seventy have been natives of this Diocese. To supply the deficiencies, she has had the ser- vices of one hundred and seventy-four born in the States north of Maryland, and sixty born south of her-of ninety-one of foreign birth, and sixty whose place of nativity has not been ascertained. In view of this statement, it can- not but be asked, has the Church done her duty-has she fulfilled her Lord's mission ? Is she, with her wealth and numbers, to continue to be Missionary ground instead of being a Missionary Church ? Is she not bound, by high and holy sanctions, to send out at least as many as she receives ? And yet, this day, she furnishes less than seventy native Ministers for her one hundred and eighty places of worship, and gives to other Dioceses the small number of twenty-five or six.
And now another question-what is the cause of this ? Shall it not be looked into, inquired into, and honestly sought out? Churchmen of Mary- land, it must be.
1
INTRODUCTORY.
IF little is in truth known about very many, of the more than five hundred Clergymen of the Church Protestant Episcopal of the United States, since the acknowledgment of our Independence in 1788-who labored in their Master's vineyard on Maryland soil, or are now so laboring-it is because no one has volunteered to tell their story-the story of whence they came-how they lived-what were their toils and their sacrifices-what was the estimate in which in their day they were held, or the under estimate-what they wrote and published-what they accomplished-or, indeed, scarce any thing else. Their story has not been told-or but meagerly and partially, if at all-and the more the shame for the Church of Maryland.
The acknowledgment of the national, and along with it, of our Ecclesiastical Independence, in the year of our Lord seventeen hundred and eighty-three, by the Government of England, found of our Ante-Revolution Clergymen, in our forty-seven Parishes, but thirty-one remaining. These thirty-one were all of English ordination, as were also seven others, who had come into the State during the period of the Revolution, and were now resident here. At the peace thus of 1783, there were thirty-eight Clergymen of the Church of England found in this State-the State of Maryland.
Of the thirty-one who were here before 1776, seven, from age or other causes, were not engaged in the Parochial Ministry, but resident on their estates; of whom, Addison, R. Brown, Williamson, Brooke and Berry were all of Maryland birth-three being natives of Prince George County.
Among the others, there was William West, D. D., a native of Virginia- in his youth the neighbor and always the personal friend of Washington-the clear minded and far seeing correspondent in the re-organization of the Church of Bishop White, who held that there should be then twenty-three Dioceses in the thirteen States-the Secretary and President successively of the Mary- land Convention-a member always of the Superintending, Examining and Standing Committees, and Delegate to the General Convention-the Rector of St. Paul's, Baltimore, who, had he lived, was looked to for our first Bishop. Then there was Samuel Keene, D. D., the well known Rector of St. Luke's, Queen Anne County-the learned Theologian and intrepid defender of the Church in the halls of our civil Government, when about to be Presbyterian-
6
CLERGY OF MARYLAND.
ized by its unhallowed legislation. The able, sturdy, faithful, self and wealth- sacrificing Thomas John Claggett, D. D., of St. Paul's, Prince George's, who was our first Bishop consecrated. John Andrews, D. D., Rector of St. Thomas' Parisli, Baltimore County, the accomplished scholar and writer of Sermons, and on Rhetoric and Logic-the Christian peace-maker, and after leaving our State, the Provost of the University of Pennsylvania. Edward Gantt, M. D., the early Chaplain to the Congress of the United States, and planter, without reward or fee, of the Church in Georgetown, District of Columbia, who lived to the age of ninety-six. The undaunted, independent and uncompromising John Bowie, D. D., of Talbot, so prominent in his day in the Church of Maryland. Wilmer, of Cecil, and Harford, the Secretary of the first meeting to re-organize the Church, in the very time of the Revolution, and to whom the Church is indebted for her first official adoption of the desig- nation Protestant Episcopal. These were all of Maryland birth, save the exception mentioned. Of our thirty-one Ante-Revolution Clergymen, indeed, fifteen if not sixteen were born here, and five others in Virginia or Pennsyl- vania, leaving only ten to have come to us from the mother Country.
But besides those whose names we have mentioned, there was Isaac Camp- bell, of Trinity, Charles, the author of a Treatise in manuscript of four volumes, which was sent to England for publication, but burnt, it is said, by order of the Privy Council, it being Anti-Monarchical. The pious, learned and vener- able Pastor, John Gordon, D. D., of St. Michael's, Talbot; and like him the evangelical Thomson, of Cecil, a Doctor of Divinity; McPherson, Rector of William and Mary, Charles, deemed worthy of the same honor; then there was Sloane, of Coventry, Somerset County, and the eloquent Goldie, of King and Queen, St. Mary's; and the earnest, devoted and successful Read, of Prince George's, Montgomery County-a Convention Preacher-many years in the Standing Committee, and a District Visitor, who lived to the age of ninety.
Of the seven spoken of as coming into the State after '76 and before '83, one among them was the eloquent and indefatigable William Smith, D. D., the founder, and for so many years the Provost of the College of Philadelphia before the Revolution, and here, the founder of Washington College, in Kent- always President of our Convention, and of the General Convention also, after the house of Bishops was formed, and the first one elected Bishop of Maryland, and to whom, for the re-organizing of the Church in this Country and adapting the Book of Common Prayer to her then new position, she cer- tainly owes more, under God, than to any others of that day, not excepting Bishop White and Doctor Wharton, who, as we are proud not to forget, are both claimed as Marylanders-the one of Baltimore, now Harford County parentage, and the other born in St. Mary's County. Others of the seven referred to are not particularized here, not because undeserving, but because of the hurried nature of our sketch not permitting it.
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7
CLERGY OF MARYLAND.
Of the thirty-eight now under our review, ten had received the honorary degree of Doctor of Divinity, and at a time when it was worth something. But two are said to have swerved into Swedenborgianism, for a time, and one certainly, in his old age, to have died intemperate.
It was not then, as now, a day of publishing in this country. Still, Camp- bell, Andrews, Wilmer and Smith, if not others, have left us published Volumes-Gordon and Andrews, occasional Sermons, and Claggett, Charges and Convention and Pastoral Addresses.
It may be noted, that of the more than fifty-five Clergymen of Maryland- I count fifty-seven-before the Revolution, not all but the thirty-one which the peace of 1783 found here, returned to England-six only are known to have thus returned, viz: Boucher, of Prince George's; Allen, of Frederick; Love, of Ann Arundel; Edmiston, of Baltimore County; Patterson, of Kent; and Hughes, of Dorchester, and perhaps two others. Twelve died during the Revolution, and a few removed to the other States.
But these men, one and all, have long since gone hence, and six only, so far as we have learned, have left any thing on the printed page, by which they may themselves be read. One, the Rev. Hamilton Bell, left to the Church a son to take his place in the Ministry; but Campbell, Booth, Stephen, T. Brown, Sloane, Keene, Andrews, Bowie, Smith and Tingley-these men, while they stood fast to their Parochial Ministry in the evil days which took away their worldly livings-these men devoted themselves to the training of youth in the school room, and thus left many sons to take their place at their Lord's altar when gone-and others, not a few, to adorn the professions and life's labors, and bless their names in all time. Our State owes them much-to say nothing of the Church-and it would be deep ingratitude not to rescue their names from oblivion, or erect some memorials worthy of the benefits and blessings conferred by them under God, which will remain when we are forgotten.
1
THE CLERGY OF MARYLAND.
THE CLERGY OF 1783, WHO WERE IN MARYLAND BEFORE THE COMMENCEMENT OF THE REVOLUTION OF 1776, AC- CORDING TO THEIR DATE OF ORDINATION.
1. HENRY ADDISON, a native of St. John's, Prince Geo. Co .- brought up in the Church-ordained 1742, in England-returning, became the incumbent of his native Parish, St. John's, Prince George Co .- was a member of the Society for the propagation of the Gospel-being a loyalist, he gave up his Parish in 1776 and went to England-but soon came back and resided on his estate till his death in 1789, æt. 72-his Parish would have no other minister while he lived.
2. JOSEPH THRELKELD, a native of England-brought up in the Church- ordained before 1745-came here from Virginia about 1767, and resided at Rock Creek, officiating in Prince George Parish, Montgomery Co .- died in 1783, (prob.) æt. - , whig.
3. JOHN GORDON, D. D., a native of Scotland-brought up , ordained in 1745-on coming to Maryland became the incumbent of St. Ann's, Annapolis-in 1750, of St. Michael's, Talbot-a whig of the revolution-left three published sermons-died in 1790, upwards of 70.
4. ISAAC CAMPBELL, a native of Scotland-brought up - , ordained in 1747, and came to Virginia-in 1748 became the incumbent of Trinity Parish, Charles Co. Md .- a whig of the revolution-after '76 had a school at his residence-published a vol. 8vo. on Civil Government-died in 1784, upwards of 60.
5. HAMILTON BELL, a native of -, was a Presbyterian Minister, but conforming to the Church, was ordained in 1748, in England, and returning became the incumbent of Somerset Parish, Somerset Co., where he continued till his death in 1783, aged -, leaving his son Hamilton in the Ministry. 2
-
10
CLERGY OF MARYLAND.
[1783.
6. RICHARD BROWN, M. D. a native of Trinity Parish, Charles-brought up in the Church-educated in Scotland-ordained in 1750-on coming home he became the incumbent of King and Queen Parish, St. Mary's-at the revo- lution he had left and resided on his paternal estate till his death in 1789, being upwards of 65.
7. JOHN McPHERSON, D. D. a native of Scotland, brought up ordained in 1751, and coming over became the minister of St. Ann's, Annapo- lis, and in 1756 the Incumbent of William and Mary Parish, Charles-was a whig of the Revolution-1784, preached the Convention Sermon-died in 1785, near 60.
8. BARTHOLOMEW BOOTH, a native of , brought up -- -, ordained 1754, and came to Virginia-a little before the Revolution he settled in Frederick Co. Md. where he had a school to the time of his death, in 1785. probably about 60.
9. ALEXANDER WILLIAMSON, a native of All Saint's, Calvert-son of a clergyman-ordained, 1755, in London-on his return, he became the Curate of St. Andrew's, St. Mary's-in 1759, of St. Ann's, Annapolis-in 1761, the incumbent of Prince George Parish, Montgomery Co .- in the Revolution he was a non-juror, and in 1776 left the care of his Parish and resided at his seat near Georgetown till his death in 1787-prob. not 60.
10. CLEMENT BROOKE, a native of Prince George, Md .- brought up in the Church-ordained in 1755, and became the Missionary of the Society P. G. at New Castle, Del .- in 1756 Curate of St. Ann's, Annapolis-in 1759, in Prince George Parish, Montgomery-in 1761, in St. Andrew's, St. Mary's- not long after removed to Virginia, but returned before the Revolution, when he resided on his estate till his death in 1800, being upwards of 70-he was a whig.
11. WILLIAM THOMSON, D. D., born in Pennsylvania-brought up in the Church-ordained in 1759, and became the Missionary of the Society P. G. at Huntington, York and Carlisle Pa .- in 1773, became the incumbent of North Elk Parish, Cecil Co. Md .- he was a whig of the Revolution-in 1779, the Rector of North Sassafras, Cecil, and in connection with it, in 1780, of Augustine Parish, Cecil-a visitor of Washington College-died in 1785, æt. 50.
12. SAMUEL KEENE, D. D., a native of St Paul's, Baltimore Co .- brought up in the Chuch-ordained 1760, and became the incumbent of St. Ann's, Annapolis-in 1767, of St. Luke's, Queen Anne Co .- in 1779, Rector of Chester Parish, Kent Co .- in 1781, of St. John's, Queen Anne Co .- in 1783, of Dorchester Parish, Dorchester Co .- in 1791, of St. Luke's, Queen Ann's, and in 1805, of St. Michael's, Talbot-a member of the Examining, Superin-
2 1833 02251 7756
11
CLERGY OF MARYLAND.
1783.]
tending and Standing Committees-delegate to the General Convention and visitor of Washington College-died in 1810 æt. 76, whig.
13. WILLIAM WEST, D. D., a native of Virginia-brought up in the Church-ordained in 1761-coming from Virginia in 1763, he became the incumbent of Westminster Parish, Anne Arundel Co .- in 1767, of St. An- drew's, St. Mary's-in 1772, of St. George's, Harford, and in 1779, Rector of St. Paul's, Baltimore-a whig of the revolution-successively Secretary and . President of the Maryland Convention, and member of the Examining, Super- intending and Standing Committees-delegate to the General Convention-he died 1791, æt. 54.
14. FRANCIS LAUDER, a native of Maryland (prob.)-brought up in the Church-ordained in 1761, and became the incumbent of Christ Church Parish, Calvert, and in 1782, Rector of All Saint's Parish, Frederick Co., where he had a School-he died in 1785, at.
15. JOHN STEPHEN, a native of Scotland-brought up - ordained in 1764 and went to the West Indies-but coming to Maryland in 1766, he be- came the incumbent of All Faith Parish, St. Mary's-after the revolution he had a School also-he died in 1784 at 43.
16. THOMAS BROWN, a native of England-brought up in the Church- ordained priest 1764 after having been a Chaplain in the army ten years, in deacon's orders-became then a missionary of the Society P. G. at Albany, N. Y. - in 1768, he became Curate in Dorchester Parish, Dorchester, and in 1772, the incumbent-in 1782, the Rector of St. Luke's, Queen Anne, where likewise he had a School-he died in 1784, about 53.
17. SAMUEL SLOANE, a native of Pennsylvania-brought up in the Church-ordained in 1765. In 1768, he become the incumbent of Worcester Parish, Worcester, and in 1770, of Coventry Parish, Somerset, in 1776, he re- signed his incumbency, but continued his services till in 1785, in connection with his Academy, when he gave up the Parish-he died in 1807, æt. 67.
18. GEORGE GOLDIE, a native of England-brought up in the Church- ordained in 1766-coming to Maryland he became Curate in all Saint's Parish, Frederick Co. In 1772, or before he became the Curate of King and Queen, St Mary's, and after 1776, the Rector. He died 1791, æt. 50.
19. THOS. JOHN CLAGGETT, D. D., [Bp. of Md.] a native of Prince George's, Md .- brought up in the Church-ordained 1767, and on returning was appointed Curate of St. Ann's, Annapolis-in 1768, incumbent of All Saint's, Calvert-being a non-juror, he ceased to officiate after 1776-in 1779 officiating in St. Paul's, P. G. Co .- in 1781, Rector of Queen Caroline, Anne Arundel Co .- in 1782, of St. Paul's, Prince George's, his native Parish-in
12
CLERGY OF MARYLAND.
[1783.
1786, of St. James', Anne Arundel-in 1792, of St. Paul's, Prince George's again, and in 1810, of Trinity, Upper Marlboro', which had been erected by him. He was a member of the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel, of the Examining, Superintending and Standing Committees of the Maryland Convention and its President- a delegate to the General Convention, and in 1792, became the Bishop of the Diocese-his publications were his Convention Addresses, Charges and Pastoral Letters. He was at one time Chaplain to the United States Senate, and five times the Convention Preacher-died 1816, æt. 73.
20. JOHN ANDREWS, D. D., a native of Maryland-brought up in the Church-ordained in 1767, and became missionary of the Society P, G., at Lewistown, Delaware-in 1769, at York and Cumberland, Pa .-- in 1774, incum- bent of St. John's Parish, Queen Anne Co., Md .- he was a whig. In 1777, he returned to York Pa., and had an Academy-in 1782, he became Rector of St. Thomas', Baltimore, and St. James' having also a School-in 1784, was appointed Principal of the Episcopal Academy, at Philadelphia, and subse- quently Professor and Provost of the University of Pennsylvania. He was a delegate to the General Convention from Maryland-his publications were three occasional Sermons-a treatise on Logic, and another on Rhetoric, and an address to Students-he died in 1813, æt. 68.
21. WALTER MAGOWAN, a native of Ireland-brought up in the Church-ordained 1768-in 1769, became the incumbent of St. James' Parish, Anne Arundel Co .- died there 1786, being upwards of 50.
22. JEREMIAH BERRY, a native of Prince George Co .- brought up in the Church-ordained in 1768-in - in All Saints Parish-died in. æt.
23. JACOB HENDERSON HINDMAN, M. D., a native of Queen Anne Co. Md .- brought up in the Church-ordained in 1769-he became in 1772, became curate in St. Andrews, St. Mary's-in 1772, incumbent of St. Peter's, Talbot-in 1780, Rector of Great Choptank, Dorchester-died there in - æt,
24. EDWARD GANTT, M. D. a native of Prince George's, Md .- brought up in the Church-ordained 1770, and was resident, perhaps curate in Somerset Parish, Somerset Co .- in 1771 was curate of Queen Anne Parish, Prince George Co., but in Jan. 1775, he became incumbent of All Hallows' Parish, Worcester Co .- in 1780 he returned to Queen Anne, P. G., and with his ministry, practised medicine-he was a whig-In 1795, he removed to Georgetown, now in the District of Columbia-there too he practised medi- cine-was appointed to officiate also for the Episcopalians there-he was five times chaplain to the Senate of the United States-about 1808 he removed westward-but he had become somewhat Swedenborgian in his views before that-he died near Louisville, Ky. in 1837, upwards of 96.
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CLERGY OF MARYLAND.
1783.]
25. JOHN BOWIE, D. D., a native of Prince George Co .- brought up in the Church-ordained in 1770, and became curate in Prince George Parish, Montgomery-in 1772, the incumbent of Worcester Parish, Worcester Co .- a violent loyalist- in 1777 imprisoned-resorted to teaching-in 1780, added to his school the the Rectorship of St. Peter's, Talbot-in 1786, was Rector of Great Choptank, Dorchester-in 1790, St. Michael's, Talbot, he was twice Convention preacher-eight times on the Standing Committee, and delegate to the General Convention-he died in 1802, æt. 55.
26. JOSEPH MESSENGER, a native of England-brought up in the Church, ordained 1772, and settled in Virginia-from thence in 1775, he became the incumbent of St. Andrews, St. Mary's-in 1780, he had connected with it William and Mary's in the same County-in 1786, became the Rector of St. John's, Prince George Co., and so continued for twenty years-was six times on the Standing Committee-died in 1810, over 63.
27. JAMES JONES WILMER, a native of Kent Co. Md .- brought up in the Church-ordained in 1773, and became - in 1779, the Rector of South Sassafras, Kent,-in 1783, St. John's and St. George's, Harford-in 1786, North Sassafras and Augustine, Cecil-in 1788 -, in 1793, resi- dent in Havre-de-Grace, holding Swedenborgian views-in 1799 he was re- stored and in charge of Trinity Church, Wilmington, Del .- in 1800, St. John's and St. James, Baltimore and Harford Counties-in 1805 in Paint Chapel, Prince George Co., and soon after went to Virginia-in 1809, Chaplain of the U. S. Senate and returned to reside at Havre-de-Grace-in 1812, was editor of the American in Baltimore-in 1813, Chaplain in the army-in 1785, was a delegate to the General Convention-his publications were Memoirs, Answer to Tom Paine, and Man as he is, and the World as it Goes-he died in 1814, æt. 65.
28. THOMAS READ, a native of Virginia-brought up in the Church- ordained in 1773, soon after his return he became curate in Prince George Parish, Montgomery-in 1777, was minister of St. Ann's, Annapolis, he soon returned to Montgomery Co. and continued there till in 1816-he was Conven- tion Preacher in 1798-fifteen times on the Standing Committee and District Visitor-he died in 1838, æt. 90.
29. HAMILTON BELL, JR., a native of Somerset Co., and son of the Rev. Hamilton Bell-ordained in 1774, and became - in 1777, prob. he be- came Rector of Stepney Parish-in 1786, of Somerset Parish, same County- he died about 1794, æt. 54-leaving his son Hamilton in the ministry.
30. WALTER HANSON HARRISON, a native of Durham Parish, Charles Co .- brought up in the Church-ordained 1774, returning from London, he became curate of St. Paul's, Prince George-in 1776, he became the Rector of Queen Anne Parish, in that County, and in 1779 of Durham, Charles, his native Parish-he died in 1798, æt. near 50.
CLERGYMEN WHO CAME INTO THE STATE DURING THE REVOLUTION.
1778.
31. WILLIAM HANNA, born in America-was a Presbyterian Minister, but on conforming, was ordained in 1772, and became - in Virginia. In 1778, he became the Minister of Westminster Parish, Anne Arundel Co .- officiating occasionally in St. Ann's, Annapolis, while vacant in 1779 and 1780 .- he died 1785, æt. 48.
1779.
32. GEORGE H. WORSLEY, a native of -, brought up -. He was ordained in -, and became - In 1779, he became the Rector of St. John's and St. James' Parishes, Baltimore and Harford Counties. In 1781, Port Tobacco, Charles Co. He died, (prob.) 1784, æt. -.
1781.
33. THOMAS GATES, D. D., a native of England-brought up in the Church. He was ordained in -, Eng. In 1781, he became Rector of St. Ann's, Annapolis-in 1785, of St. Peter's, Talbot, a member of the Standing Com. In 1789, he removed to South Carolina, and there continued till his death, in 1832, æt. -.
34. WILLIAM SMITH, D. D., a native of Scotland-brought up He was ordained in 1753, and became the Provost of the College of Philadel- phia. In 1781, from thence he became the Rector of Chester Parish, Kent, and founded Washington College, of which he became President. In 1783, he added to his duties the Rectorship of St. Paul's, Kent. In 1789, he became President of the University of Pennsylvania. He had been a Corresponding Member of the Society P. G .- while here, he was elected, in 1783, to the Episcopate of Maryland, but not consecrated. He was Convention Preacher, always its President, and member of the Examining, Superintending and Standing Committees, and Delegate to the General Convention, of which body he was its first President, and so continued. His various Essays and Sermons, at intervals published, were collected after his death by his son, and re-pub- lished in two octavo volumes. He died in 1803, æt. 76.
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