Alfred Harding (bishop)
Encyclopedia
Alfred Harding was the second Episcopal Bishop of
Washington
. He was elected in 1909 to succeed the Right Rev. Henry Yates Satterlee, the founding bishop of the Diocese of Washington (1896–1908). Harding was de facto dean of the Cathedral from 1909 until 1916.
, Hartford, Connecticut
in 1879. He completed his studies at the Berkeley Divinity School
, graduating in 1882.
, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
in 1847. He was the personal physician for President Ulysses S. Grant
, attending him from 22 October 1884, till the death of the latter, 23 July 1885. Alfred and Justine were the parents of four children, three of whom survived to adulthood: Alfred J., Charlotte G. and Paul Curtis. A son, Douglas died in 1891 at the age of 3.
Episcopal Diocese of Long Island
and in 1883 he was ordained a priest again by Bishop Littlejohn. The year of his deaconate was spent as an assistant to the Rev. Henry M. Nelson, Jr., rector of Trinty Church, Geneva, New York. From 1883 to 1887, he was the assistant rector of Old St. Paul's Parish in Baltimore, Maryland. He was third rector
of St. Paul's
, K Street, Washington, D.C. serving from 1887 until 1909 when he became the Bishop of Washington, D.C. This parish has given special attention to music, it being the first in the city to introduce the choral service. In 1889 he received the call to Christ Church Cathedral
, St. Louis, Missouri
, but declined.
Washington
at Trinity Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. The consecrator was Bishop Charles Edward Woodcock, the third Episcopal
Bishop of Kentucky
. Alfred Harding was the 240th
bishop
consecrated in the Episcopal Church.
When the Harriet Lane Johnston choir school (St. Albans) opened, nine years after the National Cathedral School for Girls, Harding made Edgar Priest supervisor of music at these schools in August 1909. His formal appointment as the Cathedral’s first organist and choirmaster came in 1911 in anticipation of the opening of Bethlehem Chapel for services the following May.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. He was elected in 1909 to succeed the Right Rev. Henry Yates Satterlee, the founding bishop of the Diocese of Washington (1896–1908). Harding was de facto dean of the Cathedral from 1909 until 1916.
Biography
He was born on August 15, 1852 in Ireland, the son of Richard Harding. He emigrated in 1867 to the United States, settling in Brooklyn, Kings County, New York. He became a naturalized citizen in 1870 and spent several years a businessman.Education
He graduated from Trinity CollegeTrinity College (Connecticut)
Trinity College is a private, liberal arts college in Hartford, Connecticut. Founded in 1823, it is the second-oldest college in the state of Connecticut after Yale University. The college enrolls 2,300 students and has been coeducational since 1969. Trinity offers 38 majors and 26 minors, and has...
, Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford, Connecticut
Hartford is the capital of the U.S. state of Connecticut. The seat of Hartford County until Connecticut disbanded county government in 1960, it is the second most populous city on New England's largest river, the Connecticut River. As of the 2010 Census, Hartford's population was 124,775, making...
in 1879. He completed his studies at the Berkeley Divinity School
Berkeley Divinity School
Berkeley Divinity School, founded in 1854, is an official seminary of the Episcopal Church, based in New Haven, Connecticut. The seminary was originally founded as a middle-way between the Anglo-Catholic leaning General Theological Seminary in New York, and the Evangelical-leaning Virginia...
, graduating in 1882.
Marriage
He married in 1887 Justine Prindle Douglas, who was born on Jun. 16, 1853 in New York City and died on February 6, 1909 in Washington, D.C. She was the daughter of Dr. John Hancock Douglas, an 1843 graduate of Williams CollegeWilliams College
Williams College is a private liberal arts college located in Williamstown, Massachusetts, United States. It was established in 1793 with funds from the estate of Ephraim Williams. Originally a men's college, Williams became co-educational in 1970. Fraternities were also phased out during this...
, and the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine
The Perelman School of Medicine , formerly the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine, was founded in 1765, making it the oldest American medical school. As part of the University of Pennsylvania, it is located in the University City section of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It is widely...
in 1847. He was the personal physician for President Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant
Ulysses S. Grant was the 18th President of the United States as well as military commander during the Civil War and post-war Reconstruction periods. Under Grant's command, the Union Army defeated the Confederate military and ended the Confederate States of America...
, attending him from 22 October 1884, till the death of the latter, 23 July 1885. Alfred and Justine were the parents of four children, three of whom survived to adulthood: Alfred J., Charlotte G. and Paul Curtis. A son, Douglas died in 1891 at the age of 3.
Ordination
In 1882, he was ordained a deacon by Abram N. Littlejohn, the first Episcopal Bishop ofBishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Episcopal Diocese of Long Island
Episcopal Diocese of Long Island
The Episcopal Diocese of Long Island is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America with jurisdiction over the counties of Kings, Queens, Nassau and Suffolk, which comprise Long Island, New York...
and in 1883 he was ordained a priest again by Bishop Littlejohn. The year of his deaconate was spent as an assistant to the Rev. Henry M. Nelson, Jr., rector of Trinty Church, Geneva, New York. From 1883 to 1887, he was the assistant rector of Old St. Paul's Parish in Baltimore, Maryland. He was third rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
of St. Paul's
Church of St. Paul's, K Street (Washington, D.C.)
St. Paul's Parish, K Street is a parish of the Episcopal Church in the Episcopal Diocese of Washington. It is known for being one of the earlier Anglican Catholic churches in the United States.-History:...
, K Street, Washington, D.C. serving from 1887 until 1909 when he became the Bishop of Washington, D.C. This parish has given special attention to music, it being the first in the city to introduce the choral service. In 1889 he received the call to Christ Church Cathedral
Christ Church Cathedral (St. Louis, Missouri)
Christ Church Cathedral in Saint Louis, Missouri was designed by architect Leopold Eidlitz and built between 1859 and 1867. The Gothic revival structure was an expression of the city's sense of its significance as the United States expanded westwards...
, St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis, Missouri
St. Louis is an independent city on the eastern border of Missouri, United States. With a population of 319,294, it was the 58th-largest U.S. city at the 2010 U.S. Census. The Greater St...
, but declined.
Consecration
On January 25, 1896 he was consecrated the second Episcopal Bishop ofBishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
Washington
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
at Trinity Episcopal Church in Washington, D.C. The consecrator was Bishop Charles Edward Woodcock, the third Episcopal
Episcopal Church (United States)
The Episcopal Church is a mainline Anglican Christian church found mainly in the United States , but also in Honduras, Taiwan, Colombia, Ecuador, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Venezuela, the British Virgin Islands and parts of Europe...
Bishop of Kentucky
Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky
The Episcopal Diocese of Kentucky is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the western half of the state of Kentucky. The diocese, which originally comprised all of Kentucky, consecrated its first bishop, the Rt. Rev. Benjamin Bosworth Smith, in 1832...
. Alfred Harding was the 240th
Succession of Bishops of the Episcopal Church in the United States
This list consists of the bishops in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, an independent province of the Anglican Communion. This shows the historic succession of the episcopate within this denomination.-Key to chart:...
bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
consecrated in the Episcopal Church.
When the Harriet Lane Johnston choir school (St. Albans) opened, nine years after the National Cathedral School for Girls, Harding made Edgar Priest supervisor of music at these schools in August 1909. His formal appointment as the Cathedral’s first organist and choirmaster came in 1911 in anticipation of the opening of Bethlehem Chapel for services the following May.
Death
He died on May 2, 1923 in Washington, D.C. Both he and his wife are buried in the Bethlehem Chapel of Washington National Cathedral.External links
- Episcopal Diocese of Washington
- Washington National Cathedral
- Church Website
- St. Paul's Protestant Episcopal Church, Baltimore City, including photo from 1985, at Maryland Historical Trust
- Old St. Paul's Episcopal Church website