Horatio Potter
Encyclopedia
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...
in the Diocese of New York
Episcopal Diocese of New York
The Episcopal Diocese of New York is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island in New York City, and the New York state counties of Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, and...
.
The youngest brother of Bishop Alonzo Potter
Alonzo Potter
The Right Reverend Alonzo Potter was an American bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States who served as the third Bishop of Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
, he was born near Beekman
Beekman, New York
Beekman is a town in Dutchess County, New York, United States. It is part of the Poughkeepsie–Newburgh–Middletown, NY Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the larger New York–Newark–Bridgeport, NY-NJ-CT-PA Combined Statistical Area. The population was 11,452 at the 2000...
(now La Grange), Dutchess County, New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
on 9 February 1802, to Quaker farmers Joseph and Anne Potter. He graduated at Union College
Union College
Union College is a private, non-denominational liberal arts college located in Schenectady, New York, United States. Founded in 1795, it was the first institution of higher learning chartered by the New York State Board of Regents. In the 19th century, it became the "Mother of Fraternities", as...
in 1826, was ordained priest of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1828, was rector
Rector
The word rector has a number of different meanings; it is widely used to refer to an academic, religious or political administrator...
for several months in Saco, Maine
Saco, Maine
Saco is a city in York County, Maine, United States. The population was 18,482 at the 2010 census. It is home to Ferry Beach State Park, Funtown Splashtown USA, Thornton Academy, as well as General Dynamics Armament Systems , a subsidiary of the defense contractor General Dynamics...
, and from 1828 to 1833 was professor of mathematics and natural philosophy at Washington College (now Trinity College
Trinity 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...
.
From 1833 to 1854 he was rector of St. Peter's Church, Albany, New York
Albany, New York
Albany is the capital city of the U.S. state of New York, the seat of Albany County, and the central city of New York's Capital District. Roughly north of New York City, Albany sits on the west bank of the Hudson River, about south of its confluence with the Mohawk River...
. In November 1854 he was elected provincial bishop of New York
Episcopal Diocese of New York
The Episcopal Diocese of New York is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the boroughs of Manhattan, the Bronx, and Staten Island in New York City, and the New York state counties of Westchester, Rockland, Dutchess, Orange, Putnam, Sullivan, and...
in place of Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk
Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk
Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk was the Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York from 1830–1861.- Early years :...
(1791–1861), who had been suspended after a scandal, and upon Onderdonk's death he became Diocesan 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...
.
He was married first to Mary Jane Tomlinson, who died in 1847 leaving six children. In 1853 he married Mary Atchison Pollock whom he had met on a tour of Scotland. During his career he traveled to Britain several times.
On March 8, 1864 Bishop Potter laid the cornerstone for the Church of the Incarnation
Church of the Incarnation and Parish House
The Church of the Incarnation is a historic Episcopal church at 205-209 Madison Avenue at the northeast corner of 35th Street in the Murray Hill neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City. The church was founded in 1850 as a chapel of Grace Church located at 28th Street and Madison...
located at 205-209 Madison Avenue.
In 1865 Bishop Potter created the Sisterhood of St. Mary
Community of St. Mary
The Community of St. Mary is an Anglican religious order of nuns with three independent houses located in Greenwich, New York, Sewanee, Tennessee, and Mukwonago, Wisconsin...
now called the Community of St. Mary; in doing so, he was the first bishop in the Anglican community to constitute a new monastic order in over two centuries.
In 1868 his diocese was divided, the new dioceses of Albany
Episcopal Diocese of Albany
The Episcopal Diocese of Albany is part of Province 2 of the Episcopal Church.-History:The Church of Englandarrived in 1674 with a chaplain assigned to the British military garrison at Albany, New York. In 1704 the Society for the Propagation of the Gospel sent two missionaries to the Mohawk...
, Central New York
Episcopal Diocese of Central New York
The Episcopal Diocese of Central New York is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, encompassing the area in the center of New York....
and 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...
being separated from it. Bishop Potter attended the Lambeth Conferences of 1867 and 1868. His failing health put an end to his active service in 1883, when his nephew, Alonzo Potter
Alonzo Potter
The Right Reverend Alonzo Potter was an American bishop of the Episcopal Church in the United States who served as the third Bishop of Pennsylvania.-Early life:...
's son the Rt Revd Henry, became his assistant.
Horatio Potter conceived and founded the Cathedral of St. John the Divine in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
, the largest cathedral in the Western Hemisphere, though he did not live to see the foundation stone laid. He died in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
on 2 January 1887 and his body is entombed in a large gothic
Gothic art
Gothic art was a Medieval art movement that developed in France out of Romanesque art in the mid-12th century, led by the concurrent development of Gothic architecture. It spread to all of Western Europe, but took over art more completely north of the Alps, never quite effacing more classical...
tomb behind the high altar of the cathedral. The cathedral was constructed under the guidance of his nephew, the Rt Revd Henry, who succeeded Horatio as Bishop of New York.
External links
- Documents by Horatio Potter from Project Canterbury
- alonzopotter.com