William H. Odenheimer
Encyclopedia
William Henry Odenheimer (August 11, 1817–August 14, 1879) was the third Episcopal
Bishop of New Jersey
and the first of Northern New Jersey
.
in 1817, the son of John W. Odenheimer and Henrietta Burns Odenheimer. He attended the University of Pennsylvania
, graduating in 1835. He next attended the General Theological Seminary
, graduating in 1838. In 1839, Odenheimer married Anne Randall Shaw. They would have eleven children but only two, Anne and Margaret, would live to adulthood.
Odenheimer was ordained deacon three years later, in 1838 by Bishop Henry U. Onderdonk, and was ordained priest by the same bishop in 1841. After his ordination to the priesthood, he served as rector of St. Peter's Church
in Philadelphia, remaining at the parish from his ordination until his elevation to the episcopate. While there, Odenheimer received a doctorate of divinity
from the University of Pennsylvania. He also published several books, including "The True Catholic No Romanist," (1842) about the Oxford Movement
, and "Essay on Canon Law" (1847). Odenheimer was a strong supporter of the Oxford Movement and changed the organization of St. Peter's to reflect that preference. His theological beliefs were out of step with the rising anti-Catholicism of Philadelphia
in the 1840s, but Odenheimer sought to steer a middle course between the extremes of Catholicism and Protestantism.
by Bishops William Meade
, Samuel Allen McCoskry
, and William Rollinson Whittingham
, along with other co-consecrators. While bishop, Odenheimer received an additional degree, a doctor of canon law
from the University of Oxford
, in 1867. During the first fifteen years of his episcopate he confirmed nearly 16,000 people, and the number reached 20,000 before his death. He visited the parishes of his diocese often until 1866, when injuries from a fall broke his kneecaps and forced him to curtail his travels. As his diocese grew, church authorities found it necessary to divide it into northern and southern portions in 1874, with Odenheimer continuing as bishop of the northern diocese, later renamed the Diocese of Newark.
He died in 1879 in Burlington, New Jersey, and was buried at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in that town.
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 New Jersey
Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey
The Episcopal Diocese of New Jersey forms part of Province II of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America. It is made up of the southern and central New Jersey counties of Union, Middlesex, Somerset, Hunterdon, Mercer, Monmouth, Ocean, Burlington, Camden, Atlantic, Gloucester, Salem,...
and the first of Northern New Jersey
Episcopal Diocese of Newark
The Episcopal Diocese of Newark is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America comprising the northern third of New Jersey in the United States...
.
Early life
Odenheimer was born in Philadelphia, PennsylvaniaPhiladelphia, Pennsylvania
Philadelphia is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Philadelphia County, with which it is coterminous. The city is located in the Northeastern United States along the Delaware and Schuylkill rivers. It is the fifth-most-populous city in the United States,...
in 1817, the son of John W. Odenheimer and Henrietta Burns Odenheimer. He attended the University of Pennsylvania
University of Pennsylvania
The University of Pennsylvania is a private, Ivy League university located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States. Penn is the fourth-oldest institution of higher education in the United States,Penn is the fourth-oldest using the founding dates claimed by each institution...
, graduating in 1835. He next attended the General Theological Seminary
General Theological Seminary
The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church is a seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States and is located in the Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan in New York....
, graduating in 1838. In 1839, Odenheimer married Anne Randall Shaw. They would have eleven children but only two, Anne and Margaret, would live to adulthood.
Odenheimer was ordained deacon three years later, in 1838 by Bishop Henry U. Onderdonk, and was ordained priest by the same bishop in 1841. After his ordination to the priesthood, he served as rector of St. Peter's Church
St. Peter's Church, Philadelphia
St. Peter's Church is a historic church located on the corner of Third and Pine Streets in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. It opened for worship on September 4, 1761 and served as a place of worship for many of the United States Founding Fathers during the period of the Continental Congresses. The...
in Philadelphia, remaining at the parish from his ordination until his elevation to the episcopate. While there, Odenheimer received a doctorate of divinity
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
from the University of Pennsylvania. He also published several books, including "The True Catholic No Romanist," (1842) about the Oxford Movement
Oxford Movement
The Oxford Movement was a movement of High Church Anglicans, eventually developing into Anglo-Catholicism. The movement, whose members were often associated with the University of Oxford, argued for the reinstatement of lost Christian traditions of faith and their inclusion into Anglican liturgy...
, and "Essay on Canon Law" (1847). Odenheimer was a strong supporter of the Oxford Movement and changed the organization of St. Peter's to reflect that preference. His theological beliefs were out of step with the rising anti-Catholicism of Philadelphia
Philadelphia Nativist Riots
The Philadelphia Nativist Riots were a series of riots that took place between May 6 and 8 and July 6 and 7, 1844, in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and the adjacent districts of Kensington and Southwark...
in the 1840s, but Odenheimer sought to steer a middle course between the extremes of Catholicism and Protestantism.
Bishop of New Jersey
Odenheimer was consecrated the third Bishop of New Jersey in 1859. He was the 66th bishop in the ECUSA, and was consecrated in St. Paul's Church, Richmond, VirginiaRichmond, Virginia
Richmond is the capital of the Commonwealth of Virginia, in the United States. It is an independent city and not part of any county. Richmond is the center of the Richmond Metropolitan Statistical Area and the Greater Richmond area...
by Bishops William Meade
William Meade
William Meade , was a United States Episcopal bishop.The son of Richard Kidder Meade , one of George Washington's aides during the War of Independence, he was born near Millwood, in what is now Clarke County, Virginia. He graduated as valedictorian in 1808 at the college of New Jersey ; studied...
, Samuel Allen McCoskry
Samuel Allen McCoskry
Samuel Allen McCoskry , was the first bishop of Michigan in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America, but was deposed by the House of Bishops.-Biography:...
, and William Rollinson Whittingham
William Rollinson Whittingham
William Rollinson Whittingham was the fourth Episcopal Bishop of Maryland.-Early life and career:Whittingham was born in New York City, the son of Richard Whittingham and Mary Ann Rollinson Whittingham. He was educated at home, and later attended the General Theological Seminary, graduating in 1825...
, along with other co-consecrators. While bishop, Odenheimer received an additional degree, a doctor of canon law
Doctor of Canon Law
Doctor of Canon Law is the doctoral-level terminal degree in the studies of canon law of the Roman Catholic Church.It may also be abbreviated I.C.D. or dr.iur.can. , ICDr., D.C.L., D.Cnl., D.D.C., or D.Can.L. . Doctor of both laws are J.U.D...
from the University of Oxford
University of Oxford
The University of Oxford is a university located in Oxford, United Kingdom. It is the second-oldest surviving university in the world and the oldest in the English-speaking world. Although its exact date of foundation is unclear, there is evidence of teaching as far back as 1096...
, in 1867. During the first fifteen years of his episcopate he confirmed nearly 16,000 people, and the number reached 20,000 before his death. He visited the parishes of his diocese often until 1866, when injuries from a fall broke his kneecaps and forced him to curtail his travels. As his diocese grew, church authorities found it necessary to divide it into northern and southern portions in 1874, with Odenheimer continuing as bishop of the northern diocese, later renamed the Diocese of Newark.
He died in 1879 in Burlington, New Jersey, and was buried at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in that town.