John Gardner Murray

John Gardner Murray (August 31, 1857 – October 3, 1929) was the sixteenth presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church. He was the first person elected to the position rather than succeeding to it automatically as the oldest bishop when his predecessor died.

Early and family life

Murray was born in Lonaconing, Allegheny County, Maryland. His parents were both born in Scotland. The public schools of Lonaconing provided his early education. He attended the Wyoming Seminary in Pennsylvania and Drew Theological Seminary in New Jersey.^[1]

Murray's education was interrupted by the death of his father. He worked in mining and manufacturing from 1879 to 1892 in Kansas, Colorado, New Mexico and Alabama. During these years, he kept active in serving his church. In 1881, he married Harriet M. Sprague. They married in Kansas and took up residence in Alabama. Their daughter Emeline was born there. In 1884, Mrs. Murray and Emeline drowned when the steamer Belmont capsized on the Ohio River during a cyclone. Five years later, Murray married Clara A. Hunsicker, of the same town in Kansas. Six children were born to this marriage.^[1]

Ministry

From 1893 onward, Murray devoted his career to church ministry. By April 1894, he was ordained a priest of the Episcopal Church in Selma, Alabama. He ministered in Alabama until 1903 when he moved to Baltimore, Maryland.^[1] In 1911, a convention of the Diocese of Maryland elected Rev. Murray to succeed Bishop William Paret.

Bishop Murray became the first elected presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.

Death and legacy

He died in office in New York City in 1929, and is buried in Druid Ridge Cemetery in Pikesville, Baltimore County, Maryland.^[2]

References

1 2 3 Williams, T. j. c.; McKinsey, Folger (1979) [1910], History of Frederick County, Maryland, 1, Baltimore, Maryland: Genealogical Publishing Company, p. 773
↑ "Rev John Gardner Murray (1857 - 1929) - Find A Grave Memorial". Findagrave.com. Retrieved 2016-09-11.

External links

Riepe, Anne. "In honor of Bishop John Gardner Murray". Rootsweb. Retrieved October 1, 2011.
Sioussat,, Annie Leakin (1930), John Gardner Murray : priest, prelate, primate, Soldier and servant series, Hartford, Conn.: Church missions Pub. Co.

Episcopal Church (USA) titles
Preceded by Ethelbert Talbot	16th Presiding Bishop January 1, 1926 - October 3, 1929	Succeeded by Charles Palmerston Anderson
Preceded by William Paret	7th Bishop of Maryland 1911-1929	Succeeded by Edward Helfenstein

Presiding Bishops in the Episcopal Church in the United States of America
By seniority	William White Samuel Seabury Samuel Provoost William White Alexander Griswold Philander Chase Thomas Brownell John Hopkins Benjamin Smith Alfred Lee John Williams Thomas Clark Daniel S. Tuttle Alexander Garrett Ethelbert Talbot
By election	John Murray Charles Anderson DeWolf Perry Henry Tucker Henry Sherrill Arthur Lichtenberger John Hines John Allin Edmond Browning Frank Griswold Katharine Jefferts Schori Michael Curry

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