George Burgess (bishop)
Encyclopedia
George Burgess was the first Episcopal
bishop of Maine
.
, the son of Thomas Burgess, a Rhode Island judge, and his wife, Mary (Mackie) Burgess. Burgess's older brother, Thomas Mackie Burgess, was mayor of Providence. His younger brother, Alexander Burgess, was also an Episcopal priest. He graduated from Brown University
in 1826, with the highest honors. After college, Burgess spent some time abroad from 1831-34 in Göttingen
, Bonn
, and Berlin
. Bishop Alexander Viets Griswold
admitted Burgess to deacon's orders, in Providence, June 10, 1834. He was ordained priest shortly thereafter, on November 2, 1834. He then became rector of Christ Church
in Hartford, Connecticut
.
Burgess was married in October 1846 to Sophia Kip. He was elected first bishop of Maine, early in October 1847, and consecrated in Christ Church, Hartford, that same month. He was the 49th bishop of the ECUSA, and was consecrated by bishops Philander Chase
, Thomas Church Brownell
, and Manton Eastburn
. In 1850, shortly after his elevation to the Episcopate, the Burgesses' only child, Mary Georgianna, was born.
, a place he retained until his death. Burgess joined the William Augustus Muhlenberg in the "Memorial Movement" (characterized by Muhlenberg as an "evangelical catholic" movement) in 1853. His ministry was of the style of Muhlenberg, Alonzo Potter
, and Alexander Griswold, who were sometimes called high church
evangelical
s.
Burgess was one of the presenters of Bishop George Washington Doane
of New Jersey, on charges concerning Doane's financial integrity. He was suffered a severe hemorrhage in July 1865, but still sailed for the West Indies in December by appointment of the house of bishops to visit Haiti
in the interests of the church. He died at sea, near Port au Prince in 1866, of natural causes. Burgess's daughter died unmarried at in 1873. His widow, Sophia, lived until 1907, never having remarried.
He authored several publications, including "The Book of Psalms, translated into English Verse" (1840); " Strife of Brothers," a poem (1844); "Pages from the Ecclesiastical History of New England between 1740 and 1840" (1847); "The Last Enemy" (1850); and "Sermon on the Christian Life" (1854)". After his death a volume containing his "Poems" was published, with an introduction by Arthur Cleveland Coxe
(1868).
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 Maine
Episcopal Diocese of Maine
The Episcopal Diocese of Maine is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America and encompasses the entire State of Maine. It is part of the Province of New England - Province I of the ECUSA...
.
Family and early career
Burgess was born in Providence, Rhode IslandProvidence, Rhode Island
Providence is the capital and most populous city of Rhode Island and was one of the first cities established in the United States. Located in Providence County, it is the third largest city in the New England region...
, the son of Thomas Burgess, a Rhode Island judge, and his wife, Mary (Mackie) Burgess. Burgess's older brother, Thomas Mackie Burgess, was mayor of Providence. His younger brother, Alexander Burgess, was also an Episcopal priest. He graduated from Brown University
Brown University
Brown University is a private, Ivy League university located in Providence, Rhode Island, United States. Founded in 1764 prior to American independence from the British Empire as the College in the English Colony of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations early in the reign of King George III ,...
in 1826, with the highest honors. After college, Burgess spent some time abroad from 1831-34 in Göttingen
Göttingen
Göttingen is a university town in Lower Saxony, Germany. It is the capital of the district of Göttingen. The Leine river runs through the town. In 2006 the population was 129,686.-General information:...
, Bonn
Bonn
Bonn is the 19th largest city in Germany. Located in the Cologne/Bonn Region, about 25 kilometres south of Cologne on the river Rhine in the State of North Rhine-Westphalia, it was the capital of West Germany from 1949 to 1990 and the official seat of government of united Germany from 1990 to 1999....
, and Berlin
Berlin
Berlin is the capital city of Germany and is one of the 16 states of Germany. With a population of 3.45 million people, Berlin is Germany's largest city. It is the second most populous city proper and the seventh most populous urban area in the European Union...
. Bishop Alexander Viets Griswold
Alexander Viets Griswold
Alexander Viets Griswold was the Episcopal Bishop of the Eastern Diocese, which included all of New England with the exception of the Episcopal Diocese of Connecticut....
admitted Burgess to deacon's orders, in Providence, June 10, 1834. He was ordained priest shortly thereafter, on November 2, 1834. He then became rector of Christ Church
Christ Church (Hartford, Connecticut)
Christ Church is a historic church at 955 Main Street in Hartford, Connecticut.The Gothic Revival church was built in 1827 and added to the National Register of Historic Places in 1983.-External links:*...
in 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...
.
Burgess was married in October 1846 to Sophia Kip. He was elected first bishop of Maine, early in October 1847, and consecrated in Christ Church, Hartford, that same month. He was the 49th bishop of the ECUSA, and was consecrated by bishops Philander Chase
Philander Chase
Philander Chase was an Episcopal Church bishop, educator, and pioneer of the United States western frontier in Ohio and Illinois.-Life:...
, Thomas Church Brownell
Thomas Church Brownell
Thomas Church Brownell was founder of Trinity College in Hartford, Connecticut, and Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church from 1852 until his death....
, and Manton Eastburn
Manton Eastburn
Manton Eastburn was an Episcopal bishop. After graduation from Columbia University, he studied at the General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church in the United States before ordination as deacon and priest by Bishop John Henry Hobart of the Diocese of New York...
. In 1850, shortly after his elevation to the Episcopate, the Burgesses' only child, Mary Georgianna, was born.
Bishop of Maine
On removing to Maine, Burgess became the rector of the church in GardinerGardiner, Maine
Gardiner is a city in Kennebec County, Maine, United States. The population was 6,198 at the 2000 census. Popular with tourists, Gardiner is noted for its culture and old architecture.-History:...
, a place he retained until his death. Burgess joined the William Augustus Muhlenberg in the "Memorial Movement" (characterized by Muhlenberg as an "evangelical catholic" movement) in 1853. His ministry was of the style of Muhlenberg, 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:...
, and Alexander Griswold, who were sometimes called high church
High church
The term "High Church" refers to beliefs and practices of ecclesiology, liturgy and theology, generally with an emphasis on formality, and resistance to "modernization." Although used in connection with various Christian traditions, the term has traditionally been principally associated with the...
evangelical
Evangelicalism
Evangelicalism is a Protestant Christian movement which began in Great Britain in the 1730s and gained popularity in the United States during the series of Great Awakenings of the 18th and 19th century.Its key commitments are:...
s.
Burgess was one of the presenters of Bishop George Washington Doane
George Washington Doane
George Washington Doane was a United States churchman, educator, and bishop in the Episcopal Church for the Diocese of New Jersey.-Biography:Doane was born in Trenton, New Jersey...
of New Jersey, on charges concerning Doane's financial integrity. He was suffered a severe hemorrhage in July 1865, but still sailed for the West Indies in December by appointment of the house of bishops to visit Haiti
Haiti
Haiti , officially the Republic of Haiti , is a Caribbean country. It occupies the western, smaller portion of the island of Hispaniola, in the Greater Antillean archipelago, which it shares with the Dominican Republic. Ayiti was the indigenous Taíno or Amerindian name for the island...
in the interests of the church. He died at sea, near Port au Prince in 1866, of natural causes. Burgess's daughter died unmarried at in 1873. His widow, Sophia, lived until 1907, never having remarried.
He authored several publications, including "The Book of Psalms, translated into English Verse" (1840); " Strife of Brothers," a poem (1844); "Pages from the Ecclesiastical History of New England between 1740 and 1840" (1847); "The Last Enemy" (1850); and "Sermon on the Christian Life" (1854)". After his death a volume containing his "Poems" was published, with an introduction by Arthur Cleveland Coxe
Arthur Cleveland Coxe
Arthur Cleveland Coxe DD LLD was the second Episcopal bishop of New York. He used Cleveland as his given name and is often referred to as A. Cleveland Coxe.-Biography:...
(1868).