The Worcester spy. [volume] (Worcester, Mass.) 1898-1904, 1899-02-08
BISHOP WILLIAMS.
Death of a Noted Episcopal Church
Clergyman.

Middletown, Conn, Feb. 7.-Rt. Rev.
of the Protestant Episcopal church
diocese of Connecticut, and senior bish-
op of the house of bishops of the Epis-
copal church in America, died uneX-
pectedly, at the episcopal residence,
shortly before 6 o'clock tonight, in his
SD year.
The deceased had been suffering with
a light attack of the grip for about a
week, but no fatal result was antici-
pated. Though Bishop Williams had
practically been an invalid for the past
two years and confined to his bed, ex
cepting for a short while each day, his
infirmities were of physical nature.
His mind was bright and active to the
end and he never lost his interest in
the Berkeley Divinity School, and, in
fact, matters in general He continued
his class in the divinity school, the
students coming to his room for lee
lures. He was known as quite wit,
a good story teller and successful
after dinner speaker.
The deceased was born in old or
North Deerfield, Mass, Aug. 80, 1917.
He was the only child of Ephraim
Williams, a lawyer and author of the
first volume of the Massachusetts, re-
ports, and of Emily CTrowbridge) Will
liams. His parents were Unitarians
and he was educated in that faith. He
attended school at the academy in his
native town, and in 1881 he entered
Harvard College, where he remained
two years. Here he had an intimate
friend, afterward Rev. Benjamin Davis,
and in consequence of discussion with
him, and of careful study of the pray
er book, he determined to connect him
self with the Episcopal church. In
consequence of the change, he left Har-
ward and entered what was then Wash
ington (now Trinity College, at Hart
ford, from which he graduated in 1885.
In the autumn of that year, having be-
come candidate for holy orders he
entered the theological seminary in
New York
He came to Middletown a short time
afterward. to resume his theological
studies. Having completed his studies,
he was ordained deacon by Bishop
Brownell in the church at Middletown,
Sept. 2, 1888. After his ordination, he
continued as a tutor in Trinity College.
a position which he had taken in 1887
until 1910, being still below the canoni-
cal age of "a. required for ordination
for the priesthood he went abroad with
his mother for a little less than year,
spending most of the time in England
and Scotland, although he made short
visit in Paris.
After his return, he became an as
sistant to Rev DR.. Jarvis at Middle
town for one year, and in 1912 was
called to the rectorship of St. George s
Church. Schenectady, N. Y In 1S4S he
was elected president of Trinity College
and remained in that position until
1853. In 1851 he was consecrated assist
ant bishop to Bishop Brownell Dur
ing his presidency and chiefly through
his exertions, the small endowment OF
Trinity College was considerably in
creased. In the year 1854 he removed
to Middletown with his mother and has
since resided here.
Jan. 10. 1865 Bishop Brownell died
and Bishop Williams became the sole
bishop of the diocese He lived to see
a remarkable development Of its
strength and vigor under his able ad-
ministration. The number of it's par
ishes has increased largely, that of its
clergy having grown in a still larger
ratio; the number of families connect
ed with it has more than doubled; the
average annual baptisms have more
than doubled, while the combinations
have nearly tripled There have also
been founded in connection with the
various parishes a number of charita-
Bile institutions such as homes for the
aged and infirm, and for orphans. The
contributions for parochial and benevo-
lent purposes are multiplied forty fold.
Honorary degrees of s. T. D. or ID.
d. were received from Union College
in 1S47 from Trinity in 1S49, from Co
lumbia in 1851, and from Yale in 1888;
that of Ill. d was conferred by Hobart
College in 1870.