New-York tribune., 1902-07-13
BISHOP POTTER TO MARRY.
yrs ENGAGEMENT ANNOUNCED TO MRS.
ALFRED CORNING CLARK-IHE
LATTER'S SON ALSO ENGAGED.

.arbe Evening Post" yesterday announced that
IL was authorized TO make public the engage
lent Of the Right Rev. Henry c. Potter, Bishop
:. New-York and Mrs. Alfred Corning Clark.
Roth the Bishop and Mrs. Clark are at the pres
an, time absent from the city. the former IN
paris. the latter at her summer home in Coop
erstown, n. Y. When the Bishop went abroad
last spring the condition of his health was not
eu that could be wished. The tremendous re-
sponsibility Of his work, including the care Of
the many parishes under his Jurisdiction and
the endless amount of worry and care conse-
auent upon his many public activities, were so
great that the need Of a coadjutor was widely
discussed. AS was recently suggested in The
Tribune the coming convention may consider
the advisa bility Of such aid for the Bishop
Mrs. Clark. who Miss Elizabeth Scriven,
is well known 10 the people Of the city, not
merely because Of her great wealth and large
real estate holdings, but also because Of her
many charitable gifts, notable among which is
the Alfred Corning Clark Memorial Chapel work
on which was begun last spring. Particular in
terest attaches TO the fact that at the laying Of
the cornerstone Of this building Bishop Potter
was present and delivered an address praising
the generosity of the giver. Not less we'll known
is the Alfred Corning Clark Neighborhood
House, at Rivington and Cannon sts This
building. which provides a home for kinder
garten. manual training, sewing and cooking
schools for the poorer inhabitants of the
Ghetto. is known throughout the country
OF the best equipped charitable plants in the
country. To the Metropolitan Museum Of Art.
IN this city, Mrs. Clark has been liberal having
contributed several valuable paintings TO its
collections. She is a member Of the Barnard
Club and the National Arts Society. Her home
in this city is at Riverside Drive and Eighty
ninth-st., and is one of the finest houses in that
avenue.
Concident with the announcement Of Mrs
Clark's engagement is the like announcement
concerning one of her four sons, Lieutenant
Robert S. Clark, of the 9th Infantry, L. s. A,
who served with that regiment both in China
and IN the Philippines. Lieutenant Clark is en-
gagged TO Miss Florence L. Stokes the daughter
Of Henry B. Stokes. president Of the Manhattan
Life Insurance Company.
The Right Rev. Henry c. Potter. Bishop of
New-York. was born in Schenectady on May
%. 1885. He the Of Alonzo Potter,
former Bishop OF Pennsylvania. The future
Bishop received his early training at the Eps
copal Academy in Philadelphia, and the Eps-
copal Seminary. Fairfax County. Virginia He
was graduated in 1857. and al the age OF TWEEN
ty-two was ordained deacon. His first charge
was the small parish Of Greensburg, in West
moreland County, Penn. After q successful
pastorate Of two years. he was called TO st.
Johns Church. in Troy, n. Y. There he worked
for seven years. doing great deal Of practical
work for the poor in his charge
Two years were spent in the famous Trinity
Church in Boston, Mass. at the close Of his
Troy pastorate. and then in May, 1866. Bishop
Potter was called to Grace Church, in this city,
and began his career of public service here.
During his stay at Grace Church he declined
many fattering offers TO go to other cities.
Among these was his election in 1875 as Bishop
of Iowa During these successful and useful
years as rector Of Grace Church many honors
came to him. He received the degree Of ID. D.
from Trinity College, and that Of LII D. from
Union College. Later he was selected preacher
to the University of Cambridge. whose honorary
degree, together with that OF Oxford, in Eng
land, and Harvard, in this country. he now
holds
II was in 1888, after having served many years
as secretary Of the House Of Bishops. that
Bishop Potter was elected Misrepresentation to
his uncle, Bishop Horatio Potter A few years
later In 1887 he succeeded his uncle and be-
came Bishop Of NewYork-
So brief sketch Of the career of the man
does not give the smallest conception Of the part
be has played and the position he still occupies
In the community. His public services cannot
be measured except by reference TO specihc eH-
anples- His influence has been the predominant
factor IN the conception and successful under
taking of the new cathedral Of st. John the
Divine on Morningside Heights. The recent choice
Of representative men TO serve on the committee
OF the National Civic Federation included
Bishop Potter. because of the interest and SYM
pathy as well as the intelligent study he had
given the labor question
Perhaps no single action OF Bishop Potters
was more characteristic Of the man than the
letter written TO Mayor Van Wyck at the time
Of the Red Light" district outrages.~ This
letter was one of the most powerful instru-
nnents in checking conditions existing there. AS
an example OF the number Of different fields Of
activity Bishop Potter finds time 10 take inter
est in, the following list of clubs and organiza-
uons Of which he is a member is significant:
The Century, the Players. the Metropolitan.
the St Nicholas Society, the Colonial Order, the
Pennsylvania Society and the Scientific Alli-
ance.
Bishop Potter first married in 1891, di-
rectly after his graduation from college. His
wife was Miss Eliza r. Jacobs. Five children
were born of this marriage, and all survive
They are AlouZo Potter, who is a graduate of
Yale and member of many clubs in this city;
Mrs. William H. Hyde. Mrs. Mason c. DaVidge,
Mrs. Winthrop Cowdin and Miss Sarah L. Pot
ter
Mrs Alfred Corning Clark is the widow Of
Alfred Corning Clark who died on April 8, 1896.
Mr. Clark the only Of Edward Clark.
whose fortune Mrs. Clark's husband inherited.
The latter was a very retiring man. and came
little before the public.
Since her husbands death Mrs. Clark has
many times appreciation by her large
charitable gifts. Chief among these is the East
Side Neighborhood House, already mentioned,
where hundreds Of children are daily cared Tor.