The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1911-08-09
CAREER OF BISHOP
D. P. F|TzGE RAJ D
INTERESTING STORY or LIFE OF
GRAND OLD MAN OF METHOD
ISM WHO RECENTLY DIED.

The following interesting story of
the life of Bishop O. +. Fitzgerald. Of
the Southern Methodist church, who
died Saturday afternoon at his home
Monteagle, Tenn. has been published
in several of the Southern newspa
pers;
oscar Fitzgerald was the son OF
Richard and Malta Jones Hooper
Fitzgerald. and was born in Caswelf.
n, G., August "a. 1929. His middle
name was taken from that of the
Rev Dr. Abraham Penn. who hap
tized him in infancy, with the ex
pressed hope that he might become
minister.
Having received common school
education in North Carolina he rode
in four horse stage to Virginia,
where he went in search Of work.
His first service was in tho c0mpos-
ing room II the Lynchburg Repub-
Ncan. Later he became a clerk in
theJotiice OF the Lynchburs Post. and
while SO engaged. the Mexican war
came on. His father responding to
the call Of his country, marched to
Mexico with General Scott and ps-
car Penn returned home tn North
Carolina to support his mother by
teaching in the neiEhborhood
when the war was over the young
man returned to his newspaper work.
obtaining a place on tho Richmond
/ Examiner, of which the late John
w. Daniel was then political editor.
and Of which Edgar Allan Poe was
2 ~ ~.
his genius was stilied in death. His
acquaintance with Poe was favorite
theme with Bishop Fitzgerald On
one occasion he heard Poe lecture,
the impression being profound one.
Bishop Fitzgerald at this time was
about twenty years Of age.
From Virginia, the young man went
to Georgia, where, after a trying spell
of typhoid fever, his attention was
directed to the ministry. In 1854,
at the Georgia Methodist Conference
meeting at Atlanta. with Bishop Cap
ers presiding. he was admitted and
sent to Savannah as a Junior preach
ct. \ short time after he Went To
the far West as a missionary,
In 1867 he was chosen superin-
tendent IF pubic instruction Of Cali
/ fornia, continuing IN the position fer
four years. While in California he
was for a time editor OF the Pacific
Methodist and Christian Spectator.
Returning TO the South in 1873 he
i vas elected editor Of the Nashville
Christian Advocate, an organ Of tho
Southern Methodist church. succeed :
/ ing Rev. DIR. T. r. Summers. In
1886, when the general conference of
I the church met in Richmond. he vas
suggested a bishop. and four years
later. when tine conference met in
st. Louis, this honor was voted To
him.
For many years Bishop Fitzgerald
had been inca FACILITATED by age and
failing strength. but his interest in
his church never tagged. Toward the
end OF his days too. he retained his
interest in the newspaper business In
which he had started his career lie
wrote extensively himself, and son
the late Lee Fitzgerald was at one
time editor of the Nashville Ameri-
can. later absorbed by the Tonnes
sean. In 1855 Bishop Fitzgerald was
! married to Miss Sarah Banks, OF
] Enon. Ala, who survives him with
1 the following children. Mrs. J. H.
| Nye aud Mrs. j. Il. Robertson, OF
Nashville. Tenn; w. NJ FITZGERALD
/ of Tullahoma, Tenn, and Oscar F.
Fitzgerald Jr of Charleston. w Va.