Seabury

Collier's New Encyclopedia (1921)

SAMUEL, an American clergyman; born in Groton, Conn., Nov. 30, 1729; was graduated at Yale in 1748; studied medicine at Edinburgh; and received deacon's and priest's orders in England in 1753. For some time he was a missionary of the S. P. G.; in 1757 he was promoted to the "living" of Jamaica, Long Island, and 10 years later to that of Westchester, N. Y. The Whigs, however, prevented his ministering, and once imprisoned him for six weeks at New Haven. He removed to New York, where he made his medical knowledge contribute to his support, acted as chaplain of the King's American regiment, and wrote a series of pamphlets which earned for him hostility of the patriots. On the special ial March 25, 1783, the clergy of Connecticut met at Woodbury and elected Seabury bishop; and for 16 months he waited vainly in London for consecration, the archbishops being indisposed to move without the sanction of the civil authority. On Nov. 14, 1784, he was consecrated at Aberdeen by bishops of the Scotch Bishop Seabury's Episcopal Church. jurisdiction embraced Rhode Island as well as Connecticut, and he acted also as rector of St. James' Church, New London. In 1792 he joined with three bishops of the English succession in consecrating a fifth, Bishop Claggett, through whom every American bishop derives from Seabury and the Scotch Church. Seabury secured to the episcopate its proper share in the government of the Church, and the restoration of the oblation and invocation to the Communion Office (from the Scotch Office). He died Feb. 25, 1796.