William Henry Elder

William Henry Elder (1819 - 1904) was a U.S. archbishop. He served as the Roman Catholic Bishop of Natchez from 1857 to 1880 and the Roman Catholic Bishop of Cincinnati between 1883 and 1904.

Biography

Early life

William Henry Elder was born in Baltimore, Maryland, on March 22 1819. His father, Basil Elder, was a descendant of William Spalding Elder, an emigrant from England to the United States in colonial times. His mother was Elisabeth Miles (Snowden) Elder. In 1831 William Henry Elder entered Mt. St. Mary's College, Emmitsburg, Maryland, then presided over by the Rev. John Baptist Purcell, who afterwards became the second Bishop, and later the first Archbishop of Cincinnati. Elder graduated in 1837and entered the seminary. In 1842 he was sent to Urban College in Rome for further studies where he continued his training for about four more years.

Ordination and Bishop of Natchez

Elder was ordained a priest in Rome, March 29 1846. He became professor at the seminary at Emmitsburg, MD, a position he held until appointed Roman Catholic Bishop of Natchez, for which he was consecrated in the cathedral of Baltimore by Archbishop Kenrick, on May 3 1857. The diocese was geographically huge; it comprised the entire state of Mississippi.

In 1864 he was brought into prominence by his refusal to obey the order of the Brigadier General James Madison Tuttle to to have certain prayers for the President of the United States recited publicly in the churches of his diocese. Elder wrote a letter to President Lincoln regarding the matter. Senator Francis Kernan responded to the letter saying he met with Secretary of War Edwin M. Stanton regarding the matter and Stanton said he would comminicate to Tuttle to remedy the situation so there would be not further interference. Elder subsequently sent a letter of thanks to Stanton for the protection extended to religious freedom, also asking that the ruling be made known to other commanders so that they also would not interfere with religious freedoms. Later, Colonel Farrar was placed in command who noted the order placed by Tuttle had not been rescinded nor was being obeyed. This was also noted by a following commander of the Natchez military post, General Mason Brayman. General Brayman took a hard stance on the matter saying "...military orders are to be followed, not discsussed..." and issued an order that Elder be sent to jail in Vidalia, Louisiana. Elder was removed from his diocese by the Federal troops and taken there for a few weeks. Later after Washington intervened in the matter Brayman issued Special Order No. 31 on 12 August 1864, releasing Elder from Federal captivity. ["Character Glimpses of Most Reverend William Henry Elder, D.D.", published by Frederick Pustet & Company, New York and Cincinnati, 1911] .

During his time in Natchez the Yellow Fever broke out in 1878 and he ministered to the sick, eventually contracting the disease, though he survived. At the time he arrived in Natchez the diocese had eleven missions (churches), nine priests and 10,000 Catholics. When he left there were forty-one churches, 25 priests, six religious houses for men, five convents, thirteen parish schools and 12,500 Catholics.

Archibishop of Cincinnati

[
Thomas Eakins] On January 30 1880, he was transferred to Cincinnati, becoming auxiliary bishop and coadjutor with the right of succession to Archbishop Purcell, whom he succeeded July 4 1883. Archbishop Elder was third Bishop and first Archbishop of Cincinnati. He became bishop at a time of great financial difficulty in the Archdiocese. Elder systematically organized the administration of the diocese. He reopened Mount Saint Mary Seminary in 1887, which had been closed since 1879.

He instituted the office of chancellor of the diocese and insisted on annual reports from clergy and parishes, in order to bring the diocese out of great debt.

He served the Archdiocese until his death in Cincinnati on October 31 1904 from influenza. He is buried at St. Joseph Cemetery, Cincinnati, Ohio.

Elder High School, a prestigious Cincinnati, Ohio parochial school was named for Bishop Elder.

References

reflist

ee also

*Archdiocese of Cincinnati

External links

* [http://www.catholic-hierarchy.org/bishop/belder.html Succession of Archbishop William Henry Elder]
* [http://www.the-athenaeum.org/art/detail.php?ID=10361 Portrait of Archbishop William Henry Elder (Cincinnati Art Museum)]
* [http://virtualology.com/apwilliamhenryelder/ Biography of William Henry Elder]