Pre-diocesan History (1789 - 1817) Our pre-diocesan history must begin with the consecration of the Right Reverend Samuel Seabury on November 14, 1784 by Bishops of the Scottish Episcopal Church. His 1818 consecration makes him the first American bishop. In 1785 January 5 - The Episcopal Diocese of the name Protestant Episcopal Church is chosen. Then in Ohio organized in Columbus at the 1787 the Right Reverends Samuel Provost and William White home of Dr. Lincoln Goodale. Only are made bishops by the Archbishop of Canterbury. 1789 is a the Reverends Philander Chase and red letter year not only because the first General Convention Roger Searle are present to represent takes place in Philadelphia (which established the House of the clergy in the state Deputies and authorizes the first American Prayer Book) but February 18 - Fifty-three women also because the Episcopal Church comes to Ohio with the first regular Prayer from Ashtabula, Boardman, Book services being read by Col. Ebenezer Battelle in Marietta, Ohio. The 1789 Canfield, Cleveland, Columbia Prayer Book contains only 27 authorized hymns. This is followed by regular Station, Ravenna, and Niles meet in Prayer Book services being held in Cincinnati by the Rev. Jackson Kemper in 1792 Boardman to form “The Female Tract and in Cleveland by the Rev. Seth Hart and in Steubenville by the Rev. Dr. Joseph Society of Boardman Canfield and Doddridge in 1796. the Connecticut Western Reserve” 1816 June 3 & 4 - Worthington - Special September 26 - St. Peter Ashtabula organized “Central Ohio” Convention. 1808 1809 Philander Chase unanimously elected General Convention June 20 - Episcopal October 21 - St. John’s, Worthington, first attempt at an bishop. He is elected without a salary increases the number Society of Boardman organizational convention to establish an Episcopal Diocese and supported himself by farming of authorized hymns established by Joseph “in the Western Country” and select a “suitable person for and teaching allowed in services Platt, Lay Reader and the Bishop.” Clergy and lay representatives from churches/ from 27 to 57 Judge Turhand Kirtland mission in the Western Reserve did not attend St. John, Cuyahoga Falls organized 1817 1803 1813 1817 Philander Chase Ohio is the 17th state Regular Prayer Book February 16 - The Rev. Roger Searle arrives in Ashtabula admitted to the Union services held in and on February 19, Ash Wednesday, St Peter’s formally (1819-1831) Ashtabula by Zadoc adopts the Constitution of the Episcopal Church and is Mann, Lay Reader named by Searle March 2 - Trinity Parish, Cleveland “officially” organized by the Rev. Roger Searle March 11 - St. Paul, Medina organized by the Rev. Roger Searle March 16 - The Rev. Philander Chase arrives at Conneaut Creek having traveled by horse-drawn sleigh from Buffalo, NY to Erie, PA across the frozen lake. He travels the rest of the way by horse and holds his first worship service “although there was not an Episcopalian in the place” March 23 - St. James, Boardman “formally” organized and named by the Rev. Roger Searle April 2 - Provisional Convention held in Windsor Township at home of the Honorable Solomon Griswold where the Rev. Roger Searle is elected to represent Episcopalians in Ohio at the 1817 General Convention May 20 - General Convention meets at Trinity Church, NY with Rev. Roger Searle as a member of the House of Deputies representing Episcopal interests in Ohio (although he was canonically resident in the Diocese of Connecticut) May 22 - The House of Bishops, meeting at General Convention, adopts a resolution allowing a diocese to be formed and a bishop elected in the state of Ohio. Ohio is the first diocese outside of the original 13 colonies 1776 1804 Declaration of Independence Absalom Jones is the first African American by the American colonies priest ordained in the Episcopal Church 1829 August 12 - Philander Chase consecrates Trinity 1824 Church, Cleveland January 17 - An appeal is published for “The Ohio Project.” The goal is to St. Paul, Mt. Vernon build a seminary to train priests for organized 1819 mission and parochial work in Ohio February 11 - The Right August 15 - Philander Rev. Philander Chase is St. James, Painesville organized Chase consecrates St. consecrated at St. James Peter, Ashtabula Episcopal Church in Bishop Chase sails to England where 1826 Philadelphia, the 18th he meets with “high churchmen” as January - The Theological Harcourt Parish, Bishop in the American well as “evangelicals.” Lords Gambier, School, formerly known as “The Gambier organized Succession of Bishops Kenyon, and Bexley, as well as Ohio Project,” will include a Hannah More and Lady Rosse secure course of study for the Liberal August 23 - Philander St. Paul, Steubenville funding for Bishop Chase amounting Arts and will become known as Chase consecrates St. organized to $30,000 Kenyon College James, Boardman 1820 1830 1820 1825 1830 St. Paul, Norwalk Classes held at Bishop Chase’s The Gambier Observer is first organized farm in Worthington. The school published “devoted to the interest of opened with one student but by Religion in the Episcopal Church” the end of the year had twenty- five pupils including five Native Americans September 19 - Bishop Chase consecrates St. James, Cross Creek—the first consecrated church building in Ohio 1828 Kenyon moves from Worthington to Gambier. Chase was his own forester, architect and builder. Chase constructs his own sawmill, flour mill, and printing press 1830 Abolitionists start the Underground Railroad 1831 September 9 - Chase offers his resignation to the delegates attending 1843-1850 the Diocesan Convention in Gambier. Battle between the He was Bishop of Ohio, Rector Evangelicals and Tractarians of Harcourt Parish in Gambier, (low church vs. high church) President of the Theological Seminary of the Protestant Episcopal Church in 1843 the Diocese of Ohio, Fire Chief and 1837 Bexley Hall, the theological Postmaster of Gambier. The Trustees Trinity Church, school at Kenyon College, is and faculty of the school eventually 1835 Toledo organized completed in Gambier forced the Bishop to decide between St. Paul, Akron being overseer of the Diocese or 1833 organized Christ Church, Bishop McIlvaine moves Overseer of Kenyon College. He St. Timothy, Huron organized to Cincinnati to focus on chose neither. On September 10, Massillon Grace Church, church growth. He is revered Philander Chase packs up his family organized Sandusky St. Paul, Maumee as a good administrator and and leaves Gambier organized organized 1841 a good preacher; he travels 1849 St. James, St. Mark, around Ohio on horseback, St. Paul, September 10 - Charles McIlvaine is Wooster Christ Church, St. Andrew, Elyria Sidney by stage, by canal boat, and Bellevue elected the 2nd Bishop of Ohio organized Kent organized organized organized railroad car organized 1840 Charles Pettit 1834 1836 1840 1842 1846 St. Paul, St. Stephen, East Diocesan Convention Bishop McIlvaine travels St. Paul, McIlvaine Marion Liverpool organized gives the Bishop a to England to secure Cleveland (1832-1873) organized salary of $2000 additional funding for Heights Christ Church, Warren Kenyon College organized 1832 organized Diocesan Convention October 31 - McIlvaine is divides the Diocese St. Paul, Fremont organized consecrated Bishop at St. Paul’s Historic St. John, Ohio of Ohio up into six Chapel, New York, NY, the 28th City organized. It is the missionary districts Christ Church, Bishop in the American Succession first church building west Hudson organized of the Cuyahoga River November - Bishop McIlvaine and the oldest church visits Ohio. Clergy in the Diocese building in Cleveland in which comprises the entire state continuous use of Ohio-7 (including the Bishop) Consecrated Churches-6 1849 Colored National Convention, one of many, is held in Cleveland. Topics include jobs, race relations, and the chances 1833 of returning to Africa Oberlin College opens – first co-ed college in the U.S. and first to admit African American students 1844 1848 1835 Philander Chase Seneca Falls Convention drafts The Oxford Movement (Anglo- Philander Chase is elected Bishop becomes Presiding Declaration of Sentiments Catholic) begins in England of the Diocese of Illinois Bishop, by seniority favoring women’s rights 1873 The “low church” vs. “high church” 1861 dispute resurfaces between June 5 - Diocesan Evangelicals and Tractarians which Convention meets resulted in the resignation of the for first time during 1867 president and faculty of Bexley Hall 1859 the Civil War. Both At the Diocesan soon followed by the students Gregory Thorston Bedell Bishops preach Convention, Bishop is elected Assistant Bishop sermons promoting McIlvaine announces a March 12 - Bishop Charles P. 1855 of Ohio loyalty to the Union Jubilee Year in celebration of McIlvaine dies in Florence, Italy St. John the Evangelist, while urging Ohio the 50th anniversary of the after an episcopate lasting 41 years. Napoleon organized October 13 - Bedell is clergy to stay out of Diocese of Ohio. All church His body lies in state at Westminster consecrated Bishop at politics debts are to be declared Abbey in London on its way back Grace Church, St. Paul, Richmond, VA, “extinct.” The Jubilee to the U.S.A. Burial takes place in Defiance organized the 67th Bishop in the Bishop McIlvaine Committee, appointed by Clifton Springs, OH American Succession secretly visits England Bishop McIlvaine, begins a Christ Church, at the behest of discussion on establishing Diocesan Convention votes to Oberlin organized Our Savior, Salem organized President Abraham an endowment for the 1870 appoint a committee representative Lincoln to smooth out Episcopate in Ohio. Both Grace Church, of the different parts of the diocese Old Trinity, Tiffin St. John, ruffled feathers over Bishops continue to preach Willoughby be appointed to consider the organized Youngstown organized “the Trent Affair” against “Ritualism” organized division of the diocese 1850 1860 1870 1850 - 1860 1857 1860 1865 1869 1871 Gregory Thurstan Historic St. Rev.