IAGenWeb - Scott County

HENRY W. LEE:

the first Episcopal Bishop of Iowa, was born in Hamden, Connecticut, on the 29th of July, 1815. A few months later his father removed to Springfield, Massachusetts, where the son spent his youthful days and received his education. In October, 1839, he was ordained to the ministry of the Episcopal church by Bishop Griswold. He was called to be Rector of Christ Church at Springfield in April 1840, where he remained three years. He then accepted a call to St. Luke's church, at Rochester, New York, where he remained eleven years. The degree of D. D. was conferred upon him by Hobart College in 1850 and by the University of Rochester in 1852. In 1867 the degree of LL.D. was conferred on him by the University of Cambridge, England. On the 1st of June, 1854, Dr. Henry W. Lee was elected Bishop of the Diocese of Iowa and on the 18th of October was consecrated at Rochester in teh presence of the Bishops of New York, Massachusetts, Maine, Michigan and Illinois, Bishop Eastman of Vermont, presiding. Bishop Lee made a visit to the principal churches of Iowa in the fall of that year and in January, 1855, removed to Davenport. He immediately entered upon the work of raising a permanent fund for the diocese which was wisely invested in more than 6,000 acres of land which as the years went by became valuable, yielding a large income. He was instrumental in founding Griswold College at Davenport which was opened in 1860. In 1867 he made a visit to the principal countries of Europe, preaching in some of the largest churches of England, France and Ireland. After an arduous service of twenty years as Bishop of Iowa Henry W. Lee died at his home on the 26th of September, 1874. The last great work he gave to the diocese was the erection of Grace Cathedral at Davenport.