Installed 1792 Name Samuel Provoost Ordination 1766 Signature Consecration 1787 | Other posts Bishop of New York Predecessor Samuel Seabury Term ended 1795 Successor William White Province Episcopal Church | |
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Died September 6, 1815, New York City, New York, United States | ||
Samuel Provoost (March 11, 1742 – September 6, 1815) was an American Clergyman. He was the first Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of New York, as well as the third (possibly the second) Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church, USA. He was consecrated as bishop of New York in 1787 with Bishop William White.
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Early life
Samuel Provoost was born in New York City, New York to John Provoost and Eva Rutgers in 26 Feb. 1742. He was baptized in 28 Feb. 1742 (The Roosevelt Genealogy, 1649-1902). He was a descendant of William Provoost, who was of a Huguenot family (some of the early settlers in Quebec). His paternal grandmother was Mary (née Spratt) Alexander (1693–1760).
Samuel was educated at King's College, which is now known as Columbia University. Provoost graduated from King's College in 1758. In 1761 he arrived in England and continued his studies at St. Peter's College, Cambridge. Samuel was fluent in Hebrew, Greek and Latin, and while he was at the College he learned French and Italian gaining the distinction as a linguist. Samuel Provoost also matriculated at the University of Leiden, July 28, 1764.
Career
In 1766, Provoost was ordained a deacon at the Chapel Royal of St James's Palace in Westminster. In September 1766, Provoost sailed to New York with his wife and in December he became an assistant minister of Trinity parish, a post he retained until 1774 when he withdrew. He declined to serve as delegate to the Continental Congress, though his patriotic impulses led him to join his neighbors in their pursuit of the British after the burning of the town of Esopus. He did not resume the active ministry until the close of the war.
In 1784, he became rector of Trinity Church, New York and, in 1785, chaplain of the Continental Congress. Provoost was elected first Bishop of New York at the Diocesan Convention in 1786. A short while later, he was honored with the degree of Doctor of Divinity from the University of Pennsylvania. In 1787, Provoost was consecrated with Dr. William White at Lambeth Place by Dr. John Moore. Provoost was elected Chaplain to the Senate in 1789. Due to health issues, he resigned the rectorship of Trinity in 1800. The following year, Provoost sought to relinquish his episcopal office, but the House of Bishops declined his resignation, instead appointing an Assistant Bishop. Provoost retired in 1801.
Personal life
On June 8, 1766, he married Maria Bousfield (d. 1799) who was the daughter of Thomas Bousfield, a rich Irish banker and the sister of Benjamin Bousfield, a Sheriff of Cork City. Their children were:
His wife died in August 1799. Bishop Provoost died in 1815 due to a stroke.
Consecrators
Samuel Provoost was the 3rd bishop consecrated for the Episcopal Church of the United States.