Harry S. Longley

Harry Sherman Longley (September 10, 1868 – April 5, 1944) was a 20th-century bishop in the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America. He served the Diocese of Iowa as suffragan bishop from 1912–1917, coadjutor bishop from 1917–1929, and diocesan bishop from 1929-1943. Longley was the first suffragan and coadjutor bishop in Iowa, and the first bishop to resign the office. He is the only bishop of the diocese to serve in three positions.[1]

The Right Reverend

Harry Sherman Longley

D.D., S.T.D.
Bishop of Iowa
ChurchEpiscopal Church
DioceseIowa
ElectedMay 21, 1917
In office1929–1943
PredecessorTheodore Nevin Morrison
SuccessorElwood Lindsay Haines
Orders
OrdinationJune 8, 1895
by William Croswell Doane
ConsecrationOctober 23, 1912
by Daniel Sylvester Tuttle
Personal details
Born(1868-09-10)September 10, 1868
DiedApril 5, 1944(1944-04-05) (aged 75)
Charleston, West Virginia, United States
BuriedTroy, New York
NationalityAmerican
DenominationAnglican
ParentsJohn Thomas Longley & Maria Elizabeth Fulton
Spouse
Hattie Eliza Minkler
(m. 1894)
Children1
Previous post(s)Suffragan Bishop of Iowa (1912-1917)
Coadjutor Bishop of Iowa (1917-1929)

Biography

Early life and ministry

Longley was born in Cohoes, New York to John Thomas and Maria Elizabeth (Fulton) Longley.[2] He married Hattie Eliza Minkler in Waterford, New York on September 17, 1894. He was educated at St. Stephen’s College (now Bard College, a division of Columbia University) where he received both a bachelor’s and a master’s degrees. He did his seminary training at the General Theological Seminary in New York City. He also received two honorary degrees from GTS: a Doctor of Divinity in 1912 and Doctor of Sacred Theology in 1920.

Longley was a 33rd degree Mason. He had served as Grand Chaplain of the New York State Lodge.

After he was ordained he served parishes in Troy, New York, Milford, Massachusetts and Binghamton, New York. He was serving at St. Mark’s Church in Evanston, Illinois when he was elected suffragan bishop of Iowa.[1]

Diocese of Iowa

Rev. Longley was consecrated on October 23, 1912. He was consecrated by Bishops Daniel Sylvester Tuttle who was the Bishop of Montana and Presiding Bishop, Theodore Nevin Morrison of Iowa, and Arthur L. Williams of Nebraska. He was the 261st Episcopal bishop consecrated in the United States. He was elected Bishop Coadjutor on May 21, 1917.

Bishop Longley served as bishop from just before the outbreak of World War I, through the Great Depression and during the first part of World War II. Unlike the silence of Iowa's first bishop, Henry Washington Lee during the American Civil War, Bishop Longley spoke out about the importance of patriotism and support for both of the World Wars.

Bishop Morrison divided the Episcopal ministry in the diocese when Longley was the suffragan and coadjutor bishop. Morrison, who resided in Davenport oversaw the parishes in the diocese while Longley resided in Des Moines and oversaw the missions.

He succeeded to the office of Bishop of Iowa upon the death of Bishop Morrison on December 27, 1929. He laid the cornerstone for St. John’s Church in Ames to take care of the pastoral needs of the students at Iowa State College (now Iowa State University). He established a mission to take care of the pastoral needs of African Americans in Des Moines. In 1931 a permanent location for the diocese's campground was established near Clear Lake. The same year he announced the closing of several missions and the disposal of their buildings which were in bad shape.

Later life and death

He served the Diocese of Iowa for a total of 31 years until the end of 1943 when he was required to retire, having reached the age of 72 (in 1940). The rules requiring bishops' retirement at 72 became effective at the Church's General Convention in October 1943. He died on April 5, 1944, in Charleston, West Virginia. His funeral was held in St. John's Church in Charleston, where his son was the rector.[3]

References

  1. Horton, Loren N. (2003). The Beautiful Heritage: A History of the Diocese of Iowa. Des Moines: Diocese of Iowa. p. 75.
  2. Stowe, Andrew David (1920). Stowe's Clerical Directory of the American Church 1920-1921. Minneapolis: Andrew D. Stowe. p. 168.
  3. Horton 2003, p. 85.
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