John Henry Ducachet Wingfield

John Henry Ducachet Wingfield was born in Portsmouth, Virginia on September 24, 1833, son of the Reverend John Henry Wingfield and Elizabeth Swepson. He was educated at St Timothy's College in Maryland from where he graduated in 1850 and taught there for two years. He then attended the College of William & Mary, winning a prize for best essay at the latter and graduating in 1853. After this he returned to teaching at St Timothy's for a year. He also earned a Doctor of Divinity from the College of William & Mary in 1869 and a Doctor of Law in 1874. He also studied at the Virginia Theological Seminary, graduating in 1858.[1]

Wingfield was ordained deacon on January 17, 1858 by Bishop George W. Freeman of Arkansas, and priest on July 1, 1859 by Bishop John Johns of Virginia. In July 1858 he became assistant to his father who was rector of Trinity Church in Portsmouth, Virginia and retained the position until 1864. He then became rector of Christ Church in Bel Air North, Maryland from 1864 until 1865, and then rector of St Paul's Church in Petersburg, Virginia from 1868-1875, where he founded the St. Paul's School for Young Ladies in 1871 and established a large school for the poor of the city.[2]

He was consecrated as missionary bishop of Northern California on December 2, 1874, but remained in charge of his parish in Petersburg, Virginia until April 1, 1875. He also became rector of St Paul's Church at Benicia, California in 1876 and head of St. Mary's of the Pacific, a school for girls. He was elected Assistant Bishop of Mississippi in 1882 however he declined the position.[3]

He died in Benicia, California on July 27, 1898.[4]