Henry Slicer
Encyclopedia
Henry Slicer was a Methodist minister who served as Chaplain of the Senate for three separate terms.
, the son of Andrew Slicer and Elizabeth Selby. During his youth he worked for a time as a painter of furniture while he studied for the ministry. He was licensed to preach in December 1821, by the Methodist church.
. Then he was assigned to the Ebenezer Station in Washington, D.C.
at the Naval Yard (1824). In 1837 he was elected to serve as Chaplain of the Senate, a post to which he would again be elected in 1847 and 1853.
The unfortunate duel on February 24, 1838, at the Bladensburg dueling grounds
, between two Congressmen, Jonathan Cilley
and William J. Graves
, resulting in Cilley’s death, brought forth a sermon by Slicer that greatly influenced Congressional legislation banning dueling in the District of Columbia.
He served at Georgetown
and went to Carlisle, Pennsylvania
in 1846. Following his third term as Senate Chaplain he served in Baltimore and in Frederick, Maryland
. Slicer served as chaplain of the Seaman’s Chapel (1862–1870) in Baltimore. In 1870, he was appointed presiding elder of the Baltimore district. He died April 23, 1874.
Early years
Henry Slicer was born on March 27, 1801 in Annapolis, MarylandAnnapolis, Maryland
Annapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Maryland, as well as the county seat of Anne Arundel County. It had a population of 38,394 at the 2010 census and is situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east of Washington, D.C. Annapolis is...
, the son of Andrew Slicer and Elizabeth Selby. During his youth he worked for a time as a painter of furniture while he studied for the ministry. He was licensed to preach in December 1821, by the Methodist church.
Ministry
Slicer served pastorates at the Harford circuit (1821) and then the Redstone circuit (1823), west of the Allegheny MountainsAllegheny Mountains
The Allegheny Mountain Range , also spelled Alleghany, Allegany and, informally, the Alleghenies, is part of the vast Appalachian Mountain Range of the eastern United States and Canada...
. Then he was assigned to the Ebenezer Station in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
at the Naval Yard (1824). In 1837 he was elected to serve as Chaplain of the Senate, a post to which he would again be elected in 1847 and 1853.
The unfortunate duel on February 24, 1838, at the Bladensburg dueling grounds
Bladensburg dueling grounds
Bladensburg Dueling Grounds is a small spit of land, along Dueling Creek formerly, in the town of Bladensburg, Maryland and now within the town of Colmar Manor, which is northeast of Washington, D.C., United States, an area which hosted over fifty bloody pistol duels mostly fought using a duelling...
, between two Congressmen, Jonathan Cilley
Jonathan Cilley
Jonathan Cilley was a member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Maine. He served part of one term in the 25th Congress. He died in office at Bladensburg, Md. as the result of being challenged to fight a duel with Congressman William J. Graves, a colleague from Kentucky...
and William J. Graves
William J. Graves
William Jordan Graves was a U.S. Representative from Kentucky.Graves was born in New Castle, Kentucky, and pursued an academic course early in life, choosing to study law. He was admitted to the bar and practiced law in Kentucky before serving as member of the State house of representatives in 1834...
, resulting in Cilley’s death, brought forth a sermon by Slicer that greatly influenced Congressional legislation banning dueling in the District of Columbia.
He served at Georgetown
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
and went to Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
in 1846. Following his third term as Senate Chaplain he served in Baltimore and in Frederick, Maryland
Frederick, Maryland
Frederick is a city in north-central Maryland. It is the county seat of Frederick County, the largest county by area in the state of Maryland. Frederick is an outlying community of the Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is part of a greater...
. Slicer served as chaplain of the Seaman’s Chapel (1862–1870) in Baltimore. In 1870, he was appointed presiding elder of the Baltimore district. He died April 23, 1874.