Richard Green Waterhouse
Encyclopedia
Richard Green Waterhouse (24 December 1855 – 9 December 1922) was a Bishop
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
, elected in 1910.
, Rhea County, Tennessee
, the son of Franklin and Lorinda Rachel (Thompson) Waterhouse. He was twice married. His first wife was Carrie Steele of Crystal Springs, Mississippi
, whom he married 3 February 1887. They had one child, a daughter, Edith. Mrs. Carrie Steele Waterhouse died 11 September 1891. Rev. Waterhouse then married Mrs. Mary Thomas Carringer of Morristown, Tennessee
10 October 1894. They had two sons, Richard and Leon.
, and graduated from Emory and Henry College
in 1885.
of the M.E.Church, South. He served the Altamont
and Spencer Mission, and Jonesboro
. He was then appointed Junior Preacher on the Abingdon
Circuit, serving for four years. This was followed by two years on the Radford
District.
of Mental and Moral Science in Emory and Henry College. He was elected President of the College in 1893. Refusing to allow an increase of his salary, he never received more than $1,300.00 per year during the seventeen years he served. President Waterhouse gave himself to the elimination of the College's debt, and to rebuilding for the new demands then facing the M.E. Church, South in the field of college education.
President Waterhouse soon became widely known among the educators of the Church, South. He was in great demand as a speaker. He became known also as one of the most powerful preachers of the connection. He was elected a delegate to the General Conferences of 1894-1910.
. He moved to Los Angeles
and served that area four years.
By the end of his first quadrennium as Bishop, his health showed serious impairment and continued to decline. He moved to Emory, where he was well loved and honored by his neighbors and his home Annual Conference. He took the superannuation relationship in 1918.
to be near both of their sons. Bishop Waterhouse had grown rather feeble, but kept up his effort to recover, taking regular exercises. On 7 December 1922, while thus engaged, walking on a street on a gloomy afternoon, Bishop Waterhouse was struck by an automobile and fatally injured. He was hurried to a hospital, but did not regain consciousness.
Bishop Waterhouse died 9 December 1922. He was buried at Emory, Virginia
two days later on 11 December 1922.
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South
Methodist Episcopal Church, South
The Methodist Episcopal Church, South, or Methodist Episcopal Church South, was the so-called "Southern Methodist Church" resulting from the split over the issue of slavery in the Methodist Episcopal Church which had been brewing over several years until it came out into the open at a conference...
, elected in 1910.
Family
Richard was born near Spring CitySpring City, Tennessee
Spring City is a town in Rhea County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 2,025 at the 2000 census.-Geography:Spring City is located at ....
, Rhea County, Tennessee
Rhea County, Tennessee
Rhea County is a county located in the U.S. state of Tennessee. As of 2000, the population was 28,400. Its county seat is Dayton.-Geography:According to the U.S...
, the son of Franklin and Lorinda Rachel (Thompson) Waterhouse. He was twice married. His first wife was Carrie Steele of Crystal Springs, Mississippi
Crystal Springs, Mississippi
Crystal Springs is a city in Copiah County, Mississippi, United States. The population was 5,873 at the 2000 census. It is part of the Jackson Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:Crystal Springs is located at ....
, whom he married 3 February 1887. They had one child, a daughter, Edith. Mrs. Carrie Steele Waterhouse died 11 September 1891. Rev. Waterhouse then married Mrs. Mary Thomas Carringer of Morristown, Tennessee
Morristown, Tennessee
Morristown is a city in, and the county seat of, Hamblen County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 29,137 at the 2010 United States Census. It is the principal city of the Morristown, Tennessee Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Grainger, Hamblen and Jefferson counties...
10 October 1894. They had two sons, Richard and Leon.
Education
Richard was educated in the local and high schools of his community. He attended Hiwassee CollegeHiwassee College
Hiwassee College is a private, accredited college located in Madisonville, Tennessee, United States. Founded in 1849, the college offers associate degrees as well as four year degrees, The majority of its associate degree graduates go on to attend, and complete, four-year...
, and graduated from Emory and Henry College
Emory and Henry College
Emory & Henry College, known as E&H, Emory, or the College, is a private liberal arts college located in Emory, Virginia, United States. The campus comprises of Washington County, Virginia, which is part of the mountain region of Southwest Virginia...
in 1885.
Ordained Ministry
Richard was converted to the Christian faith in 1873. He was Licensed to Preach in 1878 and admitted to the Holston Annual ConferenceAnnual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
of the M.E.Church, South. He served the Altamont
Altamont, Tennessee
Altamont is a town in Grundy County, Tennessee, United States. The population was 1,136 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Grundy County.-Geography:...
and Spencer Mission, and Jonesboro
Jonesboro
Jonesboro or Jonesborough is the name of a number of settlements in the United States and the United Kingdom:USA*Jonesboro, Arkansas**Jonesboro massacre, a school shooting incident*Jonesboro, Georgia, originally Jonesborough...
. He was then appointed Junior Preacher on the Abingdon
Abingdon, Virginia
Abingdon is a town in Washington County, Virginia, USA, 133 miles southwest of Roanoke. The population was 8,191 at the 2010 census. It is the county seat of Washington County and is a designated Virginia Historic Landmark...
Circuit, serving for four years. This was followed by two years on the Radford
Radford
-Places:England* Radford, Coventry* Radford, Nottingham* Radford, Oxfordshire* Radford, Somerset* Radford Semele, WarwickshireAustralia* Radford College, CanberraUSA* Radford, Virginia* Radford University, Virginia...
District.
Academic Ministry
In 1892 Rev. Waterhouse was elected ProfessorProfessor
A professor is a scholarly teacher; the precise meaning of the term varies by country. Literally, professor derives from Latin as a "person who professes" being usually an expert in arts or sciences; a teacher of high rank...
of Mental and Moral Science in Emory and Henry College. He was elected President of the College in 1893. Refusing to allow an increase of his salary, he never received more than $1,300.00 per year during the seventeen years he served. President Waterhouse gave himself to the elimination of the College's debt, and to rebuilding for the new demands then facing the M.E. Church, South in the field of college education.
President Waterhouse soon became widely known among the educators of the Church, South. He was in great demand as a speaker. He became known also as one of the most powerful preachers of the connection. He was elected a delegate to the General Conferences of 1894-1910.
Episcopal Ministry
Rev. Waterhouse was elected to the Episcopacy at the 1910 General Conference of the M.E. Church, South. His first assignment as Bishop was to the Pacific CoastWest Coast of the United States
West Coast or Pacific Coast are terms for the westernmost coastal states of the United States. The term most often refers to the states of California, Oregon, and Washington. Although not part of the contiguous United States, Alaska and Hawaii do border the Pacific Ocean but can't be included in...
. He moved to Los Angeles
Los Ángeles
Los Ángeles is the capital of the province of Biobío, in the commune of the same name, in Region VIII , in the center-south of Chile. It is located between the Laja and Biobío rivers. The population is 123,445 inhabitants...
and served that area four years.
By the end of his first quadrennium as Bishop, his health showed serious impairment and continued to decline. He moved to Emory, where he was well loved and honored by his neighbors and his home Annual Conference. He took the superannuation relationship in 1918.
Retirement and death
In the fall of 1922, the Waterhouses moved to Knoxville, TennesseeKnoxville, Tennessee
Founded in 1786, Knoxville is the third-largest city in the U.S. state of Tennessee, U.S.A., behind Memphis and Nashville, and is the county seat of Knox County. It is the largest city in East Tennessee, and the second-largest city in the Appalachia region...
to be near both of their sons. Bishop Waterhouse had grown rather feeble, but kept up his effort to recover, taking regular exercises. On 7 December 1922, while thus engaged, walking on a street on a gloomy afternoon, Bishop Waterhouse was struck by an automobile and fatally injured. He was hurried to a hospital, but did not regain consciousness.
Bishop Waterhouse died 9 December 1922. He was buried at Emory, Virginia
Emory, Virginia
Emory is a census-designated place in Washington County, Virginia, United States. The population was 1,251 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Kingsport–Bristol –Bristol Metropolitan Statistical Area, which is a component of the Johnson City–Kingsport–Bristol, TN-VA...
two days later on 11 December 1922.
Selected Writings
- Address: The Challenge of the Great West, Second Missionary Conference, 1913.