William Logan Harris
Encyclopedia
William Logan Harris was an American
Bishop
of the Methodist Episcopal Church
, elected in 1872.
in Richland County, Ohio
, a son of James and Mary (Logan) Harris. His father died when William was sixteen years old. William then made his home for some time with his uncle and guardian, Stephen Harris, (who was a brother of the Honorable John Harris of Stark County, Ohio
).
Harris married Nancy Jane Atwell 9 August 1840. They had three children: Mary Celestina, Hattie Augusta, and William Hamilton (who married Grace Fancher Nicoll 1 December 1885).
(Norwalk, Ohio
) shortly thereafter, pursuing a course of classical
and mathematical
studies.
with the D.D.
degree in 1856. He received an honorary LL.D. degree in 1870 from Baldwin University.
Annual Conference (which at that time covered northwestern Ohio
as well) 7 September 1837. In 1840 he became a founding member of the North Ohio Annual Conference. When the conference boundaries were further realigned, he became a member of the Central Ohio Conference (aka the Delaware Ohio Conference).
Harris served in Ohio for eight years as Pastor
at, successively, Dover
, Bellville
, Amity
, and Chesterville
, and in 1844 was appointed to Delaware, Ohio
. He also was an active abolitionist. In the time preceding the American Civil War
, he took part in the discussion, writing books, pamphlets, etc. on this subject.
(or instructor
) at Ohio Wesleyan University
, Delaware, Ohio
in 1845. In 1846-47 he again entered pastoral work, appointed to Toledo. In 1848 he was assigned to Norwalk, Ohio. He was then elected Principal of the Baldwin Institute (later University), Berea, Ohio
, remaining there from 1848 to 1851. In 1852 Harris was elected Professor
of Chemistry
and Natural History
at Ohio Wesleyan, serving in this position for eight years.
Society of the M.E. Church, which office he held by quadrennial re-elections until his election to the Episcopacy.
Harris was elected a delegate to the General Conferences of 1856-72, serving as Secretary of that body at each of these quadrennial sessions. He also contributed largely to the periodical literature of his denomination.
by the General Conference of 1872 which met in Brooklyn, New York. Then during 1872-73, Harris made the first official episcopal tour ever made circumnavigating the globe (leaving from San Francisco), visiting M.E.
Mission Stations in Japan
, China
, India
, Bulgaria
, and Western Europe
. Harris also became recognized as an expert in Methodist church law.
. Upon his return to New York
he was unable to walk, and he died 2 September 1887 at his residence in New York City
. He was buried in Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago
.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Bishop
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
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
, elected in 1872.
Birth and family
Harris was born near OntarioOntario, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 5,303 people, 2,186 households, and 1,554 families residing in the city. The population density was 485.7 people per square mile . The racial makeup of the city was 92.36% White, 4.11% African American, 0.04% Native American, 1.58% Asian, 0.04% Pacific Islander,...
in Richland County, Ohio
Richland County, Ohio
Richland County is a county located in the state of Ohio, United States. As of the 2010 census, the population was 124,475. It is included in the Mansfield, Ohio, Metropolitan Statistical Area as well as the Mansfield–Bucyrus Combined Statistical Area....
, a son of James and Mary (Logan) Harris. His father died when William was sixteen years old. William then made his home for some time with his uncle and guardian, Stephen Harris, (who was a brother of the Honorable John Harris of Stark County, Ohio
Stark County, Ohio
Stark County is a county located in the U.S. state of Ohio. As of the 2010 census, the population was 375,586. It is included in the Canton-Massillon, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area....
).
Harris married Nancy Jane Atwell 9 August 1840. They had three children: Mary Celestina, Hattie Augusta, and William Hamilton (who married Grace Fancher Nicoll 1 December 1885).
Education
Harris attended the schools near his home. He was converted to the Christian faith 10 June 1834. He entered the Norwalk SeminaryNorwalk Seminary
Norwalk Seminary was a private, Methodist school in Norwalk, Ohio. Opening in 1838 with Edward Thomson as principal, by 1842 it had an attendance of nearly four hundred. Nonetheless, the school was unsuccessful financially, and it was forced to close in 1844. In 1846, a Baptist church purchased...
(Norwalk, Ohio
Norwalk, Ohio
At the 2000 census, there were 16,238 people, 6,377 households and 4,234 families residing in the city. The population density was 1,950.3 per square mile . There were 6,687 housing units at an average density of 803.1 per square mile...
) shortly thereafter, pursuing a course of classical
Classical antiquity
Classical antiquity is a broad term for a long period of cultural history centered on the Mediterranean Sea, comprising the interlocking civilizations of ancient Greece and ancient Rome, collectively known as the Greco-Roman world...
and mathematical
Mathematics
Mathematics is the study of quantity, space, structure, and change. Mathematicians seek out patterns and formulate new conjectures. Mathematicians resolve the truth or falsity of conjectures by mathematical proofs, which are arguments sufficient to convince other mathematicians of their validity...
studies.
Honorary degrees
Harris was honored by Allegheny CollegeAllegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
with the D.D.
Doctor of Divinity
Doctor of Divinity is an advanced academic degree in divinity. Historically, it identified one who had been licensed by a university to teach Christian theology or related religious subjects....
degree in 1856. He received an honorary LL.D. degree in 1870 from Baldwin University.
Ordained ministry
Harris united with the M.E. Church in 1834, and was Licensed to Preach in the early part of 1837. He was admitted on trial to the MichiganMichigan
Michigan is a U.S. state located in the Great Lakes Region of the United States of America. The name Michigan is the French form of the Ojibwa word mishigamaa, meaning "large water" or "large lake"....
Annual Conference (which at that time covered northwestern Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
as well) 7 September 1837. In 1840 he became a founding member of the North Ohio Annual Conference. When the conference boundaries were further realigned, he became a member of the Central Ohio Conference (aka the Delaware Ohio Conference).
Harris served in Ohio for eight years as Pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
at, successively, Dover
Dover, Ohio
Dover is a city in Tuscarawas County, Ohio, United States. The population was 12,210 at the 2000 census.-History and features:Dover was originally part of a grant to Col. James Morrison of Kentucky, who had received it from the federal government for Revolutionary War services...
, Bellville
Bellville, Ohio
Bellville is a village in Richland County in the U.S. state of Ohio. It is part of the Mansfield, Ohio Metropolitan Statistical Area. The population was 1,773 at the 2000 census.-Geography:...
, Amity
Amity, Ohio
Amity is an unincorporated community in north-eastern Canaan Township, Madison County, Ohio, United States. It is located at , at the intersection of Plain City-Georgesville Road and Amity Pike Road, between Plain City and West Jefferson.- History :...
, and Chesterville
Chesterville, Ohio
Chesterville is a village in Morrow County, Ohio, United States, along the Kokosing River. The population was 193 at the 2000 census. Chesterville is southeast of Mount Gilead, the county seat.-Geography:Chesterville is located at...
, and in 1844 was appointed to Delaware, Ohio
Delaware, Ohio
The City of Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County in the United States state of Ohio. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area...
. He also was an active abolitionist. In the time preceding the American Civil War
American Civil War
The American Civil War was a civil war fought in the United States of America. In response to the election of Abraham Lincoln as President of the United States, 11 southern slave states declared their secession from the United States and formed the Confederate States of America ; the other 25...
, he took part in the discussion, writing books, pamphlets, etc. on this subject.
Academic ministry
Harris became a tutorTutor
A tutor is a person employed in the education of others, either individually or in groups. To tutor is to perform the functions of a tutor.-Teaching assistance:...
(or instructor
Teacher
A teacher or schoolteacher is a person who provides education for pupils and students . The role of teacher is often formal and ongoing, carried out at a school or other place of formal education. In many countries, a person who wishes to become a teacher must first obtain specified professional...
) at Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University
Ohio Wesleyan University is a private liberal arts college in Delaware, Ohio, United States. It was founded in 1842 by Methodist leaders and Central Ohio residents as a nonsectarian institution, and is a member of the Ohio Five — a consortium of Ohio liberal arts colleges...
, Delaware, Ohio
Delaware, Ohio
The City of Delaware is a city in and the county seat of Delaware County in the United States state of Ohio. Delaware was founded in 1808 and was incorporated in 1816. It is located near the center of Ohio, is about north of Columbus, and is part of the Columbus, Ohio Metropolitan Area...
in 1845. In 1846-47 he again entered pastoral work, appointed to Toledo. In 1848 he was assigned to Norwalk, Ohio. He was then elected Principal of the Baldwin Institute (later University), Berea, Ohio
Berea, Ohio
- History :The first European settlers were originally from Connecticut. Berea fell within Connecticut's Western Reserve and was surveyed and divided into townships and ranges by one Gideon Granger, a gentleman who served as Postmaster General under President Thomas Jefferson...
, remaining there from 1848 to 1851. In 1852 Harris was elected Professor
Professor
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 Chemistry
Chemistry
Chemistry is the science of matter, especially its chemical reactions, but also its composition, structure and properties. Chemistry is concerned with atoms and their interactions with other atoms, and particularly with the properties of chemical bonds....
and Natural History
Natural history
Natural history is the scientific research of plants or animals, leaning more towards observational rather than experimental methods of study, and encompasses more research published in magazines than in academic journals. Grouped among the natural sciences, natural history is the systematic study...
at Ohio Wesleyan, serving in this position for eight years.
Other ministry pursuits
In 1860 Harris was elected by the General Conference one of the Corresponding Secretaries of the MissionaryMissionary
A missionary is a member of a religious group sent into an area to do evangelism or ministries of service, such as education, literacy, social justice, health care and economic development. The word "mission" originates from 1598 when the Jesuits sent members abroad, derived from the Latin...
Society of the M.E. Church, which office he held by quadrennial re-elections until his election to the Episcopacy.
Harris was elected a delegate to the General Conferences of 1856-72, serving as Secretary of that body at each of these quadrennial sessions. He also contributed largely to the periodical literature of his denomination.
Episcopal ministry
Harris was elected to the Episcopacy of the M.E. ChurchMethodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
by the General Conference of 1872 which met in Brooklyn, New York. Then during 1872-73, Harris made the first official episcopal tour ever made circumnavigating the globe (leaving from San Francisco), visiting M.E.
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
Mission Stations in Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, China
China
Chinese civilization may refer to:* China for more general discussion of the country.* Chinese culture* Greater China, the transnational community of ethnic Chinese.* History of China* Sinosphere, the area historically affected by Chinese culture...
, India
India
India , officially the Republic of India , is a country in South Asia. It is the seventh-largest country by geographical area, the second-most populous country with over 1.2 billion people, and the most populous democracy in the world...
, Bulgaria
Bulgaria
Bulgaria , officially the Republic of Bulgaria , is a parliamentary democracy within a unitary constitutional republic in Southeast Europe. The country borders Romania to the north, Serbia and Macedonia to the west, Greece and Turkey to the south, as well as the Black Sea to the east...
, and Western Europe
Western Europe
Western Europe is a loose term for the collection of countries in the western most region of the European continents, though this definition is context-dependent and carries cultural and political connotations. One definition describes Western Europe as a geographic entity—the region lying in the...
. Harris also became recognized as an expert in Methodist church law.
Death and burial
Harris experienced symptoms of heart disease, being indisposed during an 1887 trip to EnglandEngland
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
. Upon his return to New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
he was unable to walk, and he died 2 September 1887 at his residence in New York City
New York City
New York is the most populous city in the United States and the center of the New York Metropolitan Area, one of the most populous metropolitan areas in the world. New York exerts a significant impact upon global commerce, finance, media, art, fashion, research, technology, education, and...
. He was buried in Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago
Rosehill Cemetery, Chicago
Rosehill Cemetery is a Victorian era cemetery on the North Side of Chicago, Illinois, USA, and at , is the largest cemetery in the City of Chicago. The name "Rosehill" resulted from a City Clerk's error – the area was previously called "Roe's Hill", named for nearby farmer Hiram Roe...
.
Selected writings
- The Powers of the General Conference, 1859.
- Ecclesiatical Law and Rules of Evidence, written with Judge William J. Henry (of Illinois), with special reference to the government of the M.E. Church, 1870.