Background
A descendant of Anthony Morris, one of the first colonists in Pennsylvania, Morris was born in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania, which had been founded by his grandfather and namesake, the first Benjamin Wistar Morris. His father was Samuel Wells Morris, a district court judge and member of the U.S. House of Representatives. Morris graduated from General Theological Seminary in New York City in 1846, was ordained to the diaconate and subsequently to the priesthood on April 27, 1847. From 1847 to 1851 he was rector of St. Matthew's Episcopal Church in Sunbury, Pennsylvania. He subsequently served as rector of St. David's Episcopal Church, Manayunk Borough, Pennsylvania and as assistant and subsequently rector of St. Luke's Episcopal Church, Germantown, Pennsylvania. While serving at St. Luke's, Morris organized an effort to supply food, medicine, clothing, and bedding to sick and wounded troops at the Battle of Gettysburg. On December 3, 1868 he was elected as the second missionary Bishop of Oregon, following Thomas Fielding Scott, who had died the previous year.
He received the degree of S. T. D. from Columbia University in 1868, and also from the University of Pennsylvania the same year.
Read more about this topic: Benjamin Wistar Morris (bishop)
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