Background
Kirk, Edward Norris was born on August 14, 1802 in New York City. Son of George and Mary (Norris) Kirk.
Kirk, Edward Norris was born on August 14, 1802 in New York City. Son of George and Mary (Norris) Kirk.
Kirk was educated at Princeton Theological Seminary under Doctor Archibald Alexander, and after graduating worked as an agent for the Board of Foreign Missions.
In 1824, he helped to create the Chi Phi Society, a semi-religious, semi-literary organization, which ceased activity the following year when it merged with the Philadelphian Society. With Doctor Nathan South.S. Beman of Troy, New York, Kirk established a training school which taught theology for aspiring evangelists. After a time preaching in London and Paris, Kirk returned to the United States and took up the pastorate at Mount Vernon which he held for nearly 30 years.
He was invited by the American Foreign Christian Union to "proceed to Paris for five months as a special commissioner to attend to the establishment of an American congregation and house of worship" in that city.
Doctor Kirk sailed on the steamer "Asia" arriving in Paris February 6, 1857 and during his time there until September was able to secure the charter for the American Church in Paris by Napoleon III and secured the purchase of the first building of the American Church in Paris located at 21 rue de Berri. He returned to Boston in September 1857.
Although the American Foreign Christian Union urged him to consider the acceptance of the post of Chaplain to the infant church, he felt the claims of his church in Boston were pressing. He remained with the Mount Vernon congregation until his death, March 27, 1874,in Boston.