Background
Nathan Bishop was born on August 12, 1808, in Vernon, New York, United States, the eldest son of Elnathan and Statira (Sperry) Bishop, both of New England stock.
Nathan Bishop was born on August 12, 1808, in Vernon, New York, United States, the eldest son of Elnathan and Statira (Sperry) Bishop, both of New England stock.
Nathan's education was secured by dint of great personal effort. When eighteen, as a student in the academy at Hamilton, he found time to teach the lower classes. In 1832 he entered Brown University, but, owing to schoolkeeping, private tutoring, acting as bell-ringer, milking the president's cows, and other activities, he did not graduate until 1837.
In 1838 Nathan served as tutor in mathematics; in 1842 he became a member of the board of trustees; in 1849-1850 he cooperated with Dr. Wayland in plans for reorganization and served as solicitor of the $125, 000 subscription sought; and in 1854-1861 he was made a member of the Board of Fellows. In 1838 the public school system of Providence was reorganized, provision being made for a superintendent of public schools. To this Bishop was chosen, and from 1839 to 1851 he served so acceptably that it was said that the Providence schools ranked with the first in the country. His success gained recognition beyond the state; in 1851 he was appointed superintendent of public schools in Boston, where he served six years.
By fortunate investment of his limited income from teaching he became independent. In 1857 he gave up teaching and moved to New York. Because of the financial stringency of the times, he did not enter the publishing business, as he had planned, but devoted his remaining years to denominational, educational, and philanthropic work. Several engagements of this nature came now in quick succession; during the Civil War he was chairman of the executive committee of the United States Christian Commission; in 1867 he was appointed a member of the Board of State Commissioners of Public Charities; he was one of the first trustees named by Matthew Vassar for Vassar College; and in 1865 he was elected to the board of managers of the American Bible Society. He took a leading part in the work of the New York Sabbath Committee (1859); the American Branch of the Evangelical Alliance (1866) - in the interests of which he was sent to Russia in 1870; the American Revision Committee - both as contributor and chairman of the finance committee; and the American Baptist Home Mission Society, to which he rendered conspicuous service. Being named by President Grant to the Board of United States Indian Commissioners in 1869, he went with others to visit certain tribes in the Southwest. While thus engaged, he contracted malaria, from which he never fully recovered.
In 1858 Bishop married Caroline (Cauldwell) Bleecker, widow of Garrat Noel Bleecker.