Background
Henry Northrop was born in Charleston, South Carolina, to Claudian Byrd and Hannah Eliza (née Anderson) Northrop.
Henry Northrop was born in Charleston, South Carolina, to Claudian Byrd and Hannah Eliza (née Anderson) Northrop.
He then studied at Mount Saint Mary"s College in Emmitsburg, Maryland, from where he graduated in 1860. He attended the theological seminary for four years before continuing his studies at the Pontifical North American College in Rome.
He served as Vicar Apostolic of North Carolina (1882-1888) and Bishop of Charleston (1883-1916). He received his early education at Georgetown College in Washington, District of Columbia from 1853 to 1856. He was ordained to the priesthood on June 25, 1865.
Following his return to the United States that year, he served as a curate at the Church of the Nativity in New York City until 1866, when he returned to Charleston and became a curate at Saint Joseph"s Church.
He was a missionary in New Bern, North Carolina (1868-1872), assistant rector of Saint John"s Cathedral and pastor of Sullivan"s Island (1872-1877), and pastor of Saint Patrick"s Church in Charleston (1877-1882). On September 16, 1881, Northrop was appointed the second Vicar Apostolic of North Carolina and Titular Bishop of Rosalia by Pope Leo XIII. He received his episcopal consecration on January 8, 1882 from Cardinal James Gibbons, with Bishops John Joseph Keane and Thomas Albert Andrew Becker serving as co-consecrators.
In addition to his duties in North Carolina, he was named the fourth Bishop of Charleston on January 27, 1883. He later resigned his charge as Vicar Apostolic on February 4, 1888, while remaining Bishop of Charleston.
Northrop later died at age 74.
