William Harris was an American Protestant Episcopal clergyman. He was rector of St. Mark's Church in-the-Bowery from 1802 to 1816.
Background
William Harris was born on April 29, 1765, in Springfield, Massachusetts, United States. He was descended on his father’s side from Robert Harris who was a resident of Roxbury, Massachusetts, as early as 1642, and on his mother’s side from William Pynchon, the founder of Springfield.
Education
Fitted for college under the guidance of the Rev. Aaron Church, a Congregational minister of Hartland, Connecticut, William entered Harvard at the age of seventeen and was graduated in 1786. For two years he acted as “college butler” and studied theology.
Career
William Harris was licensed to preach as a Congregationalist and at the same time became principal of an academy at Marblehead. Temporary ill health led him to take up medical studies, but the suggestions of a friend, the Rev. Thomas F. Oliver, an Episcopalian rector, impelled him to examine that faith and polity, with the result that he accepted it and with returning health was ordained a deacon and one week later a priest, in New York City.
Harris continued in charge of the academy at Marblehead and of St. Michael’s Church there for a decade, but in 1802 became rector of St. Mark’s in the Bowery, New York City, and established a classical school in the vicinity of the church. Ten years’ residence in New York brought preferment of various kinds and especially social relationships that advanced his fortunes.
In 1811 a peculiar situation in the affairs of Columbia College led to his election as president. Rev. John Mitchell Mason was the first choice of the trustees for that office, but a gift of real estate from Trinity Church had been conditioned on Columbia’s president being a communicant of the Episcopal Church, and Dr. Mason was a Presbyterian. The powers of the office were divided, therefore, all the most important being transferred to the new office of provost, to which Dr. Mason was elected, while the presidency, conferred on Harris, retained a few rather inconsequential functions. Since the new president gave only a part of his time to college duties, he was able to continue in the rectorship of St. Mark’s. The first college commencement in which he took part was the “riotous commencement of 1811 in Trinity Church, at which a senior was refused a degree because parts of his graduation oration were deemed offensive.
After five years Mason retired and the trustees conferred on Harris the original powers of the presidency, at the same time doing away with the office of provost. Harris then resigned his rectorship and for the remaining thirteen years of his life devoted his whole time and strength to the college. He died in office after a prolonged illness.
Achievements
Membership
Harris was a member of the American Antiquarian Society.
Personality
A contemporary declared Harris a remarkable man, not so much for any one feature of his character as for a happy combination of the several qualities of mind and heart which go to make the effective guide, teacher and friend of young men.
Interests
Philosophers & Thinkers
In later years Harris affirmed that it was the reading of Richard Hooker’s Ecclesiastical Polity which caused him to leave the Congregationalism of his fathers for Episcopal orders.
Connections
On November 3 Harris was married to Martha Clark, daughter of Rev. Jonas Clark, pastor of the church at Lexington.