Project Canterbury
Death of Dr. Batterson
The Living Church, March, 1903.
The death of the Rev'd Hermon G. Batterson, D.D., occurred at his home in New York on the 9th inst., at the age of 76. Dr. Batterson was as well known for his literary, as for his priestly work. He was born in Litchfield County, Connecticut, in 1827, and was ordained Deacon in 1861 by Bishop Gregg of Texas, after which he became missionary at Sequin, and a year later had charge of St. Mark's, San Antonio, Texas. In 1862 he became rector of Grace Church, Wabasha, Minn., and while in that charge was advanced to the priesthood by Bishop Whipple in 1866. It was in 1869 that he became rector of S. Clement's Church, Philadelphia, where he first came intimately in touch with the Church-at-large. He remained at S. Clement's until 1872, and then after several years spent outside of parish work, he accepted the rectorship of the Church of the Annunciation, Philadelphia, in 1880. This work he continued until 1888, and in 1891 became rector of the Church of the Redeemer, New York, his last parochial charge. For several years last past he has been retired from active work, and has frequently traveled abroad.
Dr. Batterson has been especially distinguished in literary work, his Sketchbook of the American Episcopate, comprising within concise chapters the biography of each of the American Bishops from Dr. Seabury, together with chapters on the nonjuring episcopates in America prior to the Revolution, and the several extensions of the episcopate of the United States in later years, was perhaps his most valuable work. The publication of this work entailed an enormous amount of labor, which, however, was especially pleasant to the author. He was also the compiler and author of a little devotional manual entitled Pathway of Faith, which has run through four editions, and the editor of A Manual of Plainsong, designed to facilitate the use of Gregorian tones in the Psalter in our churches. He was a poet of no mean ability, and the author of two volumes of verses, as well as the compiler of two volumes of hymns with tunes. He was also an occasional contributor to the church periodicals, and was always followed with interest and respect.
The first part of the burial office was read in St. John's Chapel of Trinity Parish, and was followed by a Requiem Eucharist, the Rev'd P.A.H. Brown being the celebrant. The Rev'd Dr. Fiske of Providence was among those present, having come to New York immediately after Dr. Batterson's death. Dr. Fiske and Mr. Brown, with others, accompanied the remains to Philadelphia, where the committal office was read at the Church of St. James-the-Less, on the 11th, Mr. Brown officiating. The venerable Dr. Robins, one of the old-time clergy of Philadelphia, at the request of the widow, assisted by sprinkling earth upon the coffin as it lay in its newly-made grave.
Dr. Batterson is survived by his widow.