Thomas James Garland (October 25, 1866 – March 1, 1931) was the eighth bishop of the Diocese of Pennsylvania in the Episcopal Church from 1924 to 1931, having previously served as suffragan bishop from his election in 1911.

The Right Reverend

Thomas James Garland

D.D., LL.D., D.C.L.
Bishop of Pennsylvania
ChurchEpiscopal Church
DiocesePennsylvania
ElectedJanuary 22, 1924
In office1924–1931
PredecessorPhilip M. Rhinelander
SuccessorFrancis M. Taitt
Orders
OrdinationJune 1892
by Cortlandt Whitehead
ConsecrationOctober 28, 1911
by Daniel S. Tuttle
Personal details
Born(1866-10-25)October 25, 1866
DiedMarch 1, 1931(1931-03-01) (aged 64)
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States
BuriedChurch of St. James the Less
NationalityIrish
DenominationAnglican
ParentsRobert Garland & Eliza Jane Atwell
SpouseElizabeth McKibbin
Previous post(s)Suffragan Bishop of Pennsylvania (1911-1924)

Biography edit

Born near Belfast, Ireland, the son of Robert Garland, an English army officer, and his wife, Eliza Jane Atwell. His family moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, when Garland was still a boy. He was educated privately and at St Bees School, Cumbria, England. After a brief career in the steel industry, he attended Philadelphia Divinity School from where he graduated with a Bachelor of Divinity in 1891, and was ordained deacon for the Diocese of Pittsburgh on June 28, 1891, and priest the following year by Bishop Cortlandt Whitehead. He was awarded a Doctor of Divinity from the University of Pittsburgh in 1911, a Doctor of Civil Law from Philadelphia Divinity School in 1912 and a Doctor of Law from the University of Pennsylvania in 1925.[1]

He spent a brief period as assistant at St Peter's Church in Pittsburgh, after which he became rector of All Saints Church in Johnstown, Pennsylvania, in 1892. In 1894 he became rector of Trinity Church in Coatesville, Pennsylvania, and in 1898 he moved to Lorain, Ohio, to serve as rector of St David's Church. Later he served as rector of St Paul's Church in Bristol, Pennsylvania, in 1900 and then became professor of church history and church training in 1904, a post he retained till 1911.[2]

Garland was elected Suffragan Bishop of Pennsylvania in 1919 and was consecrated on October 28, 1911, by Presiding Bishop Daniel S. Tuttle. He was elected as diocesan bishop on January 4, 1924. He died in office due to pneumonia on March 1, 1931, in Philadelphia. He had been ill since 1930, after he visited Beirut.[3]

References edit

  1. ^ "Bishop Thomas James Garland, of the Protestant Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania". The Kane Republican. Kane, Pennsylvania. March 2, 1931.
  2. ^ "Garland, Thomas James". The Living Church Annual: 61–62. 1932.
  3. ^ "Death of Bishop Mackay-Smith". The Living Church. 46 (1): 11. 4 November 1911.
Episcopal Church (USA) titles
Preceded by 8th Bishop of Pennsylvania
suffragan, 1911-1924

1924-1931
Succeeded by