William Logan Harris facts for kids

William Logan Harris (born November 4, 1817 – died September 2, 1887) was an American bishop in the Methodist Episcopal Church. He was chosen as a bishop in 1872.

Early Life and Family

William Logan Harris was born near Ontario in Richland County, Ohio. His parents were James and Mary (Logan) Harris. When William was sixteen, his father passed away. After that, William lived with his uncle and guardian, Stephen Harris.

William married Nancy Jane Atwell on August 9, 1840. They had three children together: Mary Celestina, Hattie Augusta, and William Hamilton.

Education and Learning

William Harris went to local schools near his home. He became a Christian on June 10, 1834. Soon after, he joined the Norwalk Seminary in Norwalk, Ohio. There, he studied important subjects like classical languages and mathematics.

Special Degrees

William Harris received special honors from colleges. In 1856, Allegheny College gave him a D.D. degree. This is a high honor for someone in religious studies. Later, in 1870, Baldwin University gave him an honorary LL.D. degree. This degree recognizes his achievements and knowledge.

Becoming a Minister

William Harris joined the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1834. He received his license to preach in early 1837. On September 7, 1837, he was accepted to work with the Michigan Annual Conference. This group covered parts of northwestern Ohio at the time. In 1840, he helped start the North Ohio Annual Conference. Later, he became part of the Central Ohio Conference.

For eight years, Harris worked as a pastor (a church leader) in Ohio. He served in towns like Dover, Bellville, Amity, and Chesterville. In 1844, he was assigned to Delaware, Ohio. He was also a strong supporter of abolitionism. This was a movement to end slavery. Before the American Civil War, he wrote books and papers about this important topic.

Working in Education

In 1845, William Harris became an instructor at Ohio Wesleyan University in Delaware, Ohio. From 1846 to 1847, he returned to being a pastor in Toledo. In 1848, he was assigned to Norwalk, Ohio.

Later, from 1848 to 1851, he was chosen as the Principal of the Baldwin Institute (which later became Baldwin University) in Berea, Ohio. In 1852, Harris was elected as a Professor of Chemistry and Natural History at Ohio Wesleyan. He held this teaching job for eight years.

Other Church Work

In 1860, William Harris was chosen by the General Conference to be one of the leaders for the Missionary Society of the Methodist Episcopal Church. He kept this important job for many years.

Harris was also a delegate (a representative) to the General Conferences from 1856 to 1872. He served as the secretary for these meetings every four years. He also wrote many articles for the church's magazines and newspapers.

Becoming a Bishop

In 1872, William Harris was elected as a Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church. This happened at a big meeting in Brooklyn, New York.

After becoming a bishop, Harris made history. From 1872 to 1873, he took the first official trip around the world ever made by a Methodist bishop. He started in San Francisco and visited Methodist churches and missions in Japan, China, India, Bulgaria, and Western Europe. Harris also became known as an expert in Methodist church rules and laws.

Later Life and Death

In 1887, William Harris began to show signs of heart problems. He felt unwell during a trip to England. When he returned to New York, he could not walk. He passed away on September 2, 1887, at his home in New York City. He was buried in Rosehill Cemetery in Chicago.

Writings

William Logan Harris wrote several books, including:

• The Powers of the General Conference, 1859.
• Ecclesiastical Law and Rules of Evidence, written with Judge William J. Henry, 1870. This book focused on the rules for the Methodist Episcopal Church.

See also

• List of bishops of the United Methodist Church