William Reed Huntington

William Reed Huntington (September 20, 1838 – July 26, 1909) was an American Episcopal priest and author, and known as the "First Presbyter of the Episcopal Church."

Life

Huntington was born September 20, 1838, in Lowell, Massachusetts. He was the son of Elisha Huntington and Hannah Hinckley. He was also descendant of Christopher Huntington, one of the founders of Norwich, Connecticut He began his education at Norwich University at Alden Partridge's military college in Norwich, Vermont, and eventually transferred and graduated from Harvard College in 1859 and in 1859–1860 taught as Assistant in Chemistry to Professor Josiah Parsons Cooke. Huntington studied theology under Frederick Dan Huntington and served as his assistant at Emmanuel Church in Boston, Massachusetts. Huntington was ordained deacon on October 1, 1861, and priest on December 3, 1862. Entering the Episcopal ministry, he was rector of All Saints Church, Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1862–1883 and of Grace Church in Manhattan, New York from 1883 until his death.

Huntington always took a prominent part in public affairs. He was active in the movement for liturgical revisions and was secretary of the Prayer-Book Revisions Committee, and editor with Samuel Hart of the Standard Prayer-Book of 1892. The 1892 General Convention adopted his proposal to set the Apostles' and Nicene Creeds as the confession of faith. Huntington was elected a member of the American Antiquarian Society in 1875.

In October, 1863, Huntington married Theresa Reynolds, granddaughter of John Phillips, the first Mayor of Boston, and niece of Wendell Phillips. Together they had four children: Francis, Margaret, Theresa, and Mary. Reynolds died in 1872. Huntington died July 26, 1909, in Nahant, Massachusetts.