SEABURY, SAMUEL

born Nov. 30, 1729, Groton, Conn. died Feb. 25, 1796, New London, Conn., U.S. first bishop of the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States. Seabury was educated in medicine at Yale University and the University of Edinburgh. After he became a priest in 1753, he served parishes in New Brunswick, N.J., in Jamaica, N.Y., and in Westchester, N.Y.; he also practiced medicine. He became known for his pamphlets urging Americans not to seek independence from the British crownwhich evoked pamphlets in reply by the young Alexander Hamilton. Seabury was a Loyalist during the Revolution, moving to British-occupied New York City. In 1783 he was elected bishop of Connecticut and Rhode Island. He went to Scotland to be ordained and then returned to the United States in 1785. In that same year he became rector of St. James' Church in New London, Conn.