John Nicholas Galleher (February 17, 1839 – December 7, 1891) was third bishop of the

Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana The Episcopal Diocese of Louisiana is the diocese of the Episcopal Church in the eastern part of the state of Louisiana. The see city is New Orleans. History Christ Church, New Orleans, (now the Cathedral Church of the Diocese of Louisiana) ...

from 1880 to 1891.

Early life and education

Galleher was born on February 17, 1839, in

Washington, Kentucky Washington is a neighborhood of the city of Maysville, Kentucky, Maysville located near the Ohio River in Mason County, Kentucky, Mason County in the U.S. state of Kentucky. It is one of the earliest settlements in Kentucky and also one of the ea ...

, to Corbin Galleher, a merchant and inn keeper, and Elizabeth Johnson Riley. He received his early education at

Maysville, Kentucky Maysville is a "Home rule in the United States, home rule" class city in Mason County, Kentucky, Mason County, Kentucky, United States, and is the county seat of Mason County. The population was 8,873 as of the 2020 United States census, 2020 ...

and attended the

University of Virginia The University of Virginia (UVA) is a Public university#United States, public research university in Charlottesville, Virginia, United States. It was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson and contains his The Lawn, Academical Village, a World H ...

from 1856 and 1858. Galleher served in the Confederate army under

Simon Bolivar Buckner Simon Bolivar Buckner ( ; April 1, 1823 – January 8, 1914) was an American soldier, Confederate military officer, and politician. He fought in the United States Army in the Mexican–American War. He later fought in the Confederate State ...

. After the war he commenced studies in Theology and practiced law in

Louisville, Kentucky Louisville is the List of cities in Kentucky, most populous city in the Commonwealth of Kentucky, sixth-most populous city in the Southeastern United States, Southeast, and the list of United States cities by population, 27th-most-populous city ...

after which he attended the

General Theological Seminary The General Theological Seminary of the Episcopal Church (GTS) is an Episcopal Church (United States), Episcopal seminary in New York City. Founded in 1817, GTS is the oldest seminary of the Episcopal Church and the longest continuously operating ...

. In 1875 he earned the Doctor of Divinity from

Columbia University Columbia University in the City of New York, commonly referred to as Columbia University, is a Private university, private Ivy League research university in New York City. Established in 1754 as King's College on the grounds of Trinity Churc ...

Ordained ministry

Galleher was ordained a deacon on June 7, 1868, in Christ Church Cathedral in Louisville, Kentucky by Bishop

George David Cummins George David Cummins (December 11, 1822 – June 26, 1876) was an American Anglican bishop and founder of the Reformed Episcopal Church. Life and career He was born in Delaware on December 11, 1822. Cummins graduated from Dickinson College, lo ...

. He served as assistant in Christ Church Louisville. On May 30, 1869, he was ordained a priest by Bishop

Joseph Pere Bell Wilmer Joseph Pere Bell Wilmer (February 11, 1812 – December 2, 1878) was the second Episcopal bishop of Louisiana. Early life Joseph Wilmer was born in Swedesboro, New Jersey, United States, in 1812,Batterson, 223Duncan, 42 the son of the Rev. Simon ...

of Louisiana in Trinity Church,

New Orleans New Orleans (commonly known as NOLA or The Big Easy among other nicknames) is a Consolidated city-county, consolidated city-parish located along the Mississippi River in the U.S. state of Louisiana. With a population of 383,997 at the 2020 ...

after which he became rector of the same church, a post he held till 1871. Later he was appointed rector of Memorial Church in

Baltimore Baltimore is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland. With a population of 585,708 at the 2020 census and estimated at 568,271 in 2024, it is the 30th-most populous U.S. city. The Baltimore metropolitan area is the 20th-large ...

and then rector of Zion Church in

New York City New York, often called New York City (NYC), is the most populous city in the United States, located at the southern tip of New York State on one of the world's largest natural harbors. The city comprises five boroughs, each coextensive w ...

.(1886). ''The Living Church Annual and Clergy-list Quarterly'', p. 90. Young Churchman Company, Milwaukee, WI.

Episcopacy

Galleher was elected Bishop of Louisiana and consecrated on February 5, 1880, by Bishop

William Mercer Green William Mercer Green (May 2, 1798 – February 13, 1887) was the first Episcopal bishop of Mississippi. Early life Green was born in Wilmington, North Carolina in 1798.Batterson, 159 He was the son of William Green, a North Carolina rice plan ...

of Mississippi, and co-consecrated by

Richard Hooker Wilmer Richard Hooker Wilmer (March 15, 1816 – June 14, 1900) was the second Bishop of Alabama in the Episcopal Church. Richard Wilmer was the only bishop to be consecrated by the Episcopal Church in the Confederate States of America (PECCSA). Early ...

of Alabama, Charles Franklin Robertson of Missouri and Thomas Underwood Dudley of Kentucky. Galleher is mostly remembered as the minister who administered the last rites to

Jefferson Davis Jefferson F. Davis (June 3, 1808December 6, 1889) was an American politician who served as the only President of the Confederate States of America, president of the Confederate States from 1861 to 1865. He represented Mississippi in the Unite ...

. He died on December 7, 1891, in

Louisiana Louisiana ( ; ; ) is a state in the Deep South and South Central regions of the United States. It borders Texas to the west, Arkansas to the north, and Mississippi to the east. Of the 50 U.S. states, it ranks 31st in area and 25 ...

Personal life

Galleher married Charlotte Barbee in 1868 and together had 5 children.

Publications

Perry, William Stevens
John Nicholas Galleher
In: Episcopate in America - Sketches Biographical & Bibliographical of the Bishops of the American Church. 1895, p. 262-263.

References

External links

* 1839 births 1891 deaths University of Virginia alumni Bishops in Louisiana General Theological Seminary alumni 19th-century American Episcopalians Episcopal bishops of Louisiana 19th-century American bishops Burials at Cave Hill Cemetery {{US-Anglican-bishop-stub