Robert Woodward Barnwell (December 27, 1849 – July 24, 1902) was the third bishop of the Diocese of Alabama in

The Episcopal Church The Episcopal Church (TEC), also known as the Protestant Episcopal Church in the United States of America (PECUSA), is a member of the worldwide Anglican Communion, based in the United States. It is a mainline Protestant denomination and is ...

, serving only two years.

Early life and education

Barnwell was born on December 27, 1849, in

Beaufort, South Carolina Beaufort ( , different from that of Beaufort, North Carolina) is a city in Beaufort County, South Carolina, United States, and its county seat. Chartered in 1711, it is the second-oldest city in South Carolina, behind Charleston, South Carolina ...

, son of John G. Barnwell and Emma Elliott. He was educated at Trinity College in Connecticut and graduated in 1871. While there, he was a member of the Fraternity of Delta Psi (St. Anthony Hall). He then studied at 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 ...

and graduated in 1873. In 1900 he would receive the degree of

D.D. A Doctor of Divinity (DD or DDiv; ) is the holder of an advanced academic degree in divinity (i.e., Christian theology and ministry or other theologies. The term is more common in the English-speaking world than elsewhere. In the United Kin ...

from the

University of the South The University of the South, familiarly known as Sewanee (), is a private Episcopal liberal arts college in Sewanee, Tennessee, United States. It is owned by 28 southern dioceses of the Episcopal Church, and its School of Theology is an off ...

and

LL.D. A Doctor of Laws (LL.D.) is a doctoral degree in legal studies. The abbreviation LL.D. stands for ''Legum Doctor'', with the double “L” in the abbreviation referring to the early practice in the University of Cambridge to teach both canon law ...

from the

University of Alabama The University of Alabama (informally known as Alabama, UA, the Capstone, or Bama) is a Public university, public research university in Tuscaloosa, Alabama, United States. Established in 1820 and opened to students in 1831, the University of ...

Ordained ministry

Barnwell was ordained deacon in 1873 by Bishop

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and priest in 1875 by Bishop John W. Beckwith. He served in St George's Church in

Griffin, Georgia Griffin is a city in and the county seat of Spalding County, Georgia, Spalding County, Georgia (U.S. state), Georgia, United States. It is part of the Atlanta metropolitan area. As of the 2020 United States census, 2020 census, the city had a po ...

, between 1873 and 1876. In 1876, he transferred to

Demopolis, Alabama Demopolis is the largest city in Marengo County, Alabama, Marengo County, in west-central Alabama. The population was 7,162 at the 2020 United States census, 2020 census. The city lies at the confluence of the Black Warrior River and Tombigbee ...

, as rector of Trinity Church, while in 1880, he became rector of St Paul's Church in

Selma, Alabama Selma is a city in and the county seat of Dallas County, in the Black Belt region of south central Alabama and extending to the west. Located on the banks of the Alabama River, the city has a population of 17,971 as of the 2020 census. Abou ...

Episcopacy

On May 18, 1900, Barnwell was elected as the Coadjutor Bishop of Alabama. However, prior to his consecration, the diocesan bishop of Alabama Richard Hooker Wilmer died and hence Barnwell was instead consecrated as the third diocesan Bishop of Alabama on July 25, 1900, in St Paul's Church, Selma by the Bishop of Mississippi

Hugh Miller Thompson Hugh Miller Thompson (June 5, 1830 – November 18, 1902) was the second Bishop of Mississippi. Biography Thompson was born on June 5, 1830, in Derry, Ireland however he emigrated to the United States with his parents when he was 6 years old. H ...

. He died two years later on July 24, 1902, in

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Barnwell, Robert Woodward 1849 births 1902 deaths Episcopal bishops of Alabama 19th-century American Episcopal priests Trinity College (Connecticut) alumni St. Anthony Hall