William S. Rainsford

Rainsford in 1898

William Stephen Rainsford (October 30, 1850 − December 17, 1933) was the rector of St. George's Church in Stuyvesant Square in New York from 1882 to 1906.[1][2]

He was born in Dublin to Marcus Rainsford, who was a chaplain in a hospital for the blind. He attended Cambridge University. He spent time in the south of France, suspending his studies for health reasons. When he left France he led a group of 800 people emigrating from the London slums to western Canada. He became a curate at the Parish of St. Giles in Norwich in England, and after four years accepted an offer to preach in New York for four months. In 1878 he took a position at St. James's Cathedral in Toronto.[2]

In May 1882, the vestry of St. George's Church, which included J. Pierpont Morgan, offered the post of rector to Rainsford; several members of the vestry had heard Rainsford preach when he was in New York. The church was under some stress, because of changes in the local population and a substantial debt of $35,000. After some negotiations he accepted. Rainsford is reported to have said that after a month of his sermons seven of the fourteen families still attending the church had left, but after that point the church's membership grew.[2]

He married Emily Alma Green in London in 1878, and they had three sons: Lawrence, Ralph Stewart, and Kerr. His wife died in 1923, and he remarried, to Harriette Rogers.[2]

He published several books, including:

References

Footnotes

  1. Anstice (1911), pp. 287−291.
  2. 1 2 3 4 "Dr. W.S. Rainsford Dies in 84th Year". New York Times. 18 December 1933. p. 19.

External links

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