Encyclopedia of Connecticut biography, genealogical-memorial ...

parish at Windham, and was afterward
rector of parishes at New Haven, Connecticut,
and Brooklyn, New York. Through
his mother, Sarah J. (Bunce) Brewster,
Bishop Brewster is descended from two
of the founders of Hartford, Connecticut.
The early education of young Brewster
was received in the Hopkins Grammar
School in New Haven, Connecticut, and
he entered Yale College as a freshman in
the class which graduated in 1868. He
maintained high scholastic rank in both
school and college, taking many prizes in
English composition and in debate, and
was unanimously elected class orator. He
was for a year after his graduation a postgraduate
student, and the next year a
tutor in Greek and Latin at his alma
mater. He then studied theology in the
Berkeley Divinity School at Middletown,
Connecticut. After being ordained a dea-
con in 1872, he served as assistant rector
of St. Andrew's Church, Meriden, Connec-
ticut. The following year he was or-
dained priest, and entered upon the rec-
torship of Christ Church, Rye, New York,
where he remained until 1881. In that
year he removed to Detroit, Michigan, to
become rector of Christ Church in that
city, and while there represented the Dio-
cese of Michigan as clerical deputy in the
General Convention of 1883. He was
rector of Grace Church, Baltimore, Maryland,
from 1885 to 1888, when he became
rector of Grace Church, Brooklyn Heights,
New York. While he was the parochial
head, a parish house was purchased out of
the offerings of the people. He repre-
sented the Diocese of Long Island in the
General Convention of 1892, also in that
of 1895, and served the diocese on the
standing committee.
He was consecrated as bishop-coadju-
tor to Bishop Williams, of Connecticut,
October 28, 1897, and upon whose death,
February 7, 1899, he succeeded as bishop
ENCYCLOPEDIA OF BIOGRAPHY
290
of the diocese. He thus became the fifth
Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Connec-
ticut, and the one hundred and eightythird
in the succession of the American
episcopate. During his ministry Bishop
Brewster, in addition to his active duties,
has been a frequent writer on philosophi-
cal and religious topics. His publications
are: "The Key of Life," 1894; "Aspects
of Revelation," 1901 ; "The Catholic Ideal
of the Church," 1905 ; "The Kingdom of
God and American Life," 1912. In addi-
tion, he has contributed articles on similar
subjects to the "Andover Review," and to
various other periodicals of like character.
His sermons are distinguished by literary
grace, and breadth and grasp of the underlying
principles of theology. An
agreeable speaker "on occasion," espe-
cially at academic gatherings, both as a
clerygman and man he is respected and
beloved for his abilities and the unaf-
fected simplicity of his nature. He is
independent in politics, and is largely
concerned with sociological problems.
Though a scholar, his interest goes far
beyond the world of books—to the humanity
to whose service his life is dedi-
cated. The degree of Doctor of Divinity
was conferred upon him by Trinity Col-
lege in 1897, by Yale University in 1898,
and by Wesleyan College in 1903.
Bishop Brewster's first wife was a
granddaughter of Eli Whitney. He married
(second) June 20, 1893, Alice Tucker
Stephenson, of East Orange, New Jersey.
PLUMB, Rollin Jesse,
Manufacturer.
The history of the Plumb family is one
that wakens pride in the hearts of its de-
scendants and inspires them to uphold to
a high degree by their own achievements
the standard attained. It has long been
prominent in the annals of Connecticut,