Page:Men of Mark in America vol 1.djvu/473

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JAMES CARDINAL GIBBONS

GIBBONS, JAMES CARDINAL, a native of Baltimore, Maryland, baptized in the Roman Catholic cathedral in that city when an infant, received a portion of his education in private classical schools in Ireland where he was confirmed. He resided in New Orleans, Louisiana, 1853-55; was graduated at St. Charles college, Maryland, 1857; was ordained priest June 30, 1861; was private secretary to the archbishop of Baltimore and chancellor of the arch-diocese 1865-68; vicar-apostolic of North Carolina, 1868-72; bishop of Richmond, Virginia, 1872-77; coadjutor to Archbishop Bayley of Baltimore, 1877; archbishop of Baltimore, 1877; presided over the third Plenary Council at Baltimore, 1884; cardinal from June 30, 1886. Born in Baltimore, Maryland, July 23, 1834, his parents presented him for baptism at the Cathedral of Baltimore and soon after carried him to their old home in Ireland where he received the first elements of his early education and was confirmed by Archbishop McHale. He returned to his native country in 1853 and resided in New Orleans for two years. He decided while there to devote his life to the service of the church, and to that end he journeyed to Baltimore, and was admitted to St. Charles college, Maryland. He was graduated with high honors in 1857 and took up his theological studies at the Seminary of St. Sulpice, St. Mary's university, Baltimore, Maryland. He was ordained priest by Archbishop Kenrick, June 30, 1861; and was sent to St. Patrick's church, Baltimore, as an assistant to the Reverend James Dolan. He was next given charge of the small congregation who were instructed in St. Bridget's church. Canton, Maryland, and in 1865 he was made private secretary to Archbishop Spalding, who made him chancellor of the archdiocese. He was made assistant chancellor over the second Plenary Council at Baltimore in 1866, and Pope Pius IX. when he erected the state of North Carolina into a new Vicariate Apostolic, March 3, 1868, nominated Chancellor Gibbons titular bishop of Adramyttum and the first vicar apostolic of North Carolina. He was consecrated at the cathedral in Baltimore by Archbishop Spald-