Episcopal Bishops
of the Episcopal Church in Delaware
The number after each name is the number of that bishop among all the bishops ever elected in the Episcopal Church.
Samuel Seabury, the first, was ordained in 1984.
Alfred Lee (38)
First bishop of Delaware. Elected May 26, 1841, in the 56th year of the diocese, at the convention held in St. Paul’s Church, Georgetown. Consecrated October 12, 1841, at St. Paul’s Chapel, New York City. Rector of St. Andrew’s Church, Wilmington, from 1843 to 1887 and Presiding Bishop from 1884 to 1887. Died April 12, 1887 at the age of 79.
Leighton Coleman (146)
Elected second bishop of Delaware in the 103rd year of the diocese at the convention held in Christ Church, Dover, June 3, 1888. Consecrated October 18, 1888 in St. John’s Church, Wilmington. Died December 1, 1907 at the age of 70.
Frederick J. Kinsman (239)
Elected third bishop of Delaware in the 123rd year of the diocese at the convention in Trinity Church, Wilmington on June 3, 1908. Consecrated October 28, 1908 in Trinity Church, Wilmington. Bishop Kinsman submitted his resignation to the convention of 1919, the resignation being accepted by the House of Bishops in October 1919. Died in July 1944 at the age of 75.
Philip Cook (311)
Elected fourth bishop of Delaware in the 135th year of the diocese at the convention held in Immanuel Church, Wilmington on May 12, 1920. Consecrated October 14, 1920 in St. Michael’s and All Angels’ Church, Baltimore, Maryland. Died March 25, 1938 at the age of 62.
Arthur R. McKinstry (414)
Elected fifth bishop of Delaware in the 153rd year of the diocese at a special convention held in Immanuel Church, Wilmington on November 15, 1938. Consecrated February 17, 1939 in the Cathedral Church of St. John, Wilmington. Retired on December 31, 1954. Died December 25, 1991, at the age of 97.
John B. Mosley (526)
Elected sixth bishop coadjutor in the 168th year of the diocese at a special convention held in Immanuel Church, Wilmington on June 29, 1953. Consecrated October 28, 1953 in the Cathedral Church of St. John, Wilmington. Became Diocesan Bishop January 1, 1955. Installation service held January 16, 1955 in the Cathedral Church of St. John, Wilmington. Retired January 2, 1982. Died March 4, 1988 at the age of 72.
William H. Mead (628)
Elected seventh bishop of Delaware in the 183rd year of the diocese at a Special Convention held in All Saints’ Church, Rehoboth Beach on June 28, 1968. Consecrated November 15, 1968 in Christ Our King Roman Catholic Church, Wilmington and installed that same day in the Cathedral Church of St. John, Wilmington. Died February 25, 1974 at the age of 53.
William H. Clark (705)
Elected eighth bishop of Delaware in the 190th year of the diocese at the Annual Convention held in St. David’s Church, Brandywine Hundred, Wilmington on January 24, 1975. Consecrated May 16, 1975 in Christ Our King Roman Catholic Church, Wilmington and installed May 18, 1975 in the Cathedral Church of St. John, Wilmington. Retired December 31, 1985. Died March 7, 1997 at the age of 77.
Quintin E. Primo, Jr. (683)
Between the retirement of the Rt. Rev. William H. Clark and the consecration of the IX Bishop of Delaware, the Standing Committee of the Diocese invited the Rt. Rev. Quintin E. Primo, Jr., retired Suffragan Bishop of Chicago, to serve the Diocese of Delaware as Interim Bishop. Bishop Primo accepted this call and fulfilled this valuable ministry with grace and distinction. He died January 15, 1998 in Wilmington, Delaware at the age of 85.
Calvin C. Tennis (816)
Elected ninth bishop of Delaware in the 201st year of the diocese at Part II of the 1986 Annual Convention, held at Grace Church, Brandywine Hundred, on June 14, 1986. Consecrated November 8, 1986 at St. Helena’s Roman Catholic Church, Wilmington and installed November 9, 1986 at the Cathedral Church of St. John, Wilmington. He retired on December 31, 1997.
Wayne P. Wright (941)
Elected tenth bishop of Delaware at Part II-B of the 212th Annual Convention, held at the Cathedral Church of St. John, Wilmington, on February 28, 1998. He was consecrated June 20, 1998 in an outdoor service at St. Andrew’s School in Middletown and installed June 21, 1998 at the Cathedral Church of St. John, Wilmington. He retired on February 28, 2017.
Kevin S. Brown
Current Bishop of Delaware
The Rt. Rev. Kevin S. Brown was elected the eleventh bishop of Delaware on July 15, 2017 on the 5th ballot at a Special Convention held in Middletown. He was ordained and consecrated on December 9th, 2017 at Delaware State University in Dover.
