My Genealogy Hound

GEORGE THORNTON WILMER, D. D., was born on the 8th of May, 1819, at Alexandria, then within the District of Columbia. His father, the Rev. William Holland Wilmer, D. D., was a native of Kent County, Md., where his ancestors were seated as early as 1693, at which time the American record of the family begins. He became rector of St. Paul’s, Alexandria, Was prominent in the successful effort to resuscitate the Episcopal Church in Virginia and in founding the Theological Seminary of the Diocese of Virginia, being one of its earliest professors. After leaving Alexandria he became rector of Bruton Parish, Williamsburg, Va., and president of the College of William and Mary. He died in 1827, in his forty-fifth year, and while holding both of these offices. The authorities of Williamsburg took charge of his burial; he was interred beneath the chancel of the parish church, and a memorial tablet, the contribution of Christians of all the denominations in the town, commemorates affectionate esteem of his character and services. The family of Dr. W. H. Wilmer removed to Fairfax County, Va. The pious care of his widow, a step-mother in name to many of the children, and a real mother to all the children of a large and dependent family, provided such means of education as a home school could supply, followed by such collegiate training, in the ease of the sons, as they saw fit. George T. Wilmer, after a short stay at Bristol College, which he left without graduating, passed about two years in civil engineering; then two years in studying law, and in managing the small farming interests of the family; then three years at the Theological Seminary of Virginia, whence he was graduated in 1843; was ordained deacon by Bishop Meade. The larger part of his diaconate was passed at Wilmington, N. C, as assistant to Rev. R. H. Wilmer, rector of St. James, in that city, and subsequently bishop of the Diocese of Alabama. Rev. George T. Wilmer was admitted to priest’s orders by Bishop Johns in 1844, and took charge of a parish in the counties of Botetourt and Roanoke, in the valley of Virginia; became rector of Bruton Parish, Williamsburg, in 1854; rector of a parish in Pittsylvania County in 1866; became rector of Christ Church, Mobile, Ala., and continued such rather more than two years; was for a short time in charge of Bishop Atkinson’s Mission House, Asheville, N. C.; entered on his duties as professor of moral and intellectual philosophy and belles-lettres in the College of William and Mary, 1869; for about the last four years of his connection with the college, was also rector for the second time of Bruton Parish; in 1876 was elected professor of systematic divinity in the University of the South, and pending the organization of the theological department, assigned to duty as professor of metaphysics and English literature and other branches. From 1878 to 1885 he preformed the duties of professor of systematic divinity, professor of metaphysics, acting professor of political science and history, and lecturer on commercial law. Since the opening of the session of 1885-86, Dr. Wilmer has taught exclusively in the theological department. His degree of D. D.was conferred by the College of William and Mary in the year 1860.