361:, called Empie, "That emphatic preacher." Over the next ten years, St. James Church experienced enormous growth. Empie created associations to educate the poor and to provide them with Bibles and books of their own. Also, he organized an effort to create a parochial library. Empie's strong approach, doubtless, influenced many, but especially moved two of his wife's relatives. Ann Eliza's cousin, a businessman named Thomas Wright, left his work to become a minister. He served churches in Wadesboro and
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over which it asserts copyright. Other papers relating to his life and ministry are at Bruton Parish, St. James's Church (Richmond), Schaffer
Library, Union College; Special Collections, U.N.C.-W; Perkins Library, Duke University; Southern and N.C. Collections, U.N.C.; Trinity College Library; New Hanover County Public Library; N. C. State Archives; Special Collections,; The Valentine Museum, Richmond History Center; The South Caroliniana Library, U. S. C.; and Columbia University.
429:, she grew up in a gracious home across the street from the church and, like Empie, spent summers on Wrightsville Sound. The Empies ultimately became parents to 12 children before Ann Eliza Empie died in 1843, but only eight lived to adulthood, and only John Joshua Empie, Anna Catharina Shepard, Adam Empie Jr., Susan Wright Smead, Charles Wright Empie, Lucy Wooster Brown and Ann Smith Hill survived their parents.
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During his ministry in
Richmond, Empie kept close business and personal ties with Wilmington. His business ventures consisted mostly of property and business ownership that came to him from his wife's family. He also received royalties from a book of his sermons that sold well in the Northern states.
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In 1853 as a widower, Empie returned to live in
Wilmington, where his son Adam had married and moved his legal practice, to "seek repose in the society of his children." His last years were spent in excruciating pain from rheumatism. He spent most of his time praying and meditating. At the very end,
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North
Carolina erected a historical marker in his memory. His papers are at the Manuscripts and Rare Books Department, Swem Library, College of William and Mary, as well as the U. S. Military Academy, and the Lower Cape Fear Historical Society. The New Hanover County Public Library has a portrait,
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at
Shockoe Bottom. Empie also established a private school for young men in Richmond, encouraged the creation of slave galleries in the city's existing white churches, and founded a slave mission on Broad Street that taught Bible lessons. Empie's favorite Bible verse still graces the entrance and
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during the final sixteen years of his ministry (1837 to 1853). In 1843, his wife died in
Richmond and he returned her for burial in her family's plot at Wilmington's Oakdale cemetery. Nonetheless, he managed to scrimp enough funds to send his namesake son to the
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became his protégé. The development of a quality technical school had always been one of Empie's pet projects, but the
College of William & Mary had for decades been suffering financially. He sent Rogers out on a fundraising campaign in Boston -- and the
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Despite Empie's outspoken opposition to slavery, he received several slaves when he married Ann Eliza. Empie freed his slaves, but he treated them so kindly they refused to leave him. The most beloved of their slaves were buried in the Empie plot at
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By this time, Empie was known for his superior thought processes, but he continued to be plagued health problems doctors diagnosed as "rheumatism." Word of Empie's intellectual and inspirational sermons traveled fast. In 1810,
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he lost his ability to speak, but could still write in a feeble hand. His last words, written shortly before his death on
November 6, 1860, were "To die is gain." He is buried with his wife in Oakdale cemetery.
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In 1816, the Empies returned to
Wilmington, and to St. James Church. A year later, with the help of the Rev. Bethel Judd, Adam Empie succeeded in organizing the Diocese of North Carolina. Its first bishop,
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Empie moved to
Wilmington in 1811. The small congregation delighted in his mental calisthenics and supported him in his many projects. The young rector helped revitalize what he helped organize as the
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to succeed Empie as the college's 12th president. Empie taught at Raleigh's Episcopal High School from 1836 until 1838, as Virginia once again debated slavery's role at its Constitutional Convention.
561:
Minor T. Weisiger, Donald R. Traser, E. Randolph Trice, Margaret T. Peters, Not Hearers Only: A history of St. James's Episcopal Church, Richmond, Virginia 1835-1985 (Richmond, 1986) p. 13
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and the College of William & Mary. When Empie baptised, married and buried "Africans" and invited them to worship services, other parishioners resisted. Empie appealed to Bishop
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330:: conducting a census of North Carolina Episcopalians, as well as fighting to abolish the practice of creating vestries by public election.
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Adam Empie Jr., John Joshua Empie, Anna Catharina Shepard, Charles Wright Empie, Lucy Wooster Brown, Zusan Wright Smead and Ann Smith Hill.
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Francis L. Hawks, "A Narrative of Events Connected with the Rise and Progress of the Protestant Episcopal Church in Virginia", in
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Susan Taylor Block "Adam Empie: "That Emphatic Preacher." (The Vineyard of St. James Parish, Wilmington, NC. Spring 2003)
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456:. His actions were upheld, but life became so unpleasant for him in Williamsburg that he resigned and moved his family to
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at West Point; Adam Empie Jr. graduated in 1845 and became a lawyer in Virginia. While in Richmond, Rev. Empie organized
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and Benjamin Allen. Despite his busy work schedule and some health issues, he graduated with honors in 1807.
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Later, Empie's opposition to slavery, and service to his African-American parishioners, caused friction at
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Leora Hiatt McEachern, assisted by Bill Reaves: History of St. James Church, 1729–1979, Wilmington, 1985;
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On March 24, 1814, Empie married a 15-year-old Southern girl, Ann Eliza Wright. The daughter of Judge
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in 1832. Ann Eliza's brother, Thomas Henry Wright, was a layman at St. James in Wilmington, and at
224:, to a family of Dutch descent with four full siblings and three half siblings, Empie learned about
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400:. He also taught classes in belles letters, logic, and ethics and served as 11th president of the
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396:(like Empie an opponent of slavery) had died unexpectedly. Empie served there as rector of
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460:. The William & Mary trustees selected 1820 graduate and prolific slavery apologist
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Ellen Davies-Rodgers: The Great Book: Calvary Protestant Episcopal Church, Memphis.
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Empie was ordained deacon in 1809, then admitted into the priesthood. The Rt. Rev.
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altar of St. James's in Richmond: "Be ye doers of the word and not hearers only."
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while still a very young man. Empie worked during his years as a student at
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381:. The chapel, now owned by St. James, is the oldest house of worship in
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HERRINGSHAW'S ENCYCLOPEDIA OF' AMERICAN BIOGRAPHY (1906) page 341
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was the eventual result, rather than revitalization in Virginia.
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Contributions to the Ecclesiastical History of the United States
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408:. During his decade in Williamsburg, enrollment increased, and
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E. C. Hicks: Hicks, Ward, Wright, Yonge and 7812 Descendants;
299:", led Empie's ordination service. His first assignment was
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Joseph Gardner Swift: The Memoirs of Joseph Gardner Swift;
404:. In 1830, Empie received an honorary doctorate from the
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Burials at Oakdale Cemetery (Wilmington, North Carolina)
660:"Rev. Adam Empie, D.D. :: Cape Fearians Collection"
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In 1814, the newly married Empies (see below) moved to
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churches and their beliefs. However, he warmed to the
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Temple of our Fathers: St. James Church (1729-2004)
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712:Lawrence Foushee London and Sarah McCulloh Lemmon,
626:https://archive.org/details/contributionstoe01hawk
714:The Episcopal Church in North Carolina, 1701-1959
697:Catherine W. Bishir: North Carolina Architecture;
353:, arranged for Empie's employment at West Point.
208:, who also taught and served as President of the
703:James Sprunt: Chronicles of the Lower Cape Fear;
962:Presidents of the College of William & Mary
755:Presidents of the College of William & Mary
196:(September 7, 1785 – November 6, 1860) was an
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388:In 1827, the growing Empie family moved to
307:, where he assisted the rector, Seth Hart.
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295:, a seminary professor and the author of "
279:, became Empie's mentor during this time.
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639:"Adam Empie (1 Jul. 1821-10 Jul. 1877)"
538:"Adam Empie - Special Collections Wiki"
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982:People from Wilmington, North Carolina
415:Massachusetts Institute of Technology
263:, as well as tutored the children of
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328:Episcopal Diocese of North Carolina
437:, a white cemetery in Wilmington.
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977:People from Schenectady, New York
637:Cooper, Jean L. (Nov 11, 2011).
297:Twas the Night Before Christmas
483:United States Military Academy
377:, a summer chapel he built on
269:Secretary of State of New York
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450:American Colonization Society
51:College of William & Mary
624:, 2 vols , I), available at
572:"Empie, Adam | NCpedia"
406:University of North Carolina
942:# denotes interim president
664:cdm16072.contentdm.oclc.org
402:College of William and Mary
244:, as well as studied under
234:Protestant Episcopal Church
210:College of William and Mary
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987:American Episcopal priests
454:Virginia State Legislature
317:Wilmington, North Carolina
135:Wilmington, North Carolina
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899:Thomas Ashley Graves Jr.
597:"Rev. Adam Empie I D.D."
448:(a fellow member of the
216:Early life and education
857:Benjamin Stoddert Ewell
691:. Wilmington, NC, 2004.
421:Family life and slavery
827:William Holland Wilmer
479:University of Virginia
427:Joshua Grainger Wright
394:William Holland Wilmer
390:Williamsburg, Virginia
359:John Stark Ravenscroft
343:U. S. Military Academy
315:, established 1729 in
74:William Holland Wilmer
929:W. Taylor Reveley III
687:Susan Taylor Block.
410:William Barton Rogers
222:Schenectady, New York
821:John Augustine Smith
481:after a term at the
398:Bruton Parish Church
347:Joseph Gardner Swift
293:Clement Clarke Moore
917:Timothy J. Sullivan
887:Alvin Duke Chandler
863:Lyon Gardiner Tyler
845:Robert Saunders Jr.
839:Thomas Roderick Dew
462:Thomas Roderick Dew
365:, before moving to
301:St. George's Church
86:Thomas Roderick Dew
875:John Stewart Bryan
602:. 7 September 1785
487:St. James's Church
383:New Hanover County
379:Wrightsville Sound
375:Mt. Lebanon Chapel
321:Wrightsville Sound
277:Bishop of New York
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869:J. A. C. Chandler
452:) as well as the
392:, where the Rev.
369:where he founded
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313:St. James' Church
273:John Henry Hobart
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104:September 7, 1785
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540:. Archived from
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502:Death and legacy
472:Empie served in
435:Oakdale Cemetery
265:Thomas Tillotson
183:Educator, priest
154:Ann Eliza Wright
145:Oakdale Cemetery
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124:November 6, 1860
96:Personal details
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335:West Point, NY
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468:Later career
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291:, father of
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230:Presbyterian
226:Dutch Reform
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81:Succeeded by
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21:The Reverend
972:1860 deaths
967:1785 births
931:(2008–2018)
925:(2005–2008)
923:Gene Nichol
919:(1992–2005)
913:(1985–1992)
901:(1971–1985)
895:(1960–1971)
889:(1951–1960)
883:(1942–1951)
877:(1934–1942)
871:(1919–1934)
865:(1888–1919)
859:(1854–1888)
853:(1849–1854)
847:(1846–1848)
841:(1836–1846)
835:(1827–1836)
829:(1826–1827)
823:(1814–1826)
817:(1812–1814)
811:(1776–1812)
805:(1771–1776)
799:(1764–1771)
793:(1761–1764)
787:(1755–1760)
781:(1752–1755)
775:(1743–1752)
769:(1693–1743)
767:James Blair
576:ncpedia.org
351:War of 1812
271:. The Rev.
242:Schenectady
107:Schenectady
69:Preceded by
956:Categories
851:John Johns
833:Adam Empie
548:2015-03-20
515:References
491:slave jail
200:priest in
194:Adam Empie
180:Profession
168:Alma mater
128:1860-11-07
25:Adam Empie
803:John Camm
363:Salisbury
305:Hempstead
261:Seth Hart
257:Hempstead
253:Rhinebeck
198:Episcopal
63:1827–1836
59:In office
47:12th
907:# (1985)
474:Richmond
339:chaplain
283:Ministry
220:Born in
206:Virginia
159:Children
111:New York
682:Sources
669:Feb 13,
644:Feb 13,
606:Feb 13,
581:Feb 13,
458:Raleigh
367:Memphis
341:of the
126: (
175:(1807)
151:Spouse
671:2019
646:2019
608:2019
583:2019
255:and
228:and
204:and
121:Died
101:Born
303:in
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