From the Archives: Bishop James Roosevelt Bayley, 1853

The first Bishop of Newark, Most Rev. James Roosevelt Bayley, is pictured circa 1850s. Bayley was appointed bishop when the Diocese of Newark was established on July 29, 1853. He was the nephew of St. Elizabeth Ann Seton and had been an Episcopal minister prior to his conversion to Catholicism in 1842. A strong advocate for Catholic education, he established numerous parochial schools as well as Seton Hall College in 1856.

(Photographer: Archdiocese of Newark Archives, Photograph Collection)

Editor’s note: All published archival photos can be found under the “From the Archives” tab in the top menu. For more information on the archdiocesan archives, visit rcan.org/archives.