Joseph Gillespie Armstrong (October 15, 1901 - April 23, 1964) was an American suffragan bishop of the

Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania The Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania is a diocese of the Episcopal Church in the United States of America encompassing the counties of Philadelphia, Montgomery, Bucks, Chester and Delaware in the state of Pennsylvania. The Diocese has 36,641 ...

from 1949 until November 7, 1960, when he was elected coadjutor. He succeeded Rt. Rev.

Oliver J. Hart Oliver James Hart (July 18, 1892 - May 4, 1978) was a priest who was elected as coadjutor bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Pennsylvania, serving as diocesan from 1943 to 1963. Early life and education Oliver James Hart was born on July 18, 18 ...

as Bishop of Pennsylvania when Bishop Hart retired on July 19, 1963. However Bishop Armstrong's diocesan episcopate only lasted nine months before his death.

Biography

Armstrong was born in Warren, Pennsylvania, but raised in Virginia. Johns Hopkins University in

Baltimore, Maryland Baltimore ( , locally: or ) is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Maryland, fourth most populous city in the Mid-Atlantic, and the 30th most populous city in the United States with a population of 585,708 in 2020. Baltimore was ...

awarded him a B.A. in 1928; after which he graduated from General Theological Seminary in 1931. Ordained priest in 1932, Rev. Armstrong served as rector of Severn Parish (a/k/a St. Stephens Crownsville) near

Annapolis, Maryland Annapolis ( ) is the capital city of the U.S. state of Maryland and the county seat of, and only incorporated city in, Anne Arundel County. Situated on the Chesapeake Bay at the mouth of the Severn River, south of Baltimore and about east o ...

, and of Christ Church (Georgetown, Washington, D.C.), then as chaplain in the United States Navy in World War II. After his military discharge, Rev. Armstrong served several years as rector at St. Mary's Episcopal Church in Ardmore, Pennsylvania. On May 11, 1949 the diocesan convention elected the Rev. Armstrong as suffragan to assist Bishop Hart. The Presiding Bishop Henry Knox Sherrill assisted bishop Hart and bishop suffragan Remington of Pennsylvania in his consecration, as did bishops, Powell of Maryland and bishop suffragan Banyard of New Jersey on October 28, 1949. He was installed as Suffragan bishop of Pennsylvania on November 15, 1949. Bishop Armstrong then assisted the diocesan bishop Hart in administering the diocese for many years until Rt.Rev. Hart's retirement. On April 1, 1964, Robert L. DeWitt, suffragan bishop of Michigan, was elected as his coadjutor, and became his successor. Bishop Armstrong died at home in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania, survived by his second wife and daughters. He is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Armstrong, J. Gillespie 20th-century Anglican bishops in the United States 1901 births 1964 deaths People from Warren, Pennsylvania Johns Hopkins University alumni General Theological Seminary alumni Burials at Arlington National Cemetery Episcopal bishops of Pennsylvania