Guerry, William Alexander

(July 7, 1861-June 9, 1928). Bishop assassinated by a priest. He was born in Clarendon County, South Carolina. Guerry received his B.A. in 1884, his M.A. in 1884, and his B.D. in 1891, all from the University of the South. He was ordained deacon on Sept. 23, 1888, and priest on Dec. 22, 1889. After serving as rector of St. John's Church, Florence, South Carolina, 1888-1893, he became chaplain of the University of the South, where he was also professor of homiletics and pastoral theology at the School of Theology. While at Sewanee, he was influential in the building of All Saints' Chapel. On Sept. 15, 1907, Guerry was consecrated Bishop Coadjutor of South Carolina, and became the eighth Bishop of South Carolina on Apr. 22, 1908. He was one of the few southern bishops who supported the Social Gospel. On June 5, 1928, Guerry was shot in his office in St. Philip's Church, Charleston, by a mentally disturbed priest who was one of his clergy, and died four days later.