Ives, Levi Silliman

(Sept. 16, 1797-Oct. 13, 1867). Bishop of North Carolina and convert to Roman Catholicism. He was born in Meriden, Connecticut. In 1816 Ives entered Hamilton College to prepare for the Presbyterian ministry. He did not graduate because of ill health. In 1819 he joined the Episcopal Church because of its uninterrupted succession of apostolic ministry and its primitive worship. Ives studied theology under Bishop John Henry Hobart of New York and at the General Theological Seminary. He was ordained deacon on Aug. 4, 1822. He began his ministry at St. James' Church, Batavia, New York. In June 1823 he became rector of Trinity Church (Southwark), Philadelphia. He was ordained priest on Dec. 14, 1823. In 1826 Ives became co-rector of St. James' Church, Philadelphia, and in Sept. 1827 he moved to New York City to become assistant minister at Christ Church. In Mar. 1828 he became rector of St. Luke's Church, New York City. Ives was consecrated the second Bishop of North Carolina on Sept. 22, 1831.

As Bishop, Ives supported the founding of the Episcopal School of North Carolina for boys and St. Mary's School for girls. In 1842 he established a mountain mission in Western North Carolina, which he named Valle Crucis. This developed into a monastic community. Opposition formed against Valle Crucis and Bishop Ives. He was accused of promoting Roman Catholic practices, such as the reservation and adoration of the sacrament, monasticism, and auricular confession. On Oct. 1, 1852, Ives began a six-month leave of absence. He and Mrs. Ives traveled in Europe. On Dec. 22, 1852, he resigned as Bishop of North Carolina, and on Dec. 25, 1852, he joined the Roman Catholic Church. The House of Bishops deposed him on Oct. 14, 1853. He returned to New York in 1854 and spent the remainder of his life as a Roman Catholic layman. Ives was the only Bishop to abandon the Episcopal Church over the Oxford Movement controversy. He died in Manhattanville, New York. See Valle Crucis.