Garden, Alexander

(1685-Sept. 27, 1756). Third Commissary to North and South Carolina. He was born and educated in Scotland. Garden became a priest in the Church of England. He came to the American colonies in 1719. Shortly after his arrival, he became rector of St. Philip's Church, Charleston, South Carolina. In 1729 the Bishop of London named him the third Commissary to North and South Carolina. He served in that position until 1749. As Commissary he began annual meetings of the clergy to regularize church life in the province. While Commissary, Garden had a controversial correspondence with George Whitefield, the Church of England evangelical preacher. When Whitefield was in South Carolina, he did not follow the Prayer Book and made derogatory remarks about the colonial clergy. Whitefield was brought to trial and suspended from his office as a priest, but he continued to preach. Garden retired as rector of St. Philip's Church in 1754. While rector he did extensive missionary and educational work among African Americans. Garden died in Charleston.