William White

William White (1746-1836) was the first Episcopal bishop of Pennsylvania. He served as rector of Christ Church and spiritual leader of Philadelphia for 57 years.  Located on the west side of Second Street, between Market and Arch Streets, Christ Church, the oldest Episcopal Church in Philadelphia, was one of the city’s leading congregations in the 1790s.  Organized in 1695, the church claimed many of the early leaders of the American government as attendants, including George Washington, Robert Morris, Betsy Ross, and occasionally Benjamin Franklin.His home at 309 Walnut Street was built in 1786 and has now been fully restored.  White served as Chaplain to the Continental Army, and entertained many members of the first families of America in his home, including George Washington, Benjamin Franklin, and Robert Morris, the bishop’s brother-in-law.  On the same block stands the home of John Todd, whose wife, Dolly, would later marry James Madison.