Boulter, Hugh, Dd

Boulter, Hugh, D.D., an English prelate, was born in or near London, Jan. 4, 1671, and educated at Merchant Taylors' school and at Oxford university. In 1700 he became chaplain to Sir Charles Hedges, and soon after to archbishop Tenison. He was presented by the earl of Sunderland to the rectory of St. Olave, and the archdeaconry of Surrey. In 1719 he went to Hanover as chaplain to George I, when he so won the king's favor that the latter promoted him to the deanery of Christ Church and bishopric of Bristol the same year. Five years later (1724) he was appointed archbishop of Armagh and lord primate of Ireland. He expended £30, 000 in augmenting the incomes of the poorer clergy; erected and endowed hospitals at Armagh and Drogheda for clergymen's widows; contributed to the establishment of charter schools; and during the famine of 1740 provided at his own expense two meals a day for 2500 persons. In June, 1742, he made a visit to his native country, and died in London in September of the same year. He published several sermons and charges; and his Letters to several Ministers of State in England, relative to Transactions in Ireland from 1724 to 1738, were published in two volumes (Oxford, 1769-70). See Chalmers, Biog. Dict. s.v.; Allibone, Dict. of Brit. and Amer. Authors, s.v.