Carter, Abiel

Carter, Abiel, a minister of the Protestant Episcopal Church, was born at Concord, N. H., May 2, 1791. He graduated A.B. at Dartmouth College in 1813, and soon after began the study of law at New York; but, turning his attention to religion, he left the Congregational Church, in which he had been educated, and became a student of theology under bishop Hobart, by whom he was ordained deacon in 1815. He at once became assistant to Dr. Lyell at Christ Church, New York. He was ordained priest in 1816, and became rector of Trinity Church, Pittsburg, Pa., whence he removed in 1818 to St. Michael's Church, Trenton, N.J. In 1822 he became rector of Christ Church, Savannah, Georgia. In 1827 the yellow fever raged in Savannah, and although it had been stipulated in his call that he should spend the summer of each year in the North, he refused to leave his people. His wife soon fell a victim to the pestilence, which also carried him away, Nov. 1, 1827. He published a number of occasional sermons. — Sprague, Annals, 5:584.