Rectors

The faithful priests who have guided Trinity Church through the past 300 years.

Trinity Church’s charter of 1697 decreed “that there shall be a Rector to have care of the souls of the inhabitants of said Parish, and a perpetual succession of Rectors there.” Since its founding, Trinity Church has been led by nineteen rectors. 

In the Episcopal tradition, a rector is the priest in charge of a parish. They’re responsible for the spiritual health of a congregation. They also manage operations, parish programs, clergy, staff, and all resources and facilities of the church.  

Our first rector, the Rev. William Vesey, was also our longest serving leader. Vesey guided our parish through the first 49 years of its existence and nearby Vesey Street is named in his honor. Trinity’s ninth rector, the Rev. Morgan Dix, had the second-longest tenure. His 46-year term spanned the Civil War, a massive wave of immigration, and the incorporation of the five boroughs into one New York City. He led the parish through an era that defined the city and the nation. The Chapel of All Saints, tucked off Trinity Church’s nave, was built in his memory.  

Our first three rectors after the American Revolution were also Bishops of the Diocese of New York. In the 20th Century, the Rev. William Manning resigned as rector of Trinity Church to become Bishop of New York. 

See a full list of Trinity’s rectors below.  

THE REV. WILLIAM VESEY, D.D. 
First Rector, 1697-1746 

THE REV. HENRY BARCLAY, D.D. 
Second Rector, 1746-1764 

THE REV. SAMUEL AUCHMUTY, D.D. 
Third Rector, 1764-1777 

THE RT. REV. CHARLES INGLIS, D.D. 
Fourth Rector, 1777-1783 

THE RT. REV. SAMUEL PROVOOST, D.D. 
Fifth Rector, 1784-1800 

THE RT. REV. BENJAMIN MOORE, S.T.D. 
Sixth Rector, 1800-1816 

THE RT. REV. JOHN HENRY HOBART, D.D. 
Seventh Rector, 1816-1830 

THE REV. WILLIAM BERRIAN, D.D. 
Eighth Rector, 1830-1862 

THE REV. MORGAN DIX, S.T.D., D.C.L. 
Ninth Rector, 1862-1908 

THE RT. REV. WILLIAM THOMAS MANNING, D.D., S.T.D., D.C.L. 
Tenth Rector, 1908-1921 

THE REV. CALEB ROCHFORD STETSON, S.T.D. 
Eleventh Rector, 1921-1932 

THE REV. FREDERIC SYDNEY FLEMING, D.D., L.L.D., S.T.D. 
Twelfth Rector, 1932-1951 

THE REV. JOHN HEUSS, D.D., S.T.D., L.H.D. 
Thirteenth Rector, 1952-1966 

THE REV. JOHN VERNON BUTLER, D.D., S.T.D. 
Fourteenth Rector, 1966-1972 

THE REV. ROBERT RAY PARKS, D.D., S.T.D. 
Fifteenth Rector, 1972-1987 

THE REV. DANIEL PAUL MATTHEWS, D.D., L.H.D. 
Sixteenth Rector, 1987-2004 

THE REV. JAMES H. COOPER, D.M. 
Seventeenth Rector, 2004-2015 

THE REV. WILLIAM LUPFER, D.M. 
Eighteenth Rector, 2015-2020 

THE REV. PHILLIP A. JACKSON, M.Div. 
Priest-In-Charge, 2020-2022 
Nineteenth Rector, 2022-present