ETHAN FERRIS BISHOP (Rev.) born March 27, 1825 Madison NJ and died December 7, 1883 Bridgeport CT; attended Yale (1845-46), but through an unfortunate accident resulting in the loss of an eye, was obliged to discontinue his studies and return to Bridgeport. He received a degree of M.A., from Trinity College, Hartford CT, 1851. He was licensed as a lay reader by Bishop Brownell under the Rev. Gurdon S. Coit, D.D., rector of St. John's Church, Bridgeport on November 21, 1856. He and his family founded the Church of Nativity, Bridgeport, 1858; ordained Deacon by Bishop Williams on May 21, 1860 and priest by Bishop Williams on September 22, 1863; served at the Church of the Holy Nativity 1860-83; 1864 built School for Needy and Orphaned Boys; President of Bridgeport Steamboat Company 1865, and Naugatuck Railroad 1873; married March 22, 1847 at Brooklyn NY, Georgianna Moody born February 5, 1826, England, and died January 17, 1898 Bridgeport CT. She wrote at least two books, The Christians Seasons and The Yule Log. Recently, Ethan's diary, dated c1870, was located and purchased at a tag sale.

The New York Times, December 8, 1883: Bridgeport, Conn., December 7: E. Ferris Bishop, President of the Naugatuck Railroad Company, died in this city today, aged 58. He was born in Madison, N.J., March 7, 1825, and was a son of the late Alfred Bishop, one of the builders of the New York and New Haven Railroad, and a brother to the Hon. William D. Bishop, formerly President of the New York, Hew Haven, and Hartford Railroad Company. After his father's death Mr Bishop completed many contracts then under way, and became largely interested in railroad building in Connecticut and the West. Shortly afte the war he engaged in an extensive Wall Street operation and failed for $3,000,000. A friend loaned him $90,000 without security and he subsequently amassed another fortune, and leaves a handsome estate. After 1860 he was ordained to the Diaconate by Bishop Williams, and for many years he was Rector of the Church of the Nativity in North Bridgeport. The edifice for the church he erected at a cost of $25,000. It was a remarkable style of architecture for the locality, being built after the manner of churches of several generations ago. High Church doctrines were inculcated, boy choirs were employed, and a mission of Paulist Fathers were supported in connection with the church, all at Mr. Bishop's expense. The removal of a carpet factory which gave employment to a large number of the residents resulted in small congregations, and for seven or eight years the church has been closed. A short time ago, Mr. Bishop gave the property to the Bridgeport Orphan Asylum. The value of the property thus presented was not less than $150,000. It included a home for needy boys and orphans, having accommodations for 30 pupils, who, according Mr. Bishop's design, were to be fitted for college or business without cost to themselves. His failure prevented him from carrying his plans into effect.