Charles Chapman Grafton was an influential American Anglican prelate who served as the second Bishop of Fond du Lac. Born in Boston in 1830, he initially studied law at Harvard before pursuing a religious vocation. After his ordination as a deacon in 1855 and a priest in 1858, he became a central figure in the Anglo-Catholic movement. Throughout his career, he held significant leadership roles, including serving as the rector of the Church of the Advent and establishing several religious communities.
Ecclesiastical career
Following his legal studies, Grafton entered the ministry, becoming a priest in 1858. He helped establish the Society of St. John the Evangelist and later founded the Sisterhood of the Holy Nativity. In 1889, he was consecrated as a bishop. As the leader of the Fond du Lac diocese, he utilized his own private resources to facilitate the expansion of the church's reach.
Works and death
Grafton was a prolific writer, producing numerous essays and sermons during his lifetime. His religious leadership and contributions to Anglicanism left a lasting mark on his community. He passed away in Fond du Lac on August 30, 1912, after a long career of service to the Episcopal Church in the United States.