James Augustine Healy was an American Roman Catholic priest and the second bishop of Portland, Maine. He was the first Black Catholic priest and bishop in the USA.[1]
James was born in Georgia in 1830. He was the eldest son of Michael Healy and Eliza Clark. His father, Michael Healy, was an Irish immigrant who became a successful plantation owner, with an estate of 1600 acres of land and some sixty slaves. James's mother, Eliza Healy (also called Mary Elisa) was an enslaved mulatto woman who became Michael Healy's wife, although they could not legally marry due to laws against interracial marriage. Michael Healy technically owned Eliza, James, and his other children. Because he wanted his children to grow up free from social stigma related to their interracial background, he arranged to send them to school in the North. After initially attending religious boarding schools in Long Island (New York) and Pennsylvania, at age 14 James entered the College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, Massachusetts, in 1844, together with his brothers Hugh, age 12, Patrick, age 10, and Sherwood, age 8. Holy Cross had been suggested to their father by John Bernard Fitzpatrick, the Catholic bishop of Boston, after they met while traveling. [2][3] The Healy children never saw their mother after they moved north, but had occasional visits from their father. In the North, James Healy and his brothers were largely successful in representing themselves as white, although people who knew their history recognized their African heritage in their appearance. Bishop Fitzpatrick took an important role in the lives of the Healy children, arranging for them to stay with members of his during school holidays, and advocating for their careers.[4]
In 1849 James graduated first in his class at Holy Cross and went on to study for the priesthood.[4] In 1854 he was ordained as a Catholic priest. He became Bishop of the Portland diocese in 1875, serving in that position for 25 years, until his death.[2][5]
Bishop Healy passed away in 1900[6] and is buried at Calvary Cemetery South Portland, Maine.[7]
↑ "United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24F-J1K9 : 16 March 2018), James Augustino Healy, 1898; citing Passport Application, Maine, United States, source certificate #, Passport Applications, 1795-1905., 499, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
↑ "Maine Vital Records, 1670-1921," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:VZQ6-JQL : 5 November 2017), Jas Aug Healey, Death 05 Aug 1900; citing Division of Vital Statistics, State Board of Health, Augusta; FHL microfilm 9,961.
↑ Find a Grave, database and images (https://www.findagrave.com : accessed 04 April 2021), memorial page for Rev James Augustine Healy (6 Apr 1830–5 Aug 1900), Find A Grave: Memorial #62594246, citing Calvary Cemetery, South Portland, Cumberland County, Maine, USA; Maintained by Thomas Wilkey (contributor 47938989).
"Massachusetts State Census, 1855," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQWK-25Q : 2 April 2016), James A Healey in household of John B Fitzpatrick, Ward 07, Boston, Suffolk, Massachusetts, United States; State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 953,959.
"Massachusetts State Census, 1865," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MQHZ-SCK : 2 April 2016), James A Healy in household of John B Fitzpatrick, Boston, Ward 11, Suffolk, Massachusetts; State Archives, Boston; FHL microfilm 954,378.
"United States Census, 1870," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MD3P-NLD : 12 April 2016), James A Healey, Massachusetts, United States; citing p. 23, family 154, NARA microfilm publication M593 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.); FHL microfilm 552,144.
"United States Census, 1900," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:MML6-5C3 : accessed 2 February 2018), James A Healy, Portland city Ward 3, Cumberland, Maine, United States; citing enumeration district (ED) 60, sheet 1A, family 14, NARA microfilm publication T623 (Washington, D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, 1972.); FHL microfilm 1,240,590.
"United States Passport Applications, 1795-1925," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:Q24F-J1K9 : 4 October 2016), James Augustino Healy, 1898; citing Passport Application, Maine, United States, source certificate #, Passport Applications, 1795-1905., 499, NARA microfilm publications M1490 and M1372 (Washington D.C.: National Archives and Records Administration, n.d.).
"Maine, Veterans Cemetery Records, 1676-1918," database with images, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:KXQZ-9CC : 4 December 2014), James Augustus Healy, 05 Aug 1900; citing Death, Portland, Maine, United States, State Archives, Augusta; FHL microfilm 1,001,830.
"Find A Grave Index," database, FamilySearch (https://familysearch.org/ark:/61903/1:1:QV24-CTQR : 13 December 2015), James Augustine Healy, 1900; Burial, South Portland, Cumberland, Maine, United States of America, Calvary Cemetery; citing record ID 62594246, Find a Grave, http://www.findagrave.com.
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