Chittenden

BLISS, Joshua Isham

Men of Vermont: an Illustrated Biographical History of Vermonters & Sons of 
Vermont. Ullery. Brattleboro: Transcript Pub. Co., 1894, pp 33-34 (portrait p 
33)

Joshua Isham BLISS, of Burlington [Vermont], was born 19 November 1830 in 
Burlington [Chittenden County, Vermont], son of Moses and Sophia (ISHAM) 
BLISS. His ancestors originally came from the county of Devonshire, in 
England, emigrating to Boston in 1635. [Boston organized 1630; Suffolk 
County created 1634; Massachusetts a state in 1788.] Mr. BLISS, after a 
preparatory course in the academies at Shelburne [Chittenden County] and 
Burlington, entered the University of Vermont, from which he graduated with 
high honors in 1852. He then took a position in a private school in North 
Carolina, but on account of his delicate health was obliged to resign, and in 
order to recuperate he spent some time in traveling in Europe and the East. 
In 1857 he again resumed the profession of teaching in Parkersburg [Wood 
County] Virginia [now West Virginia]. Soon after he was ordered deacon in 
the Protestant Episcopal church at Burlington, and two years later was 
ordained priest at Jericho.

On 10 September 1860 he [Joshua Isham BLISS] was married to Anne E., daughter 
of Carlos and Caroline (DEMING) BAXTER, of Burlington [Chittenden County, 
Vermont]. In 1863 he was called as assistant rector to St. Luke's parish in 
St. Albans [Franklin County, Vermont], and afterward assumed the sole 
rectorship, until 1869, when he again visited Europe. On his return, after a 
year of missionary service, he assumed the rectorship of St. Peter's Church 
in Bennington [Bennington County, Vermont]. In 1877 he was complimented by 
an appointment to the chair of professor of rhetoric and English literature 
in the U. V. M., where he remained for eight years, when he was invited to 
assume the charge of St. Paul's Church in Burlington, which arduous position 
he has ably filled to the present time. In 1885 his alma mater conferred 
upon him the degree of D. D., having previously bestowed those of A. M. and 
A. B. He is president of the standing committee of the diocese of Vermont, 
and has been elected several times deputy from that diocese to the general 
convention.

Submitted by Cathy Kubly