John Croes
John Croes was a prelate in the Episcopal Church who served as the first Bishop of New Jersey.Biography
Croes was born on June 1, 1762 in Elizabeth, New Jersey, the son of two German immigrants Jacob Croes and Charlotte Christiana Feigart. He served in the Revolutionary War as a sergeant and quartermaster. He studied for the ministry of the Episcopal Church and was ordained deacon by Bishop William White in Philadelphia, on February 28, 1790, and priest on March 4, 1792. He was uniformly active and zealous in the service of the Church, in both diocesan and general conventions. He first served as rector of Trinity Church, Swedesboro, New Jersey, and was called as rector of Christ Church, New Brunswick, New Jersey, in 1801, and also served as principal of Rutgers Preparatory School. He was elected bishop of New Jersey in the summer, and was consecrated at St Peter's Church in Philadelphia on November 19, 1815. He is buried beneath the chancel of Christ Church, New Brunswick, New Jersey.
