Western New York’s first bishop, the Rt. Rev. William Heathcote DeLancey, was elected on May 9, 1839. DeLancey was a strong leader and a man of vision, characteristics that served the young diocese well.

At the time, the fledgling Diocese was funded primarily by New York City. At his first Diocesan Convention, DeLancey addressed the issue of financial independence. He also made it clear that he intended to be the chief missionary of the Diocese. He had his work cut our for him, for at that time, the Diocese of Western New York stretched from Syracuse to Buffalo. In his first year alone, DeLancey covered 4100 miles. From his residence in centrally located Geneva, he visited 75 parishes and held services in twenty additional areas where churches had not yet been organized. One hallmark of DeLancey’s term was the establishment of the Christmas Fund for Disabled Clergymen, the forerunner of the Church Pension Fund.

Though the Church was embroiled in debate centered around the Tractarians during the 1840s, Western New York, under DeLancey’s calm yet firm guidance, was not. In fact, it became known as the Model Diocese, and by 1849 had grown from 96 parishes/74 resident clergy to 127 parishes /113 resident clergy.

DeLancey also helped the young Diocese develop a social conscience. In Rochester a city missionary worked with immigrants. A “free” waterfront chapel was founded to serve the needs of the seamen whose boats put in at Buffalo’s bustling harbor. Clergy were encouraged to hold services in county jails and the Auburn Prison where DeLancey confirmed 11 prisoners in 1854. And in 1858, five women from St. Paul’s Church, Buffalo, founded what is today known as the Episcopal Church Home.

By 1864, the demands of the episcopacy were becoming too much for the aging DeLancey. He asked Diocesan Convention for an assistant. The Rev. Arthur Cleveland Coxe was elected Bishop Coajudtor and consecrated on January 4, 1865. Bishop DeLancey died just three months later on April 5.