Levi Silliman Ives

Levi Silliman Ives (September 16, 1797 – October 13, 1867) was an American theologian and bishop.

Levi was born at Meriden, Connecticut and was brought up on his father's farm in Turin, New York. Levi served during the first year of the War of 1812 and studied at Hamilton College, but in 1819 left the Presbyterian for the Episcopal Church, and studied in New York under Bishop John Henry Hobart, whose daughter, Rebecca, he married in 1822. That year he was ordained a deacon by Bishop Hobart. In 1823 he was ordained a priest in Philadelphia by Bishop William White.

Ives was rector of Trinity Church, Southwark, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, from 1823 to 1827; later he served as assistant minister at Trinity Church, New York, and as rector at St. James Church, Lancaster, Pennsylvania, until 1831.

After the unexpected death of the Right Reverend John Stark Ravenscroft in 1830, Ives was elected bishop of North Carolina on May 21, 1831. He was the 25th bishop of the ECUSA, and was consecrated by bishops William White, Henry Ustick Onderdonk, and Benjamin Treadwell Onderdonk. As a bishop Ives took great interest in the education and religious training of the black community.