Prof. IV. H. Ban-is. — Preston. 359 
Ordained priest by bishop De Lancy of New York, he be- 
came rector of St. Luke's church, P]rockport, X. Y., in 1852, 
and later served as assistant to Rev. Henry Lee (afterward 
first bishop of Iowa) at Rochester, N. Y. 
Go'mi'ng to Iowa at the soHcitiation of bishop Lee, who 
recognized in him quahties of a high order, he became rector 
of Trinity church, Iowa City, in 1855, and of Christ church, 
Burlington, in 1859, whence, after seven years of arduous 
labor and study, he was called to the Ely professorship of 
ecclesiastical history in Griswold college, Davenport, which 
city was thereafter to be his home. 
It was as a personal compliment to Dr. Barris, and to se- 
ciux his services permanently for the college, that the Ely 
endowment was made and conditioned on his having a life 
tenure in Ely house, the home at Twelfth and Main streets, 
where he breathed ' his last. His personal popularity and 
recognized ability as an instructor helped largely to give to 
the theological department of Griswold, its high educational 
standing during the more than twenty years he spent in its 
service. 
Many men, now prominent in the church, were mem.bers 
of his theological classes and credit him in large measure 
\vith the success attending their labors. Always modest and 
unassuming, himself setting the example of faithful work, 
he was loved and revered by his students, one of whom feel- 
ingly writes : "He was the most helpful man I ever nx't," 
"I doubt if there is one who does not bless the day thai he 
camie under the influence of the mind and heart of Willis 
H. Barris." 
He had chosen the church as his life work and gav" it 
his first allegiance, consequently when offered a chair in the 
Iowa state universit}-, he declined, saying: "Paleontology is 
my play, theology is my work." Nevertheless, wherever his 
lot was cast, he at omce identified himself with all the higher 
intellectual interests of the community about him, and sup- 
plemented his work for the church by a thorough stud; of 
the geology and j^aleontology of the region. 
By numerous short excursions and occasional longer 
journeys, he collected material and observations w'hich, with 
his scholarly interpretation, gave results of great scientific 
value. 
