William Heatheote De Lancey, an American bishop, born in Westchester co., N. Y., Oct. 8, 1797, died at Geneva, N. Y., April 5, 1865. He graduated at Yale college in 1817, studied theology under Bishop Hobart, and received deacon's orders in 1819. Ordained to the priesthood in 1822, he soon after became assistant of the venerable Bishop White of Philadelphia. He was secretary of the diocesan conventions of Pennsylvania from 1823 to 1830, and of the house of bishops in the general convention of the Episcopal church of the United States from 1823 to 1829. He was chosen provost of the university of Pennsylvania in 1828, which office he held five years, and then became assistant minister of St. Peter's church, one of the three churches of which Bishop White was rector. He travelled in Europe in 1835, and on his return, after the death of Bishop White, succeeded to the rectorship of St. Peter's. In 1838 he was chosen bishop of the diocese of Western New York, then just formed, and was consecrated May 9, 1839. He removed to Geneva, the seat of the diocesan college, now called Hobart college, which was chiefly indebted to his efforts for its support.

In 1852 he visited England as a delegate from the Episcopal bishops of the United States, and received the degree of D. C. L. from the university of Oxford; in 1858 he again visited England.