Ethelbert Talbot (October 9, 1848 – February 27, 1928) was the fifteenth presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church.

He built several missions in nearby towns, and founded a school which became St. James Military Academy.

In the ten years in the West, he established 38 churches and built St. Matthew's Cathedral in Laramie, Wyoming.

This was still the Old West and the story is told of his encounter with bandits while riding in a stage coach, “Surely you wouldn’t rob a poor bishop?” said Talbot.

On November 11, 1897, he was elected 3rd Bishop of the Episcopal Diocese of Central Pennsylvania, and installed on February 2, 1898.

In the summer of 1908, he attended the Lambeth Conference, a gathering in London of 247 Anglican bishops from all over the world.

If England be beaten on the river, or America outdistanced on the racing path, or that American has lost the strength which she once possessed.

All encouragement, therefore, be given to the exhilarating — I might also say soul-saving — interest that comes in active and fair and clean athletic sports.” (emphasis added)Pierre Coubertin, the father of the modern Olympic movement, paraphrased Talbot in a speech the following Friday, "The importance of these Olympiads is not so much to win as to take part."

Talbot resigned his post as Bishop of Bethlehem in favor of Frank W. Sterrett on September 15, 1927, and died on February 27, 1928, in Tuckahoe, New York.