A history of the rise of Methodism in America. Containing sketches of Methodist itinerant preachers, from 1736 to 1785 ... Also, a short account of many hundreds of the first race of lay members, male and female, from New York to South Carolina. Together with an account of many of the first societies and chapel

Front matter

Cornell University Library

The original of tliis book is in tine Cornell University Library.

There are no known copyright restrictions in the United States on the use of the text.

Chapter I

Messrs'. John and Charles "Wesley in America, 13 — Mr. George Whitefield in America, and in Philadelphia, 14 — Mr. Wesley's account of the work of God in America, 14, 15^ — Rev. William Hamilton, of Baltimore, 15 — Rev. George C. M. Roberts ; his account of Strawbridge and Embury, 15, 16 — Priority of the Pipe, or Sam's Creek Society and Log Meeting-house, 15-17 — Richard Owen, the first Native American Methodist preacher, 18 — Strawbridge's labors, and his success, 15—20 — First Methodist society in Baltimore county, at Daniel Evans's, 19 — Early Methodists in Maryland — Maynard, Evans, Bonham, Walker, Hagerty, AVarfield, Durbin, Saxton, Owen, Merryman, Stephenson, Perigo, Webster, Bond, Gatch, 16-20 — Strawbridge's person, family, death, and burial, 22, 23.

Chapter II

Leading events in QueenAnne's reign, 23 — ^Her good character, 23, 24 — Dr. Roberts of Baltimore ; his account of the Palatines, 24-9 — Mr. Wesley's account of the same people, 29.

Chapter III

Philip Embury forms a Methodist society in New York, in 1766, 30 — -Captain Webb assists Embury in New York, in 1767, 30 — Wesley Chapel erected in 1768, 31 — Embury leaves New York city, and settles in Washington county, N. Y. ; raises up a society; his death, character, and family, 32, 33 — Webb's labors and success in New York, 34— Cost of Wesley Chapel, 34— First Methodists in New York — Embury, Heck, Morrell, White, Sause, Taylor, Lupton, Newton, Jarvis, Selby, Sands, Chave, Staples, Brinkley, Dean, Marchington, 30-88 — First parsonage, 39.

Chapter IV

Captain Webb preaches, and raises a society of Methodists in Philadelphia, 39 — A sail-loft the birth-place of Methodism in this city, 40 — Dr. Wrangle prepared the way for Methodism, 40, 41 — First class of Methodists; their first leader, 41 — First Methodists in Philadelphia — Emerson, Pennington, Fitzgerald, Hood, Wilmer, Steward, Wallace, Croft, Evans, Montgomery, Dowers, Beach, Thorn, Patterson, Baker, 41-4.

(iii)

iv CONTENTS.

Chapter V

St. George's built by the German Reformed Brethren, the first Board of Trustees, 45— Bought by the Methodists; the first Methodist Board, 45— The British use it during the war, 46— The various stages by which it was finished, 47— Fitzgerald, the germ of Ebenezer, 48 — Bethel, in Montgomery county, 48 — Supplee's, 48 — Jemima Wilkinson, 49.

Chapter VI

Captain Webb raises up Methodism in New Jersey ; Burlington ; Joseph Toy, 50— New Mills, or Pemberton, 50, 51— Trenton, 52— Carpenter's Landing, 53— Pittsgrove, 53— Mount Holly, 54— Lumberton, 54— Haddonfield, 55— First Methodists in Jersey— Budd, Hancock, Heisler, Singer, Cotts, Chew, Taper, Toy, Thorns, Turner, Johnson, Jenkins, Early, Ayars, Murphy, Price, Smith, Abbott, 55.

Chapter VII

Captain Webb raises up Methodism in New Castle, Wilmington, and other places in Delaware, 56 — First Blethodists in Delaware — Furness, Stedham, Tussey, Hersey, Webster, Cloud, Ford, 56-8^Captain Webb's field of labor ; Hon. John Adams's testimony concerning his preaching ; goes to England ; dies ; his children, 60-2.

Chapter VIII

Robert Williams arrives in New York, 62 — Messrs. Boardman and Pilmoor arrive, 63 — John Mann, 64 — Pilmoor in Philadelphia, 65 — John King, 65.

Chapter IX

Boardman, Pilmoor, and Williams, in 1770, 66 — King in Maryland ; Bowman, Baker, Presbury — introduces Methodist preaching into Baltimore, 67-8 — Watters family, 68 — Pilmoor and Boardman visit Maryland, 69.

Chapter X

Pilmoor and Williams visit New Rochelle ; Mrs. Deveau's dream ; her conversion, 70 — -Where Boardman and Pilmoor labored in 1771, 71 — Methodism spreads in Harford county; Giles, Morgan, Litten, Forward, Baker, Moore, Sinclair, Stanford, Galloway, Colgate, "Merryman, Evans, Brown, Stephenson, Murry, Simmes, RoUin, Gatoh, Duke, Bond, Preston, and Dallam, 72.

Chapter XI

Francis Asbury and Richard Wright arrive in America in 1771, 73 — Mr. Wright on Bohemia Manor,73 — Mr. Asbury's early life, 74 — He goes to New York ; the first friends of Methodism on Staten Island, 75 — Van Pelt in Tennessee, 75-6 — Asbury's circuit around New York ; first friends in this region, Molloy, Dr. White, Oakley, Deveau, Hunt, Ward, Burling, Bartoe, Bonnette, Pell, and Woglam, 76-7.

Chapter XII

Robert Williams in Virginia, 78 — Mr. Asbury in Philadelphia; preachers' stations, 78 — He visits Bohemia Manor, preaching at New Castle, Hersey's, Wilmington, Old Chester, and in Jersey, 78- m^

CONTENTS. V

81 — Stations of the preachers, 81 — Mr. Pilmoor in Maryland, 81-2 — Mr. Asbury in New York, 82 — Abbott's conversion, 82 — Mr. Asbury in Mai-yland, on the Western Shore, 83-5 — In Cecil and Kent counties, is the first Methodist preacher in the neighborhood of Hinson's Chapel, 85 — Quarterly meeting ; stations the preachers, 86 — The local preachers in Maryland, 86.

Chapter XIII

Messrs. Pilmoor, Williams, and Watters, in Virginia, 87— Methodism in Fell's Point, and in Baltimore, 88 — First Methodists in Baltimore — Patton, HoUingsworth, Wells, Moale, Robinson, Woodward, Moore, Rogers, Owings, Triplett, Hulings, White, Chamier, and Allison, 89, 90 — Asbury forms a society in Baltimore, 90 — Two chapels founded, 91.

Chapter XIV

The Gatch family ; early history of Philip Gatch ; is awakened and converted, and begins to hold meetings ; becomes acquainted with Mr. Asbury ; strange phenomenon in 1772, 92-100.

Chapter XV

Mr. Pilmoor goes through the Carolinas to visit Mr. Whitefield's Orphan House in Georgia, 100 — Williams and Watters in Virginia, 100 — Mr. Asbury in Maryland, 101 — Mr. Asbury goes to Philadelphia ; to New York, and forms a society at New Roohelle, 102 — Messrs. Rankin, Shadford, Yearberry, and Webb, arrive from England ; Messrs. Rankin and Shadford's early history, 103-9 — Benjamin Abbott, 109.

Chapter XVI

First Annual Conference held in Philadelphia, 111 — Who composed it, 111 — How the preachers were stationed, 112 — Mr. Gatch begins to itinerate in Jersey, 113 — Mr. Watters on Kent Circuit, Maryland ; Parson Cain ; preaching in Queen Anne's county, 115 — Mr. Asbury in Baltimore Circuit, 116 — Early societies in Maryland, 117 — Mr. Wright in Virginia, 117 — Mr. Williams in North Carolina, 118 — Concluding account of Messrs. Boardman and Pilmoor, 118-19.

Mr. Shadford and the Jerseyman's dream, 130 — Mr. Shadford in Baltimore ; Joseph Cromwell, 132 — Richard Webster, Robert Lindsay, Edward Drumgole, 133 — Mr. Rankin in Maryland, 134.

IS

•n CONTENTS.

Chapter XX

Frederick Circuit, 134 — Philip Gatch on Frederick Circuit, 135 — Gatch follows Whitworth on Kent Circuit, 136 — Parson Kain, 137 — Awful storm, 138 — Mr. Gatch returns to Frederick Circuit; persecution, 139— Mr. Gatch in Jersey, 139.

Chapter XXI

Brunswick Circuit, 139 — The oldest Methodist societies in Virginia, 140— John "Wade, 141— Isaac Rollin, 141- Samuel Spragg, 142.

Chapter XXII

Third Conference in Philadelphia, 143 — James Dempster, 143— Mr. Webster on Chester Circuit — James Barton's dream, 1 44 Mr. Webster in fine, 145 — Philip Gatch and John Cooper on Kent Circuit — Parson Kain again, 146 — Messrs. Rankin and AVebb at quarterly-meeting in St. Luke's parish, in 1775, 147 — Mr. Gatch on Baltimore and Frederick Circuits. He is tarred by a persecuting mob, 148-9 — The young man nearly whipped to death, Martin Rodda, 150 — Richard Owen in fine, 150 — Great revival on Frederick Circuit, 151 — Mr. Asbury in Virginia for the first time, 151 — William Glendeuning, 152 — Philip Embury and Robert Williams die, 152-3.

Mr. Garrettsou on Kent Circuit, in 1776 ; introduces Methodism into Tuckeyhoe Neck ; Ezekiel Cooper, John Cooper, Connor, Downs, Smith, Sharp, Martendale, Neal, William Cooper ; strange phenomenon, 162-3-4-5.

Chapter XXVI

^/ First Conference in Baltimore, 166 — Mr. Fairfax and others of wealth Ir" and position among the Methodists, 167 — Nicholas Watters, 167 — William Wren, 168 — James Poster, 168 — Mr. Asbury in Maryland, 168 — Mr. Garrettson received and sent to Frederick Circuit, next to Fairfax, then to Berkley, 169-70— Mr. Watters in Fairfax and Berkley Circuits, 170 — Mr. Gatch in Virginia, 171-2 — Mr. Pilmoor the first Methodist preacher in North Carolina, 173 — The chief families who became Methodists in North Carolina in the beginning, 173 j . Isham Tatum, 174 — Francis Poythress, 174-6 — Mr. Shadford's great success in Brunswick Circuit, 176 — Mr. Rankin in Virginia ; great meeting ; his presentiment, 177-8.

Chapter XXVII

Some account of Samuel liavies, Devereux, Jarrett, Mr. Robinson, Shadford, and Asbury ; great meetings ; Mr. Jarrett's death ; Messrs! Asbury and Lee's testimony, 178-185.

CONTENTS. Vli

Chapter XXVIII

The names of some two or three hundred of the first families who became Methodists in Virginia, 186-8.

Chapter Xxix.'

Mr. Shadford near perishing as he came from Virginia, 188~Mr. \-i "7 Asbury about Annapolis ; the first Methodists of this region, 189— *■ ' Conference at Deer Creek, in 1777 ; tender time, 190— Mr. Watters went to Brunswick Circuit, where he met with holy people, 191 — Mr. Gatch in Virginia; his persecutions, 191-2 — Mr. Garrettson on Brunswick Circuit, and in North Carolina, 192 — Mr. Asbury in Maryland ; strange account from Shadrach Turner, 193 — Mr. Rodda on Kent Circuit : flies to the British, 193 — Howe's men interrupt a watch-meeting in New York, 194 — Mr. Rankin in fine ; the last witness gone, 194-5.

Chapter XXX

Preachers received on trial, in 1777 : Joseph Reese, Hollis Hanson, Robert Wooster, Samuel Strong, Edward Pride, Edward Bailey, Caleb B. Pedicord, William Gill, John Tunnell, John Littlejohn, John Dickins, Le Roy Cole, Reuben Ellis, Joseph Cromwell, and Thomas S. Chew, 195-201.

Chapter XXXI

Methodism entered Talbot county in 1777, 202 — Also, Kent county, Del., Thomas's, Shaw's, Dr. White's, Layton's, Jump's, and Williams's, in Mispillion, 202 — The same year it found its way into Sussex county, at Twyford's, Layton's, and Cedar Creek, 202 — Mr. Shadford ends his labors in America, at a quarterly meeting, at Mr. White's, is secreted from his enemies, leaves Mr. Asbury, and returns to England ; his last days and his happy death, 203-4-5 — Mr. Asbury on the Peninsula, in 1778; stops preaching ;' is concealed among the Whites for a while ; Mr. White is abducted ; Mr. Asbury hides himself near Fogwell's, or Holden's, or StuUtown ; he returns to White's, and commences itinerating again, preaching at Williams's, in Misflllion, 205-11.

Chapter XXXII

First Conference in Virginia, at Leesburg, 212 — Joseph Hartley on \~j f Kent Circuit ; put in confinement in Queen Anne's county, 213 — Mr. Garrettson on Kent, in 1778 ; is beaten by John Brown ; goes into North AVest Fork ; into Talbot county ; to Mispillion, Murderkill ; Caleb Boyer awakened ; Rev. Mr. Huston's house visited by British soldiers ;"Methodism goes into Dover, 213-217 — Mr. Garrettson commences Methodism at Broad Creek, 218 — Also at Quantico, in Somerset county, 219 — His brother John Garrettson's happy death, 219, 220 — The spiritual children of Mr. Garrettson on the Peninsula, 220 — Mr. Turner, of Jersey, introduces Methodism into the lower end of New Castle county; Lewis Alfree, 221.

Chapter XXXIII

Preachers who began to itinerate in 1778 : Robert Cloud, Richard Ogburn, Daniel Duvall, John Beck, William Moore, James O'Kelly,

Vlll CONTENTS.

Richard Ivy, John Major, Henry Willis ; Philip Gatoh locates and marries, 222-5.

Chapter XXXIV

Mr. Asbury goes into Kent into a circuit around Dover, 226 — Mr. Garrettson raises up Methodism at the Sound, in Sussex county, Del., 226-7 — Conference at Judge White's, 228 — Methodism raised up at St. Johnstown, 229 — Mr. Garrettson introduces Methodism into Lewistown, 230 — He is in North West Fork ; great day's work by him, 231 — Mr. Hartley in jail in Easton, Md. ; marries, locates, and dies ; quarterly meetings ; great meetings ; first chapel in Delaware, 232-4.

Chapter XXXV

Mr. Garrettson in Philadelphia ; in New Jersey ; Aohsah Borden's strange case ; healed in William Budd'a house, at New Mills, 234- 5 — Mr. Abbott's first itinerating tour in Jersey, 235-7— Poetry on him, 238 — Mr. James Sterling becomes a Methodist ; also she who became his wife, 239-40.

Chapter XXXVI

Old Forrest, Demour, 240 — Martin Beam; Mennonists ; great meetings at Mr. Beam's; intimacy between him and Mr. Asbury, who preached his funeral, 240-243— William Watters, 243— William Duke, 243-4.

Chapter XXXVII

Preachers received in 1779 : Thomas Morris, Stith Parham, Carter Cole, Greenberry Green, Andrew Yeargan, Charles Hopkins, James Morris, Henry Ogburn, Richard Garrettson, Micaijah Debruler, Samuel Rowe, John Ilagarty, William Adams, Joshua Dudley, Lewis Alfree, 244-46— Philip Cox, Captain Dill ; Cox in Virginia ; the calf; he is arrested; Enoch George, 246-9 — Nelson Read, 249.

The division on account of the ordinances, healed, 280 — Mr. Asbury first in North Carolina, 280— Black Harry first noticed, 281— William Watters in fine, 283— Mr. Gatch in Virginia, in 1780, 283-5.

Chapter XLIV

Mr. Mair receives Mr. and Mrs. Anderson into the Methodist society, 285 — Mr. Abbott's only preaching tour in Pennsylvania; Mr. Beam's; Coventry ; David Ford's ; Cloud's ; Wilmington ; New Castle, 285-92.

CHAPTER XLY.

In 1780 Methodism prospers in New Jersey ; it is planted in Cumberland, Cape May, and Monmouth counties ; John James ; Captain Sears ; Mr. Ware's account of the work in Jersey, 293, 302.

CHAPTER XL VI.

Preachers who began to itinerate in 1780: George Moore, Stephen Black, Samuel Watson, James Martin, Moses Park, William Partridge, James O. Cromwell, John James, George Mair, Caleb Boyer, and Thomas Poster, 303-5.

CHAPTER XLVII.

Mr. Garrettson introduced Methodism into Little York, 307-8 — He is instrumental in delivering a distressed mother, who thought she had sold her children to the devil ; many are stirred up to inquire the way to heaven, 309 — Mr. Pedioord in .Jersey ; Mr. Ware's conversion, 310-11 — Mr. Asbury in Pennsylvania, 312.

CHAPTER XLVIII.

Conference at Judge White's and in Baltimore, 312 — Mr. Asbury in New Virginia, 313 — -Richard Williams among the Indians, 314r-16 — ■ Blaokistou's Chapel built, 317.

CHAPTER XLIX.

Mr. Abbott on Kent Circuit, Md. ; extraordinary meetings ; " Thundergust Sermon," 318-21 — Mr. Garrettson in Virginia ; a man in a trance ; Mr. Garrettson in North Carolina, 322.

CHAPTER L.

Preachers who became itinerants in 1781 : James Mallory, James Coleman, Adam Cloud, Enoch Matson, Charles Scott, 323-4 — Beverly Allen shoots Major Forsyth, dies in Kentucky, 324-5 — Ignatius Pigman goes to New Orleans and dies, 325 — James Haw goes to Kentucky and joins the Presbyterians, 325 — Henry Metcalf, Samuel Dudley, Edward Morris, James White, Jeremiah Lambert, David Abbott, Joseph Wyatt, Michael Ellis, Jonathan Forrest, and Philip Bruce, 326-28.

X CONTENTS.

CHAPTER LI.

Joseph Everett, his own account of himself, 328-31 — Mr. Asbury in the South ; Mr. Wesley and King George ; happy death of F. Mabry and sister Yeargan, 333-4.

CHAPTER LII.

Y -t^I'ii'st Conference at which Jesse Lee was ; the way he was affected by the spirit of love among the preachers, 334 — Mr. Abbott on Dover Circuit, 335-39 — Radnor society in Delaware county. Pa., raised up ; the first chapel, 340.

CHAPTER LIII.

Methodism introduced into Accomac county, Va., 341 — Rhoda Laws, 342-44— Prudence Hudson, 345— Deal's Island, Md. ; Mr. Garrettson's Dream, 346 — Mr. Garrettson in Delaware ; Jones's Neck, 347 — Mr. Robert N. Carnan- becomes a Methodist, 348-9 — Mr. Chair, of Queen Anne's, his hounds ; Thomas Wright whipped by his father for becoming a Methodist, 350-1 — Friendship ; Rev. Jesse Leo begins to itinerate, 351.

CHAPTER LIV.

Preachers who began to travel in 1782 : George Kimble, James Gibbons, Hugh Roberts, Henry Jones, John Baldwin, Woolman Hickson, William Thomas, 352 — John Magary, Ira Ellis, 353 — John Easter, a great revivalist ; Mrs. Jones, Mr. M'Kendree, Mr. George and General Bryan brought to God under his ministry; the cloud dispersed in answer to his prayer, 355 — Thomas Haskins ; Girard ; Mr. Haskins's death, 357 — Peter Moriarty, his sudden death, his sou, 357-8 — Mr. Asbury in the South ; poverty and privation among the people, and religion prospering, 358.

CHAPTER LV.

Mr. Abbott's great preaching tour in New Jersey in 1783, 359-65 ; Mr. Abbott's great faith, 366.

CHAPTER LVI.

Methodism introduced into Lower Penn's Neck by Mr. Abbott and others, 366-8— Methodism raised up in Salem, N. J., 369-70— Persecution ; awful end of a young woman ; a trance, 371.

CHAPTER LVII.

Methodism planted in Salisbury, N. C. ; Mrs. Fishburn, 372-6 — Conference of 1783, 377 — Rev. Joseph Everett, 377 — Mr. Asbury in Maryland ; singular occurrences, 377-8 — Asbury at Beam's for the first time, 378 — Dudley's Chapel built this year, 379 — Last notice of Joseph Hartley, 379— Mr. Garrettson, 379-80.

CHAPTER LVIII.

Preachers received on trial in 1783 : Rev. Jesse Lee, h'is early history and experience, 381-2 — Rev. Lemuel Green, 383 — Dr. Phoebus, 383 — Matthew Greentree, Thomas Curtis, Fran-cis Spry, James Thomas, William Wright, Richard Swift, Joshua Worley, James Hinton,

CONTENTS. XI

William Ringold, 'William Dameron, William Cannon, Benjamin Roberta, Samuel Breeze, Thomas Bowen, Henry Merritt, Thomas Anderson, Thomas Humphreys, 384-5 — Thomas Ware; his early history and experience, 385-7— Mr. Pedicord's letter to him, 387-8 — Mr. Asbury in the South, 389— Unhappy end of Isaac RoUin, 389-90.

CHAPTER LIX.

Redstone Circuit, 391— Mr. Simon Cochran, 391— Thomas Lakin, 392 — Mr. J. J. Jacob, 392 — Mr. John Jones and his son Rev. Greenberry R. Jones; Beesontown, or Uniontown, 393 — Juniata Circuit; Michael Cryder, 393 — Robert Pennington in Penn's Valley, 394 — Joseph Everett, 394 — Wesley Chapel in Dover, 395— Mr. Ware on Kent Circuit, 396— Mr. Lee, in 1784, 397-8.

CHAPTER LX.

Preachers received on trial, in 1784: Thomas Ware, John Phillips, Richard Smith, David Jefferson, John Robertson, John Fidler, James Riggin, Elijah Ellis, Simon Pyle, Thomas Jackson, William Jessup, 399— Wilson Lee, 400-1— John Smith, 402— Isaac Smith, 402-3— Thomas Vasey, 404— Richard Whatcoat, 404-6— Thomas Coke, 406-9.

CHAPTER LXI.

Quarterly meeting at Barratt's Chapel ; Mr. Asbury meets Dr. Coke and Messrs. Vasey and Whatcoat, 4l0 — The Christmas Conference fixed upon, 410 — Dr. Coke commences the circuit of the Peninsula at Judge White's ; Black Harry was his driver, 410-11 — Messrs. Asbury, Whatcoat, and Vasey, 411-12 — The Christmas Conference commences ; the work done at it, 412-13 — The preachers who composed this Conference, 413 — Mr. Wesley's prayer-book, 414 — Summary of the effects produced by the labors of Methodist preachers ; the extent of the Methodists, and the number of their chapels, 416- 17 — Why Methodism spread more rapidly south of Mason and Dixon's line than north of it, 417-18 — Dr. Coke's tour through the country after the Christmas Conference until his return to England, 418-20 —Death, of Pedicord and Mair, 420.

CHAPTER LXII.

Israel Disosway, wife, and children ; first class on Staten Island, 421- 22 — Robert Duncan and wife, 422-3 — Abraham Russell, wife, and children, 423-4 — Andrew Mercein and his family, 424 — George Suokley and family, 424 — Stephen Dando and Mary Dando, 424-5 — Philip J. Arcularius and his wife and children, 425 — Gilbert Coutant and family, 425-6 — Thomas Carpenter and family, 426 — Peter and Mary Williams, 426.

CHAPTER LXIII.

Methodist Episcopal churches in the consolidated city of Philadelphia, numbering some fifty-three, 427-34.

Statistical, xii — Introdnction, xiii.

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Introduction

Believing that Introductions are often found in books in compliance with the spirit which bows down to servile fashion, we hesitated to comply with this " mistress of fools," as Mr. Wesley calh fashion ; nevertheless, as it will give us an opportunity to present to the reader some items of information which we did not possess in time to put in the work when it first went to press, we will now furnish them as part and parcel of an Introduction.

If history implies the consecutive relation of events, after inquiry, research, and examination, all this we have done : we have made the best use of books, periodicals, papers, and living people, that we could. We have endeavored to throw together as many names of men and women, as well as facts, as it has been in our power to do : that the reader might find in one volume the names of the leading friends of Methodism in America during its first age in this country, of these names, hundreds, not to say thousands, will be found. All that class which has been known as itinerant preachers during the first twenty or twenty-five years of Methodism in America, with such a detail of their labors, sufferings, and success, as we could collect, is given. We have paid equal attention to that class which has been known as lay or local preachers, to whom Methodism is indebted to the utmost that liberality will allow : they having been pioneers in a thousand instances. With equal pleasure we have recorded the names, virtues, and usefulness, of hundreds of the first' race of Methodists in America, who were not known as preachers in their day. By making a permanent record of their names, we have, in part, accomplished our aim : by presenting a religious move-

XIV IJfTRODUCTION.

ment, in which Divine influence peers out ever and anon, we have sought our highest end.

Every incident deemed interesting to the reader, which we could collect, we have given. All that we thoiight worth reading, in the already published accounts of the early laborers, — such men as Strawbridge, Embury, Webb, Williams, Boardman, Pilmore, King, Asbury, Wright, Rankin, Shatford, Watters, Gatch, Abbott, Garrettson, Rodda, Dempster, Lee, Ware, Vasey, Whatcoat, and Coke, synchronizing with the times through which the narrative runs, will be found in a condensed form, or a quotation. Other preachers, to the number of almost two hundred, have received a shorter or longer notice.

We had supposed that Captain Webb was the first Methodist who preached in Philadelphia, excepting Mr. Whitefield. Tradition says there was one before him. Mr. Adam Much, a member of the Wharton St. M. E. Church, informed us that he knew an African, whose name was Peter Dennis, who declared that he heard a follower of Mr. Wesley preach in a stable or a shed, near Dock Creek, before Captain Webb began to visit Philadelphia. This methodist was a ship-carpenter who had come to this port, and Peter Dennis took much interest in proclaiming that he had heard a man of his own calling preach.

For a hundred years after Philadelphia was settled. Dock Creek was the great harbor for shipping in the city. It has been affirmed, that it was because this creek promised such protection to vessels, that William Penn selected and sanctioned the site where Philadelphia now stands. Into this creek nearly all the vessels, at that day, discharged their cargoes ; and most of the commercial business was transacted on and near its shores. At present, the stranger would not suppose this from the aspect of this region.

While Captain Webb was traversing the shores of the Delaware river from Trenton to New Castle, he did not pass by Bristol, in Bucks co.. Pa., without giving the people of this ancient borough a call to repent and believe the

INTRODUCTION. XV

gospel. Mr. Louis Kinsey, now more than seventy years old, and among the oldest Methodists of the region, informed us that he had heard his father relate that Mr. Webb preached in Bristol under a tree, near the spot where the Methodists have had their place of worship for nearly two generations.

Bristol was made a market town in 1697. Joseph Chorley was licensed to keep the ferry between the end of his lane and Burlington. The Methodist preachers labored in Bristol for a number of years before a permanent society existed.

Among those who were awakened under Mr. Webb's ministry in Bucks county. Pa., was Dr. Rodman : he, like Captain Webb, had lost an eye in the wars. This Rodman family had much to do in founding the Bensalem Methodist T'Leeting. Dr. Rodman's grand daughter is the wife of the Rev. James Hand of the Philadelphia Conference.

To the account of the introduction of Methodism into Trenton, New Jersey, found an page 52, we add, on information recently received, that Mr. Joseph Toy was an official man among the early Methodists of Trenton, as well as among the Burlington Methodists. Mr. Toy was a school teacher — a man of good education for that day ; and subsequently presided over the mathematical department of Cokesbury College, before he entered the itinerancy of the Methodist Episcopal ministry.

Tradition gives the following account of the introduction of Methodism into the region of Bethel, in Brandywine Hundred, above Wilmington, in Delaware ; — Miss Sebra Cloud, sister of Robert Cloud, Senr., and aunt of the Rev. Robert Cloud, had fallen in with the Methodists about New Castle and Wilmington, and had been awakened and brought to taste the sweets of pardon and peace ; she returned to her brother and persuaded him to have Methodist preaching in his house, — thus Robert Cloud's house became a stand for Methodist preaching. A small society was raised up ; and Robert Cloud, Senr., gave the ground on which Cloud's

XVI INTRODUCTION.

chapel (a log house) was built. Bethel stands On the same lot. The farm on which Robert Cloud lived is now owned by a local preacher — Thomas Zebley, by name. Two of Robert Cloud's sons, namely, Robert and Adam, were travelling preachers.

We conversed with a Mrs. Harvey once, who, at the age of eighty, informed us that she heard Captain Webb preach in Cloud's neighborhood : this must have been prior to 1776, as Mr. Webb took his final leave of this country in 1775.

When the old log chapel gave place to the stone house, in 1799, the stone in the end with the year in which it was erected, was prepared by the hands of Mr. David Ford : — the figures . and letters picked in a rough manner by him. His changing the name from " Cloud's Meeting House" to Bethel, came near making considerable disturbance in the Society and neighborhood.

Mr. Harris, of Wilmington, Del., now (1860) in his

eighty-fourth year, informed us that he saw the corner stone of the first "Asbury Church" in Wilmington laid, in 1789: this year is the seventy-first since that event. Mr. Harris was then a school boy, under the tuition of Mr. John Thelwell, from Ireland, who was a Methodist of some note in Wilmington then. According to the Minutes of Conference, the Rev. William Jessop was the stationed preacher in Wilmington in 1789 ; and Henry Willis and Lemuel Green were Presiding Elders over the district, which then extended from the Delaware river to Ohio. Mr. Harris remarked that the preacher who laid the corner stone of Asbury Church knelt upon the stone, which was laid in a large deep hole which had been dug for the purpose, and offered up prayer. This, with singing a hymn, constituted the religious service of the occasion.

On page 163, in the account of the introduction of Methodism into Tuckeyhoe Neck, Caroline county, Maryland, by the Rev. Freeborn Garrettson, it is stated that he first preached " at the house of the step-father of the late Rev. Ezekiel Cooper." We have lately been informed Mr. Eze-

INTRODUCTION. XVll

kiel Cooper's mother married for her second husband Mr. Nathan Downs, who was brother to Mr. Henry Downs, who was sheriif of Caroline county about this time, and kept the Rev. Thomas Chew prisoner in his house long enough to make Methodists of himself and his wife. Mr. Nathan Downs was a military man at the time of the introduction of Methodism into this Neck ; and, it was to the company of soldiers which he commanded, and others, that Mr. Garrettson preached on this first visit to this Neck.

On page 227, in the account of the Rev. Freeborn Garrettson in the region of the Cypress Swamp, in Sussex co., Del., being lost, and about to take up his lodgings on the ground ; but, seeing a light, he made for it, and found a family where he was entertained : the name of the gentleman whose wife had passed through such a strange experience, in that dark time, as we lately learned at Captain Lewis', near Laurel, Del., was Fookes : some of his descendants are still living in the west margin of the Cypress Swamp.

Captain Kendall Lewis, a native of Dorchester county, Maryland, who was born in 1771, and is now in 1860, in his eighty-ninth year, informed us a few months since, when at his house near Laurel, Sussex county, Delaware, who some of the men were who undertook to conduct Mr. Garrettson to jail, as stated on page 251 : their names were Richard Stanford, who acted as a foreman, — Jacob Staten, a. tailor, and Roger McCallister : these men belonged to Hurley's Neck, below Vienna, on the Nanticoke river ; Mr. Lewis, according to our recollection, is also a native of this Neck. In it lived John and Thomas Beard, who were some of the first Methodists in Dorchester county ; and it appears that Mr! Garrettson had been preaching in the house of one of the Beards at the time of his arrest by the mob. These men soon saw their error, and some, if not all of them, became Methodists. In 1780, young Kendall Lewis, when nine years old, heard the Rev. Joseph Everett preach at Thomas Beard's — and he was the first Methodist preacher he ever heard : he still holds the name of Joseph Everett in