A History Of The Rise Of Methodism In America - Media Sabda Org

About this time Joseph Taylor, who married Sarah, sister of the Rev. Philip Gatch, became a
Methodist, also his wife. They belonged to Taylor's Chapel, which was called after them. To the
same meeting belonged John Dougherty and his wife. These, after a faithful life, died in a good old
age in the hope of glory.
Phineas Hunt, with Susan his companion, became Methodists when the early itinerants came into
their neighborhood; for sixty years the weary preachers had a comfortable home in their house.
While Father Hunt lived he was head and leader of the society at his place -- he and his wife were
among the excellent of the earth -- they lived to a good old age -- he was past fourscore years at his
death, which occurred in 1837. Hunt's Chapel was built about 1780.
Sater Stephenson, an early convert to God through Mr. Strawbridge's ministry, and one of the first
local preachers in Baltimore county, was still living in the early part of this century. He and Joseph
Merryman belonged to the society at Daniel Evans' "Old meeting house" in Baltimore county, Md.
See "Recollections of an Old Itinerant," pp. 206, 210.
Before the first Conference was held in 1773, there were Methodist societies in Maryland at Pipe
or Sam's Creek, Bush Forest, John Watters', Henry Watters', near Deer Creek; Barnet Preston's,
Josiah Dallam's, Joseph Presbury's, James J. Baker's, near the Forks of Gunpowder; Daniel Ruff's,
near Havre-de-Grace; Mr. Duke's,: Daniel Evans', Owens', Nathan Perrigau's, Mr. Simms', Patapsco
Neck, Back River Neck, Middle River Neck, Bush River Neck, Fell's Point, Baltimore; Charles
Harriman's, Hunt's, Seneca; Georgetown, on the Potomac, and one near the base of the Sugar Loaf
Mountain; and, on the Eastern Shore, at Solomon Hersey's, on Bohemia Manor; John Randle's, in
Werton, and at Hinson's, Kent county, Md. About thirty societies. There may have been others which
we cannot name.
Mr. Wright was stationed on the Norfolk Circuit, Va. In the spring of 1774 he returned from
Virginia, giving a good account of the work there: "one house of worship was already built." This
was Yeargan's Chapel, near the southern line of Virginia -- the first house of worship the Methodists
erected in the province. "Another in contemplation;" this was Lane's Chapel, which was put up soon
after in Sussex county, and was the second chapel in Virginia. "Some three preachers had gone out
already from the Old Dominion on the itinerant plan." From the Conference of 1774 Mr. Wright
returned to England, having spent two years and a half in America. In 1777 he retired from the work
by locating.
Mr. Williams was stationed at Petersburg. This year he bore the standard of Methodism to the
southern line of Virginia, and crossed the Roanoke river into North Carolina; and, though he
preached in the province this year, it is said he did not form any societies in it until the spring of
1774; and, as he was the first that formed permanent societies in these provinces, he may justly be
regarded as the Apostle of Methodism in Virginia, if not in North Carolina also. The above named
twelve preachers were, at this time, the regular itinerants. They were assisted by some twenty local
preachers who had been raised up.