Shaping of America 1783-1815 Biographies | Francis Asbury Biography

Born August 20?, 1745 (Staffordshire, England) Died March 31, 1816 (Spotsylvania, Virginia)

Methodist bishop

Francis Asbury was North America's first Methodist bishop. He left England in 1771 and during his forty-year ministry traveled over more of America than any other person of his generation. Bishop Asbury was one of the most respected men in the newly formed United States. While spreading the Methodist message, he established educational institutions and argued against slavery. The detailed journals he maintained give an intimate look at home life in the young nation, especially on the frontiers, and the prevailing social and moral conditions in early America. More than a century after Asbury's death, President Calvin Coolidge (1872–1933; served 1923–29) recognized Asbury as one of the key builders of the nation.