Robert Richford Roberts
Encyclopedia
Robert Richford Roberts distinguished himself as an American
Methodist Circuit Rider
, Pastor
, Presiding Elder, and Bishop
of the Methodist Episcopal Church
, elected in 1816. He was the first married man in America to serve as Bishop of the M.E. Church.
. His father was of Welsh
and his mother of Irish
ancestry. They were communicants of The Church of England
. In 1785 the family moved to the Ligonier Valley
, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
. Roberts united with the M.E. Church
when he was fourteen years old. Until he was twenty-one his was a thoroughly frontier
existence, with few books and quite simple habits. Yet early on he commenced with study, all the while being drawn gradually toward the Ministry.
.
In the Spring of 1802 he was received on trial in the Baltimore
Annual Conference
, and appointed to a circuit including Carlisle, Pennsylvania
and twenty-nine other preaching appointments in Western Pennsylvania
, Maryland
and Ohio
. He was ordained, both Deacon and Elder, by Bishop Francis Asbury
. It took as long as a month to visit the entire circuit. Roberts studied constantly. In 1804 a senior colleague reported that "his moral character was perfect and his head a complete magazine."
He was then sent by Bishop Asbury to Baltimore, where he reluctantly went, as he doubted his being suited to city congregations. Subsequently, Rev. Robert filled appointments in Baltimore, Alexandria, Virginia
; Georgetown
, and Philadelphia. In 1815 he was appointed Presiding Elder of the Schuylkill
District of the Philadelphia Annual Conference. Owing to the death of Bishop Asbury, Rev. Roberts was elected to preside over the Philadelphia Annual Conference in the spring of 1816.
which he owned. From there he traveled extensively from Maine
to Mississippi
.
Subsequently he removed to Indiana
and settled on a farm near White River
, continuing to preach, visit the churches, and attend the Conferences in all parts of the Union
. He accomplished much for missions in the west (i.e., western states, which then included Indiana, etc.). Indeed, only a year or two before his death he visited the Indian
mission work of his denomination west of Arkansas
.
Bishop Roberts was involved in all the discussions and deliberations that culminated in the establishment of the Methodist Protestant Church
. Bishop Matthew Simpson
wrote of him during this time:
. He died March 26, 1843 in Lawrence County, Indiana
. He is buried
along with his wife on the grounds of United Methodist-affiliated DePauw University
, where there is also a residence hall named in his honor. The Roberts Park United Methodist Church
in downtown Indianapolis
is named for him, too.
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
Methodist Circuit Rider
Circuit rider (Religious)
Circuit rider is a popular term referring to clergy in the earliest years of the United States who were assigned to travel around specific geographic territories to minister to settlers and organize congregations...
, Pastor
Pastor
The word pastor usually refers to an ordained leader of a Christian congregation. When used as an ecclesiastical styling or title, this role may be abbreviated to "Pr." or often "Ps"....
, Presiding Elder, and Bishop
Bishop
A bishop is an ordained or consecrated member of the Christian clergy who is generally entrusted with a position of authority and oversight. Within the Catholic Church, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox Churches, in the Assyrian Church of the East, in the Independent Catholic Churches, and in the...
of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
, elected in 1816. He was the first married man in America to serve as Bishop of the M.E. Church.
Birth and Early Life
Roberts was born in Frederick County, MarylandFrederick County, Maryland
Frederick County is a county located in the western part of the U.S. state of Maryland, bordering the southern border of Pennsylvania and the northeastern border of Virginia. As of the 2010 Census, the population was 233,385....
. His father was of Welsh
Wales
Wales is a country that is part of the United Kingdom and the island of Great Britain, bordered by England to its east and the Atlantic Ocean and Irish Sea to its west. It has a population of three million, and a total area of 20,779 km²...
and his mother of Irish
Ireland
Ireland is an island to the northwest of continental Europe. It is the third-largest island in Europe and the twentieth-largest island on Earth...
ancestry. They were communicants of The Church of England
Church of England
The Church of England is the officially established Christian church in England and the Mother Church of the worldwide Anglican Communion. The church considers itself within the tradition of Western Christianity and dates its formal establishment principally to the mission to England by St...
. In 1785 the family moved to the Ligonier Valley
Ligonier, Pennsylvania
Ligonier is a borough in Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The population was 1,695 at the 2000 census. Ligonier was settled in the 1760s. The borough is well known for nearby Idlewild Park, one of the oldest amusement parks in the country, and nearby Seven Springs Mountain Resort...
, Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there were 369,993 people, 149,813 households, and 104,569 families residing in the county. The population density was 361 people per square mile . There were 161,058 housing units at an average density of 157 per square mile...
. Roberts united with the M.E. Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
when he was fourteen years old. Until he was twenty-one his was a thoroughly frontier
Frontier
A frontier is a political and geographical term referring to areas near or beyond a boundary. 'Frontier' was absorbed into English from French in the 15th century, with the meaning "borderland"--the region of a country that fronts on another country .The use of "frontier" to mean "a region at the...
existence, with few books and quite simple habits. Yet early on he commenced with study, all the while being drawn gradually toward the Ministry.
Ordained Ministry
After much hesitation, owing to great timidity, Robert preached his first sermon in 1801. He was licensed as a local preacher at the Holmes Meeting-house near Cadiz, OhioCadiz, Ohio
Cadiz is a village in Harrison County, Ohio, United States. The population was 3,308 at the 2000 census. It is the county seat of Harrison County.-Geography:Cadiz is located at ....
.
In the Spring of 1802 he was received on trial in the Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
Annual Conference
Annual Conference
An Annual Conference in the United Methodist Church is a regional body that governs much of the life of the "Connectional Church." Annual conferences are composed primarily of the clergy members and a lay member or members from each charge . Each conference is a geographical division...
, and appointed to a circuit including Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle, Pennsylvania
Carlisle is a borough in and the county seat of Cumberland County, Pennsylvania, United States. The name is traditionally pronounced with emphasis on the second syllable. Carlisle is located within the Cumberland Valley, a highly productive agricultural region. As of the 2010 census, the borough...
and twenty-nine other preaching appointments in Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania
Western Pennsylvania consists of the western third of the state of Pennsylvania in the United States. Pittsburgh is the largest city in the region, with a metropolitan area population of about 2.4 million people, and serves as its economic and cultural center. Erie, Altoona, and Johnstown are its...
, Maryland
Maryland
Maryland is a U.S. state located in the Mid Atlantic region of the United States, bordering Virginia, West Virginia, and the District of Columbia to its south and west; Pennsylvania to its north; and Delaware to its east...
and Ohio
Ohio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
. He was ordained, both Deacon and Elder, by Bishop Francis Asbury
Francis Asbury
Bishop Francis Asbury was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now The United Methodist Church in the United States...
. It took as long as a month to visit the entire circuit. Roberts studied constantly. In 1804 a senior colleague reported that "his moral character was perfect and his head a complete magazine."
He was then sent by Bishop Asbury to Baltimore, where he reluctantly went, as he doubted his being suited to city congregations. Subsequently, Rev. Robert filled appointments in Baltimore, Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria, Virginia
Alexandria is an independent city in the Commonwealth of Virginia. As of 2009, the city had a total population of 139,966. Located along the Western bank of the Potomac River, Alexandria is approximately six miles south of downtown Washington, D.C.Like the rest of northern Virginia, as well as...
; Georgetown
Georgetown, Washington, D.C.
Georgetown is a neighborhood located in northwest Washington, D.C., situated along the Potomac River. Founded in 1751, the port of Georgetown predated the establishment of the federal district and the City of Washington by 40 years...
, and Philadelphia. In 1815 he was appointed Presiding Elder of the Schuylkill
Schuylkill River
The Schuylkill River is a river in Pennsylvania. It is a designated Pennsylvania Scenic River.The river is about long. Its watershed of about lies entirely within the state of Pennsylvania. The source of its eastern branch is in the Appalachian Mountains at Tuscarora Springs, near Tamaqua in...
District of the Philadelphia Annual Conference. Owing to the death of Bishop Asbury, Rev. Roberts was elected to preside over the Philadelphia Annual Conference in the spring of 1816.
Episcopal Ministry
At the General Conference of 1816, the Rev. Robert Richford Roberts was elected to the office of Bishop, 14 May 1816. Being the first married man to serve as a Methodist Bishop, and the financial support for a Bishop being exceedingly small (since his predecessors had all had no dependents), Bishop Roberts settled in the western part of Pennsylvania upon a farmFarm
A farm is an area of land, or, for aquaculture, lake, river or sea, including various structures, devoted primarily to the practice of producing and managing food , fibres and, increasingly, fuel. It is the basic production facility in food production. Farms may be owned and operated by a single...
which he owned. From there he traveled extensively from Maine
Maine
Maine is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the east and south, New Hampshire to the west, and the Canadian provinces of Quebec to the northwest and New Brunswick to the northeast. Maine is both the northernmost and easternmost...
to Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
.
Subsequently he removed to Indiana
Indiana
Indiana is a US state, admitted to the United States as the 19th on December 11, 1816. It is located in the Midwestern United States and Great Lakes Region. With 6,483,802 residents, the state is ranked 15th in population and 16th in population density. Indiana is ranked 38th in land area and is...
and settled on a farm near White River
White River (Indiana)
The White River is a two-forked river that flows through central and southern Indiana and is the main tributary to the Wabash River. Via the west fork, considered to be the main stem of the river by the U.S. Board on Geographic Names, the White River is long.-West Fork:The West Fork, long, is...
, continuing to preach, visit the churches, and attend the Conferences in all parts of the Union
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
. He accomplished much for missions in the west (i.e., western states, which then included Indiana, etc.). Indeed, only a year or two before his death he visited the Indian
Indigenous peoples of the Americas
The indigenous peoples of the Americas are the pre-Columbian inhabitants of North and South America, their descendants and other ethnic groups who are identified with those peoples. Indigenous peoples are known in Canada as Aboriginal peoples, and in the United States as Native Americans...
mission work of his denomination west of Arkansas
Arkansas
Arkansas is a state located in the southern region of the United States. Its name is an Algonquian name of the Quapaw Indians. Arkansas shares borders with six states , and its eastern border is largely defined by the Mississippi River...
.
Bishop Roberts was involved in all the discussions and deliberations that culminated in the establishment of the Methodist Protestant Church
Methodist Protestant Church
The Methodist Protestant Church is a regional Church body which was officially formed in 1828 by former members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, remaining Wesleyan in doctrine and worship, but adopting congregational governance....
. Bishop Matthew Simpson
Matthew Simpson
Matthew Simpson , was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1852.-Early life and family:...
wrote of him during this time:
- while during these excitements severe and exciting denunciations of the Bishops were publicly made–while they were called 'popes' and 'usurpers'–the patriarchal appearance and the humble and loving manner of Bishop Roberts disarmed prejudice wherever he went.
Death and legacy
In the spring of 1843 Bishop Roberts contracted bilious feverBilious fever
Bilious fever refers to any fever that exhibits the symptom of nausea or vomiting in addition to an increase in internal body temperature and strong diarrhea. The term is no longer used, but was commonly used by medical practitioners in the 18th and 19th centuries, often cited as a cause on death...
. He died March 26, 1843 in Lawrence County, Indiana
Lawrence County, Indiana
As of the census of 2000, there were 45,922 people, 18,535 households, and 13,141 families residing in the county. The population density was 102 people per square mile . There were 20,560 housing units at an average density of 46 per square mile...
. He is buried
Burial
Burial is the act of placing a person or object into the ground. This is accomplished by excavating a pit or trench, placing an object in it, and covering it over.-History:...
along with his wife on the grounds of United Methodist-affiliated DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
, where there is also a residence hall named in his honor. The Roberts Park United Methodist Church
United Methodist Church
The United Methodist Church is a Methodist Christian denomination which is both mainline Protestant and evangelical. Founded in 1968 by the union of The Methodist Church and the Evangelical United Brethren Church, the UMC traces its roots back to the revival movement of John and Charles Wesley...
in downtown Indianapolis
Indianapolis
Indianapolis is the capital of the U.S. state of Indiana, and the county seat of Marion County, Indiana. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city's population is 839,489. It is by far Indiana's largest city and, as of the 2010 U.S...
is named for him, too.
Biographies
- Elliott, Charles (Rev.), Life of Bishop Roberts, New York, 1853.
- Cyclopaedia of Methodism, Matthew SimpsonMatthew SimpsonMatthew Simpson , was an American bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1852.-Early life and family:...
, D.D., LL.D., Ed., (Revised Edition.) Philadelphia, Louis H. Everts, 1880.http://wesley.nnu.edu/wesleyctr/books/0801-0900/HDM0828.PDF