William Colbert journal, 1792-1804.
Collection Number: 6088

Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Cornell University Library

DESCRIPTIVE SUMMARY

Title:
William Colbert journal, 1792-1804.
Repository:
Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections
Collection Number:
6088
Abstract:
The journal records the travels and work of William Colbert as a Methodist circuit rider with lengthy and detailed descriptions of towns and settlements visited, texts delivered in sermons, travel and weather conditions, Colbert's health, opinions regarding the progress of Methodism in New York, conferences and general meetings attended, and reflections on his own spiritual progress as a Methodist minister, size and spiritual condition of classes and congregations visited and baptisms, marriages and funerals attended or served.
Creator:
Colbert, William.
Quanitities:
1 microfilm reels.
Language:
Collection material in English
BIOGRAPHICAL NOTE

William Colbert was born near Baltimore, Md., on April 20, 1765. He began his career as a Methodist minister with an appointment to the Tioga circuit as an itinerant missionary in 1792. George Peck ( Early Methodism Within the Bounds of the Old Genesee Conference From 1788-1828) wrote that Colbert was remembered by those who heard him preach for his intolerance of noisy children, crowded barns and other unfavorable meeting conditions. He was, however, a dedicated, thoughtful Methodist, holding appointments in Western New York (1792-93, 1797) and taking charge of the entire Albany District as presiding elder for two years (1802-1804). The District embraced territory south from Albany to about Newburgh, and west to the furthest settlements in New York State.
COLLECTION DESCRIPTION

The journal is divided into five parts. Part 1: October 28, 179? (pp. 175-320); Part 2: May 3, 1797 (pp. 178-207, 131, 732-736, 264-267); Part 3: April 29, 1802 (pp. 1238-1373): Part 4: January 1, 1803 (pp. 1374, 1394-1413,* 1422-1425, 1444-1460,* 1460-1508,* 1525-1565, 1566-1567, 1568-1573, 1578-1581); Part 5: January 1, 1804 (pp. 1582-1639, 1649-1707 end of film). This collection is evidently a combination of several different journals pieced together to create chronological order. Pagination is therefore inconsistent. Note: the Garrett Theological Seminary Library at Northwestern University, Evanston Ill., has a collection of William Colbert's papers (1739-1834), and typewritten transcripts of his journals (1790-1822) in ten volumes, collected in 1966. (*pages missing from the original)
INFORMATION FOR USERS
Cite As:

William Colbert journal, #6088. Division of Rare and Manuscript Collections, Cornell University Library.
SUBJECTS

Names:
Methodist Church -- : New York (State)
Places:
New York (State) -- Religious life and customs.
Subjects:
Clergy -- New York (State) -- Biography.
Methodists -- New York (State)
Methodist preaching -- New York (State)
Circuit riders -- New York (State)
CONTAINER LIST
Container
Description
Date
Journal,
 1792-1804
Scope and Contents
The journal records the travels and work of William Colbert as a Methodist circuit rider in northeastern Pennsylvania, south central New York and the Finger Lakes region (Nov. 1792-May 1802), as presiding elder of the Albany District (May 1802-May 1803), and as presiding elder of the Chesapeake District in Maryland (June 1804-Nov. 1804). There are indications that Colbert rode the Wyoming and Northumberland circuits in Pennsylvania, and the Tioga, Seneca, and Finger Lakes circuits in New York, for a total of ten years. The journal provides lengthy and detailed descriptions of the town and settlements visited, texts delivered in sermons, travel conditions, Colbert's health and opinions regarding the progress of Methodism in New York, conversations with other Protestant ministers, conferences and quarterly meetings attended, and reflections on his own spiritual progress as a Methodist minister. As presiding elder of the Albany, Chesapeake, Pennsylvania and Genesee Districts, Colbert visited between one and five classes or congregations in each circuit to exhort and/or preach with the local ministers at regular meetings. He conducted quarterly meetings for the circuits, marriages, baptisms and love feasts, and frequently heard sermons in other Protestant churches in the larger towns. In the journal he notes his health, state of mind, travel and weather conditions, social and economic conditions in towns and settlements, whom he meets, sermons and texts delivered at meetings, conferences and quarterly meetings, sermons heard and who delivered them, the size and spiritual conditions of the classes and congregations visited, and baptism, marriages and funeral attended or served. Items of note include:
Part 1: October 28, 1792 , Tioga and Wyoming Circuits
 October 28, 1792
pp. 178-9,
 Nov. 14, 1792
Scope and Contents
Ordained deacon and appointed to Tioga circuit.
pp. 207-208,
 Jan. 14, 1793
Scope and Contents
Account of Quaker worship.
pp. 223-224,
 Feb. 13, 1792
Scope and Contents
Discussion of antinomianism, arminianism, Calvinism, and deism.
pp. 259-263,
 June 30-July 11, 1793
Scope and Contents
Bishop Francis Asbury and Rev. Anning Oven.
p. 297,
 Oct. 25, 1793
Scope and Contents
Universalist sermon.
p. 312,
 Dec. 5, 1793
Scope and Contents
Appointed to Montgomery circuit.
Part 2: May 3, 1797 , Northumberland, Wyoming, Tioga, Seneca and Pennsylvania Circuits
 May 3, 1797
pp. 179-80,
 May 17, 1797
Scope and Contents
Account of conversion experience; Jemimah Wilkenson; Swendenborgianism; New Lights.
pp. 190-193,
 June 24 - July, 1797
Scope and Contents
Illness.
p. 200,
 August 14, 1797
Scope and Contents
Visits Indians.
p. 207,
 Sept. 13, 1797
Scope and Contents
Summary of travels.
Part 3: April 29, 1802 , Albany District
 April 29, 1802
p. 1238,
 May 1, 1802
Scope and Contents
Philadelphia Conference.
pp. 1240-41,
 May 7, 1802
Scope and Contents
Appointed to Albany district.
p. 1247,
 May 20, 1802
Scope and Contents
Small pox vaccine.
pp. 1248-49,
 May 26-27, 1802
Scope and Contents
Bishop Asbury and Colbert preach to a black congregation.
p. 1252,
 June 2, 1802
Scope and Contents
Freeborn Garrettson.
pp. 1256-68,
 June 5, 1802
Scope and Contents
Account of many conversion experiences.
pp. 1270-71,
 June 19, 1802
Scope and Contents
More conversions.
p. 1277,
 July 3, 1802
Scope and Contents
More conversions.
pp. 1282-83,
 July 11, 1802
Scope and Contents
More conversions.
p. 1311,
 Aug. 21, 1802
Scope and Contents
More conversions.
pp. 1324-25,
 Sept. 9-11, 1802
Scope and Contents
Bishop Whatcoat; conversions.
pp. 1327-1333,
 Sept. 15, 1802
Scope and Contents
General Meeting of Protestant ministers to discuss a council of churches and a "union" of churches.
pp. 1336-37,
 Sept. 19, 1802
Scope and Contents
Lorenzo Dow; conversions.
p. 1341,
 Sept. 27, 1802
Scope and Contents
Account of Indian village.
p. 1349,
 Oct. 12, 1802
Scope and Contents
Conversion of a black woman.
Part 4: January 1, 1802 , Albany, Pennsylvania and Genesee Districts
 January 1, 1802
p. 1400,
 Jan. 12, 1803
Scope and Contents
Quarterly meeting conference; conversions.
pp. 1444-45,
 March 27 - April 1, 1803
Scope and Contents
Baltimore Conference; Bishop Whatcoat.
p. 1449,
 April 10, 1803
Scope and Contents
Preaches to black congregation.
pp. 1460-62,
 April 30, 1803
Scope and Contents
Unspecified meeting of Methodist ministers.
pp. 1464-65,
 May 1-5, 1803
Scope and Contents
Duck Creek conference; conversions; disciplinary hearings.
Part 5: January 1, 1804 , Chesapeake, Pennsylvania and Genesee Districts
 January 1, 1804
pp. 1616-17,
 March 1, 1804
Scope and Contents
Visits a black family.
pp. 1634-35,
 April 15, 1804
Scope and Contents
Visits a man convicted of murder.
p. 1649-50,
 May 28-June 2, 1804
Scope and Contents
Soudersburg Conference; appointed to Chesapeake District; Bishop Asbury.