Thomas McGee was a Methodist circuit rider.
McGee was born in Chester County, Pennsylvania on July 15th, 1794. His father drowned when he was a young boy, and he was put to work on the farm of General Bratton.[1] In 1811, he was apprenticed to his brother James, who was a blacksmith. During that time, he lived in the home of Philip Antes, a devoted Methodist. Due to the influence of Antes, he converted to Methodism in 1812. He quickly rose within the church's ranks, becoming a class leader in 1814, an exhorter in 1815, and accepted on trial as a circuit rider in June 1816 by the Genesee conference in Paris, New York. He was then appointed to the Caledonia circuit. In June 1817, he married Rebecca Kephart. He was assigned to the St. Lawrence circuit in 1817. In 1818, he was assigned to the Newtown circuit in New York, and in 1819 to the Lycoming circuit in Pennsylvania. In 1820, he was assigned to the Bellefonte circuit in Pennsylvania. In 1821, he was transferred to the Baltimore conference, and assigned to the Bellefonte circuit again. In 1822 and 1823, he was assigned to the Aukwick circuit. In 1824 and 1825, he was assigned to the Lycoming circuit. In 1826 and 1827, he was assigned to the Carlisle circuit. in 1828 and 1829, he was assigned to the Hartford circuit.[2] In 1830 and 1831, he was assigned to the Great Falls circuit. In 1832 and 1833, he was assigned to the Liberty circuit. In 1834 and 1835, he was assigned to the Frederick circuit. From 1836 to 1839, he was stationed in Baltimore, Maryland. In 1840 and 1841, he was assigned to the Carlisle circuit. In 1842 and 1843, to the Gettyburg circuit. In 1844 and 1845, he was assigned to minister to the black population of Baltimore around Sharp Street station. In 1846 and 1847, he was assigned to the Severn circuit. In 1848 and 1849, he was assigned to the Bladonsburgh circuit. In 1850 and 1851, to the Charles circuit. In 1850 and 1851, he was assigned to the Charles circuit. In 1852, he was assigned to the Winchester circuit. From 1855 to 1856, he was assigned to minister to the black population of Washington, D.C., around Asbury and Mount Zion. In 1857 and 1858, he was assigned to the Patapsco circuit.[3]
He was reassigned to Patapsco in 1859, but ill health soon forced him to return to Baltimore, where he died August 8th, 1859.[3] He was buried in the old Methodist graveyard adjacent to the Harford Avenue Church.[4]
Notes
editReferences
edit- Carroll, John (1869). Case and his cotemporaries, or, The Canadian itinerants' memorial constituting a biographical history of Methodism in Canada, from its introduction into the Province, till the death of the Rev. Wm. Case in 1855. Vol. II. Toronto: Wesleyan Conference Office.