User:WilyD/William Case/David Youmans

David Youmans (1771-1856) was a Methodist circuit rider.

Youmans was born in 1771 in Smith's Clove, New York, the son of loyalists Arthur and Sarah Youmans who fled to Canada after the American Revolution, probably in 1783. The family settled in Prince Edward County, Ontario. Youmans was trained as a blacksmith, but also began working as a local preacher in Myers' Creek, Upper Canada.

Youmans was accepted as a circuit rider in 1812 on a trial basis, and assigned to the Niagara Circuit. Andrew Prindle had been assigned to the circuit, but had been unable to travel to it owing to the War of 1812. Many circuit riders returned to the United States during the war, only the Canadian born Youmans and Silas Hopkins, as well as Ninian Holmes, who had permanently settled there, remained. At the annual conference of the Genesee District, on June 29th, 1815, Youmans ordained a deacon, ending his trial period. The ordination at this time of Canadian clergy such as Youmans set the stage for an eventual Canadian connexion, with their familiarity with and adaptability to the Loyalist culture. Youmans was assigned to the Ancaster Circuit, alongside Thomas Whitehead. The pair saw a decrease in church membership that year, which may have been caused by better record keeping, or by the re-assignment of some members from the Ancaster circuit to the Detroit circuit, rather than members leaving the church. In 1816, he was assigned again to the Ancaster Circuit, where he rode alongside David Culp. The number of members on the circuit decreased by one hundred twenty eight from the previous year, however, much territory had been transfered from the Ancaster Circuit to the Westminster Circuit, which showed an increase of one hundred sixty six members. The apparent loss of church members may have been a result of this redistribution. In 1817, he was assigned to the Westminster circuit, alongside Caleb Swayze. That year, membership in the Methodist church along the Westminster circuit increased from 166 to 324. In 1818, he was assigned to the Longpoint circuit, alongside Alvin Torry.

In 1819, he was assigned to the Yonge Street circuit. He was the only rider assigned to the circuit, although David Culp was superannuated, and preached locally on the circuit from time to time. In 1820, he remained on the Yonge Street circuit, where he rode alongside James G. Peale and Thomas Demorest. In a year where there was significant decrease in Episcopal church membership due to competition with the Methodist Church of Great Britain, Yonge Street saw an increase of forty three members. In 1821, he was assigned to the Duffin's Creek circuit. Membership numbers were recorded jointly between Duffin's Creek and the neighbouring Smith's Creek circuit, which was ridden by Thomas Madden. Between the two circuits, membership increased from two hundred fixty six to three hundred twenty seven.

In 1822, he requested that he be located at the annual Genesee conference. His family obligations prevented him from spending the necessary amount of time away from his home, circuit riding. The conference granted his request, and he settled in Markham, where he continued to work as a local preacher.