User:WilyD/William Case/Fitch Reed

Fitch Reeder was a circuit rider in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Reeder was born in 1795 to Calvinist parents, but converted to Methodism as a youth. He trained as a doctor. In 1815, he left the medical profession, and received a licence to preach from Nathanial Bangs. He was subsequently admitted on trial in 1817 by the New York Conference. That year, he was assigned to the Suffolk circuit. In 1818, he was assigned to the Sag-Harbour circuit.

In 1819, he was assigned to the Dunham circuit. He was quite successful on the Dunham circuit, increasing church membership by 78 people. In 1820, he was assigned to the York circuit. In 1821, he received his elder's orders. That year, he was assigned to the York circuit, where he rode with Kenneth Smith. The pair also served as missionaries to those areas not covered by an established circuit. Membership on the York circuit increased by four people that year, and as missionaries they converted seventy people to the Methodist church.