User:WilyD/William Case/Michael Coate

Michael Coate was a Methodist circuit rider.

Coate was born in Burlington County, New Jersey in 1767. His family were Quakers, but converted to Methodism in his youth, being the first family in their area to do so. His brother Samuel was received on trial in 1794, and that year Michael began exhorting. Michael was received on trial for the Methodist itinerary in 1795, and was made a circuit rider on the Columbia Circuit of New York. He stayed on that circuit in 1796. In 1797, he was put on the Middletown Circuit of Connecticut. In 1798, he was volunteered to ride in Upper Canada, after being encouraged by his brother, and was assigned to the Niagara Circuit.

At the 1799 annual conference, Coate was ordained an Elder, and appointed to New York City. He rode the Pittsfield and Whitingham Circuit in Massechusetts in 1800. He was assigned to New York City again at the 1801 conference. He rode the New London Circuit in Connecticut in 1802. He was returned to New York City in 1803 and 1804. While in New York, he married Mehetabel Briggs. He was moved to Philidelphia in 1805, and remained there in 1806. In both 1807 and 1808 he was assigned to Baltimore, and Philidelphia again in 1809. He last year of circuit riding was 1810, when he rode the Burlington Circuit around his New Jersey birthplace.

In 1811, Coate was made Presiding Elder of the West Jersey District. He remained in that position through 1814. Around the time of the 1814 annual conference, Coate took ill. He died August 1, 1814.