User:WilyD/William Case/Robert Corson

Robert Corson (1793 - ?) was a circuit rider in the Methodist Episcopal Church.

Corson converted to Methodism while living in the Niagara region, and became an exhorter. He also often housed itinerant preachers, making him well known to the preachers in Upper Canada. He married around 1813, and settled on a farm in Oxford township.

In 1822, circuit rider James Jackson's ordination was suspended, leaving the Westminister circuit without a rider. Because he was known to the district's presiding elder William Case, and because he was well liked as a local preacher, Corson was offered the job, which he took up. He was quite successful at proselyting there, with church membership increasing from three hundred fifty six to four hundred seventy five. In 1823, he was assigned to the newly created London circuit. Circuit membership was 255 at the year's end. Between the London circuit, and the Westminister circuit it was split from, total membership increased by 80 people.