User:WilyD/William Case/Samuel Belton

Samuel Belton (17th December, 1790 - ) was a Methodist circuit rider.

Belton was born in Ireland. As a youth, he emigrated to the United States with his family.

He apprenticed as a cloth-dresser, as took up the profession in Rome, New York. There he converted to Methodism, and became the class leader of the first Methodist class there, upon its founding. In 1817 he worked as an assistant to Abner Chase on the Ostego circuit. The subsequent year, he was received on trial as a circuit rider. He was assigned to the Ancaster circuit, but soon was reassigned to the Detroit circuit, while Alphen Davis, who has been assigned to Detroit, was reassigned to Ancaster.

In 1819, he was assigned to the York circuit. Competition with the Methodist Church of Great Britain was fierce, and membership in the Episcopal church decreased from 65 to 43 that year, while the British increased their congregation by 30. In 1820, he was re-assigned to the Westminister circuit, where he rode alongside Isaac B. Smith. The pair oversaw a decrease in church membership. In 1821, he was assigned to the Hallowell circuit, where he rode alongside James Wilson. In the 1820s, he was married to Alice Wilson, daughter of the circuit rider James Wilson. In 1822, he was assigned to the Smith's Creek circuit. Membership in the Methodist church increased by 67 on Smith's Creek circuit that year. In 1823, he remained on the Smith's Creek circuit, that year assisted by Joseph Atwood. The pair oversaw an increase in membership of 31.