User:WilyD/William Case/Samuel Howe

Samuel Howe was a Methodist circuit rider.

Born in Belcher, Massechusetts in 1781, Howe moved with his family to Decatur, New York in 1798. He soon became involved with the Methodist church there. Showing a talent for public speaking, he began exhorting soon after his conversion. Excelling at this, he was licensed to preach as a local preacher. He was received on trial for the Methodist itinerary in 1802, and assigned to western New York. The next year he was assigned to the Long Point and Niagara Circuit of Upper Canada. At the 1804 conference, he was ordained a deacon and assigned to the Ottawa Circuit. He returned to the United States the next year, riding the Fletcher Circuit in Vermont. He was ordained an Elder in 1806, and remained on the Fletcher Circuit. He moved to the Scenectady Circuit in 1807, the Albany Circuit in 1808, the Mongomery Circuit in 1809, the Cambridge Circuit in 1810 and the Brandon Circuit in 1811. Due to family troubles, he was returned superannuated in 1812, but resumed circuit riding in 1813, on the Middlebury Circuit. In 1814, he rode the Pitstown Circuit. After this, Saratoga in 1815; Middlebury in 1816; New York City in 1817 and 1818; Rhinebeck in 1819 and 1820; Montgomery in 1821; Saratoga in 1822 and 1823; Cambridge in 1824 and 1825; Chatham in 1826 and 1827; Pitstown in 1828 and 1829 and the Lee Circuit in 1830. He was superannuated in 1831, unable to continue riding circuits. He died February 16, 1858 at the funeral of an old friend.