History of Pine Plains, (Dutchess County) New York United States of America

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Biographies:

A Biography of Elijah Hedding

Elijah Hedding, M.E., bishop, was born in Pine Plains, N.Y., Jan. 7, 1780. His mother and grandmother became converts to Methodism under the preaching of Benjamin Abbott in 1789 and the boy united with the Methodist church. The family removed to Starksborough, Vt., and there he became indifferent to a religious life, but would occasionally, when the minister was not present, read a sermon of Wesley to the congregation. In this way be finally became interested in religious work, and in 1799, before he was licensed to preach, was drafted as a supply. In 1801 he was admitted to the New York conference; in 1807 became presiding elder of the New Hampshire district; in 1811 preached in the Boston district; in 1817 was presiding elder of the Portland, Maine, district; in 1821 was preacher at Lynn, Mass., and in 1823 presiding elder of the Boston district. In the general conference of 1824, held at Baltimore, Md., he was elected bishop and made his residence in Lynn. Mass., removing in 1851 to Poughkeepsie, N.Y. In 1848 he was relieved from obligation to labor but his salary of $700 per annum was continued and he declined an offer of an increase. He died in Poughkeepsie, N.Y., April 9, 1852.

From: Twentieth Century Biographical Dictionary of Notable Americans, Johnson, Rossiter, editor