March 31, 1816 - Francis Asbury, First US Methodist Bishop , Dies

Francis Asbury statue, Used under Creative Commons license. Source: Wikimedia Commons.

Francis Asbury, a driving force behind early American Methodism, died on March 31, 1816. An English-born missionary, Asbury traveled thousands of miles on horseback across the American frontier, preaching and organizing Methodist societies.

Arriving in America before the Revolutionary War, Asbury remained during the conflict and helped establish the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1784 alongside Thomas Coke. The two became its first bishops, and their names live on in “Cokesbury” bookstores.

Asbury’s ministry model relied on circuit riders—preachers who traveled vast territories to serve scattered congregations. His tireless mobility allowed Methodism to flourish in rural and frontier regions where other denominations struggled to establish a presence.

By the time of his death, Methodism had grown into one of the largest Protestant bodies in the United States. A statue of Asbury stands in Washington, D.C., honoring his contribution.

Asbury’s life reflects the dynamism of evangelical expansion in early America. His endurance, organizational leadership, and commitment to itinerant preaching shaped the trajectory of American Protestantism for generations.