| Mother of American Methodism won first convert in Colonies BY SUNI JOHNSONSpecial to the UMConnection  During Womens History Month this March, United Methodists may want to remember Elizabeth Strawbridge, the wife of Methodist progenitor Robert Strawbridge. She is credited with converting the first Methodist adherent in the New World, John Evans.
Born Elizabeth Piper, she was the daughter of Michael Pfeiffer and Rosanna Button. Elizabeth likely met Robert Strawbridge at Tanderagee, in Northeastern County Armaugh, Ireland. Robert is reported to have preached there in 1756. Elizabeth gave birth at least six times, hosted and counseled itinerant preachers and tended the Strawbridge farmstead alone while her husband Robert rode the circuits. It was during one of Roberts absences from their farm that Elizabeth, being an evangelist like her husband, talked to Evans about his soul and urged him to give his heart to Christ. She was an active partner in initiating and maintaining the Methodist ministry in North America. Women played an important part in establishing links between religious groups and the communities in which they lived. Historian David Hempton notes that, Female classes, which seemed more durable than their male counterparts, elicited comments from many visiting itinerants and kept the impetus going when the initial enthusiasm had died down. Even John Wesley grudgingly accepted womens unique role. Wesley advised women to heed the counsel of men. Give them all honor and obey them in all things, as far as conscience permits. But it will not permit you to be silent when God commands you to speak; yet I would have you give as little offense as possible, Wesley said. Evidence suggests that Elizabeth and Robert arrived in Maryland circa 1759. Her first surviving child, Elizabeth or Betsy, was born around 1765, followed by Robert in 1767, Theophilus in 1772, Jesse in 1773, Jane in 1775 and George in 1777. Local lore has it that two of her children were buried under the pulpit in the original Log Meeting House. This would account for the space in time between their arrival and the birth of Betsy. Historian Frank Baker argues that Robert Strawbridges fruitful itinerancy grew with Elizabeths sympathetic encouragement during his brief intervals at home. To understand Elizabeths life we need to consider the tremendous amount of traveling involved in Roberts ministry. From the time the Strawbridges arrived until his death in 1781, Robert preached throughout the Mid-Atlantic region. Elizabeth shouldered the childcare, housework, farm work, and local ministry without the presence of her husband for much of their marriage. Neighbors often cared for the Strawbridge farm during Roberts absences. Even so, Elizabeth would still have overseen this work and prepared food for her family as well as the workers. In 1776 Elizabeth and Robert moved to the estate of Capt. Charles Ridgley near Baltimore, where they were given a home for the remainder of Roberts life. Elizabeth is thought to have died between 1791 and 1793, and was buried along side her husband at the Wheeler farm near Ruxton. In 1866 Robert and also his excellent wife Elizabeth (as their monument is inscribed) were re-interred in the Bishops Lot at Mt. Olivet Cemetery in Baltimore. The monument and the house at the Strawbridge Shrine stand today as tribute to Elizabeth Strawbridge, the Mother of American Methodism, and her excellent husband Robert. Suni Johnson is the conference Director of Archives and History. | 
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