Methodist Minister
As young man, Peter Cartwright, enjoyed the pursuit of pleasure. He loved gambling and race horses. He attended a religious camp meeting at age sixteen which changed him and he completely surrendered his inhibitions as sins and became an extraordinary man. He sold his race horse and gave up gambling for his new belief in religion, which he practiced for over fifty years.
He began preaching in 1803, and entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church when only eighteen years old. He was against the corruption of slavery and the idea people could be purchased and sold at will, families broken up and sold, and the pain of physical and emotional suffering people endured because of it.
He moved his family to Illinois from Kentucky, to avoid this oppression of good people, to preach the
gospel through his religious beliefs and, to prevent any of his children from ever marrying into a
family who owned slaves.
In 1828 was elected to the Illinois Legislature and again in 1832, defeating Abraham Lincoln. A Democrat all his life, he was an un-comprising antagonist of slavery. He Was a zealous supporter of the government during the civil war, and traveled far and wide, preaching the gospel. In 1846, he became a candidate for Congress on the Democratic ticket, but was defeated by Abraham Lincoln.
A powerful preacher for over fifty years, he served as the Presiding Elder of the church. Cartwright Township, in Sangamon County, Illinois, was named after him, the Liberty ship, USS Peter Cartwright, honors him. Several books were written by him and about him. His name is found in all encyclopedias and books regarding the Methodist religion.
In his fifty years of teaching religion, he recruited more than ten thousand members for the Methodist Church, he baptized eight thousand children and four thousand adults. He preached over five hundred funerals and fourteen thousand six hundred other sermons. He brought religion to most all southern states and across to Ohio and Illinois. He did it all by horseback. Though he was a forceful preacher,
he was also known as a gentle, kind and graceful man.
Methodist Minister
As young man, Peter Cartwright, enjoyed the pursuit of pleasure. He loved gambling and race horses. He attended a religious camp meeting at age sixteen which changed him and he completely surrendered his inhibitions as sins and became an extraordinary man. He sold his race horse and gave up gambling for his new belief in religion, which he practiced for over fifty years.
He began preaching in 1803, and entered the ministry of the Methodist Episcopal Church when only eighteen years old. He was against the corruption of slavery and the idea people could be purchased and sold at will, families broken up and sold, and the pain of physical and emotional suffering people endured because of it.
He moved his family to Illinois from Kentucky, to avoid this oppression of good people, to preach the
gospel through his religious beliefs and, to prevent any of his children from ever marrying into a
family who owned slaves.
In 1828 was elected to the Illinois Legislature and again in 1832, defeating Abraham Lincoln. A Democrat all his life, he was an un-comprising antagonist of slavery. He Was a zealous supporter of the government during the civil war, and traveled far and wide, preaching the gospel. In 1846, he became a candidate for Congress on the Democratic ticket, but was defeated by Abraham Lincoln.
A powerful preacher for over fifty years, he served as the Presiding Elder of the church. Cartwright Township, in Sangamon County, Illinois, was named after him, the Liberty ship, USS Peter Cartwright, honors him. Several books were written by him and about him. His name is found in all encyclopedias and books regarding the Methodist religion.
In his fifty years of teaching religion, he recruited more than ten thousand members for the Methodist Church, he baptized eight thousand children and four thousand adults. He preached over five hundred funerals and fourteen thousand six hundred other sermons. He brought religion to most all southern states and across to Ohio and Illinois. He did it all by horseback. Though he was a forceful preacher,
he was also known as a gentle, kind and graceful man.
Bio by: Karen Mickel Bennett
Gravesite Details
Condition of his memorial is excellent.
