... Rev. Dr. Samuel Wakefield, sixth son and child of Thomas and Elizabeth (Morton) Wakefield, a distinguished clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal Church for more than half a century, a scholar of eminent abilities and an author of wide repute, was born in Huntingdon county, Pennsylvania, march 6, 1799. When he was one year old his parents removed to Westmoreland county and located three miles from Armagh, a small Irish village ; and still later moved farther west in the state and made a home for himself and his family in a wilderness region. When very young Samuel was put to work, and at the age of seven years he assisted in cultivating the land. In that wild country the opportunities for acquiring even a rudimentary education were almost wholly lacking, and on that account the boy was compelled to rely entirely on his own efforts to obtain instruction in the primary branches ; but he was determined to gain an education at some cost, and fortunately possessed the native force of character to accomplish that difficult task. The particular occasion which determined him in this direction was that on which he and several other lads were sent to the mill with grain for grinding. While waiting for their work to be done, the other boys amused themselves with reading the handbills posted near the mill, much to the chagrin of the young Samuel, for he could not read a single word ; and that day he carried home a determination to acquire an education. In such an undertaking, under similar conditions, no one was ever more successful than Samuel Wakefield, for without tutors and almost without assistance of any kind he established for himself a systematic course of study, adhered to it nobly, and continued it into the higher collegiate branches. In 1813, then being fourteen years old, he enlisted as a drummer boy in a company serving at Black Rock, near Erie, in this state, in the second war with Great Britain. At seventeen he established and successfully conducted a subscription school in the Ligonier Valley, near Fort Palmer, and at eighteen he was licensed as a local preacher by the quarterly conference of the Methodist Episcopal church ; and in that capacity he taught and preached for fourteen years. In 1834 he joined the Pittsburgh conference and served in the regular ministry until 1880, when he was placed on the superannuated list. West Newton, Pennsylvania, was his last regular appointment, and he afterward lived in that town until his death. His honorary degree of Divinitatis Doctor was conferred by Allegheny College in 1854, and that of Legum Doctor by the same institution in 1856.
Dr. Wakefield was the founder of a large number of Methodist Episcopal churches throughout western and southwestern Pennsylvania, and was one of the most zealous, determined and self-sacrificing workers for the promotion of the doctrines of that church this state ever has produced. After being licensed to preach his first location was at West Newton, and notwithstanding the opposition and coldness with which he was received by those of other denominations, he continued his labors at that place until he had established a flourishing society of Methodists there, and had won the friendship of many persons who at the time of his settlement had not given him a warm Christian welcome. He was a good Hebrew, Greek and Latin scholar, and his attainments in systematic theology were of high order. He was author of "Wakefield's Systematic Theology," which was first published about the time of the end of the late Civil war. That work is still recognized throughout the Methodist church as an excellent authority, and is used as a text-book in several theological seminaries of that denomination and various others as well. He also abridged and prepared for publication "Watson's Theological Institutes," which was done at the request of a committee of the Methodist Episcopal publishing house in New York city ; but the committee on learning that Dr. Wakefield was preparing his own work on that subject did not publish the revision. In September, 1893, at the ripe old age of ninety-three years, he prepared for the press and published a volume of sermons entitled "Gospel Tidings." He also wrote a work on moral philosophy, but it was not published during his lifetime. More than this, he was author of an English grammar which bore his name and was pronounced by competent judges a work of decided merit, and which later was adopted as a text-book by many schools.
Dr. Wakefield's musical talents and tastes were of the finest quality and early showed him the need of improvement in this important part of church service. To this end he was author in 1828 of "Wakefield's Sacred Music," and he wrote and published in all seven different works on that subject: "Ecclesiastical Harmony," "American Repository of Sacred Music," "Western Harp," "Christian Harp," Minstrel of Zion," "Sacred Choral" (in German), and "Select Melodies." For more than half a century these works have been universally and deservedly popular in Methodist Episcopal churches of the United States. And in addition to his literary and musical ability Dr. Wakefield possessed considerable mechanical genius, which he also devoted to his church. He constructed with his own hands the first pipe organ ever used west of the Allegheny mountains. At an early day also he invented and patented a system of tailoring.
On August 21, 1821, Dr. Samuel Wakefield married Elizabeth Hough, daughter of Paul and Catherine (Weigle) Hough, of Westmoreland county. She died September 29, 1894, being then in her ninety-second year. Dr. Wakefield died September 13, 1895, in his ninety-seventh year. On the occasion of the celebration of the golden wedding of David H. Wakefield, eldest son of Dr. Wakefield, the New York World said of his father:
"Rev. Samuel Wakefield is one of the most wonderful men of the present century. His entire life has been one of activity. He has been minister, author, tailor, farmer, and representative of his district in the Legislature during the Civil war. *** Dr. Edward Everett Hale years ago recognized Dr. Wakefield's ability and commented upon it in one of his works. Dr. Wakefield was the earliest expounder of the theology of the Methodist church in North America, as Wesley was in England. *** All his clothing was the product of his own skillful hands after he had reached the fourth score milestone of life's journey. At seventy years he shod his own carriage horses. He has made several violins and other musical instruments of excellent workmanship, which are now treasured as relics by various members of his family. In the early part of this (the nineteenth) century Dr. Wakefield preached on a circuit of three hundred miles. There were no railroad trains, and stage coaches did not pass except at long intervals through the country which he had to cover, and which he did well cover. He rode to and fro on horseback, preaching every day in the week at different log cabins to which the faithful for miles around would flock on foot, on horseback, and in Conestoga wagons."
Children of Rev. Dr. Samuel and Elizabeth (Hough) Wakefield:
1. David Hough, born August 16, 1822 ; married Mary Covert ; was a teacher and farmer, county commisioner, and justice of the peace forty years.
2. Rev. John S., born August 6, 1824 ; married, May 27, 1845, Martha Boyd, of Fayette county, Pennsylvania ; he was a clergyman of the Methodist Episcopal church from 1852 until his death at East End, Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, July 28, 1901.
3. Mariah, born January 29, 1827 ; married Martin Overholt. She died at Irwin, Pennsylvania, and he at East Liberty, Pennsylvania.
4. Kate, widow of John Coulson ; now living at Pawnee City, Nebraska.
5. Samuel C., maried first, Clara McMaster ; married second, Carrie Bowman ; a farmer living at Mount Pleasant, Pennsylvania.
6. Elizabeth, widow of David Hassler ; lives at Indianapolis, Indiana.
7. Ella, born June 21, 1839 ; married John Brown , of West Newton, Pennsylvania ; died in 1905.
8. Dr. Alfred N., see forward.
9. Mary Emma, born June 21, 1845 ; married Bela W. Sheplar ; lives in Golden City, Missouri.
10. Dr. James Byron, born October 29, 1847 ; married Jennie Singer, lives in Jeanette, Pennsylvania. ...
