Nolley, Richmond

Nolley, Richmond a Methodist Episcopal minister, was born in Virginia about 1790; 'emigrated early in life to Georgia; was converted in 1806; began to preach in 1807, when he was received into conference and sent to Edisto Circuit, where he did good service among the slaves; in 1809 was stationed at Wilmington, N. C.; in 1810, at Charleston, S. C., where he labored sturdily in spite of severe persecution. In 1812 he was sent on a mission to the Tombigbee country, in pursuance of which he endured almost incredible hardships, and performed a vast amount of labor for the souls of the half- savage population. "For two years he ranged over a vast extent of country, preaching continually stopping for no obstructions of flood or weather. When his horse could not go on, he shouldered his saddle-bags and pressed forward on foot. He took special cars of the children growing up in a half- savage condition over all the country, catechizing and instructing them with the utmost diligence, as the best means of averting barbarism from the settlements" (Stevens). In 1814 Nollev was appointed to the Attakapas Circuit, in Louisiana, was returned to it in 1815; and lost his life from exposure in fording a stream, Nov. 5, of the same year. He was a man of great humility and holiness, and of indefatigable labor. His preaching was edifying and spiritual, well suited to the population among whom he labored, and he carried everywhere the conviction of the truth of the religion which he preached. See Minutes of Conferences, 1:275; Biographical Sketches of Methodist Ministers, p. 213; Summers, Sketches of Meth. Ministers in the South, p. 253; Stevens, Hist. of Meth. Episcopal Church, vol. iv (see Index). (J. H. W.)