Orchard, Nicholas

Orchard, Nicholas a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, was born at Helston, county of Cornwall, England, Nov. 14,1806. He was the son of pious parents, and was carefully trained under the influence of the Wesleyans. In his sixteenth year he was converted, and joined their society. He came to this country about 1837, and settled in Perth Amboy. New Jersey, where his labors as local preacher, class leader, etc., were:highly appreciated. In 1843 he removed to Brooklyn, and was soon employed by the presiding elder as pastor at Flatbush. The following two years he assisted on the Home Mission work in Brooklyn, and then, under the presiding elder, he ably served the societies on Good Ground Circuit. In 1852 he was received into the New York East Conference, and his successive appointments were as follows: Soutlold, Farmingdale, Riverhead, Northport, Port Jefferson, Patchogue and Sayville, Orient, Parkville, Orient, and, lastly, Bay Ridge and Unionville. He entered upon his last charge with broken health; and after a short term of labor at this charge was prostrated by paralysis, and died May 27, 1874. "As a preacher and pastor he was in labors abundant, and more than acceptable. In every appointment he was greatly beloved by his people, and men of learning held in high esteem his capabilities as a Bible student and a preacher. His touching appeals to his hearers came from the depth of a heart which longed for their salvation. He felt the sacredness of his calling, loved it, and was successful in it." See Minutes of Conferences, 1875, p. 52.