Watters, William

Watters, William a Methodist Episcopal minister, was born in Baltimore County, Maryland, October 16, 1751, of Church of England parents. He was naturally vain, self-willed, and passionate, but his devotion to his widowed mother led him to seek religion early in life. He acquired a good education; joined the Methodists at the age of twenty; soon began earnest Christian work by prayer and exhortation; and in 1773 entered the Philadelphia Conference.

In 1775 he was appointed to Frederick, in 1776 to Fairfax, in 1777 to Brunswick, and in 1779 to Baltimore Circuit. In 1782 he retired from the regular work to his little farm in Fairfax County. In 1786 he re-entered the active ranks, and was appointed to Berkeley Circuit, Virginia, but was soon obliged to return, home because of sickness. He labored. in Alexandria, D.C., in 1801, Georgetown in 1803, Alexandria in 1804, and in 1805 was appointed to Washington city. The remainder of his life was spent on his farm in retirement. He died March 29, 1827. Mr. Watters accomplished a great amount of good under very adverse circumstances, and was universally respected and reverenced. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 7:46.