Wesley, Rev. John (1703–1791)

JW was born to Samuel Wesley and Susanna (Annesley) Wesley in Epworth on June 17, 1703. He was at least the thirteenth child born to the couple, and the second son to survive to adulthood. In 1714 JW was sent to Charter House school in London, for preparatory schooling. He entered Christ Church, Oxford in July 1720, receiving his BA in 1724 and MA in 1727. Correspondingly, he was ordained deacon in 1725, and priest in 1728. In March 1726 JW was made a fellow at Lincoln College, Oxford. About this same time friendship with John ('Robin') Griffiths brought JW into a circle of friends in the Cotswalds, where he was given the literary nickname 'Cyrus'. From Aug. 1727 to Nov. 1729 JW was back in Epworth/Wroot assisting his father. On return to Lincoln College in late 1729 he assumed leadership of a group of spiritual friends gathered around CW at Oxford, who were soon dubbed 'Methodists' (among other names). JW went to Georgia in 1735 as a missionary priest. He returned in 1737, primed for a spiritual renewal that found full expression on Aldersgate Street in London on May 24, 1738. This rapidly drew JW into the emerging revival, alongside Whitefield and others. Over the next few years he recruited and organized a connexion of sympathetic clergy, lay preachers, and other supporters of his distinctive form of 'Methodism'. He devoted the rest of his life, and most of his voluminous correspondence, to this connexion. JW married Mary (Goldhawk) Vazeille on Feb. 18, 1751. No children were born to this rather tumultuous marriage, though JW treated Mary's prior children (especially Jane) as his own. JW died on March 2, 1791 and was buried in the yard of City Road Chapel. See Alumni Oxonienses; DEB, 1171–73; ODNB; and Vickers, Dictionary, 379–82.