Jacob Albright (also spelled Jakob Albrecht; May 1, 1759 – May 18, 1808) was an American

Christian Christians () are people who follow or adhere to Christianity, a monotheistic Abrahamic religion based on the life and teachings of Jesus Christ. The words ''Christ'' and ''Christian'' derive from the Koine Greek title ''Christós'' (Χρι� ...

leader, founder of Albright's People (''Die Albrechtsleute'') which was officially named the

Evangelical Association The Evangelical Church or Evangelical Association, also known in the early 1800s as the Albright Brethren, was a "body of American Christians chiefly of German descent", Arminian in doctrine and theology; in its form of church government, Methodi ...

(''Evangelische Gemeinschaft'') in 1816. This church as a denomination is still in existence, headquartered in

Myerstown, Pennsylvania Myerstown (Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Moyerschteddel'') is a borough located in Lebanon County, Pennsylvania. It is part of the Lebanon, Pennsylvania Metropolitan statistical area. The population was 3,103 at the 2020 census. It is home to over 100 ...

Early life

Albright was born May 1, 1759, to John Albright (Johannes Albrecht) and his wife, in the region of Fox Mountain (Fuchsberg) in Douglass Township, now Montgomery County, northwest of

Pottstown, Pennsylvania Pottstown is a borough in Montgomery County, Pennsylvania. Pottstown was laid out in 1752–53 and named Pottsgrove in honor of its founder, John Potts. The old name was abandoned at the time of the incorporation as a borough in 1815. In 1888 ...

and was baptized into the

Lutheran Church Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched th ...

. His parents were German immigrants from the Palatine Region of Germany, but sources disagree on when they immigrated to the United States. (ohannes Albrecht and his wife, Anna Barbara, both born in either Austria or Palatine depending on the source, came to America on the ship ''Johnson'' in 1732. There were seven children: Jacob, aged 5 among them. This Johannes and his family settled in Bern Township, Berks County where Johannes died in 1751 or 1752. His son, Jacob, left Berks County in 1760. Albright was educated in a German school where he learned reading, writing and arithmetic. In addition to speaking

Pennsylvania Dutch The Pennsylvania Dutch ( Pennsylvania Dutch: ), also known as Pennsylvania Germans, are a cultural group formed by German immigrants who settled in Pennsylvania during the 17th, 18th and 19th centuries. They emigrated primarily from German-spe ...

, he spoke German and taught himself enough English so he could deliver a sermon in that language. During the

American Revolution The American Revolution was an ideological and political revolution that occurred in British America between 1765 and 1791. The Americans in the Thirteen Colonies formed independent states that defeated the British in the American Revoluti ...

, Jacob Albright served in Captain Jacob Witz's Seventh Company, Fourth Battalion, Philadelphia Militia as a drummer boy and later as a guard for the Hessian prisoners at Reading, Pennsylvania. Although uncertain, several sources indicate that he served through 1786. In 1785, he married Catherine Cope and they had six (or nine) children. Only three children survived to adulthood: Sarah, wife of Noah Ranck; Jacob, who died childless; and David, married to Mary Riedenbach (Raidenbach or Raidabaugh), who had children. There are descendants of Jacob Albright through his son David living today. The young family moved to Earl Township, Lancaster County, and they lived near Ephrata, Pennsylvania, where the young Jacob took up farming and was in the business of manufacturing tiles and bricks.

Evangelical work

German German(s) may refer to: * Germany (of or related to) **Germania (historical use) * Germans, citizens of Germany, people of German ancestry, or native speakers of the German language ** For citizens of Germany, see also German nationality law **Ge ...

Lutheran Lutheranism is one of the largest branches of Protestantism, identifying primarily with the theology of Martin Luther, the 16th-century German monk and reformer whose efforts to reform the theology and practice of the Catholic Church launched ...

in his heritage, he was converted after 1790 to

Methodism Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's b ...

, when several of his children died of dysentery, causing him to go through a religious crisis. Lutheranism did not give him comfort. He asked Anthony Houtz, a Dutch Reformed pastor affiliated with a study group organized by Philip William Otterbein (Otterbein's groups eventually formed the

United Brethren in Christ The Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB) was a North American Protestant church from 1946 to 1968. It was formed by the merger of the Evangelical Church (formerly the Evangelical Association, founded by Jacob Albright) and the Church of th ...

Church) to conduct the funeral. Albright was so moved by his funeral sermon that he continued discussions with a neighbor who was a lay preacher in Otterbein's followers. Albright then joined a Methodist class (a religious meeting held in a private home). That class authorized him as an "exhorter," or lay preacher. He felt called by God to take the message of

to the German-speaking people. In 1796, Albright began carrying his message to the German-speaking residents of south-eastern Pennsylvania. He was licensed by the Methodist Church but was not permitted to preach in the German language, so he set out on his own. Although he felt that he was unfit to preach, contemporary records reveal that he was a powerful and moving speaker, converting many to Methodism. By 1800 he had formed two classes in

Bucks County Bucks County is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2020 census, the population was 646,538, making it the fourth-most populous county in Pennsylvania. Its county seat is Doylestown. The county is named after the English ...

, north of

Philadelphia Philadelphia, often called Philly, is the largest city in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the sixth-largest city in the U.S., the second-largest city in both the Northeast megalopolis and Mid-Atlantic regions after New York City. Since ...

, and one other. By 1803 he had organized three more classes. Albright had never given any indication that he was interested in forming a new organization or church, but in 1803, at the insistence of the leaders of his classes, he called a general meeting of the lay leaders and preachers for November 1803. Besides himself, two preachers and 14 lay leaders attended. The group drew up a license and the two pastors ordained Albright. The group wrote a brief statement of faith. In 1806, a major revival movement spread throughout eastern Pennsylvania, affecting many religious groups. Albright's followers grew greatly. By 1807, when the newly-organized, unnamed church held its first annual conference, the church had 220 members. Here Albright was elected bishop. He also assigned preachers and did what business was needed. The Conference also adopted the episcopal form of government, articles of faith and a book of discipline. Albright was asked to prepare a Book of Discipline.

Death

The next year, weakened and in poor health from exhaustion and

tuberculosis Tuberculosis (TB) is an infectious disease usually caused by '' Mycobacterium tuberculosis'' (MTB) bacteria. Tuberculosis generally affects the lungs, but it can also affect other parts of the body. Most infections show no symptoms, ...

, Albright fell ill while traveling from

Linglestown, Pennsylvania Linglestown is a census-designated place (CDP) in Lower Paxton Township, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, United States. It was founded and laid out in 1765 by Thomas Lingle. The population was 6,334 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Harrisbur ...

, northeast of Harrisburg. When he reached Kleinfeltersville (now part of

Lebanon County Lebanon County ( Pennsylvania Dutch: Lebanon Kaundi) is a county in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania. As of the 2010 census, the population was 133,568. Its county seat is the city of Lebanon. The county was formed from portions of Dauphi ...

), he could go no farther and there he died, May 18, 1808, at the age of 49. He was buried there in the Becker family plot. A chapel was built near the burial site and remains as a museum and memorial to Jacob Albright.

Legacy

The movement did not take the name of

until after Jacob Albright's death. The family also changed their name to Albright. (Jacob Albright used the name ''Albrecht''.) The church spread to various parts of the United States. In 1894 the Esher-Dubbs dispute occurred and 1/3 of the church left to form the United Evangelical Church. In 1923, most of the disputing congregations returned and the church was renamed the Evangelical Church. The remaining churches became the Evangelical Congregational Church. The Evangelical Church united in 1946 with the United Brethren in Christ (New Constitution) to form the

Evangelical United Brethren Church The Evangelical United Brethren Church (EUB) was a North American Protestant church from 1946 to 1968. It was formed by the merger of the Evangelical Church (formerly the Evangelical Association, founded by Jacob Albright) and the Church of t ...

and that body in turn united with the

Methodist Church Methodism, also called the Methodist movement, is a group of historically related denominations of Protestant Christianity whose origins, doctrine and practice derive from the life and teachings of John Wesley. George Whitefield and John's ...

in 1968 to form the

United Methodist Church The United Methodist Church (UMC) is a worldwide mainline Protestant denomination based in the United States, and a major part of Methodism. In the 19th century, its main predecessor, the Methodist Episcopal Church, was a leader in evangelica ...

. The Evangelical churches have always believed in education for both men and women, forming educational institutions through the country. Two institutions have been named after Jacob Albright. Albright Seminary was established by the Pittsburgh Conference in Berlin, Pennsylvania in 1853 and lasted about 5 years.

Albright College Albright College is a private liberal arts college in Reading, Pennsylvania. It was founded in 1856. History Albright College traces its founding to 1856 when Union Seminary opened. Present-day Albright was formed by the mergers of several ins ...

Reading, Pennsylvania Reading ( ; Pennsylvania Dutch: ''Reddin'') is a city in and the county seat of Berks County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city had a population of 95,112 as of the 2020 census and is the fourth-largest city in Pennsylvania after Philade ...

, formed by the merger of several Evangelical institutions, is a United Methodist affiliated school. One of the highest scholarships the college awards is the Jacob Albright Scholarship, which gives students a substantial stipend per year. The main source for his life is a short biography written in 1811 by George Miller, an elder of the Evangelical Association. A biography of his evangelistic work, including experiences where he was rejected by his listeners, is entitled ''Jacob Albright: The Evangelical Pioneer'' written by Robert Sherer Wilson, A.B., Th. B., published by the Church Center Press of the

Evangelical Congregational Church The Evangelical Church or Evangelical Association, also known in the early 1800s as the Albright Brethren, was a "body of American Christians chiefly of German descent", Arminian in doctrine and theology; in its form of church government, Method ...

of Myerstown in 1940 at Myerstown, PA. Members of the Committee on Publishing Interests were the Rev. E. S. Woodring, the Rev. H. E. Messersmith and the Rev. G. A. Maurey. The first doctrinal book ''Practical Christianity'', written in 1811 by George Miller, was published in 1814 by twenty of Albright's followers known as "The Patrons of the First Edition" who financially supported the publication. The Albright people of Ohio included these seven: Adam Hennig and Frederick Schauer (first preachers of the Evangelical Church to Ohio), John Dreisbach, John Erb, Henry Niebel, John Klinefelter, and Jacob Klinefelter. "These patrons fathers constituted the vanguard of the gospel heralds who followed the westward streams of migration, bearing the missionary zeal and spirit of Jacob Albright".

References

* Albright, Raymond W. ''A History of the Evangelical Church''. Harrisburg, PA: The Evangelical Press, 1945. * Albright, Shannon D. ''The Albrights''. Richmond, VA: S. D. Albright, 1982.
''Albright Memorial Church, Kleinfeltersville, Pennsylvania: Heritage Landmark of the United Methodist Church, 2008. General Commission on Archives and History. The United Methodist Church. 28 July 2008.''
* Good, Kenneth R. ''The Life and Times of Jacob Albright''. Reading, PA: Albright College, 1999.

* Jäckel, R. (Reuben). ''Jakob Albrecht und Seine Mitarbeiter''. Cleveland, OH: W. F. Schneider, 1879. * Leedy, Roy B., ''The Evangelical Church in Ohio''. Evangelical Press, 1959.
The Life of Jacob Albright, 2008. Center for the Evangelical United Brethren Heritage, United Theological Seminary. 28 July 2008.
* Miller, George. Jacob Albright: The First Biography of the Founder of the Evangelical Association. Trans. George Edward Epp. Dayton, OH: Historical Society of the Evangelical United Brethren Church, 1959.
Miller, George. Short Description of the Effective Grace of God in the Enlightened, Protestant Preacher, Jacob Albright. Trans. and ed. James D. Nelson. Dayton, OH: Center for the Evangelical United Brethren Heritage, 1985? 28 July 2008.

Nelson, James D. The Life of Jacob Albright by George Miller. Dayton, OH: Center for the Evangelical United Brethren Heritage, 1985. 28 July 2008.
* Orwig, W. W. (Wilhelm W.). ''History of the Evangelical Association: From the Origin of the Association to the End of the Year 1845''. Cleveland, OH: Charles Hammer for the Evangelical Association, 1858. * Steckel, Karl and Ernst Sommer. ''Geschichte der Evangelisch-methodistischen Kirche''. Stuttgart, Germany: Christliches Verlagshaus, 1982. * Wilson, Robert Sherer. ''Jacob Albright: The Evangelical Pioneer,'' Myerstown, PA: Church Center Press of Evangelical Congregational Church, 1940. * Yeakel, R. (Reuben). ''History of the Evangelical Association''. 2 vols. Cleveland, OH: Thomas & Mattill, 1894–1895. * Yeakel, R. (Reuben). ''Jacob Albright and His Co-Laborers''. Trans. From the German. Cleveland, OH: Publishing House of the Evangelical Association, 1883.

External links

* * {{DEFAULTSORT:Albright, Jacob 1759 births 1808 deaths People from Douglass Township, Montgomery County, Pennsylvania Pennsylvania Dutch people Bishops of the Evangelical Association Bishops of the Evangelical United Brethren Church Converts to Methodism Methodist ministers History of Christianity in the United States Pennsylvania militiamen in the American Revolution 19th-century American bishops 19th-century deaths from tuberculosis Tuberculosis deaths in Pennsylvania American people of German descent American evangelists