Ashbel Green Simonton
Encyclopedia
Ashbel Green Simonton was a North-American Presbyterian minister and missionary, the first missionary to settle a Protestant church in Brazil
, Igreja Presbiteriana do Brasil (Presbyterian Church of Brazil)
, and spent his childhood on the family's estate, named Antigua. His parents were the doctor and politician William Simonton
(elected twice to Congress) and Mrs. Martha Davis Snodgrass (1791-1862), daughter of James Snodgrass, a Presbyterian minister, who was the pastor of the local church. Ashbel was named after Ashbel Green
, president of New Jersey College. He was one among nine brothers and sisters. The boys (William, John, James, Thomas and Ashbel) used to call themselves the "quinque fratres" (five brothers). One of his brothers, James Snodgrass Simonton, four years older than Ashbel, was also a missionary to Brazil, spending three years as a teacher in the city of Vassouras, in the state of Rio de Janeiro
. One of his four sisters, Elizabeth Wiggins Simonton (1822-1879), also called Lille, married the Presbyterian minister and missionary Alexander Latimer Blackford, a colleague of Simonton in Brazil and the co-founder of the Igreja Presbiteriana do Brasil.
), in 1852, he spent about a year and a half in Mississippi
, working as a teacher for young boys. Disappointed wit the lack of attention by the local authorities for teaching, Simonton went back to Pennsylvania and tried to become a lawyer, although by that time many people would advise him to become a minister, something to which his mother had consecrated him at his birth. In 1855 he had a deep religious experience during a revival
and went to the Princeton Seminary. In his first term, he heard in the seminary's chapel a sermon by Dr. Charles Hodge
, one of his teachers, which moved him to the missionary work in foreign lands. He was ordained in 1859 and arrived in Brazil on August 12, the same year.
Besides the Presbyterian Church, Simonton created a newspaper, Imprensa Evangélica (1864), along with a presbytery (1865) and a seminary (1867).
In 1867, feeling ill, Simonton went to São Paulo
, where his sister and bother-in-law were raising his daughter. Simonton died on December 9, 1867, victim of a tropical disease named "febre biliosa".
Brazil
Brazil , officially the Federative Republic of Brazil , is the largest country in South America. It is the world's fifth largest country, both by geographical area and by population with over 192 million people...
, Igreja Presbiteriana do Brasil (Presbyterian Church of Brazil)
Early life
Simonton was born in West Hanover, southern PennsylvaniaPennsylvania
The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a U.S. state that is located in the Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States. The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada, to the north, and New Jersey to...
, and spent his childhood on the family's estate, named Antigua. His parents were the doctor and politician William Simonton
William Simonton
William Simonton was a Whig member of the U.S. House of Representatives from Pennsylvania.William Simonton was born in West Hanover Township, Pennsylvania, near Harrisburg, Pennsylvania, to Dr. William Simonton and Jane Wiggins...
(elected twice to Congress) and Mrs. Martha Davis Snodgrass (1791-1862), daughter of James Snodgrass, a Presbyterian minister, who was the pastor of the local church. Ashbel was named after Ashbel Green
Ashbel Green
Ashbel Green, D.D. was an American Presbyterian minister and academic.Born in Hanover Township, New Jersey, Green served as a sergeant of the New Jersey militia during the American Revolutionary War, and went on to study with Dr. John Witherspoon and graduate as valedictorian from Princeton...
, president of New Jersey College. He was one among nine brothers and sisters. The boys (William, John, James, Thomas and Ashbel) used to call themselves the "quinque fratres" (five brothers). One of his brothers, James Snodgrass Simonton, four years older than Ashbel, was also a missionary to Brazil, spending three years as a teacher in the city of Vassouras, in the state of Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro
Rio de Janeiro , commonly referred to simply as Rio, is the capital city of the State of Rio de Janeiro, the second largest city of Brazil, and the third largest metropolitan area and agglomeration in South America, boasting approximately 6.3 million people within the city proper, making it the 6th...
. One of his four sisters, Elizabeth Wiggins Simonton (1822-1879), also called Lille, married the Presbyterian minister and missionary Alexander Latimer Blackford, a colleague of Simonton in Brazil and the co-founder of the Igreja Presbiteriana do Brasil.
Conversion
In 1846, the family moved to Harrisburg, were Simonton finished high school. After graduating in New Jersey College (the future Princeton UniversityPrinceton University
Princeton University is a private research university located in Princeton, New Jersey, United States. The school is one of the eight universities of the Ivy League, and is one of the nine Colonial Colleges founded before the American Revolution....
), in 1852, he spent about a year and a half in Mississippi
Mississippi
Mississippi is a U.S. state located in the Southern United States. Jackson is the state capital and largest city. The name of the state derives from the Mississippi River, which flows along its western boundary, whose name comes from the Ojibwe word misi-ziibi...
, working as a teacher for young boys. Disappointed wit the lack of attention by the local authorities for teaching, Simonton went back to Pennsylvania and tried to become a lawyer, although by that time many people would advise him to become a minister, something to which his mother had consecrated him at his birth. In 1855 he had a deep religious experience during a revival
Revival
Revival may refer to:*Resuscitation of a person*Language revival of an extinct language*Revival of a defunct team*Revival of a former television series*Revival of a former hit play in a new production...
and went to the Princeton Seminary. In his first term, he heard in the seminary's chapel a sermon by Dr. Charles Hodge
Charles Hodge
Charles Hodge was the principal of Princeton Theological Seminary between 1851 and 1878. A Presbyterian theologian, he was a leading exponent of historical Calvinism in America during the 19th century. He was deeply rooted in the Scottish philosophy of Common Sense Realism...
, one of his teachers, which moved him to the missionary work in foreign lands. He was ordained in 1859 and arrived in Brazil on August 12, the same year.
Ministry
Soon after organizing the Presbyterian church in Brazil (January 12, 1862), Simonton spent his vacation in the United States, where he married Helen Murdoch, in Baltimore. They came back to Brazil in July 1863. In the next year they became parents to Helen Murdoch Simonton, Simonton’s only daughter.Besides the Presbyterian Church, Simonton created a newspaper, Imprensa Evangélica (1864), along with a presbytery (1865) and a seminary (1867).
In 1867, feeling ill, Simonton went to São Paulo
São Paulo
São Paulo is the largest city in Brazil, the largest city in the southern hemisphere and South America, and the world's seventh largest city by population. The metropolis is anchor to the São Paulo metropolitan area, ranked as the second-most populous metropolitan area in the Americas and among...
, where his sister and bother-in-law were raising his daughter. Simonton died on December 9, 1867, victim of a tropical disease named "febre biliosa".
External links
- http://scdc.library.ptsem.edu/mets/mets.aspx?src=sons1963&div=10&img=1