Martin Ruter
Encyclopedia
Rev. Martin Henry Ruter, D.D. (April 3, 1785 - May 16, 1838) was a prominent Methodist
minister, missionary and educator of the early 19th century.
The son of a blacksmith, Ruter was born in Massachusetts
but moved with his family to Vermont
at an early age. Largely self-educated, he read English literature and taught himself Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and French. After being called into the ministry, he joined the New York Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church
in 1801 and received his elder’s orders from Bishop Francis Asbury
in 1805.
. There were few Methodists in New England at that time, forcing ministers like Ruter to ride a large circuit. In 1811 he was sent to Portland, Maine
and then on to North Yarmouth
. In 1815 he was stationed in Salisbury, Massachusetts
for a time and then sent to Montreal
. There he took advantage of the settings to learn French while also becoming a pupil of a rabbi and studying Hebrew. By 1817, Ruter was back in the United States and preaching in Philadelphia. The following year, Asbury College in Baltimore
granted him a Master of Arts degree.
In 1820 the General Conference chose Ruter to establish a new branch of the Methodist Book Concern in Cincinnati. During his eight years as book agent, he edited or wrote more than a dozen books, the most influential of which, History of the Christian Church (1832), was required reading for Methodist preachers for several decades. At his death, he left unfinished a "Plea for Africa as a Field for Missionary Labor" and a "Life of Bishop Asbury."
In 1833, Ruter moved back east to Meadville, Pennsylvania
to take over as president of Allegheny College
. He remained in that position until 1837. Ruter Hall at Allegheny College, built in 1853 and today housing offices for modern and classical languages faculty, was named in honor of Martin Ruter.
. Within a year the Methodist Missionary Society established the Texas Mission, and the bishops appointed Ruter superintendent. He resigned the presidency of Allegheny College and moved with his family to New Albany, Indiana
, where two of his brothers resided, in the summer of 1837. Taking a large supply of Bibles, hymnals, and Sunday school books, he headed for Texas in early November with David Ayres as his companion and guide. On November 23, 1837, they crossed the Sabine River at Gaines Ferry, and entered Texas. In the following weeks, Ruter preached at various locations in including Nacogdoches
and Washington-on-the-Brazos
. By mid-December he was in Houston, where he preached in Congress Hall. He also met with President Sam Houston
, Vice President Mirabeau Lamar and other leaders and gained their support for creating an institution of higher learning. Ruter received pledges from several men willing to donate land and he drew up articles of a charter to be presented to the next session of the Texas Congress. The site apparently most favored for a school was at Bastrop
or near Chappell Hill.
In the meantime Ruter continued his missionary work. He traveled constantly, and he reportedly exceeded 2,200 miles on horseback. The hours of exposure to rain and cold finally took their toll, and in April, when Ruter attempted a journey to the East to raise money for the mission and to bring his family to Texas, he became ill and was forced to return to Washington-on-the-Brazos. He died there on May 16, 1838, apparently of typhoid fever complicated by pneumonia. His vision was realized in 1840 with the founding of Rutersville College
and the formation of the Texas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
In 1901, local Methodist leaders, with the support of Bishop Willard Francis Mallalieu
, relocated Martin Ruter's remains to Navasota, Texas
and erected a granite monument.
Ruter Hall, a dormitory at Southwestern University
in Georgetown, Texas
, was named in honor of Martin Ruter.
. She died only three years later and neither of the couple’s two offspring survived childhood. In 1810, Ruter married Ruth Young of Concord, New Hampshire
. This marriage produced eight children, one of whom, Augustus Ruter, followed in his father’s footsteps and was a professor of languages at both Allegheny College and Transylvania University. Two other sons, Philander and Marcellus, also became Methodist ministers.
Martin Ruter’s youngest brother, Calvin W. Ruter, was a prominent Methodist minister in Indiana and considered a founding father of DePauw University
.
Methodism
Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...
minister, missionary and educator of the early 19th century.
The son of a blacksmith, Ruter was born in Massachusetts
Massachusetts
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. It is bordered by Rhode Island and Connecticut to the south, New York to the west, and Vermont and New Hampshire to the north; at its east lies the Atlantic Ocean. As of the 2010...
but moved with his family to Vermont
Vermont
Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state ranks 43rd in land area, , and 45th in total area. Its population according to the 2010 census, 630,337, is the second smallest in the country, larger only than Wyoming. It is the only New England...
at an early age. Largely self-educated, he read English literature and taught himself Hebrew, Greek, Latin, and French. After being called into the ministry, he joined the New York Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church
Methodist Episcopal Church
The Methodist Episcopal Church, sometimes referred to as the M.E. Church, was a development of the first expression of Methodism in the United States. It officially began at the Baltimore Christmas Conference in 1784, with Francis Asbury and Thomas Coke as the first bishops. Through a series of...
in 1801 and received his elder’s orders from Bishop Francis Asbury
Francis Asbury
Bishop Francis Asbury was one of the first two bishops of the Methodist Episcopal Church, now The United Methodist Church in the United States...
in 1805.
Ministry
The early years of Ruter’s ministerial career were spent in New HampshireNew Hampshire
New Hampshire is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America. The state was named after the southern English county of Hampshire. It is bordered by Massachusetts to the south, Vermont to the west, Maine and the Atlantic Ocean to the east, and the Canadian...
. There were few Methodists in New England at that time, forcing ministers like Ruter to ride a large circuit. In 1811 he was sent to Portland, Maine
Portland, Maine
Portland is the largest city in Maine and is the county seat of Cumberland County. The 2010 city population was 66,194, growing 3 percent since the census of 2000...
and then on to North Yarmouth
North Yarmouth, Maine
North Yarmouth is a town in Cumberland County, Maine, United States. The population was 3,565 at the 2010 census. It is part of the Portland–South Portland–Biddeford Metropolitan Statistical Area.-Geography:...
. In 1815 he was stationed in Salisbury, Massachusetts
Salisbury, Massachusetts
Salisbury is a town in Essex County, Massachusetts, United States. The population was 7,827 at the 2000 census. The community is a popular summer resort beach town situated on the Atlantic Ocean north of Boston on the New Hampshire border....
for a time and then sent to Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
. There he took advantage of the settings to learn French while also becoming a pupil of a rabbi and studying Hebrew. By 1817, Ruter was back in the United States and preaching in Philadelphia. The following year, Asbury College in Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
granted him a Master of Arts degree.
Career in education
In his thirties, Ruter began to focus his career more on education. He was hired as the first principal of Newmarket Academy in New Hampshire and in 1821 was offered a professorship of Oriental Literature at Cincinnati College. The following year, he helped found Augusta College in Kentucky and served as the institution's first president. In recognition of his contributions to education, Transylvania College, Lexington, Kentucky, awarded Ruter a Doctor of Divinity degree in 1822. He was the first Methodist clergyman to receive this honor.In 1820 the General Conference chose Ruter to establish a new branch of the Methodist Book Concern in Cincinnati. During his eight years as book agent, he edited or wrote more than a dozen books, the most influential of which, History of the Christian Church (1832), was required reading for Methodist preachers for several decades. At his death, he left unfinished a "Plea for Africa as a Field for Missionary Labor" and a "Life of Bishop Asbury."
In 1833, Ruter moved back east to Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville, Pennsylvania
Meadville is a city in and the county seat of Crawford County, Pennsylvania, United States. The city is generally considered part of the Pittsburgh Tri-State and is within 40 miles of Erie, Pennsylvania. It was the first permanent settlement in northwest Pennsylvania...
to take over as president of Allegheny College
Allegheny College
Allegheny College is a private liberal arts college located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the town of Meadville. Founded in 1815, the college has about 2,100 undergraduate students.-Early history:...
. He remained in that position until 1837. Ruter Hall at Allegheny College, built in 1853 and today housing offices for modern and classical languages faculty, was named in honor of Martin Ruter.
Texas
In May 1836 Ruter volunteered for missionary service in the new Republic of TexasRepublic of Texas
The Republic of Texas was an independent nation in North America, bordering the United States and Mexico, that existed from 1836 to 1846.Formed as a break-away republic from Mexico by the Texas Revolution, the state claimed borders that encompassed an area that included all of the present U.S...
. Within a year the Methodist Missionary Society established the Texas Mission, and the bishops appointed Ruter superintendent. He resigned the presidency of Allegheny College and moved with his family to New Albany, Indiana
New Albany, Indiana
New Albany is a city in Floyd County, Indiana, United States, situated along the Ohio River opposite Louisville, Kentucky. In 1900, 20,628 people lived in New Albany; in 1910, 20,629; in 1920, 22,992; and in 1940, 25,414. The population was 36,372 at the 2010 census. The city is the county seat of...
, where two of his brothers resided, in the summer of 1837. Taking a large supply of Bibles, hymnals, and Sunday school books, he headed for Texas in early November with David Ayres as his companion and guide. On November 23, 1837, they crossed the Sabine River at Gaines Ferry, and entered Texas. In the following weeks, Ruter preached at various locations in including Nacogdoches
Nacogdoches, Texas
Nacogdoches is a city in Nacogdoches County, Texas, in the United States. The 2010 census recorded the city's population to be 32,996. It is the county seat of Nacogdoches County and is situated in East Texas. Nacogdoches is a sister city of Natchitoches, Louisiana.Nacogdoches is the home of...
and Washington-on-the-Brazos
Washington-on-the-Brazos, Texas
Washington-on-the-Brazos is an unincorporated area along the Brazos River in Washington County, Texas, United States. It was founded when Texas was still a part of Mexico, and the settlement became the site of the Convention of 1836 and the signing of the Texas Declaration of Independence...
. By mid-December he was in Houston, where he preached in Congress Hall. He also met with President Sam Houston
Sam Houston
Samuel Houston, known as Sam Houston , was a 19th-century American statesman, politician, and soldier. He was born in Timber Ridge in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, of Scots-Irish descent. Houston became a key figure in the history of Texas and was elected as the first and third President of...
, Vice President Mirabeau Lamar and other leaders and gained their support for creating an institution of higher learning. Ruter received pledges from several men willing to donate land and he drew up articles of a charter to be presented to the next session of the Texas Congress. The site apparently most favored for a school was at Bastrop
Bastrop, Texas
-Demographics:As of the census of 2000, there are 5340 people in Bastrop, organized into 2034 households and 1336 families. The population density is 734.8 people per square mile . There are 2,239 housing units at an average density of 308.1 per square mile...
or near Chappell Hill.
In the meantime Ruter continued his missionary work. He traveled constantly, and he reportedly exceeded 2,200 miles on horseback. The hours of exposure to rain and cold finally took their toll, and in April, when Ruter attempted a journey to the East to raise money for the mission and to bring his family to Texas, he became ill and was forced to return to Washington-on-the-Brazos. He died there on May 16, 1838, apparently of typhoid fever complicated by pneumonia. His vision was realized in 1840 with the founding of Rutersville College
Rutersville College
Rutersville College , was a coeducational college located in the unincorporated community of Rutersville in Fayette County, Texas, United States. Chartered under the Republic of Texas in 1840, Rutersville College was Texas's first institution of higher education...
and the formation of the Texas Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
In 1901, local Methodist leaders, with the support of Bishop Willard Francis Mallalieu
Willard Francis Mallalieu
Willard Francis Mallalieu was an American Bishop of the Methodist Episcopal Church, elected in 1884.Willard was born in Sutton, Massachusetts. He was of Puritan and Huguenot ancestry...
, relocated Martin Ruter's remains to Navasota, Texas
Navasota, Texas
Navasota is a city in Grimes County, Texas, United States. The population was 6,789 at the 2000 census. In 2005, the Texas Legislature named the city "The Blues Capital of Texas," in honor of the late Mance Lipscomb, a Navasota native and blues musician....
and erected a granite monument.
Ruter Hall, a dormitory at Southwestern University
Southwestern University
Southwestern University is a private, four-year, undergraduate, liberal arts college located in Georgetown, Texas, USA. Founded in 1840, Southwestern is the oldest university in Texas. The school is affiliated with the United Methodist Church although the curriculum is nonsectarian...
in Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown, Texas
Georgetown is a city and also the county seat of Williamson County, Texas, United States with a population of 47,400 at the 2010 census. Southwestern University, founded in 1840, is the oldest university in Texas and is located in Georgetown, about 1/2 mile east of the historic square...
, was named in honor of Martin Ruter.
Personal life
In 1805, Ruter married Sybil Robertson of Chesterfield, New HampshireChesterfield, New Hampshire
Chesterfield is a town in Cheshire County, New Hampshire, United States. The population was 3,604 at the 2010 census. It includes the village of Spofford...
. She died only three years later and neither of the couple’s two offspring survived childhood. In 1810, Ruter married Ruth Young of Concord, New Hampshire
Concord, New Hampshire
The city of Concord is the capital of the state of New Hampshire in the United States. It is also the county seat of Merrimack County. As of the 2010 census, its population was 42,695....
. This marriage produced eight children, one of whom, Augustus Ruter, followed in his father’s footsteps and was a professor of languages at both Allegheny College and Transylvania University. Two other sons, Philander and Marcellus, also became Methodist ministers.
Martin Ruter’s youngest brother, Calvin W. Ruter, was a prominent Methodist minister in Indiana and considered a founding father of DePauw University
DePauw University
DePauw University in Greencastle, Indiana, USA, is a private, national liberal arts college with an enrollment of approximately 2,400 students. The school has a Methodist heritage and was originally known as Indiana Asbury University. DePauw is a member of both the Great Lakes Colleges Association...
.