Ashbel Green Fairchild
Ashbel Green Fairchild [1]
an eminent Presbyterian minister, was born at Hanover, N.J., May 1, 1795, and was piously trained by a widowed mother. At the age of thirteen he commenced his classical studies at Morristown; in November 1812, entered the senior class in Princeton College, and graduated in September 1813. In January 1814, he made a public profession of religion, and united with the Presbyterian Church of Hanover; and in June of the same year entered the Theological Seminary at Princeton. He was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of New Jersey in April 1816, and in September following he left the seminary and entered upon a missionary tour of six months in North Carolina, as assistant to Reverend Dr. Hall. Returning home in April 1817, he spent two months in a missionary field in the north-western part of his native state. In September of the same year he entered upon another missionary tour, under the direction. of the Western Missionary Society, spending three months on the waters of the Mononigahela, and then three months on the upper branches of the Allegheny. He was taken under the care of the Presbytery of Redstone, April 21, 1818, and was appointed stated supply to the congregation of George's Creek for half his time; on July 1 following was ordained as an evangelist in Pittsburgh; July 2, 1822, installed pastor of the churches of George's Creek, Morgantown, and Greensborough, Virginia, and for the first three years was obliged to make up the deficiency in his salary by teaching; in April 1827, he was installed pastor of the Tent Church, Pennsylvania, where he served for thirty-six years. He died there, June 30, 1864. In Dr. Fairchild the dignity and the simplicity of the Gospel ministry were most beautifully combined and exemplified. Besides frequent contributions to the weekly religious press, he published The Great Supper: — Scripture Baptism: — Unpopular Doctrines: — and What Presbyterians Believe, all issued by the Presbyterian Board of Publication. See Genesis Cat. of Princeton Theol. Sem. 1881, page 16; Nevin, Presb. Encyclop. s.v. (H.O.R.)
