BIO: Amasa F. Chaffee, Wyoming Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, PA & NY

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Chaffee, Amasa Franklin. History of the Wyoming 
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
New York: Eaton & Mains, 1904, pages 297-298.
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  Chaffee, Amasa Franklin, was born on February 23, 1855, in Dayton, 
Cattaraugus County, N.Y. He attended the village schools in the various 
towns where the family lived until they moved to Randolph, N.Y. Here he 
entered Chamberlain Institute, the Conference seminary of Erie 
Conference, and prepared for college. While his father offered to send 
him to college, he became convinced that such was not his father's 
desire, and therefore turned his attention in other directions. In the 
winter of 1872, while he was teaching the village school at Napoli, 
N.Y., he was converted. One of the prime factors in bringing him to a 
decision was the reading of Holland's Bitter Sweet. In the spring of 
1873, after his winter's work in teaching was over, he went to 
Jamestown, N.Y., where his family had moved in the preceding November. 
Here he entered the employ of a hardware merchant, he having 
considerable knowledge of that business, his father having been a 
hardware merchant for years. In 1875 he went to Gowanda, N.Y., and 
established a fire and life insurance agency.
  The summer of 1877 saw the ripening and completion of years of 
thought concerning his lifework. Shortly after his going to Jamestown 
he united with the Church. Active work in the Church prompted the 
Church to urge the ministry as a lifework. Some time prior to this he 
had heard God's voice calling. This was stubbornly resisted for some 
years, as his training and taste inclined him to business. In June of 
1877 he settled the question, sold his agency, and turned his face 
toward ministry. During two and a half years he had pursued studies in 
the college course, thinking that perhaps some day he might gratify his 
desire for a collegiate course of study. Upon the advice of his cousin, 
Dr. L. H. Bugbee, president of Allegheny College, he entered Drew 
Theological Seminary, expecting to finish the college course at some 
later day. He paid his way through the theological seminary one year by 
printing Dr. Strong's lectures on Old Testament history, and the other 
three years by preaching. He graduated in 1881, the last year of his 
work at Drew being almost wholly postgraduate. In 1882 he joined 
Wyoming Conference, at the suggestion of Bishop Hurst. Since entering 
Conference he has completed his college course. From these schools he 
has Ph.B. and B.D.
  He was licensed as local preacher in the fall of 1877 and 1878 by the 
Jamestown church, and the subsequent renewals were by the churches in 
New Jersey which he supplied.
  On October 20, 1881, he married Miss Maria Ann Manners, of Milburn, 
N.J.
  His pastoral record is as follows: 1882, Laurens; 1883-84, Afton; 
1885-87, Cooperstown; 1888-92, Union; 1893, Derr Memorial, Wilkes-
Barre; 1894-98, Asbury, Scranton; 1899-1903, Carbondale.