BIO: William H. Olin, Wyoming Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, PA & NY

Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by 
Judy Banja & Denise Phillips

Copyright 2007.  All rights reserved.
http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm
http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/pafiles.htm
________________________________________________

Chaffee, Amasa Franklin. History of the Wyoming 
Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church. 
New York: Eaton & Mains, 1904, pages 214-216.
________________________________________________ 

  OLIN, WILLIAM H., D.D., was born in Laurens, Otsego County, N.Y., on 
January 5, 1821, and died at Dexter, Mich., on September 16, 1889, 
while en route to a reunion of his kindred at Galesburg, in the same 
State.  He was buried in the cemetery at Oneonta, N.Y.
  In his young manhood he studied at Cazenovia Seminary, and was nearly 
heartbroken when straitened circumstances forced him to return home 
before completing the course of study.  Subsequently he studied law, 
and was admitted to the bar in 1844.  In six years he built up a fine 
practice, and achieved an enviable reputation.
  It was at this point in his history that his conversion occurred.  In 
1849 a revival was in progress in Oneonta, being conducted by the Rev. 
A. B. Earle, and the services were attended by Mr. Olin, "a lawyer of 
marked ability and influence in the town."  We will give the account of 
this remarkable conversion as found in Rev. A. B. Earle's book Bringing 
in Sheaves:
  "One evening, at the close of the sermon, when an opportunity was 
given for remarks, Mr. Olin rose, and in a bold and defiant tone said, 
'Mr. Earle, I have heard you speak repeatedly in these meetings of the 
power of prayer, and I don't believe a word of it; but if you want to 
try a hard case, take me.'  I said, 'Mr. Olin, if you will come to the 
front seat, we will pray for you now.' He replied, 'I will do nothing 
of the kind; but if you have power in prayer, try it on me.'
  "Before closing the meeting I requested all who were willing to go to 
their closets at a given hour, and pray earnestly for Mr. Olin; and I 
requested him to remember, at that hour, that we were praying for him.
  "The second of third evening after this Mr. Olin rose in our meeting 
and urged us to pray for him.  I asked him if he would come forward and 
let us pray with him; he said, 'Yes, anywhere, if God will only have 
mercy on so great a sinner.'  In a few days he was a rejoicing 
Christian."
  At the time of his conversion and determination to enter the ministry 
he was the probable candidate of the district for Congress for the 
Republican Party.  About the same time "he was approached by a 
representative of a legal firm in New York city, having an extensive 
practice, who offered him a co-partnership in their business."  The 
alluring temptations were powerless.  He was licensed to preach, and in 
1851 joined the Oneida Conference.  When the Oneida Conference was 
divided he became a member of the Central New York Conference, and in 
1869 was transferred to Wyoming Conference.
  Honors came to him rapidly.  In 1866 Wesleyan University conferred 
upon him the degree of A. M., and in 1878 Syracuse honored itself by 
giving him the degree of D.D.  He was a member of the General 
Conference consecutively from 1860 to 1888.  He was a member of the 
Book Committee, and also of the General Missionary Committee for some 
time.  During his term of service as presiding elder on the Binghamton 
District, 1884-87, he was elected member of Assembly from Broome one 
term, having been nominated by the Prohibitionists and indorsed by the 
Republicans.
  He has a striking and impressive personality, and was an orator of 
the Websterian type.  He was preeminently an administrator, a man of 
excellent judgment and comprehensive thought.  One biographer places 
him among the triumvirate of Wyoming Conference - George Peck, Reuben 
Nelson, William H. Olin.
  He was twice married - in 1846 to Miss Emily A. Reed, of Oneonta, and 
on February 4, 1857, to Miss Melissa E. Watkins, of the same place, who 
survived him until January 12, 1898, when she passed away.  She was 
buried by the side of her husband at Oneonta, N.Y.
  His pastoral record is as follows:  1851-52, Deansville; 1853, 
Madison; 1854-55, Stockbridge; 1856-57, Aurora Street, Ithaca; 1858-59, 
Corn Hill, Utica; 1860-61, Norwich; 1862-64, Presiding Elder on 
Chenango District; 1865-68, Presiding Elder on Oneida District; 1869-
71, Centenary Church, Binghamton; 1872-73, Waverly, N.Y.; 1874-76, 
Franklin Street, Wilkes-Barre; 1877-80, Presiding Elder on Wyoming 
District; 1881-83, Centenary Church, Binghamton; 1884-87, Presiding 
Elder on Binghamton District; 1888-89, Presiding Elder on Oneonta 
District.