Appendix B: George Whitefield’s Amazing American Tour
George Whitefield’s Amazing American Tour
1739–41
In about fourteen months, George Whitefield preached in every American colony, cutting a coastal swath within reach of all colonists. Obviously, Savannah (with nearby Charleston) and Philadelphia (with nearby New York) were significant hubs for this ministry and had repeated visits. But Whitefield also visited scores of other towns. At each of the sites listed on this itinerary (and some omitted), the evangelist spoke to groups numbering in the hundreds and often the thousands, drawing from not only those towns but also the entire region. The Whitefield Experience was a unifying factor in the life of this young nation-to-be—not that everyone agreed with George, but everyone knew him. It’s likely that a majority of Americans got to hear Whitefield in person, and nearly everyone heard about him.
1739
August 14: Sails from England on second journey to America.
October 30: Lands in Lewes, Pennsylvania (now Delaware).
November 2: Rides into Philadelphia for first time.
November 8–10: Preaches from courthouse steps each evening to thousands.
Meets William Tennent.
November 12–14: Heads through New Jersey to New York City.
Preaches at Bordentown.
Meets Gilbert Tennent in Brunswick.
November 14–18: Preaches at several churches (and fields) in New York.
November 19–22: Returns to Philadelphia via Elizabeth, New Brunswick, and Trenton.
Meets Theodore Frelinghuysen, early Dutch Reformed revivalist.
Stays at Tennents’ Log College in Neshaminy, Pennsylvania.
November 23–28: Abington and Philadelphia; side trip to Germantown.
November 28: Possible first meeting with Ben Franklin.
November 29–January 10: Heads south to Georgia, stopping (often to preach) in Chester, Wilmington, Newcastle, Joppa, Annapolis, Upper Marlboro, Port Tobacco, Seals Church, Williamsburg, Bell’s Ferry, Bath, New Bern, New Town (Wilmington, NC), Charleston, Beaufort, and other towns.
1740
January 11–April 3: Based in Savannah, buys land for orphanage.
A brief trip to Charleston in March.
April 4–13: Travels by boat to Pennsylvania.
April 13–23: In Philadelphia area, also preaches in Wilmington (DE), Abington, Germantown, Whitemarsh, Greenwich (NJ), and Gloucester (NJ).
This is probably when Whitefield and Franklin talk about the orphanage and Franklin is moved to donate coppers, silver, and gold.
The dust-up of William Seward and the dance hall occurs.
April 23–May 7: Heads to New York and back to Philadelphia, preaching also in Neshaminy, Montgomeryville, Amwell, New Brunswick, Woodbridge, Elizabeth, Long Island, Freehold, Perth Amboy, Burlington, and Bristol.
Preaches in the church of Moravian missionary Peter Bohler.
May 8–16: In Philadelphia and western suburbs: Pennypack, Darby, Chester, Wilmington, and Nottingham.
May 16–June 4: Boards sloop, waits at Reedy Island for fair weather, docks at Lewes, sails south.
June 5–30: Resettles in Savannah.
July 1–25: Visits Charleston and environs: Beaufort, John’s Island, returning to Savannah via Ponpon, Good Hope.
Faces opposition from church leaders in Charleston.
July 25–August 21: Settles in Savannah.
August 22–25: To Charleston and off by boat to New England.
September 14: Arrives in Newport, RI. Preaches there. Heads to Boston via Bristol.
September 19–October 12: Preaches in Boston and suburbs: Roxbury, Marblehead, Salem, Ipswich, Newbury, Hampton (NH), Portsmouth (NH), York (ME), Hampstead (NH), Malden, Reading, and Cambridge.
(September 24) Visits Harvard College.
October 13–20: Westward trek toward Springfield, preaching also in Concord, Sudbury, Marlborough, Worcester, Leicester, Brookfield, Hadley, Northampton, Hatfield, and Westfield.
(October 17–20) Visits Jonathan and Sarah Edwards in Northampton.
October 21–30: Moves south and west through Connecticut, preaching in Suffield, Windsor, Hartford, Wethersfield, Middletown, Wallingford, New Haven, Milford, Stratford, Fairfield, Norwalk, Stamford, Rye (NY), and Kingsbridge.
(October 25) Meets with students at New Haven (Yale) College.
October 31–November 4: In New York.
November 5–8: To Philadelphia, via Baskin Ridge, New Brunswick, and Trenton.
November 9–16: In Philadelphia.
Preaches in building constructed for him (but still roofless).
Possible conversation with Franklin on spiritual matters.
November 17–25: Goes south and west around Philadelphia, preaching in Gloucester, Greenwich, Pilesgrove, Cohansey (Bridgeton, NJ), Salem, New Castle (DE), White Clay Creek (Newark, DE), Nottingham (PA), St. George’s (DE), and other towns.
November 25–December 13: Reedy Island, awaiting good weather, then sails to Savannah via Charleston.
Writes to Franklin while at Reedy Island.
December 14–31: Relaxing (and Christmassing) at the orphanage.
1741
January 1–3: To Charleston via Port Royal.
January 4–23: In and around Charleston.
January 24–March 11: Sails for England.