William Capers
1790 - 1855
William Capers was a Methodist bishop and missionary. He was born in South Carolina where he became a professor of moral and intellectual philosophy. Capers was on the founding council of, and a prominent spokesman for, the Methodist Episcopal Church South. In 1840, he was elected one of three “missionary secretaries” for the Methodist Episcopal Church of America. It was his role to preside over Methodist conferences in the southern United States. He chose to make his home and his base of operations in what was then the small village of Oxford. He moved into a cottage just south of Old Church.
From 1837 to 1840, Capers served as the editor of the Southern Christian Advocate, a Methodist newspaper. In 1840, he was appointed a trustee of the Oxford Female Academy (later known as the Palmer Institute). Capers was well-known as an orator and in 1841, when Emory College built what is now called Old Church, Bishop Capers conducted the dedication ceremony and preached the first commencement service for the college there. The church was used as a community church as well as the church where college services were held until the Allen Memorial Methodist Church was built in 1910.
Bishop Capers did not remain long in Oxford, but it was long enough for his daughter, Susan to form an attachment to G. W. W. Stone. They married in 1843 and lived in Oxford for the rest of their lives, becoming one of the great founding families of the town.
From 1837 to 1840, Capers served as the editor of the Southern Christian Advocate, a Methodist newspaper. In 1840, he was appointed a trustee of the Oxford Female Academy (later known as the Palmer Institute). Capers was well-known as an orator and in 1841, when Emory College built what is now called Old Church, Bishop Capers conducted the dedication ceremony and preached the first commencement service for the college there. The church was used as a community church as well as the church where college services were held until the Allen Memorial Methodist Church was built in 1910.
Bishop Capers did not remain long in Oxford, but it was long enough for his daughter, Susan to form an attachment to G. W. W. Stone. They married in 1843 and lived in Oxford for the rest of their lives, becoming one of the great founding families of the town.
|
|
In 1821, the portrait of William Capers (pictured at the top of this page) was painted in Savannah by the renowned New England miniature portrait artist, Nathaniel Jocelyn. The Eady Family of Oxford owns a painting of Capers that appears to be the Jocelyn portrait.