The Biographical Dictionary of America/Andrew, James Osgood

ANDREW, James Osgood, M. E. bishop, was born in Wilkes County, Ga., May 3, 1794. In 1812 he entered the South Carolina conference; in 1814 was ordained a deacon in the Methodist Episcopal church and was admitted to the ministry in 1816. He preached on various circuits in Georgia and South Carolina, and was afterwards in pastoral charge of churches at Savannah, Ga., Charleston, S. C., Greensboro, Ga., and Athens, Ga. In 1829 he became presiding elder, and in 1832 was made bishop. In 1844 at the general conference in New York he was asked to resign his bishopric, or to give freedom to his slaves, of whom he owned several. He decided to give in his resignation, but the southern delegates requested him to reserve his decision for a season, and in a body protested against the action of the general conference and repudiated its jurisdiction. Later at the conference meeting at Petersburg, Va., May, 1846, the Methodist church, south, was formed, which severed all connection with the parent body. Bishop Andrew was selected as its senior bishop. In 1866 he was retired from active duty at his own request. He was the author of "Family Government," and a volume of "Miscellanies." He died at Mobile, Ala., March 1, 1871.