The Ellen G. White Letters and Manuscripts: Volume 1

TOWLE, John R. (1812-after 1885) and Mary M. (1818-after 1885)

A former minister, born in New Hampshire, John Towle became an Adventist around 1848 and a Sabbathkeeper probably in 1852. He married Mary M. Brooks in 1834. Despite his ministerial background, Towle was not highly regarded as a Sabbatarian preacher. At a conference in 1853 at New Haven, Vermont, “all were agreed in expressing their disapproval” of Ezra Eastman and J. R. Towle. “While they travel from place to place (doing no real good, but, rather, harm), apparently to get their living, they are unworthy the confidence of the people of God.” A vision given Ellen White some weeks later confirmed this appraisal. Towle did not break his association with the Sabbatarian movement after this setback, however. For six years the Review carried a continuing record of his subscriptions, donations, and letters (including a letter of “confession” in 1856) until 1859, after which there is no further record of him. The 1880 census listed John Towle as a “minister” living in Walker, Iowa. 1EGWLM 899.2

See: George Hiram Greely, Genealogy of the Greely-Greeley Family (Boston: Frank Wood, Printer, 1905), p. 398; William Allen Wallace, The History of Canaan, New Hampshire (Concord, N.H.: Rumford Press, 1910), p. 640; 1880 U.S. Federal Census, “John R. Towle,” Iowa, Linn County, Walker, p. 20; 1885 Iowa State Census, “John R. Towle,” Linn County, Walker, p. 35; [J. R. Towle], “Bro. J. R. Towle Writes From Woodbury, Vt.,” Review, June 10, 1852, p. 24; J. R. Towle, “A Confession of Faults,” Review, Dec. 11, 1856, p. 46; “Eastern Tour,” Review, Nov. 15, 1853, pp. 148, 149; Ellen G. White, Lt 11, 1853 (Dec. 3); search term “Towle” in Words of the Pioneers. 1EGWLM 899.3