Barbara Heck

BARBARA(Heck) born 1734 in Ballingrane (Republic of Ireland), daughter of Bastian Ruckle and Margaret Embury. Bastian Ruckle (Sebastian), as well Margaret Embury, daughter of Bastian Ruckle (Republic of Ireland) was married Paul Heck (1760 in Ireland). They had seven children of which four were born in childhood.

A biography usually features the person who was a prominent participant of significant events, or made unique statements or comments that were recorded. Barbara Heck, on the however, has not left writings or statements. Evidence of such details as the date she got married marriage, is only secondary. There are no surviving primary sources from which one could reconstruct her motivations or her behavior throughout her existence. She has nevertheless become a heroic figure in early North American Methodism historical. It is the task of the biographers to clarify and define the myth of this particular case and to try to portray the actual person enshrined therein.

Abel Stevens a Methodist Historian published a piece on this incident in 1866. Barbara Heck, a humble woman from her native New World who is credited with the growth of Methodism throughout all of the United States, has undoubtedly made it to the top of the ecclesiastical history of the New World. The reason for this is that the history of Barbara Heck is predominantly based upon her contribution to the cause and her name will forever be linked. Barbara Heck was involved fortuitously with the beginning of Methodism in the United States and Canada and her fame is based on the inherent characteristic of a very successful movement or institution to celebrate its origins so that it can strengthen its sense of tradition and the continuity of its history.