Elder Abel Thornton was born Aug. 16, 1799 and died in Providence County, Rhode Island In 1820 he was captivated by the earnest preaching of Miss Clarissa H. Danforth and the Elder Joseph White of the Smithfield "Free Will" Baptist Church. Abel became increasingly active in this Christian society. He died of consumption October 14, 1827, while wandering around New England as an itinerant preacher, spreading the word of God to all who would listen. This book is his "diary," The Life of Elder Abel Thornton, and was printed in Providence by the Free Will Baptists in 1828.