author
J. B. (Jared Bell) Waterbury
1799–1876
A 19th-century American minister and religious writer, he published widely on Christian devotion, Sabbath observance, and practical faith. His books and tracts were meant for everyday readers and helped carry Protestant moral teaching to a broad audience.
1 Audiobook
Friendly counsels for freedmen
by J. B. (Jared Bell) Waterbury
About the author
Born in New York City in 1799, Jared Bell Waterbury was educated at Yale, graduating in 1822, and then studied theology at Princeton. He entered the ministry in the 1820s and went on to serve as a Congregational pastor, including pastorates in Hudson, New York, and Boston.
Alongside his church work, he became a prolific religious author. His writings include devotional and instructional books such as A Book for the Sabbath, The Voyage of Life, and Sketches of Eloquent Preachers, as well as hymns and shorter tracts. His work is remembered for its direct, practical tone and its focus on personal piety and moral reflection.
Waterbury died in Brooklyn in 1876. Although not as widely known today as some of his contemporaries, his books remained in circulation through religious publishers and libraries, reflecting the reach he once had among 19th-century Protestant readers.