Newell Snow Booth

Newell Snow Booth (June 14, 1903 – May 17, 1968) was an American missionary and bishop for the United Methodist Church (UMC). Booth worked as a minister in Massachusetts for the Methodist Episcopal Church (MEC) before joining that church's missionary program. He served in the Belgian Congo for 13 years before returning to head the African department of the Hartford Seminary Foundation. Booth was appointed bishop of Africa for the UMC (into which the MEC had merged) in 1943 and returned to the Congo. He oversaw the construction of medical facilities and wrote textbooks in the Bantu languages. Shortly after being detained at gunpoint during the Congo Crisis he returned to the United States. Appointed Bishop of Harrisburg, Pennsylvania he also served on numerous church boards and commissions and was a church representative on the National Council of Churches, the World Methodist Council and the International African Institute.

Early life Newell Snow Booth was born in Belchertown, Massachusetts, on June 14, 1903, and was a descendant of the Mayflower Pilgrim John Alden. Booth graduated from Boston University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in 1924. As a student he was a member of the Beta Chi Sigma and Phi Beta Kappa fraternities. Booth received a bachelor of sacred theology degree in 1927 and a master of sacred theology degree in 1930. His funeral was held on May 20 at Grace United Methodist Church in the city and was presided over by Lloyd Christ Wicke, Bishop of New York. Booth was buried the following day in Belchertown. Booth's son Newell Snow Junior followed his father to become a minister in the Methodist church and was also a member of the faculty of Miami University.