Samuel Booth

Samuel Booth (1775–1842), the father of William Booth, was born in Belper, Amber Valley, Derbyshire, England. He was tall and often wore clothes that made him look like a Quaker; knee-breeches, drab-cloth suits, and cut-away coats. He married Sarah Lockitt in 1797. At that time, he was a nail-maker. The industrial revolution made his job redundant, therefore he tried to set up some building companies and became an architect. This provided him with sufficient funds to buy a house at Colston Bassett. Samuel and Sarah had a son named William, but he was not the William Booth who founded The Salvation Army. Sarah died in 1819 and William died five years later.

When Samuel Booth went to Ashby-de-la-Zouch to drink the water in hopes that it would cure his rheumatism, he met Mary Moss. He proposed, but she declined. He soon renewed his proposal and pursued her until she agreed, although he was sixteen years her senior. They married and had five children: Henry, Ann, William, Emma, and Mary. Henry died at the age of three. This William became the founder of The Salvation Army. Emma was an invalid from birth and she died without ever marrying at the age of forty. Mary eventually became Mary Newell, and she lived until she was 69.

As Samuel was forced into bankruptcy by successive trade recessions, he moved to Nottingham. William was eventually to say of him:

"My father was a Grab, a Get. He had been born in poverty. He determined to grow rich; and he did. He grew very rich, because he lived without God and simply worked for money; and when he lost it all, his heart broke with it, and he died miserably."

Samuel Booth was not a religious man, and although he had little interest in his children, he insisted that they attend church regularly.

Samuel began to lose more money and he was forced to move into a house on Sneinton Road in a poorer neighbourhood, but he eventually moved back to Nottingham. It was there that he died. He was baptised on his deathbed, after which he committed his wife and children to God. Those who surrounded him, including his son William, sang Rock of Ages as he died.