Peter Nead was an American preacher in the German Baptist Brethren

Old German Baptist Brethren

Old German Baptist Brethren descend from a pietist movement in Schwarzenau, Germany, in 1708, when Alexander Mack founded a fellowship with seven other believers. They are one of several Brethren groups that trace themselves to that original founding body...

 church. He wrote several theological works, which were (and remain) influential in the GBB and related churches, perhaps the most prominent being "A Vindication of Primitive Christianity."

Life

Nead was born in Hagerstown, Maryland

Hagerstown, Maryland

Hagerstown is a city in northwestern Maryland, United States. It is the county seat of Washington County, and, by many definitions, the largest city in a region known as Western Maryland. The population of Hagerstown city proper at the 2010 census was 39,662, and the population of the...

, and was raised as a Lutheran

Lutheranism

Lutheranism is a major branch of Western Christianity that identifies with the theology of Martin Luther, a German reformer. Luther's efforts to reform the theology and practice of the church launched the Protestant Reformation...

. His family wanted him to become a Lutheran preacher, but he instead chose to learn the trade of a tanner. He later converted to the Methodist

Methodism

Methodism is a movement of Protestant Christianity represented by a number of denominations and organizations, claiming a total of approximately seventy million adherents worldwide. The movement traces its roots to John Wesley's evangelistic revival movement within Anglicanism. His younger brother...

 church, but then after reading a pamphlet from the Brethren church converted to that faith, and soon took up preaching.
In 1825 he married Elizabeth Yount, originally of Rockingham County, Virginia

Rockingham County, Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 67,725 people, 25,355 households, and 18,889 families residing in the county. The population density was 80 people per square mile . There were 27,328 housing units at an average density of 32 per square mile...

.
He later relocated to Augusta County, Virginia

Augusta County, Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 65,615 people, 24,818 households, and 18,911 families residing in the county. The population density was 68 people per square mile . There were 26,738 housing units at an average density of 28 per square mile...

, then Botetourt County

Botetourt County, Virginia

As of the census of 2000, there were 30,496 people, 11,700 households, and 9,114 families residing in the county. The population density was 56 people per square mile . There were 12,571 housing units at an average density of 23 per square mile...

, and finally settled in 1850 near Dayton, Ohio

Dayton, Ohio

Dayton is the 6th largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Montgomery County, the fifth most populous county in the state. The population was 141,527 at the 2010 census. The Dayton Metropolitan Statistical Area had a population of 841,502 in the 2010 census...

where remained until his death, preaching at the Lower Stillwater church.

Ministry

Nead was known as the "English preacher" because of his ability to preach in English. But his greatest impact was in his writings. In 1833 he published "A Vindication of Primitive Christianity," which was widely read. In 1845 he published "Baptism for the Remission of Sins." Both of these works were published together in 1850 as "Nead's Theological Works." His last book, "The Wisdom and Power of God, as Displayed in Creation and Redemption," was published in 1866. He assisted in launching and was a frequent contributor to the church periodical The Vindicator, which was largely devoted to advocating against reformation of the church.