The Resume

(February 15, 1782-December 20, 1849)
Born in Pittsfield, Massachusetts
Baptist preacher
Based on passages in the Book of Daniel, predicted the Second Coming of Jesus Christ would occur in 1843-44
Had an estimated 50,000 to 500,000 followers

Why he might be annoying:

He initially said the Second Coming would happen sometime between March 21, 1843, and March 21, 1844.
When March 21, 1844 passed uneventfully, he concluded he had used the wrong Jewish calendar, did some re-calculating, and announced April 18, 1844, would be the big day.
When nothing persisted in happening, a follower concluded that October 22, 1844, was the correct date.
When Jesus still did not appear, the day became known as 'the Great Disappointment.'
Some of the true believers had given away all their possessions in preparation.
He continued believing until his death that the Second Coming was imminent, but that some error in Biblical chronology had thrown the date off by a few years.

Why he might not be annoying:

He started converting from Deism to Baptism during the War of 1812 after his infantry regime won a battle despite being vastly outnumbered. ('So surprising a result, against such odds, did seem to me like the work of a mightier power than man.')
His conversion was also influenced by his musings on mortality after the deaths of his father and sister.
He was a very persuasive speaker.
After the Great Disappointment, he refused to give any more specific dates, showing much better judgment than, say, Harold Camping.
Some of his followers formed the Seventh-Day Adventist Church.

Credit: C. Fishel

Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

• C. Fishel's Profiles [Series 45]
• I am a Deist
• I Predicted the End of the World/The Second Coming (Ranked: 1843)
• I Predicted the End of the World/The Second Coming (Ranked: 1844)
• I Stutter/Stammer
• I was Home Schooled
• Look at Me, My Picture Is Art
• People who Have Similar Names on Am I Annoying (Ranked: 697)
• Profiles 33751-34000 (Ranked: 33768)
• Served in the War of 1812

Year In Review:

In 2023, Out of 23 Votes: 21.74% Annoying
In 2022, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2021, Out of 15 Votes: 80.0% Annoying
In 2020, Out of 4 Votes: 75.00% Annoying
In 2019, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
In 2018, Out of 2 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2017, Out of 10 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2016, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
In 2015, Out of 7 Votes: 57.14% Annoying
In 2014, Out of 14 Votes: 50.0% Annoying
In 2013, Out of 14 Votes: 42.86% Annoying
In 2012, Out of 9 Votes: 55.56% Annoying