John William (Originally Fle-Chiere Fletcher, Jean Guillaume de la), a clergyman of the church of England, born at Nyon, Switzerland, Sept. 12, 1729, died at Madeley, England, Aug. 14, 1785. Of a noble Savoyard family, he was educated at the university of Geneva. Through inability conscientiously to conform to the Calvinistic doctrines of the Reformed church, he was diverted from the clerical profession, and entered the military service of Portugal. Receiving a captain's commission for Brazil, but accidentally failing to sail at the time appointed, he accepted a commission in the Dutch army and set out for Flanders. Peace having been declared meantime, he went to England and became a tutor. About 1755 he joined the Methodist society. In 1757 he took orders in the church of England, and three years later was presented with the living of Dunham, which he declined, since it afforded too much money for too little work," and the poor parish of Madeley became his field of labor. In this region of mines and manufactories, among a most debased and neglected people, he continued his labors of charity and devotion in the midst of opposition and persecutions.

In 1769 Fletcher visited France, Switzerland, and Italy. Soon after his return, in addition to his parish labors, frequent preaching, and visits to London, Bristol, Bath, Wales, and Yorkshire, he assumed the presidency of the theological school founded by Lady Huntingdon at Trevecca, Wales; but his defence and advocacy of Arminianism soon resulted in sundering his connection with it. He afterward devoted his life to the elevation of his parishioners, to missionary journeys throughout the kingdom in company with Wesley, Whitefield, and their coadjutors, and to the preparation of those controversial writings in which the peculiar doctrines and policy of Wesley were defended against the works of Toplady, Rowland Hill, and others. His works have passed through several editions in England and also in America; the last being issued by the New York Methodist hook concern, in 4 vols. 8vo.