The History of Hopewell Presbyterian Church for 175 Years from The
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1&&Q irf^' THE HISTORY OF HOPEWELL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH o 3 PL, O(X, THE HISTORY OF HOPEWELL PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH FOR 175 YEARS FROM THE ASSIGNED DATE OF ITS ORGANIZATION 1762 By Charles William Sommerville, Ph.D., D.D. Preyared for vublicoMon By Jane D. Carson, M.A. Betty Guy Sommerville, A.B .M^q iAf%0\^-H^~'» #*,. ^^) PUBLISHED^jaaa^- By Hopewell Presbyterian Church Committee for the Church j % J. F. Houston, Chairman J. G. McElroy J. F. Patterson Printed by The Observer Printing House, Inc. Charlotte, N. C. p.fdz ll o I TO THE CHILDREN OF HOPEWELL Whose greetings around the pulpit in childlike simplicity heartened their pastor for new effort To feed His lambs, to tend His sheep, This history of the church of their fathers is dedicated l£^ ji.^lf &-4*>L — 1 py'*ee j 6 6 - i&- CONTENTS Page Author's Preface 7 Introductory Note 9 Chapter I. Beginnings and John Thomson 11 II. Organization and Buildings 28 III. Succession of Pastors 35 IV. Some Neighbors and Daughters 59 V. Schools of Hopewell 85 VI. Old Families 90 VII. Homesteads of Hopewell 200 VIII. Reminiscences 217 Appendices A. Miscellaneous Additions to the Narrative 245 B. Hopewell's Activities Today 274 C. Monuments and Markers 284 D. Cemeteries 286 Bibliography 320 m£^ /^i^/VV^ The members of Hopewell Church and Congregation will ever revere the memory of Dr. Sommerville, for twelve years their beloved Minister. A great Christian, a great Bible Teacher, a faithful Preacher of the Word, a thoughtful, kind, sympa- thetic Pastor, his work was great and brought them untold blessings. 3ltt ifflemnrtam Rev. Charles W. Sommerville, D.D. Pastor of Hopewell Church November 7, 1926—May 7, 1938 » : AUTHOR'S PREFACE '""pHis history of Hopewell would never have been attempted but for the providential prompting climaxed in the influence of Rev. Samuel Williams Moore, D.D., devoted son of the church. The writer had realized from brief acquaintance with his people at the first that the history was needed, but he excused himself from the task, shrinking from what was involved and being already to the limit of strength occupied with the teaching and preaching he loved, and to which he wished to give exclu- sively all time and all care. The Woman's Auxiliary, through its president, Mrs. Jo Davidson, and historian, Miss Estelle Barnett, had made a beginning. In 1935 Dr. Moore brought to the session's attention the need of preparation for proper observance of the 175th anniversary of the church's organization. From that time on, the history quickened pace and gradually absorbed every hour of time not used for college and pulpit preparation. The people have fully cooperated and have during these years contributed from tradition, memory, and first hand knowledge, most of the data recorded. A week spent in Dr. Tenney's collec- tion at Montreat, with the obliging assistance of Dr. and Mrs. Tenney and Miss Helen Cunningham, made available a wealth of material. Search in the Congressional Library, the help of Dr. R. B. Woodworth on a visit to Union Seminary's Spence Library, correspondence, and visits to localities, cemeteries and homes gave many details and corrections. For all such assistance thanks are given. It is hardly possible to mention the name of every person who has helped the author, and not safe to list them lest even one should be left out. Most of them are mentioned throughout the volume as suits the connection. No such name has been knowingly omitted and indebtedness to all is here acknowledged. In the matter of proper names no responsibility is assumed by the author. Although great care has been used in the desire for accuracy, there has been large opportunity for errors, particularly as to dates, in spite of exacting and tedious supervision. The records themselves vary—family Bibles, legal papers, church minutes, and old books ; inscriptions and epitaphs have been taken down by voluntary—not trained—copyists, often one writ- ing as another read the none-too-clear legend. Deeply sensible of the many imperfections of his work, the writer finds comfort in the plea of John Van Lear Macmahon in his History of Maryland, when he had finished it "Let him that can't commend it, Mend it!" Charles W. Sommerville. 701 East Boulevard j . 1 . • ^. , a A/s. Charlotte, N. C. (MMA C^cUa Tf I Pjfr. May 4, 1938 * /f / '] INTRODUCTORY NOTE TN arranging for publication the unfinished manuscript of Dr. Sommerville, we have tried to make the book as nearly as possible what he had planned. The part of the narrative which he had completed has not been changed ; for the remainder, he left such full notes that the language is practically his own. Contri- butions of special, rather than general, interest are included in the Appendix, together with lists, tombstone inscriptions and other material not in narrative form. In deciding what to include and what to exclude, we have been guided by our understanding of the author's conception of the relative importance of the material. Whenever possible, contributions are to be found exactly as given to the author; some deletions were necessary to avoid repetition or to bring the book within the limits prescribed by the cost of publication. Much of the genealogical material in Chapter Six, "Old Families," has been rearranged so as to fit into a uniform scheme of narrative, planned for the convenience of the general reader rather than for the genealogist. In posthumous works of this kind it is difficult to avoid e rrors in acknowledging sources of quoted material. Direct quotations, and also sources wherever Dr. Sommerville clearly indicated them, are given as they occur in the original manuscript. Unfor- tunately he had not checked book and page references. Where we have hacTaccess t'o the materiaTpwe~liave done so; in all other instances, we have followed the notes. JaneJANE CARSONCarson . - , Betty Guy SoMMERvi^LEf-^^^^f * Charlotte, N. C. May 1, 1939 CHAPTER I THE BEGINNINGS AND JOHN THOMSON The far background of North Carolina has small interest for our survey—1587, Virginia Dare, Roanoke Island, —1702, the settlement of the first explorers in western Carolina. Our concern is with a religious movement. Presbyterianism in North Carolina had a three-fold origin, three roots from the deep soil of the history of man's struggle for God-given rights. That irrepressible conflict lies back of and gives explanation to the history here written. The three avenues of entrance were: 1 1. The Sea Coast and the Virginia Line. The first perma- nent settlements had been formed by fugitives from Virginia, some from the intolerant laws against Non-conformists, some because lawless themselves. Puritans, driven from Virginia, settled along the seaboard ; a colony of Huguenots, 1707, on the Trent River ; one of Palatines, 1709, at New Bern ; each main- taining the habits, customs, and religious services of the father- land. 2 2. The Cape Fear River and the Coastal Plain. Many years previous to Culloden, 1746, and after Culloden, Scotch Highlanders—all Presbyterians—came along the Cape Fear in large companies, and settled in Cumberland County. In a few years Gallic was being spoken in Moore, Anson, Richmond, Robeson, Bladen and Sampson. The Scotch brought no ministers with them from the homeland. It was to these people that Rev. James Campbell came in 1758, to minister to them for twenty years. 3. Over the lower Virginia Border and later over the entire Western Line—The Scotch-Irish. The settlement of the Scotch-Irish and Scotch in North Carolina was largely accelerated by the patroonage of the Scotchman, Gabriel Johnson, governor 1734-1752. He bears the reputation of having done more to promote the settlement and prosperity of his state than all its other colonial governors combined. Since he encour- aged Scotch emigration to America, in 1748 there was charged 1 Synod of North Carolina Centennial Addresses, 1913, p. 31. 2 Foote, Sketches of North Carolina, pp. 78-80. Hanna, Scotch-Irish, II, 32. 12 The Beginnings and John Thomson against him an inordinate fondness for Scotchmen and particu- larly for Scotch rebels. 3 Why did they emigrate to America? The question is briefly answered 4 as due to the reaction of the Scotch-Irish of Ulster to the treachery of the British Crown. After the death of Elizabeth, James I in 1605 took the lands of the Earls of Tyrone and Tyrconnell in North Ireland and offered them to such of his Scotch subjects as would move over and manu- facture woolen fabrics. He included in the offer certain Puri- tans of England and Huguenot refugees from France. His terms were very liberal ; they were to be practically tax free and to pay no export duty on their goods. Thousands moved into Ulster County and began to raise sheep, manufacture woolen goods, and build mansions. But discord was inevitable, for these people were Calvinists, dissenters from the estab- lished church. The king broke his contract in respect to taxes on exports, and then levied a burdensome tax on their prop- erty. In course of time their lands were confiscated. The people were outraged ; some began to leave Ireland, having lost confidence in their king and his word. Hanna gives as additional reasons for their emigration : religious persecu- tion by the Episcopal authorities, most galling and outrageous; a system of unjust and unwise landlordism which served to discourage thrift and enterprise ; prohibitory discrimination against the trade and manufactures of Ulster in favor of those of England ; the enforced payment of tithes to the Episcopal clergy to sustain a theocracy which Presbyterians believed to be contrary to the laws of God, and to be destructive of their own rights and liberties.