Brief Biographical Sketches of Some of the Early Ministers of The

BRIEF Biographical Sketches Or SOME OF THE EARLY MINISTERS Cumberland (jjwB&gterian QThurth. SECOND SERIES. BY RICHARD B.mW, -D.D. NASHVILLE, TBNN.: Cumberland Presbyterian Board of Publication, 41 Union Street. 1874. REFACE. On many accounts, the following Sketches are very interesting and valuable. The period of time which they cover was one of astonishing movements in social, political, and religious affairs. The opening of the nineteenth century was an important era among the nations, and especially was it important in the history of our own country. In various departments of human interest, the period since then has been very full of both thought and ac tion. The ecclesiastical world has been all astir with vital forces which have accomplished, already, won derful things at home and abroad, and which promise to do even greater things in future times. The wide field of Christian missions, which previously to the year 1800 presented such a sad picture to the benevo lent heart, has since then become the area of most cheering and happy influences and effects. A state of things existed in the Church of Christ such as to afford small comfort and hope to the lover of his race ; but the Spirit of God was richly poured out upon the hearts of true men and women, and the result has been most glorious. In every branch of the Church new life and power have been inspired and developed, and the cause of Christ marches forward, with rapid and steady strides, (3) 4 PREFACE. to ultimate victory. The Presbyterian household of faith has, since A.D. 1800, expanded without a parallel in its previous history. The Cumberland Presbyterian portion of that household was organized into a sepa rate family since that date, and, by God's abundant blessing, has grown into quite a considerable body of believers. Eev. Samuel McAdow, the sketch of whose life is first in this volume, was one of the three minis ters who constituted its first presbytery, on the fourth day of February, 1810, now near sixty-four years ago. The whole intervening space in our Church's history, from then until now, is here surveyed in the lives of some of its devoted men, including those of the man of wondrous pulpit power, C. A. Davis, D.D., and the man of broad and truly catholic views, Milton Bird, D.D. Not the least interesting thought connected with these Sketches is that their venerable author, whose long life in his Church's service has been so fruitful of good works, whose eighth decade of years is beauti fully illustrating the Psalmist's words, "They shall still bring forth fruit in old age," was himself a par ticipant in much of the experience of the times he re cords, and that he intimately knew many of the noble characters he presents to our view. This, his last book of Sketches, must some day be followed by one written by another hand, in which his own excellent career shall be prominently portrayed by a faithful and loving pen. M. B. DeWITT, Book Editor. Nashville, Tenn., Jan. 1, 1874. CONTENTS. FAOZ Rev. Samuel McAdow 7 Rev. Alexander Anderson.. 27 Kev. Jacob Lindley, D.D 45 Ret. James Brown Porter.. 70 Rev. Robert Bell 95 Rev. William Harris 121 Rev. Alexander Chapman 148 Rev. William Barnett 174 Kev. John Barnett 186 Kev. John McCutchen Berrt 198 Kev. Joseph Brown 217 Rev. Reuben- Burrow, D.D 240 Rev. John Beard 266 Rev. Laban Jones 277 Rev. Hugh Bone Hill 298 (v) VI CONTENTS. rua Eev. Silas Newton Davis 321 Bet. Milton Bird, D.D 839 Bet. William Calhoun Love 356 Bet. Sumner Bacon 875 Bet. Claiborne Albert Davis, D.D 380 BRIEF BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES. REV. SAMUEL McADOW.* 1796—1844. Samuel McADOwf was born, April 10, 1760, in Guilford county, North Carolina. He was the youngest of eight children, four of whom were boys; the four others were girls. His father, John McAdow, emigrated from Ireland when young, and settled in Guilford. He there married Ellen Kel son, who had also crossed the Atlantic. The father was a farmer, and both the parents were Presbyte rians, members of Buffalo congregation, which was at the time under the pastoral care of Dr. David Caldwell. The mother seems to have been a very pious woman, and Mr. McAdow often spoke of her in his subsequent life, bearing testimony to the great excellences of her character and piety of her * Judge McAdow, Rev. Joel Knight, Foote's "Sketches of North Carolina." f The proper spelling of the name is evidently McAdoo, but I follow the usage of the Church Records. (7) 8 REV. SAMUEL M'ADOW. life. He did not enjoy the benefit of her counsel and watchful care long, as she died when he was about ten years of age. When he was about eleven \ > years of age he professed religion, and was received into the Church by Dr. Caldwell. His early years . \ were divided between the labors of the farm and the school, but when quite young he was placed 1 under the care of Dr. Caldwell, as it would seem, for a regular education. The Revolutionary War, however, came on, and the school was broken up. After the close of the war he renewed his studies, and completed an academic course. He afterward took a three-years' course in Mecklenburg College, where he completed his education. His father had died in the meantime. On his returning home his step-mother, who occupied the old homestead, prevailed on him to take charge of the farm. He did so, and on the 24th of November, 1788, was married to Henrietta Wheatly. She became the mother of five children, all of whom died young, except one who was living in 1869. After he professed religion and joined the Church he became seriously impressed with the belief that he ought to prepare himself for the work of the Christian ministry. After having left college, how ever, and taken charge of the farm, especially after having married and become the ls.ead of a family, he, in a great measure, lost those impressions for a time. Still his mind was not long at ease. The impressions returned with increasing force. He left the farm, procured a place near to the residence of Dr. Caldwell, and commenced the study of the REV. SAMUEL m'aDOW. 9 ology under the guidance of his old teacher. On the 20th of September, 1794, he was licensed to preach by the Presbytery of Orange. This was the oldest Presbytery in North Carolina, having been first constituted in May of 1770. At the time of Mr. McAdow's licensure its ministerial members were, Dr. David Caldwell, James McGready, Wil liam Hodge, Henry Patillo, William McGee, and perhaps others. We have an account of his ordination, but the time is unknown. The information is that he preached after his licensure in different parts of the country until he was ordained, and settled in charge of Hopewell congregation, in Orange county. I find the following in Foote's " Sketches of North Carolina:" " In the year 1796, Mr. McGready, who had been ordained in 1793, removed to Kentucky. In the year 1799 the Presbytery of Orange dismissed Rev. William McGee and Barton W. Stone, a licentiate to Pennsylvania Presbytery, and about the same time the Eev. Messrs. William Hodge, Samuel McAdow, and John Rankin, to remove to the West. The part that these men acted in the succeeding events in the West forms an interesting part in the ' His tory of the Valley of the Mississippi.' "* Mr. McAdow was evidently ordained, therefore, previous to 1799. It has been mentioned also that he was settled after his ordination as pastor of Hopewell congregation in his native State. On the *Page 376. 1* 10 REV. SAMUEL M'ADOW. 20th of April, 1799, he lost his wife. This occurred in Worth Carolina. After the death of his wife, feeling himself to be very much broken up, he turned his attention toward the West, whither sev eral of his old friends in the ministry had gone, and also a number of his relatives. He therefore made his arrangements to remove to Kentucky. He was accordingly dismissed by his Presbytery, as we have seen, for his new destination in 1799. On his way Westward he yielded to the solicitations of friends, and spent the first summer in East Tennes see. During the summer he preached as a supply to the Big Limestone congregation. But when the fall came he resumed his journey to the farther West, feeling that he could not be satisfied until he rejoined his former friends. Of course he did not foresee, but we can now see, that he had a great providential mission to fulfill in the West. A call signed by one hundred and eighteen heads of fam ilies for his continuance in East Tennessee as pastor of Big Limestone congregation was presented, but his purpose was fixed. When he reached Ken tucky he found his old friends and fellow-laborers engaged in the great revival. The work was just beginning to develop itself in its wonderful power. In the spring of 1800, he began to preach regu larly at Red River, in Logan county, and to the Rockbridge congregation in Christian county. In October of 1800, he was married a second time to Catharine Clark, a very pious lady, of Logan county. The fruit of this marriage was one child, a daughter. His second wife died on the 17th of REV. SAMUEL SHADOW. 11 May, 1804.

Load more