It's occurred to me that I haven't plugged "A History of Universalism in North Carolina"!
I was waiting to get a scan of the cover - but wasn't able to (my scanner is currently gone - a 24 pound cat sleeping on it doesn't help electronics)
A History of Universalism in North Carolina c/o Guild Masters P O Box 31184 Raleigh NC 27622-1184. The price is 24.95 plus 5.00 shipping and handling
I skimmed through 1946 of the "Star In the West" and I see that Allen Fuller and D.B. Clayton were acting as agents to sell subscriptions. When one of the southern papers went under, the subscribers list went to the Star (of Cincinnati Ohio)
I had someone make an interesting comment (ie: Shecut wrote a manuscript about the Charleston Church) - I'll be glad to hear more about it
(and I've changed the comments section to add the year to it, to make it easier to follow reading).
I like the quote from Rev Semple (last post) and hope to continue to put their own words back in the mouths of these folks.
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Sunday, July 20, 2008
Rev. I. R. Semple - very brief outline
Not being able to find "Humphreys, Kentucky" home of Rev. I. R. Semple, I decided to find out what I could about him, and to see if i could find Humphreys. A source cites a Humphrey in Case County, but I couldnt find any secondary source to that. I did find a few things about I.R.Semple. we see that he is actually deceased before the 1847/1848 directory comes out. The source that year was (as usual) Rev Pingree of Louisville. If Semple was living in the western part of Kentucky, that a year and a half could have gone without Pingree knowing of his death.
We also see that he was fairly young and not long an Universalist minister.
the plan will eventually be that each southeast Universalist Minister (and church) gets their own spot on a hyperlinked website - with additions added as facts become known. I still have years of the STAR IN THE WEST to read, I'm sure I'll know more about Kentucky Universalists when I do.
Issac Robertson Semple (June 25, 1808 to Feb 16, 1846)
last name also spelled Sample, Sempill, etc.
married Eliza Brandenburg of Brandenburg Kentucky.
She was the daughter of Captain Solomon Brandenburg founder of Brandenburg and owner of the Old Walnut Log Tavern in town (back then, a tavern would also be a restaurant and an inn).
Per the Universalist Companion
1845/1846 Brandenburg Kentucky - not in formal fellowship
1847/1848 Humphreys Kentucky
1849/1850 not listed
1850 census, widow and 7 minor children living in Ballard County, Kentucky. Ballard County is on the northwest edge of Kentucky, where the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers meet.
I. R. Semple is thought to have died in Ballard County.
addendum (21/7/2008):
July 1845 writes letter from his home in Brandenburg. He states that he begain preaching in the spring of 1844, and is to go to the Green River Association, the Kentucky State Confrence, and the Indiana State Confrence.
I. R. Semple was elected moderator for the first meeting of The Green River Association of Universalists on August 22, 1845. Meeting was held in Butler County.
"My message is love to God and love to man, deal justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before God."
We also see that he was fairly young and not long an Universalist minister.
the plan will eventually be that each southeast Universalist Minister (and church) gets their own spot on a hyperlinked website - with additions added as facts become known. I still have years of the STAR IN THE WEST to read, I'm sure I'll know more about Kentucky Universalists when I do.
Issac Robertson Semple (June 25, 1808 to Feb 16, 1846)
last name also spelled Sample, Sempill, etc.
married Eliza Brandenburg of Brandenburg Kentucky.
She was the daughter of Captain Solomon Brandenburg founder of Brandenburg and owner of the Old Walnut Log Tavern in town (back then, a tavern would also be a restaurant and an inn).
Per the Universalist Companion
1845/1846 Brandenburg Kentucky - not in formal fellowship
1847/1848 Humphreys Kentucky
1849/1850 not listed
1850 census, widow and 7 minor children living in Ballard County, Kentucky. Ballard County is on the northwest edge of Kentucky, where the Mississippi and Ohio Rivers meet.
I. R. Semple is thought to have died in Ballard County.
addendum (21/7/2008):
July 1845 writes letter from his home in Brandenburg. He states that he begain preaching in the spring of 1844, and is to go to the Green River Association, the Kentucky State Confrence, and the Indiana State Confrence.
I. R. Semple was elected moderator for the first meeting of The Green River Association of Universalists on August 22, 1845. Meeting was held in Butler County.
"My message is love to God and love to man, deal justly, love mercy, and walk humbly before God."
Kentucky 1847/8
Kentucky had enough Universalist Churches in the pre-Civil War era, that they split them into associations. The standing clerk in the 1848 state Convention was Rev. E. M. Pingree of Louisville.
LICKING association. Rev. C. B. Tharp of Paris was the standing clerk. 6 societies:
Harrison County: 1st - Rev. C.G. Cox lives in Leesburg.
Bank Lick - meeting house
Fleming County: 1st
Fleming County: 2nd - meeting house, near Paris
Bourbon County: 1st - new society
Berea - meeting house - new society
the name Licking comes from the Licking River, a river in Northeast Kentucky that flows northwest empting into the Ohio River opposite Cincinnatti, Ohio at the towns of Covington and Newport.
Bank Lick is an unincorporated area in Kenton County, not far from Interstates 71 and 75. Just south of what is now the Cincinnati Ohio Metropolitan area. Harrison County is about 60 miles south of the Ohio, and conatins the town of Cynthiana, where Rev. S. Stirman lived in 1847. Boubon County is southwest of Harrison County and is where Paris is located, home of the Rev. C.B. Tharp, who had been a "partialist" minister and Rev Henry Webster, not yet in formal fellowship.. it's also where the Cain Ridge meetings of 1801 was held.
the current Berea Kentucky is in Madison County, but is said to have been known as "Glade" prior to 1855, so this might not be the same Berea.
MURRAY ASSOCIATION, E. M. Pingree, Louisville, standing clerk
societies:
Louisville: 1st - has Meeting House - Rev E. M. Pingree preacher
Shelby County: 1st - meeting house in Clay Village.
the 2nd Louisville and the Warsaw churches closed this year.
I assume that the Murray Association was in honor of John Murray, the first well known Universalist minister in the Americas. Shelby County is in the current Louisville Metropolitan area. Warsaw is between Louisville and Cincinnati on the Ohio River. Rev. W.B. Chamberlain is still living in town.
GREEN RIVER ASSOCIATION, Rev. W.W. Curry, Madisonville; standing clerk
societies:
Ohio County: 1st and 2nd
society has partial ownership of an Union Meeting House in Hartford.
Hancock County: 1st and 2nd
1st Society has a meeting house
Muhlenberg County: 1st
Meeting house in Bremen
Edmondson County: 1st
Davies County: 1st - society is new
Caldwell County: 1st has meeting house - society is new
Butler County: 1st has meeting house
the Green River runs from central Kentucky west throughout about half of the state before flowing north to the Ohio River across from southwest Indiana. Parts of the valley were known as "Rouge's Harbor" in the late 1700s. In the 1840s, locks made the river navigable up to Bowling Green.River
(no association)
Christian County - meeting house Rev W. Babbitt lives in county
Hardin County - meeting house
Hopkinsivlle - L.T. Braizer, not in formal fellowship lives here; Joab Clark lives here
one source says that this town is also known as Masonville, Rev. John Bozworth and Rev. M. Hudson and Rev E. smith living there.
Licking - one source tells me this is currently the area of Blue Licks. Rev J. M. Brain lives in this area, former partialist preacher
New Castle (near Louisville), Rev. J. Chowning, former partialist living there
Caneyville _ Rev C. Miller, and Rev J. Miller, former partialist, living here.
Humphreys (location unknown) - Rev I. R. Semple resides here
itinerant preachers: Aiken James, J. S. Phelps
rev R.J.L. Phelps (brother of J.S. Phelps) discounted preaching for the time being.
LICKING association. Rev. C. B. Tharp of Paris was the standing clerk. 6 societies:
Harrison County: 1st - Rev. C.G. Cox lives in Leesburg.
Bank Lick - meeting house
Fleming County: 1st
Fleming County: 2nd - meeting house, near Paris
Bourbon County: 1st - new society
Berea - meeting house - new society
the name Licking comes from the Licking River, a river in Northeast Kentucky that flows northwest empting into the Ohio River opposite Cincinnatti, Ohio at the towns of Covington and Newport.
Bank Lick is an unincorporated area in Kenton County, not far from Interstates 71 and 75. Just south of what is now the Cincinnati Ohio Metropolitan area. Harrison County is about 60 miles south of the Ohio, and conatins the town of Cynthiana, where Rev. S. Stirman lived in 1847. Boubon County is southwest of Harrison County and is where Paris is located, home of the Rev. C.B. Tharp, who had been a "partialist" minister and Rev Henry Webster, not yet in formal fellowship.. it's also where the Cain Ridge meetings of 1801 was held.
the current Berea Kentucky is in Madison County, but is said to have been known as "Glade" prior to 1855, so this might not be the same Berea.
MURRAY ASSOCIATION, E. M. Pingree, Louisville, standing clerk
societies:
Louisville: 1st - has Meeting House - Rev E. M. Pingree preacher
Shelby County: 1st - meeting house in Clay Village.
the 2nd Louisville and the Warsaw churches closed this year.
I assume that the Murray Association was in honor of John Murray, the first well known Universalist minister in the Americas. Shelby County is in the current Louisville Metropolitan area. Warsaw is between Louisville and Cincinnati on the Ohio River. Rev. W.B. Chamberlain is still living in town.
GREEN RIVER ASSOCIATION, Rev. W.W. Curry, Madisonville; standing clerk
societies:
Ohio County: 1st and 2nd
society has partial ownership of an Union Meeting House in Hartford.
Hancock County: 1st and 2nd
1st Society has a meeting house
Muhlenberg County: 1st
Meeting house in Bremen
Edmondson County: 1st
Davies County: 1st - society is new
Caldwell County: 1st has meeting house - society is new
Butler County: 1st has meeting house
the Green River runs from central Kentucky west throughout about half of the state before flowing north to the Ohio River across from southwest Indiana. Parts of the valley were known as "Rouge's Harbor" in the late 1700s. In the 1840s, locks made the river navigable up to Bowling Green.River
(no association)
Christian County - meeting house Rev W. Babbitt lives in county
Hardin County - meeting house
Hopkinsivlle - L.T. Braizer, not in formal fellowship lives here; Joab Clark lives here
one source says that this town is also known as Masonville, Rev. John Bozworth and Rev. M. Hudson and Rev E. smith living there.
Licking - one source tells me this is currently the area of Blue Licks. Rev J. M. Brain lives in this area, former partialist preacher
New Castle (near Louisville), Rev. J. Chowning, former partialist living there
Caneyville _ Rev C. Miller, and Rev J. Miller, former partialist, living here.
Humphreys (location unknown) - Rev I. R. Semple resides here
itinerant preachers: Aiken James, J. S. Phelps
rev R.J.L. Phelps (brother of J.S. Phelps) discounted preaching for the time being.
Thursday, July 17, 2008
Fork Ridge, West Virginia
From the CHRISTIAN LEADER dated september 17, 1927
WEST VIRGINIA
Fork Ridge. - This church has been having preaching twice each Sunday during August, by Rev. W.G. Price of Columbus [Ohio], who spent his vacation here. congregations have averaged about seventy-five. One new member united with the church. Aug. 26-28 the West Virginia Confrence met here, and was well attended, Stanley Stall, State Superinteddent of Ohio, and Rev. Elmer Druley and Rev. W.G. Price each spoke twice. W. M. Crouch was re-elected president. Miss Eva Terrill secretary, John Ritchea treasure. The Fork Ridge church voted to co-operate with Mr. Stall in settling a pastor for services every two months. a sign is to be placed in front of the building and new song books secured.
notes: Fork Ridge is located near Moundsville and Glen Eaton, and is in the panhandle of West Virginia, between Ohio and Pennselvania. The church lasted from 1835 to the late 1990s.
WEST VIRGINIA
Fork Ridge. - This church has been having preaching twice each Sunday during August, by Rev. W.G. Price of Columbus [Ohio], who spent his vacation here. congregations have averaged about seventy-five. One new member united with the church. Aug. 26-28 the West Virginia Confrence met here, and was well attended, Stanley Stall, State Superinteddent of Ohio, and Rev. Elmer Druley and Rev. W.G. Price each spoke twice. W. M. Crouch was re-elected president. Miss Eva Terrill secretary, John Ritchea treasure. The Fork Ridge church voted to co-operate with Mr. Stall in settling a pastor for services every two months. a sign is to be placed in front of the building and new song books secured.
notes: Fork Ridge is located near Moundsville and Glen Eaton, and is in the panhandle of West Virginia, between Ohio and Pennselvania. The church lasted from 1835 to the late 1990s.
J. W. Hanson Quote #1
Definition of Christian
Back in 1892 J. W. Hanson defined Christian as
"all those who accept Christ as an authoritative teacher, in whatever attitude of being they may locate him or whatever extent to his mission they may give, are entitled to be called Christian. Christians are those who accept his claims as they understand them, and are endeavoring to be his followers." (A Pocket Cyclopedia, published by the Universalist Publishing House - which was owned by the Universalist Church).
Would this have been a controversial definition then, or one used in the South in 1892, I'm not sure. It does remind us that we need to not define folks by our definition of them, but by their own definition of themselves.
I stumbled across this definition while responding to
An Unitarian Universalist Minister In Mississippi
and is offered in the spirit of
Universalist Quote of the Day
Hanson lived in New England and the Mid-west, and was a prolific writer and editor for Universalism and other subjects (wrote a book on Dwight Moody!) - He's probably the most quoted historic Universalist minister out there in the 21st century.
Back in 1892 J. W. Hanson defined Christian as
"all those who accept Christ as an authoritative teacher, in whatever attitude of being they may locate him or whatever extent to his mission they may give, are entitled to be called Christian. Christians are those who accept his claims as they understand them, and are endeavoring to be his followers." (A Pocket Cyclopedia, published by the Universalist Publishing House - which was owned by the Universalist Church).
Would this have been a controversial definition then, or one used in the South in 1892, I'm not sure. It does remind us that we need to not define folks by our definition of them, but by their own definition of themselves.
I stumbled across this definition while responding to
An Unitarian Universalist Minister In Mississippi
and is offered in the spirit of
Universalist Quote of the Day
Hanson lived in New England and the Mid-west, and was a prolific writer and editor for Universalism and other subjects (wrote a book on Dwight Moody!) - He's probably the most quoted historic Universalist minister out there in the 21st century.
Monday, July 14, 2008
Universalist Churches -1847/8
From the Universalist Companion of 1848 - I'll be doing Kentucky separately
Tennessee -
W.C. Brooks, Memphis
M.P. Fisher, Brownsport (former "partialist")
C.H. Gardner, Decatur County
L.M. Gaylord, Memphis
C.F.R. Shehane, Lewisburg (former "partialist")
I. D. Williamson, Memphis
one new minister. a society and a meeting house in Memphis.
W.F. Tannehill, bookseller, Memphis, keeps Universalist books for sale.
Tennessee is a long thin state. Memphis is on the Mississippi River, across from Arkansas and just north of Mississippi. Father D.B. Clayton in Red Springs, Mississippi, is less than 50 miles from Memphis. Brownsport is in Decatur County, halfway between Memphis and Nashville.
Lewisburg is in the middle of the state, halfway between Nashville and Huntsville, Alabama
Virginia
H. Bain, Norfolk, (not in formal fellowship), later moves to Goldsboro, North Carolina
G.W. Bailey, Richmond
J.L.C. Griffin, Williamsburg (Williamsburg is his home town)
G.L. Lumsden, Bellehaven
Societies in Richmond, Bellehaven, Lynchburg, each owns a meeting house. Sunday Schools in Richmond and Lynchburg. Norfolk is on the coast, just past the Virginia Beach on the James River - go further northwest on the James River and you come to Williamsburg (and the National Historic Site) and go further northwest on the James River up to Richmond. Belle Haven is on the Eastern Shore of Virginia - on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay. lynchburg is in the center of the state, west of Richmond.
North Carolina
State Convention was founded in 1844, Brother William Farrior, of Hallsville is Standing Clerk. Preacher is J. C. Burress (sic) of Kingston (also sic). 1 Church and 17 Union Meeting Halls.
Rev Burruss is best known for his Universalist Herald newspaper in Alabama. Kinston is in the coastal plains, midway between Greenville and Jacksonville (Camp LeJune). Hallsville is in Duplin County 20-30 miles from the current Universalist Churches in Outlaw's Bridge and Red Hill.
South Carolina
State Convention rev. A. Fuller, Salubrity, Standing Clerk. 4 Societies, 9 meeting houses
A.Fuller, Salubrity
J. Mullikin, Slabtown
D.B.Clayton, Dunlapville (see Mississippi)
N.P. Walker, Mountain Shoals (not in full fellowship, former partialist)
S. M. Simon, Newberry Court House (former partialist)
Salubrity was the post office that Allen Fuller had in his home, just south of Liberty SC., slabtown like Salubrity is between modern Clemson and Greenville. Dunlapville is an unknown location, somewhere in Laurens County (not too far from Huntsville). Mountain Shoals is the old name for Enoree, between Spartanburg and Newberry, and Newberry is between Spartanburg and Columbia. The correct spelling is S.M. Simons.
Georgia
Convention, Rev. James C. Kendrick of Greenville is standing clerk.
1 society at Greenville, 4 meeting Houses, at Coweta County, Cobb county, Lumpkin County and Mulberry Grove. Preachers include
D.H. Porter, Clarksville
J.C. Kendrick, Greenville (not in full fellowship)
H.G. Andrews, Henry County
Greenville is midway between Atlanta and Columbus, Cowetta county contains Senoia (and is close to Greenville), Cobb County is home of Atlanta, Lumpkin County has Dahlonega as county seat- in the middle top of Georgia, the Georgia Goldmine area. - I seem to recall a Georgia Universalist Church that had gold on the property, but not sure which is was., Mulbery Grove is the home of the Rockwell Universalist Church, Georgia's second Universalist Church, founded in 1839. It's between Athens and Atlanta. If this is Clarkesville, it's in the northeast side of Georgia - not far from Tallulah Falls. Harris County is south of Atlanta.
Alabama
J. Hubbard, Talladega
S.J. McMorris, Wetumpka
J. Martin (unknown, former partialist, not in formal fellowhsip)
No known meeting house (the one at Mobile had been paid for, but lost due to a defective title).
Rev. C.F. Shehane, editor of the RELIGIOUS INVESTIGATOR at Montgomery. This becomes the Universalist Herald.
Talladega is east of Birmingham. Wetumpka is south of Montgomery.
Mississippi
D.B. Clayton is in Red Banks, not SC at this time. No society, but he preaches in the community, and around. West Mississippi, Near the Tennessee line.
I hope that saying where these places are, helps some of us place them better.
Tennessee -
W.C. Brooks, Memphis
M.P. Fisher, Brownsport (former "partialist")
C.H. Gardner, Decatur County
L.M. Gaylord, Memphis
C.F.R. Shehane, Lewisburg (former "partialist")
I. D. Williamson, Memphis
one new minister. a society and a meeting house in Memphis.
W.F. Tannehill, bookseller, Memphis, keeps Universalist books for sale.
Tennessee is a long thin state. Memphis is on the Mississippi River, across from Arkansas and just north of Mississippi. Father D.B. Clayton in Red Springs, Mississippi, is less than 50 miles from Memphis. Brownsport is in Decatur County, halfway between Memphis and Nashville.
Lewisburg is in the middle of the state, halfway between Nashville and Huntsville, Alabama
Virginia
H. Bain, Norfolk, (not in formal fellowship), later moves to Goldsboro, North Carolina
G.W. Bailey, Richmond
J.L.C. Griffin, Williamsburg (Williamsburg is his home town)
G.L. Lumsden, Bellehaven
Societies in Richmond, Bellehaven, Lynchburg, each owns a meeting house. Sunday Schools in Richmond and Lynchburg. Norfolk is on the coast, just past the Virginia Beach on the James River - go further northwest on the James River and you come to Williamsburg (and the National Historic Site) and go further northwest on the James River up to Richmond. Belle Haven is on the Eastern Shore of Virginia - on the other side of the Chesapeake Bay. lynchburg is in the center of the state, west of Richmond.
North Carolina
State Convention was founded in 1844, Brother William Farrior, of Hallsville is Standing Clerk. Preacher is J. C. Burress (sic) of Kingston (also sic). 1 Church and 17 Union Meeting Halls.
Rev Burruss is best known for his Universalist Herald newspaper in Alabama. Kinston is in the coastal plains, midway between Greenville and Jacksonville (Camp LeJune). Hallsville is in Duplin County 20-30 miles from the current Universalist Churches in Outlaw's Bridge and Red Hill.
South Carolina
State Convention rev. A. Fuller, Salubrity, Standing Clerk. 4 Societies, 9 meeting houses
A.Fuller, Salubrity
J. Mullikin, Slabtown
D.B.Clayton, Dunlapville (see Mississippi)
N.P. Walker, Mountain Shoals (not in full fellowship, former partialist)
S. M. Simon, Newberry Court House (former partialist)
Salubrity was the post office that Allen Fuller had in his home, just south of Liberty SC., slabtown like Salubrity is between modern Clemson and Greenville. Dunlapville is an unknown location, somewhere in Laurens County (not too far from Huntsville). Mountain Shoals is the old name for Enoree, between Spartanburg and Newberry, and Newberry is between Spartanburg and Columbia. The correct spelling is S.M. Simons.
Georgia
Convention, Rev. James C. Kendrick of Greenville is standing clerk.
1 society at Greenville, 4 meeting Houses, at Coweta County, Cobb county, Lumpkin County and Mulberry Grove. Preachers include
D.H. Porter, Clarksville
J.C. Kendrick, Greenville (not in full fellowship)
H.G. Andrews, Henry County
Greenville is midway between Atlanta and Columbus, Cowetta county contains Senoia (and is close to Greenville), Cobb County is home of Atlanta, Lumpkin County has Dahlonega as county seat- in the middle top of Georgia, the Georgia Goldmine area. - I seem to recall a Georgia Universalist Church that had gold on the property, but not sure which is was., Mulbery Grove is the home of the Rockwell Universalist Church, Georgia's second Universalist Church, founded in 1839. It's between Athens and Atlanta. If this is Clarkesville, it's in the northeast side of Georgia - not far from Tallulah Falls. Harris County is south of Atlanta.
Alabama
J. Hubbard, Talladega
S.J. McMorris, Wetumpka
J. Martin (unknown, former partialist, not in formal fellowhsip)
No known meeting house (the one at Mobile had been paid for, but lost due to a defective title).
Rev. C.F. Shehane, editor of the RELIGIOUS INVESTIGATOR at Montgomery. This becomes the Universalist Herald.
Talladega is east of Birmingham. Wetumpka is south of Montgomery.
Mississippi
D.B. Clayton is in Red Banks, not SC at this time. No society, but he preaches in the community, and around. West Mississippi, Near the Tennessee line.
I hope that saying where these places are, helps some of us place them better.
Saturday, July 05, 2008
Blue Heaven above
I'm up in Haywood County NC, having visited Inman's Chapel (and various other NC historic sites), I'm going to blog more about the actual church later - but I am very excited about the work that the Inman family are doing, both on their restoration and on their family and Church history. The chapel looks wonderful and what research I've heard and seen seems accurate. Very well done, I will be praising them more later -
Today though, I want to talk about and ask about blue ceilings. The ceiling at Inman's Chapel was painted blue - as the original ceiling was blue. I have been told that the church near Saluda, SC also had a blue ceiling. That church would have been built around the same time. Rev. Terry Robinson, also visiting, mention that he knew of a blue ceiling in an Unitarian Church.
This weekend I am reading a book where blue is mentioned as a popular color in some of the early churches - I havent seen anything about blue ceilings though - but of course these things set my mind to wondering - can folks name more blue ceiling Churches?
Today though, I want to talk about and ask about blue ceilings. The ceiling at Inman's Chapel was painted blue - as the original ceiling was blue. I have been told that the church near Saluda, SC also had a blue ceiling. That church would have been built around the same time. Rev. Terry Robinson, also visiting, mention that he knew of a blue ceiling in an Unitarian Church.
This weekend I am reading a book where blue is mentioned as a popular color in some of the early churches - I havent seen anything about blue ceilings though - but of course these things set my mind to wondering - can folks name more blue ceiling Churches?
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