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."

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