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Go west, young man

Discussion in 'Baptist History' started by rlvaughn, Nov 13, 2019.

  1. rlvaughn

    rlvaughn Well-Known Member
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    ...and old man, too.

    Unlike James L. Bryant and David Lewis, the organizer of Union Baptist Church near Nacogdoches, Texas left a bigger trail to follow, and lots of descendants. As of today, I have identified 18 Baptist preachers in his family tree, from his son John Harper Reed, who stayed in Tennessee, to his seventh generation, 5-great grandson who currently pastors in Arkansas. On my blog, I have posted a beginning of the story of Isaac Reed – born in South Carolina, ordained in Middle Tennessee, and left this world for realms of glory from East Texas. Here are some excerpts.

    Isaac Reed – also known as Isaac Hines Reed [1] – was born June 6, 1776 in Pendleton, Anderson County, South Carolina, the son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Reed. On September 17, 1797, while still living in South Carolina, Isaac married Elizabeth Harper. This couple sired at least eight children: William B. (1798 – 1863, m. Sarah Wright), John H. (d. before 6 Nov 1848, m. Nancy Louise Hines), Samuel A. (b. ca. 1806 – d. ca. 1876, m. Hannah Hines), Margarete (1808 – 1856, m. William Roark), Elizabeth Reed (1812 – 1850, m. Hugh Shepherd), Isaac, Jr. (1814 – 1837, m. Pricilla Herrin), Frances “Frankie” (1821-1861, m. John Morris), and Mary (m. Awalt?, Sweatt?). Isaac’s “Last Will and Testament” mentions all eight of these children. [2]

    Z. N. Morrell relates knowing him in the western district of Tennessee.

    “With Elder Reed I was personally acquainted, and labored with him in the western district of Tennessee. He there served as moderator of an association; many baptisms and large success attended his ministry there.” [3]

    William and Margaret Roark (Isaac’s son-in-law and daughter) were members of “The Baptist Church of Christ at Hurricane” in Henderson County, Tennessee, when they called for a letter of dismission in the fall of 1834. Samuel A. Reed was church clerk.

    “State of Tennessee Henderson County
    “The Baptist Church of Christ at Hurricane
    “To all to whome these presents may come Greeting
    “Where as our beloved Brother and Sister William Roark and Margaret Roark his wife being about to remove from this place has applied to use for a Letter of Dismission – Therefore this is to certify that they are Members with us in full fellow Ship and good Standing and at their request is dismissd from us in order to Join any other Church of our faith and order
    “Done in Church conference on Saturday before the first Lords day in September 1834.
    “Samuel A. Reed, C. clk.” [4]

    In 1808, Isaac Reed was ordained to the ministry. The Hopewell Baptist Church of Franklin County, Tennessee set apart Isaac Reed for the work of the ministry on March 19, 1808. Beneath is the text of his ordination certificate (which has been preserved by one of his descendants in Texas). [5]

    Isaac Reed helped constitute at least nine Baptist Churches in Tennessee and Texas.[6] He participated in the constitution of at least three associations in Tennessee (Duck River), Alabama (Mud Creek), and Texas (Sabine).[7]

    See HERE for the entire piece. (BTW, this is not a finished product, much left to the life of Reed not addressed on my blog. Yet.)

    [1.] All older records I found give only “Isaac Reed,” but family historians/genealogists give his full name as Isaac Hines Reed. Some spell his given name as “Issac” – e.g. Remembering Two Baptist Pioneer Preachers of Texas, Della Tyler Key, Sidney F. Alford, Lubbock, TX: Dennis Brothers, 2009
    [2] “Book A, Panola County Final Records and Estates,” as printed in East Texas Family Records, Vol. 7, No. 3, Fall 1983, pages 27-29.
    [3] Flowers and Fruits from the Wilderness, Z. N. Morrell, Boston, MA: Gould and Lincoln, 1872, p. 185.
    [4] Transcription of handwritten document in the Sabine Baptist Association file, “The Texas Collection,” Baylor University.
    [5] Owned by Mrs. J. A. Knight of Conroe, Texas, a great-granddaughter, in 1923; Carroll, p. 119. Mrs. Knight had a notarized transcription of this certificate made in 1936, which copy resides in “The Texas Collection” at Baylor University’s archives. J. M. Carroll writes, “The first definite record we have of him is found in his ordination papers. In the possession of Mrs. J. A. Knight, of Conroe, Texas, is an old book—a copy of the New Testament—given to Elder Reed by a Mrs. Bullard of Harrison County, back in the thirties or forties. Under the sheepskin cover of that book is the original copy of Reed’s ordination paper. Mrs. Knight is a great-granddaughter of that early pioneer preacher.” A History of Texas Baptists (Dallas, TX: Baptist Standard Publishing Company, 1923, p. 119).
    [6] At least six of these nine known are still in existence.
    [7] But probably five, the other two being Elk River in Tennessee and Flint River in Alabama.
     
    #1 rlvaughn, Nov 13, 2019
    Last edited: Nov 13, 2019
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