USA > Georgia > Liberty County > History of the Midway Congregational Church, Liberty County, Georgia > Part 10
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PROF. WILLIAM HENRY BAKER.
Brother of the above, born in Liberty county September
1. He had a fuller history prepared, but the Ms. was lost in the burning of his residence.
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HISTORY OF MIDWAY CHURCH.
1, 1834, received into Midway church May 15, 1852, grad- uated at Oglethorpe College in 1859, made superintendent of the Public Schools in Savannah in 1866, and which posi- tion he filled for twenty years.
COL. SAMUEL B. SPENCER.
Son of William and Sarah Spencer, born in Liberty county December 27, 1827, received into Midway church February 19, 1842, graduated at Oglethorpe College in 1848, taught school for several years in Lumpkin, Ga., entered upon the practice of law in 1853, was mayor of the city of Atlanta in 1874, and for a number of years and still is a teacher in the Public Schools in Savannah, Georgia.
PROF. EDGAR T. WAY.
Born in Walthourville, Liberty county, December 21, 1835, received into Midway church November 19, 1853, gradua- ted at South Carolina College in December, 1856, Principal of the Massey Public School in Savannah since 1868, elected a Ruling Elder in the First Presbyterianchurch in Savannah, which position he still fills.
PROF. SAMUEL DOWSE BRADWELL.
Son of James S. Bradwell and grandson of Thomas Brad- well, Major in the war of 1812, was born near Hinesville, Liberty county, January 5, 1840, graduated at Oglethorpe College in 1859, was captain in the war, of "Liberty Volun- teers," for twenty years principal of the Hinesville Institute, (where his father taught before him), at the same time ed- iting the "Hinesville Gazette;" his school being patronized by students from fifteen counties, was elector on the Han- cock and English ticket, unsuccessful candidate for congress in 1886, State Senator in 1888-9, at which time chairman of the committee on Public Schools, appointed by Governor Northen State Commissioner for four year, 1891-95, elected President of State Normal School at Athens in 1895, which position he still fills. As evidence of his popularity, thirty- two children have been named after him.
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Were it necessary I could give quite a number of other teachers, as the Dunhams, the Stevens, the Bakers, the Cassels, the Ways, the Quartermans, as well as lawyers, doctors and other professionals, to say nothing of leading business men, who have gone out by scores, and making their impress felt upon every part of the country. We find them everywhere scattered over the whole land, and when found usually in the front. When Cyneas, the ambassador of Pyr- rhus, after his return from Rome, was asked by his master what he thought of the city and state, he answered, "that it seemed to him to be a state of none but great statesmen and a commonwealth of kings." No one can look over the foregoing list without being deeply impressed with the great honor put upon that little church and community.
CHAPTER IX.
MINISTERS OF THE GOSPEL.
But the greatest honor put upon the church and colony is the great number of ministers that have gone out from them, and their descendants, there being fifty Presbyterians, seventeen Baptists, thirteen Methodists, and one Episcopal- ian, making a total of eighty-one, as appears from the follow- ing list :
PRESBYTERIAN.
1. REV. THOMAS GOULDING, D. D. The first native born Presbyterian minister in Georgia,1
1. That is of our own branch. Dr. Isaac Grier, the grandfather of Dr. W. M. Grier, now president of Erskine College, Due West, S C., of the Associate Reformed Church, was born in Greene county, Ga., in 1776. Over the grave of his mother, Margaret Grier, who lies in the Sardis burying ground, Mecklenburg, N. C., is a head stone, with this in- scription : "The mother of the first Presbyterian minister born in Georgia .- Spragnes' Annals, Vol. IX, P. 110.
.
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HISTORY OF MIDWAY CHURCH. .
the son of Thomas Goulding and Margaret Stacy, (grand aunt of the writer), was born in Liberty county March 14, 1786, dedidated to the Lord in baptism June 25th of the same year, received into Midway church, with thirteen oth- ers, April 29, 1810, taught school at Sunbury and Baisden's Bluff, in McIntosh county, licensed by Harmony Presbytery October 31, 1813, ordained and installed pastor of White Bluff church, near Savannah, January 27, 1816, and -sup- plying the same till 1822, removing then to Lexington, Ga., where he remained for eight years, and where he exerted an influence over some of the first minds in the state, which is now telling and will forever tell on the best interests of men. Among others while here, he received into the church the Chief Justice, Joseph Henry Lumpkin, who after- wards became his ruling elder for a number of years. While at Lexington he also established and taught a Theological class for one year, when being elected professor of Ecclesi- astical History and Church Government in Columbia Theo- logical Seminary in 1828, to which he removed and where he remained till January, 1835, when he became pastor of the church at Columbus, Ga., and which position he filled till his death June 21, 1848, and leaving among others, a son who became a minister, and two daughters who be- came ministers' wives ; one the wife of Rev. William M. Reid, of South Carolina, and the other of Rev. Francis McMurray, of Georgia. By the appointment of the General Assembly, which divided the Synod of South Carolina, he preached the opening sermon at the meeting of the Synod of Georgia at Macon November 20, 1845, and was elected its first mod- erator. At the time of his death he was in the sixty-third year of his age, and the thirty-fifth of his ministry. .
2. REV. ROBERT QUARTERMAN.
The son of Thomas and Rebecca Quarterman and grand son of that remarkable man, John Quarterman, one of the original settlers, was born in Liberty county January 13, 1787, baptized February 4th of the same year, received into Midway church June 10, 1809, with five others, elected as
REV. DANIEL BAKER, D.D.
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PREEBYTERIAN MINISTERS.
Deacon of the church November 23, 1811, captain of the Liberty Infantry, encamped at Darien, at one time during the war of 1812, received as a candidate of Harmony Pres- bytery at White Bluff, licensed by said Presbytery Novem- ber 19, 1819, at Columbia, South Carolina, ordained pas- tor of Midway church May 27, 1823, by Georgia Presby- tery,1 and continued pastor for twenty-six years, in the faithful discharge of his duty, honored and reverenced by all, until impaired health in 1847 constrained him to tender his resignation, which the people of his charge reluctantly accepted, at the same time, however, voting him the posi- tion of "Honorary pastor," with an annuity of $400 till his death, which occurred April 19, 1849. His remains were buried in Midway cemetery. He was the first native pastor born in the colony after the removal from Carolina, Mr. Osgood being the only one in that state. It has been said of him, "Take him all in all and his equal was rarely found." A man of fine physique, in theology sound, his preaching solid, his life consistent, his end calm and peaceful. Four of his sons became ministers, one of whom a Foreign Mission- ary, two of his daughters ministers' wives, one of whom was a missionary to China for sixteen years.
3. REV. DANIEL BAKER, D. D.
Was born in Liberty county August 17, 1791, and baptized October 2d of the same year. He was the son of William Baker, a deacon in Midway church-his grand-father, Wil- liam Baker, being also a deacon. His mother was Elizabeth Dunham. He was received into the College church Hamp- den Sidney April 9, 1805, while at school there, though he said he believed he was converted at Midway when about 14 years of age.2 Entered the junior class and graduated at Princeton in 1815. Licensed by Winchester Presbytery at Leesburg, Va., 1816-supplying the churches in Rockingham county till ordained and settled in Harrisonburg, Va., March 5, 1818. While at Harrisonburg, taught school, having among his pupils Gessner Harrison and Henry Tutwilder,
1. Formed from Harmony Presbytery, by Synod of South Carolina and Georgia, at its meeting at Washington, Wilkes county, Nov. 7, 1821. 2. Life by his son, P. 34.
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HISTORY OF MIDWAY CHURCH.
subsequently distinguished professors, the former in the University of Virginia, and the latter in the LaGrange Col- lege, Alabama. Left Virginia in 1821 and became pastor of the Second Church at Washington, D. C., where he remained until 1828, where he became pastor of the Independent Presbyterian Church of Savannah, Ga., where he remained until entering fully in 1830 upon the evangelistic work-from which time traveling extensively over the country, holding protracted meetings. The results of these missionary la- bors, eternity will alone reveal. As the fruit of one single meeting held at Beaufort, S. C., in 1831, eight ministers went out.1 Among the number of converts, were Rev. Dr. Richard Fuller, of the Baptist church; Rev. Stephen Elliott, Episco- pal Bishop of Georgia, and Hon. R. W. Barnwell, member of Congress and president of South Carolina College. He published a little work, "Baptism in a Nutshell," "Affection- ate Addresses to Fathers and Mothers," and also a vol- ume of "Revival Sermons." The last few years of his life he spent in establishing and endowing the Presbyterian College at Austin, Texas, of which he was it first president. After forty-one years of successful labor, he died at Austin, Texas, December 10, 1857; leaving among other children, three sons, who also become ministers.
4. REV. CHARLES COLCOCK JONES, D. D.
The son of Capt. John Jones and Susannah Girardeau, was born in Liberty county December 20, 1804. Baptized June 9, 1805, received into Midway church November 23, 1823, with twenty-seven others. Studied under Dr. McWhir at Sunbury, licensed by New Brunswick Presbytery, (N. J.) in the spring of 1830. Ordained by Georgia Presbytery No- vember 27, 1831; elected and continued stated supply of the First Presbyterian Church, Savannah, Ga., for the year till November, 1832, when he became missionary to the col- ored people of Liberty county ; elected professor of Ecclesias- tical History in the Theological Seminary at Columbia, S. C., in 1836; returned to Liberty county to his work
1. Life by his son, P. 155.
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PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS.
among the colored people in 1838; reelected pro- fessor of the same chair at Columbia 1848, remaining there till 1850. On the night of April 9, 1850, his house with all his lectures, papers, and library being burned, and being elected to the office, he became successor to Dr. W. A. Mc- Dowell as secretary of the Assembly's Domestic Missions (of the old undivided church), and residing at Philadelphia until the fall of 1853, when his health failing he returned to his home in Liberty county, laboring as he could among the col- ored people till his death, which occurred March 16, 1863.
Dr. Jones will be handed down to future generations as the "Apostle to the colored people." While laboring among them, he wrote a book on the "Religious Instruction of the Negroes," in addition his annual reports, which were widely circulated and read. He also prepared a catechism for their oral instruction, which was generally used in the South, and which has been translated into different heathen languages for the use of foreign missionaries. His chief work is his "Church of God," published after his death by his son. He left three children-the eldest, Hon. Charles C. Jones, Jr., LL. D., a distinguished writer and an author of several works, among them, a history of Georgia; the second, Dr. Joseph Jones, a physician, and for years professor in the Tulane Medical College at New Orleans, and a daughter, who became the wife of Rev. R. Q. Mallard, D. D., of New Orleans.
5. REV. SAMUEL JONES CASSELS.
Son of Elias and Sarah (Jones) Cassels, born at Cannou- chee, Liberty county, February 24, 1806; received into Mid- way church March 2, 1823; graduated at Athens August 6, 1828, with the highest academic honors; licensed by Hope- well Presbytery, and ordained by the same at Augusta, Ga., February 17, 1829; settled at Washington, Ga., in 1832, installed pastor of the church at Macon, Ga., in 1837; re- moved to Norfolk, Va., and became pastor of the church at that place in 1841. His health failing, removed to Savan- nah, Ga., in the spring of 1846, from that time principal of the Chatham Academy till his death-June 15, 1853.
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HISTORY OF MIDWAY CHURCH.
He was the author of several works, and a man of elo- quence and remarkable power in the pulpit. An invalid for several years, he wrote an interesting series of letters for the "Southern Presbyterian" over the nom de plume, "Paul the Prisoner." In accordance with his request, he was buried in Midway cemetery. At the centennial of the old church De- cember 5 to 7, unable to be present, he sent the following toast to be offered in his name, and which the writer well remembers hearing when read: "Liberty county, the place of my first and second birth, to be the place of my third." "The change is coming," were his last words, and calmly folding his hands upon his breast, quietly breathed his last.
6. REV. FRANCIS ROBERT GOULDING.
Son of Dr. Thomas and Ann (Holbrook) Goulding, was born in Liberty county September 28, 1810; baptized March 23, 1811; received into the church at Lexington, Ga., No- vember, 1828, where his father was pastor; licensed by Charleston Union Presbytery at Walterboro, S. C., in 1833. His first charge Concord and Harmony churches, S. C. Nine years minister at Greensboro, Waynesboro, and Bath, Ga. For some time agent of Publication Society and Sea- man's Friend at Charleston, S. C; teacher for awhile at Kingston, Ga .; for six years pastor at Darien, until the war; chaplain in the Confederate army; first inventor of a sew- ing machine.1 His was a busy pen-besides writing largely for papers and periodicals, he was the author of four books, among them "The Young Marooners," already translated into several languages, and a book that will render his name immortal. He died at Roswell, Ga., August 22, 1881, after a ministry of forty-eight years.
7. JOHN WYCKLIFFE BAKER, D. D.
The son of William Jeans and Elizabeth (Way) Baker, was born in Liberty county January 24, 1811; graduated at the State University August 6, 1828, and Princeton Seminary,
1. The writer saw the remains of it at his home at Bath, in the summer of 1848.
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"PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS.
1835; licensed by New Brunswick Presbytery August 5, 1835; ordained by Hopewell Presbytery November 26, 1836; pastor of the Milledgeville Church, Ga., for sixteen years; also professor of ancient languages in Oglethorpe College for seven years; at same time supplying in part, Sparta and Eatonton churches. His health failing, taught a private school in Marietta, Georgia, for one year, elected professor of Moral Philosophy and Evidences of Christianity, in the Military Institute at said place until broken up by the civil wai, taught school in the Richmond Academy, on the Sand Hills, near Augusta, Ga., ministered to different churches around Marietta, among others Smyrna church, for more than twenty years; and for thirty years stated clerk of the Presbytery of Cherokee, sixty-two years in the ministry and still living.
8. REV. JOHN BAKER CASSELS.
The son of Elias and Sarah (Jones) Cassels, was born in Liberty county, April 6, 1811, taught school at Flemington, (then Gravel Hill) the writer's first teacher in 1837; studied theology at Seminary at Columbia, graduating in 1835; licensed by Harmony Presbytery, and received by Hopewell Presbytery April 22, 1837, and at the same meeting or- dained evangelist, pastor of Salem church of that Presby- tery, died after a short ministry of seventeen months, in September, 1838, and buried at the pulpit end of the Salem church, where a monument was erected to his memory. The membership of the church, afterwards having removed to the village of Woodstock, the house was sold to the Baptists, and now bears the name of "Phillip's Baptist church."
9. REV. RICHARD MAXWELL BAKER.
The brother of Rev. John W. Baker and son of William Jeans and Elizabeth Baker, was born in Liberty county April 30, 1813, received into the church at Richmond Bath, when there, going to school to Rev. Samuel Cassels about 1828, licensed by Hopewell Presbytery, and ordained by the same November 29, 1840, preached that winter at Apalachicola,
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HISTORY OF MIDWAY CHURCH.
Florida, doing missionary work at Mariana, took charge of the church at Quincy in 1842, and continued its pastor till 1847, when he took charge of the Academy at Sparta, Ga., and supplying the church at the same time till 1849, when he gave up the school and supplied the church there for three years, temporarily supplied the Midway field during Dr. Axson's absence, in 1851 preached to the Ebenezer church, Sussex county, Va., during the summer of 1852, settled in LaFayette, Ga., in 1853, where for many years, until his health failed, he continued to do evangelistic work in the destitute sections around him. He died at his home at La- Fayette, Ga., June 11, 1896, in the eighty-fourth year of his age.
10. REV. JOHN WINN.
Son of Maj. John and Eliza (Wilson) Winn, was born in Liberty county January 10, 1814, and baptized March 6th of the same year; graduated at Amherst College in 1834, and at Columbia Seminary in 1837; taken under the care of Georgia Presbytery and licensed November 1, 1837, and or- dained by the same November 4, 1838; offered himself and was accepted as a foreign missionary, but lack of funds at the time, and afterwards the failing health of his wife, pre- vented his going as missionary; entered the field for awhile as collecting agent in the South for foreign missions; for a time supplied Forsyth and Hopewell churches; pastor of Darien and Harris Neck churches from 1840 to 1844; pastor Bryan Neck from 1844 to 1851 ; employed by the executors of Lambert's estate as missionary to the colored people of Liberty county from 1851 to 1857; pastor at Henry, Ill., from 1857 to 1871; pastor at Madison, Ill., from 1871 till his death, August 26, 1892, after a ministry of 55 years, leaving two children foreign missionaries, Rev. Thomas Winn and Harriet Louisa Winn-both in Japan.
11. REV. PETER WINN.
Brother of the above and son of Maj. John and Eliza (Wilson) Winn, was born in Liberty county September 27,
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PRESBYTERIAN MINISTERS.
1815; baptized January 7, 1816; received into Midway church December 3, 1831, professing conversion under the preaching of Dr. J. C. Stiles ; graduated with second honor at Franklin College August, 1838 ; taught school for a short time in Taliaferro county ; entered the Columbia Seminary in 1838, but compelled to leave after a year on account of ill health ; labored as bible agent and colporteur of American Tract Society, from 1841 to 1843, in the States of North and South Carolina, Georgia, and Alabama; licensed to preach at Midway by the Presbytery of Georgia November, 1843. After spending the winter in Cuba recruiting his health, he engaged for about two years in missionary labors among the negroes in the vicinity of Port Gibson, Miss., and there married Miss Margarette McComb. Being a confirmed consumptive with health broken down, he returned to the home of his mother at Walthourville, where he died January 18, 1847, and was buried in the old Midway ceme- tery. On account of poor health, he was never ordained.
His widow afterwards married Mr. Henry Bartlett, a merchant of New Orleans, and who was the son of Rev. Mr. Bartlett, for fifty years pastor of the Congregational church at Munson, Mass. He being an elder in Dr. Palmer's church, and went out with a colony, and made an elder in the new church. Through the liberal gift of his widow, Mrs. Bartlett, of $65,000, a memorial building was erected to his memory, which still stands and is known as the "Memorial Church."
12. REV. JOHN JONES, D. D.
Cousin and brother-in-law of Dr. C. C. Jones, son of Maj. Joseph and Sarah Anderson Jones, and grandson of Maj. John Jones, who fell in battle at the seige of Savannah in 1779; was born in Liberty county November 15, 1815; received into Midway church, with seven others, November 23, 1832; graduated at the University of Georgia in 1836 and Columbia Seminary in 1839; licensed by Presbytery of Georgia April 4, 1840; ordained by the same May 2, 1841; pastor of Bryan Neck church, from 1841 to 1843; supply
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HISTORY OF MIDWAY CHURCH.
at Darien, from 1843 to 1847; pastor at Marietta, from 1848 to 1853; pastor at First Church, Savannah, 1853 to 1854; Walthourville, 1855; Washington, Ga., 1856 to 1857 ; Rome, Ga., 1857 to 1861; chaplain in Confederate Army, 1861 to 1862; pastor at Griffin, from 1865 to 1870; evan- gelist of Atlanta Presbytery, 1870; chaplain of the House of Representatives of Georgia for quite a number of years from 1872, and afterwards of the Senate, from 1882 till his death. After fifty-three years of faithful service he died at his home in Atlanta November 26, 1893-aged 79 years. He was afflicted with almost total blindness the last few years of his life. He was buried at Atlanta-the Legislature being in session at the time, adjourned to attend the funeral in a body-he being at the time the chaplain of the Senate.
13. REV. JAMES BULLOCH DUNWOODY.
Son of John and Jane (Bulloch) Dunwoody, and grandson of Dr. James Dunwoody; was born in Washington, Wilkes county, Ga., September 24, 1816 ; baptized January 26, 1817; received in old Midway church Februry 25, 1827, with sev- enteen others; graduated at Yale College; studied law under Judge Lumpkin, and admitted to the bar; graduated at Columbia Seminary in the class of 1841; licensed by Chero- kee Presbytery in the fall of the same year; served as mis- sionary of the Presbytery for one year; ordained by Charles- ton Presbytery in 1845, and installed pastor of Stoney Creek church; supplied Barnwell in 1858, and Washington, Ga., in 1859; chaplain in the army, taught school, supplied feeble churches on the seaboard; returned to Stoney Creek where he is still living, being in his 82d year. In recent cor- respondence with him he expresses continued and abiding interest in the old church at Midway-speaking of it as "Dear Old Midway."
14. REV. RICHARD QUARTERMAN WAY.
The son of John and Rebecca (Jones) Way, was born in Liberty county December 20, 1819; baptized February, 1820 ; received into Midway church, with seven others, November
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23, 1832; entered Franklin College in 1836, where he re- mained a term of years; entered Columbia Seminary and graduated in 1843, licensed by Charleston Presbytery at Charleston, S. C., in April of the same year, ordained at Co- lumbia, as Foreign Missionary, September, 1843, sailed with his wife from Boston November 18th of same year, and reached Ningpo, China, November, 1844, being twelve months on the way, stopping at Java two months ; labored in China sixteen years, leaving the last of 1858, and being four months on the way; missionary to the colored people in Liberty county from 1859 to 1866; in connection with this work, preaching to the whites at Midway during the year 1866, was pastor of Mt. Vernon church from 1866 to January, 1871, stated supply at Brunswick in 1871.2, Pres- byterial evangelist from 1871 to 1873, pastor to Bryan church from January, 1877, to April, 1886, pastor of Ander- son Street Church, Savannah, from 1886 to 1893, died at Savannah August 6, 1895, leaving among hls children one son, a minister, Rev. Louis T. Way.
15. REV. THOMAS SUMNER WINN.
Son of Major John and Eliza (Wilson) Winn, a great grandson of Rev. John Osgood, the first pastor of Midway church, was born at Sunbury, Liberty county, February 5, 1820; received into Midway church November 29, 1840; graduated at the University of Georgia August, 1841 ; teacher on Colonel's Island 1842, and in Chatham Academy, Sa- vannah, 1843; graduated at Columbia Seminary, 1846; li- censed and ordained November, 1846; Domestic missionary at Hawkinsville, Haynesville, and Perry fifteen months; as- sisted Rev. Richard Hooker in organizing Perry church; co- pastor with Dr. Axson at Midway church seven years, from February, 1848 to 1855; pastor of Concord, Mt. Zion and Carthage churches, in Halecounty, Alabama, for forty years, from 1855 to 1895; five years supply at Bethlehem, and few months at Ebenezer, Gainesville, Bethel and Birmingham, all of said state, and still living at his home in Hale county, (1898).
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HISTORY OF MIDWAY CHURCH.
16. REV. JOHN WINN QUARTERMAN.
The son of Rev. Robert and Jemima (Way) Quarterman, who was the pastor of the church for twenty-four years and the father of so many ministers ; was born in Liberty county September 21, 1821; graduated with first honor at the State University in 1840; licensed by Georgia Presbytery November 15, 1845; minister at St. Marys, Ga., six months; ordained Foreign Missionary to Ningpo, China, May 31, 1846, embarking on the bark Grafton from New York, July 20th of the same year, arriving at Ningpo in December, and continuing missionary for ten years; translated portions of the Scriptures, and Jones' catechism, into Chinese for the use of the native schools. He died at Ningpo, China, of small pox October 14, 1857, and was buried there.
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