USA > North Carolina > Mecklenburg County > Charlotte > The history of Steele Creek Presbyterian Church : Mecklenburg County, Charlotte, North Carolina > Part 4
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On December 31, 1789, he was united in marriage with Jane
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Ross, daughter of Dr. George Ross of Laurens district. Being connected with a distinguished physician, he availed himself of the favorable opportunity of acquiring practical knowledge of medicine. After he moved to Lincoln County, North Carolina, he was often called upon by his neighbors to administer to their wants. His good judgment and remarkable success in treating diseases soon opened up for him an extensive practice; so much so, that for a time it threatened to interfere with his ministerial duties. His fees for such labors were usually very moderate. This no doubt had its influence in widening the circle of his practice. It was in this way he attained the title of Doctor. He was not Divinitatis Doctor, nor Verbi Dei Magistri, but Medicinae Doctor. For reasons unknown, he resigned his charges in South Carolina in 1795 and moved to Lincoln County, North Carolina. There he became a member of Orange Presbytery on the first day of its meeting at Bethpage church on December 24. In the same year, by an act of Synod, the Presbytery of Concord was set off; it consisted of twelve members of which he was one. On March 30, 1796, a call was presented to him from the united churches of Goshen and Unity, and he accepted. He continued to minister to these churches regularly till the year 1804.
The Reverend Hunter was blessed with Asher's blessing - many children. His wife was a fruitful vine, and his children were as olive plants around his table. They had ten children in all - four sons and six daughters; a pair of twins were still-born. Henry died when twelve years old. Two of his sons studied medicine, and George R. studied law. The only two of his sons who attained maturity were elected and served as ruling elders - George, in Horeb church, Fairfield district, South Carolina, and Dr. Cyrus L. Hunter, in Castania Grove church, Lincoln County, North Carolina.
One, not a contemporary of the Reverend Hunter, but well acquainted with his method of conducting things helps us to
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appreciate the general situation. "He had a method of preaching sui genesis as to subjects and manner. The congregation paid him very little. Prayer meetings were among the novelties and did not then exist. Nothing had ever been done for the Bible cause, missions or Sabbath schools." The two latter were objects which in those days were not much agitated or patronized by the church anywhere. The Steele Creek Female Circulating Book Society must have been a church function started in the early part of the Reverend Hunter's tenure as records show that on August 5, 1821, the annual meeting was scheduled.
There were two prevalent habits in the community which were the occasion of great injury to the cause of religion, not only within the bounds of this congregation, but in other places adjacent - dancing parties and the habitual use of intoxicating liquors. The former was very frequently indulged in by those in and out of the church, especially the young, at weddings and other neighborhood gatherings. This habit may not then have been regarded an offense deserving the exercise of church discipline. Too many were prepared to adopt the sentiment of Cowper:
"Strike up the fiddle, let us be gay,
Laymen have leave to dance, if parsons play."
The annual meeting of the Synod was scheduled for Steele Creek, March, 1809, but was cancelled due to high waters. Heavy rains are reported for that year which did much crop damage.
During the Reverend Hunter's pastorate, several elders died. These included David Freeman, the head of a numerous house- hold, on April 27, 1808, at age 66, and Joseph Swann in 1827, age 83. At that time the ruling elders consisted of Reuben Freeman, the son of the deceased David, David McDonald, James Brown, John McDowell, John Hart, James Neely and Francis Mitchell Beaty. Hugh Parks, who had been an elder for several years, was permitted a few years earlier to demit his office as a consequence of some offense he took at the Reverend Hunter in not extending,
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as Parks thought, the ordinary civilities to his son - a minister - while on a visit to this community. Mr. Parks was considered a good man and a kind neighbor, but impulsive. Parks died January 12, 1830, when he was seventy-six years old. He, with the other deceased elders, are all buried at Steele Creek.
The Reverend Hunter was buried in the southwest corner of the old graveyard. The headstone carries the inscription:
SACRED TO THE MEMORY OF THE REV. HUMPHREY HUNTER,
who departed this life August 21st 1827, in the 73rd vear of his age. He was a native of Ireland, and emigrated to America at an early period of his life. He was one of those who early promoted the cause of freedom in Mecklenburg County, May 20th, 1775, and subsequently bore an active part in securing the in- dependence of his country. For nearly thirty-eight years he labored as a faithful and assiduous ambassador of Christ, strenuously enforcing the necessity of repentance, and pointing out the terms of salvation. As a parent he was kind and affection- ate; as a friend warm and sin- cere, and as a minister, persuasive and con- vincing. "Revered by the People of Steele Creek Church"
The Reverend Douglas (1866-79) says this about his predeces- sor, the Reverend Hunter: "It is no less a grateful task than Christian duty, to try to preserve and perpetuate the history of
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such a true patriot and faithful soldier of the cross. We shall, therefore, glean our information, who before us, have gathered what dropped from his own hand, together with what may be found on file in the Governor's office, at Raleigh, North Carolina."
Fourth Pastor - Reverend Samuel Lytle Watson (1828-1840)
Steele Creek was without a pastor for only a few months following the Reverend Hunter's death as the Reverend S. L. Watson accepted the call to serve in 1828. At the time of his appointment he was a licentiate under the care of the South Carolina Presbytery. He was present at the fall sacramental meet- ing conducted by the Reverend R. H. Morrison and rendered some assistance. Shortly thereafter the congregation made ar- rangements to procure the Reverend Watson as their supply for one-half of his time for the remaining months of that year, November and December. In 1828 he was requested to spend two-thirds time at Steele Creek and one-third at Ebenezer Church, York district, South Carolina, to which he agreed. He was ordained as an evangelist in 1828 by his Presbytery (South Carolina) in order that he might be able to more efficiently and fully discharge the duties of his western missionary field in which he had labored in 1827 and to which he planned to return. But upon his acceding to his new arrangement, he applied to be dismissed from South Carolina to join Bethel Presbytery. In 1829 he transferred his connection to the Concord Presbytery in order to accept a three-quarter Steele Creek, one-quarter New Hope pastorate. The Reverend Watson officially began his pastorate at Steele Creek in May, 1829. The Reverend R. H. Morrison preached the sermon.
The Reverend Watson was the eldest of six sons of David Watson of York district, South Carolina; he was born February 5, 1798. He was baptized at Bethel by the Reverend Alexander McWhorter. When quite young he began the study of languages under the Reverend Robert B. Walker in the Bethesda congrega-
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tion. A few years later he spent some months at the school of Mr. Lorance at Centre, North Carolina, and in April, 1816, he entered the Academy of the Reverend J. McWilson in the Rocky River congregation where he completed his preparation for college. He entered South Carolina College in October of 1818 and graduated in 1820. During 1821-22 he taught school in the vicinity of Union Court House, South Carolina. In April, 1822, he was taken under the care of the South Carolina Presbytery at a church near old Pendleton Court House. In spite of objections of the fathers of the Presbytery, he entered the Seminary at Princeton, New Jersey, in 1823. He completed his course of study in September, 1826, and was ordained at Long Cane church, Abbeville district, South Carolina, November 7, 1826. Immediately, he applied for permis- sion to go as a missionary for one year in Alabama. He did so and worked mainly in what is now the city of Montgomery. The Presbytery was not cordial in granting the Reverend Watson's request. He gained it by the vote of the Moderator, who was a special friend. After spending nearly a year in Alabama the Reverend Watson returned hoping to be ordained as an evangelist, which he was.
Shortly after coming to Steele Creek, the Reverend Watson was married to Nancy Hannah Neal. The ceremony was performed by the Reverend James Adams. They settled about one mile south of the church. The Watsons were blessed with eight children. A pair of twins died soon after birth, and another died during childhood. Five grew to maturity, three sons and two daughters. Son John Franklin became a minister. He was licensed and ordained as an evangelist by Bethel Presbytery, South Carolina. He served princi- pally in Arkansas, but his period of labors was short as he died in June, 1869, leaving a widow and one child to mourn his loss.
At the outset, the Reverend Watson felt himself not a little embrassed by the prevalence of the pernicious habits of dancing and drink. The church was considered large and important,
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though it only had one hundred and thirty-five white and about twenty black members. The Reverend Watson was not a man "with words of learned length and thundering sound", nor was he one who just "hints a fault and hesitates a dislike". He possessed a good share of what John Locke calls "sound round-about sense". By exercising prudence and discretion, together with the counsel of a judicious session, he was enabled to reform the habits of the congregation and at the same time avoid all dissentions and divisions. During his eleven year pastorate there was nothing like what might be termed a revival of religion, but the church was strengthened.
From the time of the Reverend Hunter up to 1832, a portion of the congregation was so infected with intemperance, infidelity, Universalism and Unitarianism that strife and erratic church attendance were frequent, but from a variety of influences arising during 1832, good and great work was accomplished. Worthy of note was the unusual amount of sickness accompanied by a large number of deaths; sometimes there were as many as three or four funerals in a day. This strange providence weakened the church in numbers, both in losses by death and by the emigration that followed; yet, it caused men to stand still and consider and return to the house of God. The sickness was not confined entirely to 1832. For some years afterwards the community suffered severely. The Reverend Watson did not escape. He fared as his congrega- tion. In a few years, he found that frequent attacks of sickness began to tell upon his constitution. Added to this was the fact that there was discontent on the part of the congregation. With these influences bearing upon him, the Reverend Watson began seri- ously to consider what his duty was - whether to remain and suffer or to resign. He concluded upon the latter and left in April, 1840. Shortly thereafter he received and accepted a call from Bethel church, York district, South Carolina, the congregational area in which he had been reared.
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In November, 1837, the congregation purchased nine and three-fourths acres from Dr. J. C. Rudsill, and about that time John W. Herron made a gift of three acres for the expansion of the cemeterv.
Elder James Brown died October 5, 1830, at age sixty-six and was buried at Steele Creek. In 1833, Jonathan Reid, William Clark, James M. Sloan, and John Hamilton McDowell were elected and ordained as elders. James Neely, an elder died June 19, 1838, age forty-four, and elder David McDonald passed away May 14, 1838, at age seventy-two. Both are buried at Steele Creek. In 1840 when the Reverend Watson left, the ruling elders were Reuben Freeman, John McDowell, John Hart, F. Mitchell Beaty, William Clark, Jonathan Reid, James M. Sloan and John Hamilton McDowell.
Another significant occurrence during the Reverend Watson's pastorate was the establishment of Pleasant Hill Church on November 15, 1836. The Reverend Watson was instrumental in the organization of this church. This step was not taken on because of dissension with Steele Creek, but merely on account of distance and almost impassable state of the roads in winter. The feeling had ripened in the southern part of the congregational territory that a more convenient place of worship was needed. Prior to the formal organization of Pleasant Hill, the Reverend Watson had been in the habit of preaching in that neighborhood at school houses or in private residences. The Pleasant Hill group applied for a charter in 1836; it was granted to them by the Concord Presbyterv.
Pleasant Hill Church (1836- )
Since many of those formerly appearing in the roles of Steele Creek had a prominent part in the affairs of the new church, we digress for awhile to give a number of these recognition in our history.
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There were forty-two founding members at Pleasant Hill. The first elders were Robert Knox, David Carothers, Robert C. Neely, and Samuel Knox. The church was dedicated June 4, 1837, by Reverend Watson and the elders were ordained by him July 2, 1837. The sacrament of the Lord's Supper was first administered on August 13, 1837.
The pastors from the beginning through around 1879 were as follows: the Reverends S. L. Watson, 1836-1840; Albertus L. Watts, 1841-1853; Andrew M. Watson (supply), 1854; Samuel Williamson, D. D. (supply), 1855; G. D. Parks, January 1, 1856 to June, 1858; James B. Watt, October 8, 1858 to September 16, 1860; S. C. Alexander, June 16, 1861 to January, 1866; and John Douglas, January, 1866 to October, 1879. As we proceed with Steele Creek history we will see that several of these pastors served simultane- ously at the two churches.
Thomas B. Price and James B. Knox were elected elders in November, 1843; Alpheus S. King and Samuel D. Carothers in 1847; and Arthur Randolph Erwin, Dr. G. W. Campbell and Josina M. Cheat in 1854. In June, 1858, John Hart and Samuel Knox, who had been for a time suspended from his office, were elected elders. Alexander H. Query was elected elder in April, 1860 and ordained by the Reverend James B. Watt, but afterwards, because of some difficulty with the Reverend S. C. Alexander, then pastor, with- drew from the Presbyterian and joined the Associate Reformed church where he served as elder. In March, 1863, Joseph Knox was elected elder and ordained by the Reverend S. C. Alexander. W. J. Bowen, David H. Hart, son of elder John Hart, and Thomas N. Knox, son of elder Samuel Knox, were elected elders June 27, 1868. The two new elders were ordained by the Reverend John Douglas September 18, 1868. In 1872 the ruling elders were Samuel Knox, W. J. Brown, David H. Hart and Thomas N. Knox.
In June, 1858, David H. Hart and Matthew Knox were the first elected deacons. F. B. McLean and Richard M. Capps were added
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in 1859, and on June 27, 1868, Robert A. Walker and N. J. N. Bowen were elected. In 1872, the deacons consisted of Richard M. Capps, Robert A. Walker and N. J. N. Bowen.
Fifth Pastor - Reverend Albertus Leander Watts (1840-1853)
During the fall of the year the Reverend Watson left (1840), the pulpit was supplied by the Reverend A. L. Watts, then pastor of Lincolnton and Long Creek churches, North Carolina. In the spring of 1841, Steele Creek and Pleasant Hill united in a call for the Reverend Watts. He accepted and was installed as pastor at the next spring meeting of the Concord Presbytery, which met that year at Steele Creek.
From the unusual amount of sickness that had occurred in the past few years, together with people emigrating west, Steele Creek had been considerably depleted in numbers. This situation could have been discouraging to many assuming the pastorate, but the Reverend Watts assumed the challenge with enthusiasm. He had enjoyed the advantage of several years of experience in the ministry and was in the prime of life.
In person, he was small, under medium in size, and of feeble and delicate constitution. As a preacher, he was plain and instruc- tive. He was seen to best advantage and was most useful in his pastoral visits and in the chambers of the sick and afflicted. He settled on a farm, having purchased land four miles or more southeast of the church.
The Reverend Douglas in the First Edition of our history offers a bit of interesting philosophy on the location of the minister's residence: "We consider it very judicious on the part of a minister, where he has a choice, and unfortunate where he does so from necessity, to settle on the outskirts of his congregation - so far from the center of his operations. This circumstance, in many instances, operates as a serious obstacle in the way of his useful- ness, very often occasions tardiness in meeting his appointments,
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and this fact will soon show its influence on others. Nothing is more essential to a minister's usefulness than punctuality. Be on the spot at the time, have a fixed hour to begin, and when that hour arrives, commence, without regard to the presence or absence of this or that individual. A fixed hour and a quick start soon bring all up to it."
Albertus L. Watts, the youngest son of William and Rachel Watts, was born November 25, 1801. His ancestors were Scotch- Irish. He received his early education from various teachers, such as Captain Alexander, Robert Lansenbury, and Dr. Asa Beall. He went to school for three or four years with the Reverend Beall. He also received academic training under the Reverend J. M. Mushatt of the Associate Reformed church. Later he went to Andover College, but he did not stay long. Why he left we cannot say. He entered the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, in 1826. He joined Concord church when the Reverend John M. Erwin was pastor and soon turned his attention to study for the ministry.
It should be of interest to many for us to turn momentarily to an incident in the life of the Reverend Watts' father, William. "When his family was yet small, he, in the company of one of his neighbors, went on a trip to Pennsylvania, and when attempting to cross the Susquehanna by night, was swept from his horse by the current of the river. A short distance below he lodged on a rock, and there waiting till his fellow traveller could procure assistance, he vowed to the Lord if he would save his life, he would educate two of his sons and dedicate them to the gospel ministry. On the return home he related the circumstance to his wife, who proposed that he should fulfill his vow by educating for the gospel ministry two very promising lads of a near neighbor. To this the father would not consent, saying that was not what he wanted to do, and he lived to see his promise in a way of fulfillment, in the case of his two sons, William Franklin and Albertus Leander; for though he did not live to see them enter the ministry, he lived to
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see them in their academic course with a view to entering that holy office." Two other sons of William Watts became ruling elders.
After graduating at Chapel Hill, Albertus entered Union Semi- nary in Virginia where he received instructions from Reverend John H. Rice. He was licensed to preach the gospel by Concord Presbytery, at Lincolnton, North Carolina, November 15, 1828. For a short time thereafter he served the churches at Buffalo and Briar Creek, Virginia; thence, he removed to the bounds of Orange Presbytery, and preached for some time at Halifax Court House. Following this he went to the county of Granville, Virginia, where he preached steadily to the church of Nuthrush. About this time he married Mary Williams. This union was short as she died of scarlet fever three months after their marriage. Soon after this he returned into the bounds of Concord Presbytery and by invitation settled at Rutherford and Little Britain. About 1835, the Synod of North Carolina divided, or rather set off a portion of Concord Presbytery into a new Presbytery, called The Morganton Presby- tery. This Presbytery met at Morganton in April, 1836, and at that time received the Reverend Watts. At the same meeting a call was presented to him from the church of Lincolnton, which he accepted. He was installed as pastor July 29, 1836. From there he came to Steele Creek. In 1843, he was married to his second wife, Sarah D. McMillan of Fayetteville, North Carolina, by whom he had four children - one son and three daughters. Charles Lewis Watts studied medicine and practiced in New York. He died December 29, 1871, at age twenty-five, thus he practiced for only a short while. Evidently neither daughter had a long life. Mary is buried at Steele Creek and her sisters in Fayetteville. Mrs. Watts died September 30, 1853, and is buried at Steele Creek.
During portions of the Reverend Watts' pastorate at Steele Creek, he was encouraged to believe his labors were not in vain by the increases in membership. At other times he met with such
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discouragement as any minister may reasonably calculate upon who has to come in contact with "many men of many minds". In the earlier years, he was greatly aided by the counsels of a large and judicious session.
In 1846, an unfortunate occurrence took place, which greatly disturbed the peace and prosperity of the church and ultimately impaired Reverend Watts' usefulness and was the cause of his leaving. This trouble grew out of an indiscretion, or ill report, circulated by one individual prejudicial to the character of Mrs. Watts. This slander, as it was generally regarded, was speedily, but rather violently avenged by a few of the congregation. Feelings were excited, and regardless of consequences, they resorted to such means of retribution as involved them in a very unpleasant and vexatious civil prosecution. As all of the parties concerned were of the same neighborhood, each had his friends and advo- cates. Thus matters went from bad to worse until the Reverend Watts became seriously involved. His course of conduct soon alienated some of his friends from him, relaxed their confidence in him, and in the end resulted in grave charges in respect to his ministerial character being preferred against him before the Con- cord Presbytery. The following charges were given: "Of conduct, in several instances, unworthy of a Christian, and unbecoming a minister of the gospel, and well calculated to destroy the confi- dence of a people in their pastor."
The long and warm strife in the church over the Watts' affair had disastrous effects on its prosperity. Many of the influential members left, including two ruling elders. The Reverend Douglas describes it: "One, like Noah's raven, went out to return no more - the others, like his dove, found no rest for the sole of his foot till he came back with the olive branch." It appears as if some of the alienated members only withdrew during the "storm". They took shelter in some neighboring Presbyterian church until the trouble passed over, hoping and perhaps intending to return.
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Others formed connections with other denominations; therefore, they left, never to return.
With a view to investigate the charges against the Reverend Watts, and to settle, if possible, the difficulty between him and the congregation, the Concord Presbytery met at Steele Creek from November 24 to December 2, 1847. After a faithful investigation, lasting eight days, their decision was: "The general charge is not sustained". The result was what might appropriately be termed "a draw game"; nevertheless, it brought about the necessity for Reverend Watts to leave Steele Creek in order to restore some semblance of congregational unity. This he promised the Presby- terv at the time of the hearing, but he did not for several years as he continued at Steele Creek until 1853. In the same year that he left the church, Mrs. Watts succumbed on September 30. The double widowhood in home and church so closely together only tended to make his situation the more desolate and distressing.
The year after the Reverend Watts left (1854), he spent supply- ing two churches (Unity and Six Mile Creek), in the bounds of Bethel Presbytery, South Carolina. During this period he con- tinued to live on his farm in Steele Creek. He prepared to move closer to his new area, but he was suddenly cut down by death January 23, 1855, in the fifty-fifth year of his age and the twenty- seventh of his ministry. Even though the Reverend Watts had left our service, he was laid to rest alongside his wife and daughter Mary in Steele Creek cemetery.
It will not be forgotten that the last act of kindness and respect the Reverend Watts received from his brethren in the ministry was their making him the Moderator of the Synod of North Carolina; the Synod met at Concord in October, 1854. His untimely death meant he did not have the honor of giving the opening sermon for the Synod meeting scheduled for October, 1855. We know not that any of his writings were ever published, except a sermon on "The Final Perseverance of the Saints".
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