Memoir of Rev. Samuel B. McPheeters..

Front matter

library of (EbiPcirb 211. i)c

CONFEDERATE. Memoir of^R- Samuel B.

John S. Grasty. lUust bt. - ^

Chapter I. Ancestry

THE late Rev. Wm. McPheeters, D. D., of Raleigh, N. C, took pains to secure an accurate register of his ancestors for several generations. This record shall be used freely, First, because of its intrinsic interest; secondly, for the reason that it will be agreeable to a wide circle of relatives and friends to possess in a permanent form a family history so complete ; but, in the third place, and chiefly, because the providential dealings with this household illustrate with singular clearness that it is the way of the Almighty to " confirm to the children" those rich promises of grace which "he made aforetime unto the Fathers."

Dr. Wm. McPheeters says :

The origin of the name McPheeters, according to a family tradition, is as follows : A certain man named Peter Hume, who resided in the Highlands of Scotland, had by his first wife several children. After her death he married a second wife, by whom he had one son. If he had other children by her, nothing is now known respecting them. Peter's second marriage, it is conjectured, took jjlace when he was somewhat lO MEMOIR OF S. U. M PHEETERS, D. D.

advanced in years, and after the children of his first wife (or some of them at least) had arrived at maturity. This marriage, it is supposed gave dissatisfaction to the children of his first wife. In process of time Peter Hume died, and his landed estate, it seems, fell into the hands of his first wife's children. How long after his death the stepmother and her son lived with the children of the first wife, as one fiimily, is not known. A separation, however, after some time took place. The children of the first wife, being dissatisfied with their father's second marriage, and probably regarding the stepmother and her son as beneath them in point of respectability, so conducted themselves toward their half brother as to cause him to withdraw from the family. It may be that they drove him off. What became of the mother is not known, nor is it known how old her son was at the time. After his separation from the family he continued to reside in the neighborhood ; but instead of receiving and retaining the name of his father, he was called Mac-Peters — that is, Peter's son, the word INIac, in the Highland dialect, signifying son. After various changes in the orthography, the name at length came to be written as at present. From this son of Peter Hume has descended, according to the tradition, the McPheeters family.

My paternal great grandfather was named William. But whether he was the son or the grandson of the so-called Mac- Peters I have not been able to ascertain. My great grandfather, William McPheeters, had several brothers, of whom he Avas the youngest ; and when about sixteen years of age, during the time of Oliver Cromwell, left Scotland and passed over into Ireland. It may be that he and some of his brothers were soldiers in Cromwell's army. My great grandfather settled in Ireland, and was there twice married. The name of his first wife is not known, and all his children by her are said

•

to have died when young. During the Hfetime of his first wife the following incident is recorded of him : One day, being absent from home, several native Irish came to the house and demanded of his wife her husband's money, which being refused, they dragged her out of the house and immersed her in a spring or pool ot water, threatening to drown her if she did not give up the money or inform them where it might be found. During this barbarous treatment she got her thigh bone dislocated. But her husband, providentially returning home at the time, fell upon the savages, killed one or two of them, put the rest to flight, and rescued his wife. After her death, which it is supposed took place some years after, he married a second time, when considerably advanced in years. He is said to have lived to a great age. His second wife's name was Janett McClellen. By her he had four children, three daughters and one son. The son was the youngest child of the family, and was named William, after his father. At the time of his father's death he is said to have been about eight years old. This William was my grandfather. He married in Ireland, and after marriage lived there about seven years previous to . his emigration to America, State of Pennsylvania. His first wife was Rebecca Thompson, by whom he had ten children. My grandfather, after living several years in Pennsylvania, removed to Augusta county, Virginia. Martha, his second daughter, while living in Pennsylvania, married Samuel Donney, and afterward removed with her husband to Augusta county, Va. She was the mother of fourteen children. Rebecca Donney married a Mr. McCutchen, of Augusta county, and had a numerous family. Mary Ann married Captain Charles Campbell, of Rockbridge county. Besides other children, she was the mother of Dr. Campbell of Lexington ; of John W. Campbell of Petersburg, and of William Campbell,

12 IMEMOIR OF S. B. M PHEETERS, D. D.

who married my youngest sister. Betsey Donney, the sixth daughter, married Major Wilson, of Rockbridge. She was the mother of the Rev. James C. Wilson, of Waynesboro. Mary, or Molly IMcPheeters, the third daughter of my grandfather, married Alexander Crawford, and was the mother of eleven children, two of whom w^ere Presbyterian ministers. The Rev. Edward Crawford resided near Abingdon, Va. The Rev. James Crawford removed to the State of Kentucky, and was pastor of the Walnut Hill Church, near Lexington. Alexander Crawford and Mary his wife, the parents of this family, were both killed in Augusta county by a party of Indians. He was shot in his own house, and the house was burnt down over him. She, in attempting to make her escape, was killed with a tomahawk a short distance from the house. They were both buried near the North Mountain, in the glebe graveyard, upper end of Augusta county, Virginia.

William McPheeters, my father, was born in Pennsylvania about the year 1729 or 1730. Pie married Rachel Moore, of Rockbridge county, Va. Both were members of the Church, My father was also magistrate and a Ruling Elder. The Rev. A. Scott was his pastor. The family consisted of ten children, three sons and seven daughters. My father died October 28, 1807, and was buried in the glebe graveyard before mentioned. James, his fourth child, received a liberal education ; commenced the study of medicine in Staunton, afterward attended medical lectures of Dr. Rush in Philadelphia, and for a few years practiced medicine in the town of Fincastle, Va. Both he and his wife were members of the Churcli and esteemed exemplary Cliristians. Rebecca McPheeters, the fifth child of my father, married John Gamble, the brother of Col. Robert Gamble, of Richmond, Va. She was a woman of decided piety.

James Moore, my maternal grandtather, was born in Ireland, and emigrated with his brother Joseph to America, Pennsylvania, sometime about the year 1726. My grandfather, after his arrival in America, married Jane Walker. She, too, was bom in Ireland. I have a distinct recollection of both my maternal grandparents, James Moore and Jane Walker. I recollect that my grandfather used to retire regularly to a room up stairs, where, after closing the door, he remained for some time. Noticing this, when a small boy, and wishing to find out what he was about, I discovered, through a small aperture under the door, that he was on his knees engaged at secret prayer. My grandmother, sometime previous to her death, remarked, "when I die I shall have a boimy easy death." Accordingly, during her last sickness, while some of the family were sitting in the room with her, she either turned herself over in the bed, or was aided in so doing by some one present. Thus lying still for some time, the remark was made, " into what a fine quiet sleep our grandmother has fallen." But when, after some time, her bed was approached and her situation examined into, it was found that her spirit had, quietly and without a struggle, taken its flight to the unknown w^orld. Mary INIoore, the second child of my grandfather, was twice married. Her first husband was named Paxton, by whom she had one child, named Samuel. Her second husband was Major A. Stuart, by whom she had four children. She and her husband were members of the Church. They resided near Brownsburg, Rockbridge county. Major Stuart had two sons who were Superior Court Judges, viz. : His son Archibald, by a former wife, and his son Alexander, by Mary Moore, his second wife. Elizabeth Moore, the third child of my grandfather, married ]\Iichacl Coalter. They were both members of the Church. A CTand-dau filter of Michael and Elizabeth

Coalter married Hon. Wm. C. Preston, of South Carolina. Her sister married Judge Harper, of the same State. John Coalter, son of Michael and Elizabeth, was Judge of the Superior Court of Virginia, and afterward Judge of the High Court of Appeals. This gentleman was four times married. His third wife was Frances Tucker, daughter of St. George Tucker, Judge of High Court of Appeals, Virginia. The eighth child of Michael and Elizabeth Coalter, my beloved cousin Mary, after marriage, removed to the State of Missouri. She was the first wife of Beverly Tucker, youngest son of St. George Tucker, and half brother to John Randolph, of Roanoke.

James Moore, the sixth child of my grandfather, married Martha Poague and had nine children. He removed some time after marriage from Rockbridge county to a remote fertile valley among the mountains in the Southwestern part of Virginia. After the family had resided for some time in their frontier situation they vrere broken up and nearly all destroyed by a party of Indians. James Moore, the oldest child of the family, was first taken prisoner by two Indians. He had been sent to a field some distance from the house for a horse. As he went along he was seized with an unaccountable panic; the impression on his mind was that he would be torn to pieces by a wild beast. He was on the point of returning to the house, but fearing lest he should be reproached for cowardice he proceeded onward toward the field. He had not proceeded far before two Indians stepped out from behind a tree and laid hold on him. On looking up and finding himself in the hands of human beings and not in the paws of savage beasts, he, for the moment, was somewhat comforted. The Indians took him to the field and by his assistance endeavored to catch one or more of the horses; but in this they were unsuccessful. The horses would allow the boy to approach them, but when he put forth his hand to take hold of a horse one of the Indians would immediately take hold of him. By this the horse being affrighted, instantly made his escape. After repeated and unsuccessful efforts to get possession of the horses the Indians commenced their long journey, and conducted their little prisoner through a mountainous and pathless desert far North to the place of their residence.

He immediately fell into the hands of a French family residing in the Indian country. In this family he lived for several years, and, if I am not mistaken, was kindly treated. About two years and a half after the capture of James Moore, the two Indians who took him- prisoner formed, as it is supposed, a company and conducted them to the house of his unprotected and unsuspecting father. On a certain day, early in the morning, the Indians were seen rushing down an adjacent hill in a furious manner and approaching \ the house. James Moore, the father of the family, not being in the house at the moment, was shot and killed some two or three hundred yards from the house. The three following children, Rebecca, Alexander and William, were shot down near the house. The house was then plundered and burned down. John, Jane, Mary and Margaret, with their mother, were taken prisoners. A Miss Evans, who was at the time residing in the family, was also taken prisoner. John, on the first day of the march, a few miles from the house, was, on some account, killed with a tomahawk. After traveling some distance farther the Indians finding Margaret somewhat troublesome, she being only about fifteen months old, killed her by dashing her against a tree. After a tedious and tiresome march of about forty days, the Indians, with their four remaining prisoners, reached their towns, somewhere in the Northern part of Indiana or Ohio, or perhaps in Michigan, near Detroit. After their arrival Jane and her mother were given up to a disaffected

Indian and cruelly put to death. This, it is supposed, was done by the Indian in the way of revenge for some injury received by him from the white people. Joseph, one of the children of this family, was in Rockbridge, going to school, at the time when his brothers and sisters were murdered by the Indians, and, of course, did not fall into their hands. As to James Moore and his sister Mary and Miss Evans, they were providentially located, it seems, at no great distance from each other among the Indians. The brother of Miss Evans, some years after, with the view and hope of recovering his sister, went in search of her, and on finding her he succeeded, by purchase or otherwise, in obtaining not only her liberty, but also the liberty of James Moore and Mary Moore his sister. After a long and fatiguing journey Mr. Evans, witli his rescued captives, arrived at my father's house sometime about the year 1790. My aged grandfather and grandmother, being at the house at the time, were overjoyed and almost overcome at the unexpected return of their long lost grandchildren. Being a small boy at the time, and at school that day, on reaching home I found the family, as I distinctly recollect, in a state of great excitement. The dead was alive — the lost was found. In process of time Mary Moore, the Indian captive, married the Rev. Samuel Brown, a distinguished Presbyterian minister, the pastor of New Providence Church, Rockbridge county. She was the mother of a numerous family ; and being a woman of importunate prayer and devoted piety, it pleased God to give her five sons, who, after receiving a liberal education, became preachers of the Gospel. One of her daughters married the Rev. James Morrison, who succeeded his father-in-law as pastor of New Providence.

From a credible source I have derived the following information as to the ancestors of my viaternal grandmother, whose

MEMOIR OF S. B. M'pHEETERS, D. D. IJ

maiden name was Jane AValker. John Rutherford, of Scotland, married a wife who was of the family of the Rev. Joseph AUiene, author of the "Alarm." Her maiden name is not known. Said John Rutherford had a daughter whose name was Catherine Rutherford ; she married a man named Walker. His Christian name is not known. This Walker had by his wife, Catharine Rutherford, a son whose name was John Walker. John Walker was bom in "Wigtown, Scotland, and was the father of my grandmother, Jane Walker, and, of course, the grandfather of my mother, Rachel Moore. Thus it appears that the genealogical line traced from my mother up to John Rutherford, of Scotland, stands as follows :

1. 'My Mother Rachel Moore.

— Her Father James Moore.

2. Her Mother Jane Walker.

— Her Grandfather John Vv'alker.

3. Her Grandmother Name not known.

— Her Great Grandfather Walker.

4. Her Great Grandmother Catharine Rutherford.

— Her Great Great Grandfather -. . John Rutherford.

5. Her G. G. Grandmother, of the family of Jos. Alliene.

This John Rutherford, the great great grandfather ot my mother, was either the nephew or the full cousin of that distinguished divine and author, the Rev. Samuel Rutherford, of Scotland. My mother's grandfather, John Walker, of Wigtown, Scotland, had seven children. My grandmother, Jane Walker, was bom in Ireland. Her father, John Walker, of Wigtown, Scotland, before marriage, settled in Ireland. He there married. From Ireland, with his whole family, including my grandmother, he emigrated to the state of Pennsylvania, where my grandfather and grandmother were married. Some years after their marriage, and after the birth ot three or four of their children, they, with the whole Walker fiimily, or 2 l8 MEMOIR OF S. E. INI PHEETERS, D. D.

the great part of them, removed to Rockbridge, Va., and settled on a creek in that part of the country called "Bur den's Land," and afterward "Walker's Creek," from the several families of that name which had settled there. These families, being somewhat numerous and all closely allied, were sometimes pleasantly called " the Creek Nation."

Rachel McPheeters, my mother, was born in the year 1736, in the state of Pennsylvania, Chester county, Nottingham Township. When about three years old she removed with her father, James Moore, and his family from Pennsylvania to the state of Virginia, Rockbridge county. She and her sister Mary, who was a little older than herself, were carried on a horse in large baskets swung across the horse's back. In this situation, balancing each other and with their heads projecting from the baskets, they traveled along in comfort. My mother, when very young, was in some degree impressed on the subject of religion. One day when set to watch by herself in the cornfield, her mind was raised above the world with delightful devotional- feelings. From her early youth she was strictly attentive to the duty of secret prayer, but did not recollect much as to the nature of her prayers. When she was somewhat older, say between twelve and fifteen years of age, although gay and lively in her disposition, she could not bear to listen to trifling or useless conversation, but always wished for something interesting and improving in the circle in which at any time she was placed. Having frequent occasion about this period of her life to pass to and from a neighbor's house, she was often constrained to turn aside for secret prayer, in which she usually experienced much enjoyment. And at home, during family prayer, she was frequently melted into tenderness and shed many tears. To the public means of grace she was always particularly attentive, and took so deep an interest therein that she would sometimes walk on foot four or five miles to church — New Providence.

After her marriage, which took place when she was between nineteen and twenty years of age, she removed from Rockbridge to Augusta county, and there, after sometime, joined the Church, then under the pastoral care of the Rev. Charles Cummings. The place of worship was called Brown's meeting house. It is now called Hebron church. The Rev. A. Scott was the successor of Mr. Cummings. Under his pastoral care she continued a member of the Church for many years. But nothing remarkable occurred in her religious experience for eight or ten years after her marriage, with the exception of what took place when her daughter Jane was an infant. When Jane Avas an infant, her mother, sitting one day in the room by herself with her babe at her breast, was favored in a remarkable degree with the presence of God's Holy Spirit, filling her with joy and divine consolation. She was melted down in tenderness, and a profusion of tears flowed from her eyes. She arose ffom her seat and standing on the floor enjoyed a soul-refreshing and almost overwhelming view of the glory of God. In this situation God's question to her seemed to be this : " Could you withhold from me anything that I should ask ? " " Nothing, nothing, Lord," was the reply. A further inquiry then seemed to be made : " Could you withhold from me the infant now reclining on your breast ? " Her answer was again, " No, no. Lord;" and she thought that in the ecstacy of her feelings she held out the child as if to give it away to the Lord forever.

My sister Jane is represented as growing up to maturity, a girl of great promise. At an early age, however, her mind became deeply impressed with the idea that her continuance in this world was to be of short duration. That such was her prevailing belief is evident from remarks which she occasionally made respecting herself One day riding in company with a Mr. Craig, he took the opportunity of recommending to her good opinion a gentleman of his acquaintance. She remarked as follows : " You need say nothing to me respecting him or any one else. I hope before long to be happier than any one on earth can make me." " Why do you think so ? " said Mr. Craig. " Oh," replied she, " the Lord has done great things for me." Not long before her death, and at the time in her usual health, she sent a message to her cousin, James Moore, to this effect: "Tell Cousin James he must come and see me soon or it may be that he will never see me." The week previous to her last fatal attack of sickness she visited the house of her uncle, Michael Coalter, a short distance from her father's house, where she spent three or four days. When about to return home on Saturday some one of the lamily inquired of her as follows : "Jane, when will you come over again ?" She replied, '■'■Perhaps 7jcver" It seems that a dream which she had about this time made a deep im]:)ression on her mind, and confirmed her in the belief that she was not to live long. The substance of her dream was as follows : On marrying a man dressed in black she accompanied him for a considerable distance along a narrow path through a lonesome wood. She Avondered whither he was about to conduct her and where she should find his house. At length she came to his house, and it was under ground. When taken sick she told an acquaintance that her disease would prove fatal. " From it," said she, "I shall never recover." On Sabbath public prayer was offered in the church in her behalf, by Rev. A. Scott, the pastor. After service he visited her. Her mother approached her bed and said : "Jane, are you sensible that you are going to leave us ?" She replied, with much composure, "Yes, I am." "Well, what hope have you concerning yourself?" "1 hope the Lord will have mercy on, me, ftv Chrisfs sake." "Yes," replied her mother, "not for anything in you or done by you." "No, no, no," was her rejoinder. "But what ground have you for your hopes?" said her mother. "I know that God is merciful and gracious," said she. "But do you know this in your own experience ?" inquired the mother. Jane replied, "Yes, I do, and wish to know it more and more." Her mother exhorted her to put all her trust in Christ as an all sufficient Savior. Finally, she lifted up her hands and said, "Lord have mercy on me." She breathed her last without a struggle or a groan.

To return to my mother. On a certain communion Sabbath, when she was about thirty years of age, her feelings and exercises were during the day unusually comfortable. Some pious friends from Walker's Creek accompanied her home that night. Their conversation till bed time was on the subject of religion. After retiring to bed, my mother had such astonishing and overwhelming views of the beauty and glory of the heavenly inheritance as to deprive her of nearly all her bodily strength. These rapturous views continued to recur, at short intervals, during the whole night, and sleep was entirely taken away from her. About daybreak her views were still more rapturous and overwhelming than ever before. After that the influences under which she had spent the night were gradually withdrawn. During the next day she experienced great composure of mind, and felt no inconvenience from the want of sleep. But why God had visited and favored her in so remarkable a manner she could not understand, nor was she inclined to build her religious hopes on the rapturous vision which she had enjoyed. After this her exercises were various. Sometimes she was happy in the enjoyment of religion, some-

22 INIEMOIR OF S. B. m'pHEETERS, D. D.

times destitute of feeling, and sometimes backward to receive, as coming from God, the comforts bestowed on her. As it was customary in the country congregations where she worshiped to have two sermons in the summer months, it was her usual practice, in the interval of worship, to retire for meditation and prayer. And often on these occasions had she reason to bless God for the tokens of his gracious presence. David McPheeters, the second child of the family, died from home — a young man, in the twenty-fourth year of his age. Being a son greatly beloved, the unexpected stroke was to his mother a severe trial. And though she did not sorrow as having no hope, yet his death was to her a subject of the deepest solicitude. Some short time after his death, on a certain Sabbath, while she was reclining on her bed, it pleased God to give her clear and satisfactory evidence of her acceptance in the Beloved. All her doubts were removed, and with Thomas she could say, " My Lord and my God." She felt in her own delightful experience that God's favor was /(fe, and his loving kindness better than life. Being thus near to God, and enjoying in so great a degree the gracious smiles of his reconciled countenance, the thought occurred to her that she might no7Ci inquire respecting her son, and ask of God some evidence of his happiness in the world of spirits. But ^cv// did she check the presumptuous inquiry, and felt reproved for attempting to pry into the unrevealed secrets of God's righteous government. " With this great truth I must be satisfied. The Judge of all the earth will do right."

" Then let my Sovereign, if he please, Lock up his marvelous decrees ; Why should I wish Him to reveal What He thinks proper to conceal ?"

Several years afterward, on a certain occasion, she had clear

MEMOIR OF S. B. M PHEETRES, D, D. 23

and exalted views of the excellence of the inheritance of the saints in hght, but could not at the time appropriate to herself any part of that inheritance. It was to her as if she had got on Pisgah's Mount, beholding the promised land in all its beauty and excellency, witnessing the happiness of its inhabitants— their far more exceeeding and eternal weight of glory; but alas ! for her, she had no part or lot among them. This, of course, produced great heaviness and depression of spirits. In her distress she determined to visit her pastor. Rev. A. Scott, living some four or five miles distant. Accordingly she set out, and on her way the following lines, found in one of President Davies' poems, came into her mind with great force :

" If I am doomed Thy frowns to feel, Why didst thou in Thy love reveal ?

Why did thy beauties charm mine eye, If I must see and ne'er enjoy ?

Or, why torment me with the views Of bliss I must forever lose?"

These words produced a wonderful change in her feelings. She felt assured that God would never cast off those to whom he had unveiled the glories of his kingdom, and to whom he had given a relish for the enjoyments and employments of heaven. Then she was enabled to

" read her title clear

To mansions in the skies."

When she reached the house of her pastor he was not at home. But God had met her on the way, and that was enough. " And there met him ten men that were lepers, who stood afar off; and they lifted up their voices and said: Jesus, Master, have mercy on us. And when he saw them he said unto them. Go show yourselves unto the priests. And it came to pass that as they went they 'tvere cleansed^ She returned

24 MEMOIR OF S. B. M PIIEETERS, D. D.

home greatly relieved — found that she had done wrong in not receiving and appropriating to herself the comforts which God had sent, and continued for a considerable time in the enjoyment of a good hope, through grace, that God had mercifully granted her an interest in the incorruptible inheritance of the saints in light. Some time after this, having again fallen into a state of darkness and deep distress under the hidings of God's face, she visited New Providence Church on a sacramental occasion, when the late Dr. Waddell, then a young man, was in attendance. With him she sought and obtained an interview. After he had talked with her long and to good purpose, she turned around from him on her scat and, absorbed in thought, said to herself, audibly, " Well, I am willing to do and to suffer anything, so that I may enjoy nearness to God." It was not long before she obtained the desired relief, and was enabled to rejoice in the God of her salvation. As she advanced in years she had her trials and difficulties ; but it pleased God not unfrequently to grant unto \\tx full assurance of her gracious state, and at times her happiness in the enjoyment of religion was as much as the house of clay could well endure. She died January 30, 1826, aged ninety years. Her son-in law, J. Logan, with whom she lived, informed me that her passage to the world of spirits was easy and tranquil, that she retained her senses to the last, and that after a quiet repose of nearly two days and two nights, during much of which time she appeared to be in a profound sleep, she left the world without a groan or a struggle. She was buried beside the grave ot her husband, in the glebe graveyard, Augusta county, Virginia.