HISTORY OF N. C. BAPTISTS by G. W. Paschal, Vol. 1 Pages:

Transcription

1 SAMUEL NEWTON HISTORY OF N. C. BAPTISTS by G. W. Paschal, Vol. 1 Pages: "1 have said that Rev. Samuel Newton was associated with Rev. Robert Nixon in missionary work in Brunswick County. This Rev. Samuel Newton was pastor of the church very early known as Bull Tail, and since as Wells Chapel. According to Asplund, this church was established in the year 1756, but its name was not mentioned by Morgan Edwards, who also omits mention of other churches in this section, having only vaguely heard of Paul Palmer's work on New River. According to Hon. J. T. Alderman, a native of this region, whose great grandfather was a brother of Samuel Newton, its first minister was Samuel Newton, who continued in that service until his death some time during the Revolutionary War. He was said to be a great preacher and religious leader. The fact that he cooperated with Rev. Robert Nixon in serving Lockwood's Folly, a church at that time belonging to the Sandy Creek Association, would suggest aht he also was a Separate or that the distinction of Separate and Regular was soon disregarded in eastern North Carolina". Footnote: Mr. Alderman's statement is as follows: "These (Revs. A. B. Alderman, George Fennell, G. W. Hu fh am, David Wells) were all well informed men and deeply interested in the old church. It was never a question among them as to the organization of old Bulltail church. No one ever questioned the fact that it was organized by Rev. Samuel Newton in It had been the home of the Newtons, the Aldermans, the Hufhams, the Wellses, the Highsmiths, the DeVanes, the Rogerses, and many other families known there to this day. It was said of him, Samuel Newton, that he was a 'great preacher' and the religious leader of his times. He was pastor till the time of his death, which occurred during the Revolutionary War."

2 Se-Erom Secondary a. Sources:

3 NAME: Newton, Samuel -. / DATA: sett. Bull Tail (Pender) N. C., 1] ; Bapt.; d. Bull Tail, N. C., ca. 1]76 (during Rev. War). SOURCE: The Colonial Clergy of Virginia, North C~rolina and South Carolina by: The Reverend Frederick Lewis Weis Pag'e: 67

4 REV. SAMUEL NEWTON By J. T. Alderman The middle of the eighteenth century found large numbers of immigrants flowing into the State from many quarters. Some came direct from the Old World, but far the greater number came from the colonies farther north on the Atlantic seaboard. The Dutch from southeast Pennsylvania found their way to the Piedmont section; those of English descent came from New Jersey and spread over that section now occupied by Duplin, Sampson, Pender, and Onslow. In this immigration, among other excellent families were four Newton brothers-- Samuel, Jacob, George, and Isaac. Samuel was a prominent Baptist preacher before he came to North Carolina. In 1756 Wells Chapel Church (then called "Bull tail ") was organized, with Rev. Samuel Newton as first pastor. He was a great preacher in his day. He wrote hymns for his church, many of which were printed in book form after his death. He continued to serve the church until his death, which occurred during the Revolutionary War. The records of the church before 1793 cannot be found, and it is supposed the British army, under Cornwallis, destroyed them, as the church is directly in the path of the army as it passed from Wilmington on its way north. But little documentary history of the church and of Samuel Newton can be found, but there is no lack of tradition, especially among the Newton descendants, about him and his work as preacher. He was the chief apostle in all that country. He was a man of unusual culture and strength of intellect; as a preacher he was strong and direct. He often visited another Baptist colony which came from Cape May at the same time and settled at Lockwoods Folly, near the seacoast. There are a great many Newtons in the State descended from this man and his three brothers. Rev. C. C. Newton is a great-great-grandson of one of the brothers. To this day there is evidence of distinguished origin in most of the Newtons. Rev. I. T. Newton, of Whiteville, is another of the descendants. It is now impossible to give a proper setting of this distinguished pioneer preacher, who laid the foundation for the spread of the bospel in that broad section so long ago. His was the first Baptist church planted in all that section. That whole country is now dotted with Baptist churches and Baptist influence is paramount. BIBLICAL RECORDER, September 12, 1923, page: 5:4

5 NAME b. Ancestry Married ~~r~~~/?~- Record' g7~- b. d. Ancestry /J~C~ / /' 6~ - ;l~j ).ut ;'-' i3~~-; ~~d-lry - /,/J-r ;j~~~ / See I~ - } 2-/)'. File No. (Over)

6 NAME: Newton, Samuel see PC 2, Alderman, John Thomas, Papers, [broken series] Box no. : 1 _ 18 Folder no.: ----