Source: Annals of Methodism in Missouri, by W. S. Woodard, Of the Southwest Missouri Conference; Columbia, Mo., E. W. Stephens, Publisher and Binder, 1893. [Although most of this story takes place in Polk, Green and Webster counties, Headlee did serve as a circuit minister in Lawrence county and this is one of the most complete tales of disunion, religious and political intensity and murder that I've run across to depict the state of affairs in early Southwest Missouri history.] Page 263 ..... Samuel S. Headlee was also a schoolmate of the writer, and the product, as a preacher, of the Springfield circuit. No other circuit in Missouri has given so many preacher {sic}, to the church as the Springfield. I have just now counted twenty-five names on the roll that came from that circuit. I think there are more, besides a host of local preachers. In 1837, six brothers--Daniel, Elisha, John, Joel, David, and Caleb Headlee, five of whom married as many sisters by the name of Steele,--came from Tennessee to Missouri, and settled in Greene county. Two of Daniel's sons--J.H. and E.E., and one of Caleb's--E.B.--became preachers in an early day. Now S.S., the son of Joel, comes upon the page of the Annals of Methodism in Missouri. Though born in Tennessee, he was only about ten years old when he came to Missouri. I suppose he was converted at Ebenezer. He was licensed to preach in 1847 or 8, and married to Miss Cynthia Hoover about the same time. He was a pupil in the Southwes! t Missouri High School from Page 264 1849 to 1852. He was studious, but did not learn rapidly. His mind developed slowly and acted sluggishly. Nothing short of the most persistent effort could have secured for him the knowledge he acquired, for he attained to respectable scholarship. He had two splendid talents, "stickality and retentivity." He did not quit a lesson till he learned it, and when he learned it, he had it. He was of medium size, fair skin, light, auburn hair, good forehead, prominent cheek bones, large mouth and languid, blue eyes. As a preacher, he was neither profound nor brilliant, yet he was instructive and practical. Socially, he was pleasant and companionable. There was a vain of dry wit that he had in common with all the Headlees, that gave a spicy turn to his conversation. As a christian [sic] he was sincere, devout, uniform, faithful and true. As a Methodist he was pronounced and loyal to his vows and obligations. As a citizen he was obedient to all laws that did not contravene his duties and obligations to his Lord and Master. He "rendered to Caesar the things that belonged to Caesar, and to God the things that belonged to God." He was a man of sterling integrity and unimpeachable character. Such a man and preacher could not be without influence, and that influence would not be otherwise than helpful to society. He had strong convictions and the courage born of his convictions to do what he deemed to be right. He would follow the path of duty, regardless of the dangers that might lurk there along. He was made of the stuff of which martyrs are made. Like Luther, he would have "gone to Worms, though the devils should be as thick as tiles on the house." The propriety of the M. E. church, South, joining Page 265 in a body the church, North, was discussed in Southwest Missouri in 1865, and strong, able, influential men advised that course. Mr. Headlee set himself against the measure. He made speeches, rallied the people, and begged them to wait further development. At the Conference held in St. Louis in 1865 he was appointed presiding elder of the Springfield district. Bishop Kavanaugh, before announcing the appointments, said among other things: "Some of these appointments will be hard. I feel deeply for you, my brethren. I fear that I am sending some of you to your graves." Prophetic words. Alas! They were only too true. Mr. Headlee went to his district and cautiously, but firmly, entered upon the work of re-organization. The church was re-animated and hope began to revive. In the prosecution of his work on his district he made an appointment to hold a quarterly meeting for Marshfield circuit at Pleasant View church, in Webster county, July 28, 1866. The appointment had been published weeks before the time. On Friday, the 27th, H. W. M'Nabb, a Northern Methodist class leader, and his son, rode through the neighborhood and collected a mob "of the baser sort" to prevent Mr. Headlee from preaching. The next morning a mob of twenty armed men gathered early at the church. The congregation assembled. At the appointed hour Mr. Headlee arrived. He had been informed of threats against his life if he attempted to preach. He knew M'Nabb, and went to him and inquired under what law and by what authority he forbade him to preach in his own church. (The house and grounds belonged to the M. E. church, South.) M'Nabb replied: "I do not care Page 266 for the law," and, pointing to the mob, added, "that is my authority." Finding that it would be impossible to worship peaceably "under their own vine and fig tree," Mr. Headlee proposed to go to a grove, nearly a mile distant, and worship, if Mr. M'Nabb and his comrades would allow them to do so. To this he assented. Some of the mob treated Mr. Headlee very roughly, cursing him and punching him with their guns. When he and his congregation had gotten about half a mile from the church four of the mob galloped up behind them, one of whom, Bill Drake, rode up to Mr. Headlee's side, and shot him three times. They then rode back to Mr. M'Nabb's house. Mr. H. rode to the shade of a tree and dismounted, pulled off his gloves, put them in his pocket, then said: "Friends, I am a dead man. Those bad men have killed me! Lord have mercy on them? Lord save them!" As soon as it could be done, a chair was procured and he was placed in it and carried half a mile distant to the house of his sister, where he died at ten o'clock that night, and went up on high to wear a martyr's crown. He was shot near twelve o'clock and his wife reached him about seven. When she went to him he raised his right arm and put it around her, but did not speak for a minute or more. He then said: (She was crying) "Ma, you must not grieve for me. I thought I was doing right; I still think I was doing my Master's work. Think of me often and tell my brethren that I died at my post." He said he knew that he had to die as soon as Drake rode up. His wife asked him: "Did you not feel scared?" "No, no," said he, "I never felt the least alarmed or excited." "How did you Page 267 feel when he drew his revolver?" asked his wife. "Well," said he, "God had most graciously removed all fear of death by violence. I knew that my time had come, and felt that I was ready and willing to go." He told her that she must not let the children forget Pa; that she must talk to them often of him, and train them up for heaven and glory. His talk with his wife was with much difficulty, as his lungs were all the time bleeding profusely, and he was suffering intensely, and sinking rapidly. Just one hour before he died, his only brother reached him. He was then wading deep in the cold Jordan of death, but on seeing his brother he held out his hand and said: "Asbury, I'm almost home; I'm almost home! O! that I had the strength and time to tell of my prospects of heaven and immortality! Oh! Those bad men, those bad men! Lord have mercy on them! Lord save them!" After a few more endearing words to his wife he quoted the words: "And God said, let there be light, and there was ! light." And when the pure, soft light that flows from where the flash of sun and star grows dim in uncreated light came quietly falling around his dying pillow, he exclaimed: "O, Sing to me of heaven, When I am called to die; Sing songs of holy ecstasy, To waft my soul on high." Then fell asleep, not gently like the babe on its mother's bosom, but with intense physical agony, like the martyred Stephen, amid a volly {sic} of stones. Roberson, Glanville, Headlee, all licensed to preach by the Springfield circuit, all murdered for preaching the truth as it is in Jesus. As truly martyrs as was Stephen. The Page 268 wanton, cruel, atrocious murder of this good man produced a wide spread and painful sensation. Good men everywhere condemned the dastardly deed; yet the grand jury of Webster county, with a Northern Methodist preacher as foreman, persistently refused to find a bill against the murderers and they went unpunished. Lexington 1852--1866. Here in 1852 S. S. Headlee began his life work. Here in 1866 his completed work and funeral obsequies were committed to the keeping of the Annals of Missouri Methodism. The Conference requested Rev. W. M. Prottsman to preach a sermon in his memory. Tuesday, at 4 o'clock p.m., was set apart for the solemn service. Though the day was clear, in the afternoon the smoke in the west was so dense that only a somber light straggled through the gloom, and all nature seemed to partake of the sadness of the hour. At the appointed time the Conference and citizens of Lexington assembled in the spacious auditorium of the church. Bishop Doggett, Drs. McAnally and Schon occupied the pulpit with the preacher and assisted in the service. The sermon on "The Opening of the Fifth Seal," was a most appropriate one. It was subsequently, at this writer's suggestion, published and sold extensively, by which a fund was raised and a home secured for the widow and fatherless children. Mr. Headlee's body was buried in the cemetery at the Elm Spring Church and over it his Conference subsequently erected a suitable marble monument.