I didn't know there were that Many Peggy's in the state,,, However I learn more history on this list than I could ever learn any where else Peggy in Purves ----- Original Message ----- From: <Texasdog@aol.com> To: <TXERATH-L@rootsweb.com> Sent: Saturday, October 16, 1999 10:26 AM Subject: Re: [ERATH] BOWMAN RIDGE CEMETERY > In a message dated 10/16/99 8:56:30 AM Central Daylight Time, > peggythompson@hotmail.com writes: > > << I just recieved my gtgrandfathers Abija Keith old trunk and I found that > my > gtgtgrandmother is buried in Bowman Ridge Cemetery.Is this cemetery still > around and if so how can I can I get information from > it. My grandmother Elizabeth Keith died Feb.2,1895. After the death > of husband Nichodemus Keith in 1853 I believe she married a John > Leonard Uzzell so I dont know which name she is buried under. > Also does any one know when the Primitive Baptist Church was started? > Thank You, >> > > Peggy Thompson, > Seems likes we are overrun with Peggys.....I got a private E-mail > late last night from Peggy Harrington of Bridge City (near Port Arthur) > and also acknowledge the posts of Peggy Broughton of Purves. > > Are you familiar with a book entitled "Descendants of Nichodemus > Keith and Margaret Borden", publ. 1987, by Roy T. Mitchell of Eagle > Lake, Texas. Hardbound. It is the most thorough treatment of this > line that I have seen. I have been to Bowman Ridge but it has been > several years. If I am thinking of the right cemetery, it is well maintained > and is still active but I am sure others can give better information on that > particular cemetery. > > Growing up in a family of several generations of Primitive Baptists including > a brother and four first cousins who were ordained ministers, > I will give you my perspective. The Primitive Baptists Churches in America > are generally those whoses articles of faith are those of the > "Philadelphia Confession of Faith of 1776" and several years earlier there > was a London Confession of Faith in Great Britain. A book published in > 1885 by Halsell, who was the president of Duke University and whose > education was in linguistics completed a book that his father started. > The father was Sylvester Halsell and I don't recall the given name of the > son. The son could read or speak as many as fifteen different languages > therefore much of the church history is based on early day writings. > Remember that before Gutenberg invented typeset in the 1400s that documents > were in handwritten manuscript and much of the writings were > in Latin, German, Hebrew, Greek or other languages. In short, Halsell > will submit Church history century by century to the first century > Christians. Your early day Baptists were known by names that were given > them by others and for this reason, they were known by numerous other > names throughout the middle ages depending on what country the people > were in. Baptists were persecuted by the Roman Catholics throughout > the centuries.....beheadings, burned at the stake, and structured > genocide of these peoples by the organized church of Rome or Constantinople > or the Islamic church. Martin Luther, with his 95 Theses > in 1517, was one who with other groups were responsible for the Protestant > Reformation of the 16th century whereby organized churches > that are now Lutheran, Presbyterian, Church of England --- (Episcopal Church > as it is known in the USA)-- all broke from the Church of Rome. > > To understand how the Primitive Baptists think, the term "protestant" > when applied to them is considered an insult as they were never of the > organized Roman Church. Their practices and principles were different > and they were not a party to the reformation. These newly organized > Protestant Churches still continued to persecute the Baptists or Rebaptizers > or whatever they were called. Many were driven into Wales > which became a haven somewhat for the people. My late brother who > passed away in 1990 was a mild mannered pastor of two churches at the > time of his death.....San Angelo and Eldorado. But if one called him a > Protestant, he could flair up real quick. But if you are more interested > in learning about the PB, locate the book by Halsell. It is probably 1,200 > to 1,400 pages in length so it is not an overnight read. > > The first church in the Erath County area was in July 1859 in the Duffau > area and was known as the Bosque Church. Elders Henry Hurley and C.D. > Skidmore and deacon James McCarty were the principals and members > included surnames Turnbow, Gotcher, Havens, Boucher, Martin, Gilbreath, > Mefford, Roberts, Cain, Gotcher, Burnett, Hollis, and Manney. Other > churches followed over the course of years. The first church of Texas > was that of the Pilgrim Church founded by Elder Daniel Parker, he of the > Parker family of Cynthia Ann Parker--captured and raised by the Comanche, and > was near Palestine. Mexico would not allow any churches > to be formed within the province of Texas as the Catholic church was the > established church. Parker and others travelled from Illinois by wagon > train and "established a church" in route to Texas thus technically not > establishing a church "within" Texas. > > Hopefully this gives you some insight and background on the Primitive > Baptists. > > > Bill McCarty Odessa, Texas > > > ==== TXERATH Mailing List ==== > --- Author Retains Copyright --- > -- Copyright 1999 Author -- All Rights Reserved > Post to List: TXERATH-L@rootsweb.com http://www.selfroots.com > Unsubscribe request To: TXERATH-L-request@rootsweb.com >