Eggleston Family Members in Marcellus Baptist Church Records Part 3 1816-1819

The old church records that my father and I found at the Rose Hill/Thorn Hill Baptist Church on our visit in 2001, proved to be a wealth of information about our Eggleston family. The Articles of Faith and Covenant, along with church membership lists are in a previous post. The first excerpts of entries pertaining to Eggleston family members from the beginnings of the church in 1807 until 1811 are in Part 1. Part 2 covers the years 1812- 1816. This Post, Part 3 continues from 1816 to 1819.

1816 Continued

Electa Eggleston, daughter of Samuel Jr., was baptized into the church in 1816. Some early databases placed Electa as the youngest in the family with an estimated birth date of 1812, which would have made her very young at this time. The Baptists did not baptize small children. The birth date for Electa in family letters is May 20, 1799, which would place her baptism the day before her 17th birthday.


May 19 1816
Joseph Enos and Electa Eggleston were Baptized and received into the church

Samuel Eggleston Jr. began to have issues with the church in 1816. This may have been a precipitating factor for his move from the area in 1817. The first mention was in September of 1816, when Brothers Amasa Chapman and Salman Hunt were sent to visit him. It is interesting that at the same meeting, Samuel’s brother Nathan was sent to visit Wyllis Manley.

Samuel’s case was brought up again at the September 21st meeting, however Brothers Chapman and Hunt had not visited him. They were encouraged to do so. Nathan Eggleston and Brother Chandler had also neglected to visit Brother Manley.

Sept 3rd 1816
Voted the Br. Amasa Chapman & Salman Hunt visit Br. Samuel Eagleston and report to the Church meeting.
Voted that Br. G. Chandler & N. Eagleston visit Br. Wyllis Manley & report next church meeting.
Sept 21 1816
Church met for business at Br. A. Hunt, according to previous appointment. Prayer by Eld Morton. Voted Eld Morton Moderator. The case of Br. Samuel Eggleston was then called up and it appeared that Br. Chapman & S. Hunt had neglected to visit Br. Eggleston consequently Voted they should still visit him. Br. Chandler states that he and Br. N. Eggleston have not visited Brother Wyllis Manley. But as he spoke his mind at last covenant meeting it was thought best for the brethren to visit him individually.

1817

In 1817, other members of the Eggleston family joined this church. Laura Eggleston joined along with Samuel Hovey, Polly Hovey and Jedediah Brown. The record indicates that they joined “by letter”, meaning that they had come from another church with a letter recommending them.

This Laura Eggleston was a mystery to me at the time I first saw these records. I had no idea how she fit into the family. It was some time later that I learned, through other Eggleston descendants, that the other Nathan Eggleston’s wife was Laura. This Nathan is probably the Nathaniel, mentioned as brother of Oliver in the church records. Nathan and Laura were the parents of Leonard Eggleston, who was on Marcellus Baptist Church membership lists.

Oliver Eggleston also joined the church that year. The record specifies that he had a letter from the church in Salem dated 4th March 1809. Salem is in Washington County, New York, where most of the Eggleston lived prior to coming to Marcellus. It is interesting that Oliver had this letter for several years before coming to Marcellus.

Oliver was most likely a son of Joseph Eggleston, who had migrated to Marcellus with Samuel.

1817 21
Covenant Meeting the Church appearing to be in great union. The following persons were united to the church viz. Samuel Hovey, Polly Hovey, Laura Eggleston Jedediah Brown (by letter) and Alpheus Winchester was restored to the fellowship of the Church
1817 Oliver Eggleston was received into our Fellowship by letter from the church in Salem dated 4th March 1809

The case of Samuel Eggleston was brought up again, after his being labored with. He apparently was reluctant to continue with the church, but the church postponed his matter until the next meeting.

Br. Samuel Eggleston being present was labored with faithfully but could not be prevailed upon to take up his travail with the Church. Voted to postpone his matter until next church meeting.

At the next meeting March 11, Samuel seemed to have a change of heart, so his matter was suspended.

1817 March 11
Met for business at Br. Salmon Hunt. Prayer by Br. A. Kneeland. Voted Br. A. Kneeland Moderator. Deacon Thompson reported that he had visited Br. Samuel Eggleston he say Br. Manifested a desire to travail with the church and he hoped that he should be able to make satisfaction to the brethren. Voted to suspend the matter with Br. Eggleston for the present.

April 4, 1817, Elizabeth Eggleston was given a letter of recommendation. This was close to the time that Samuel and Elizabeth sold their land in Marcellus and moved to Springwater, New York. Elizabeth apparently was a member in good standing and given the letter to join another church.

Oliver Eggleston had problems with the church in April 1817. It is interesting that Laura Eggleston, who joined at the same time he did, supported the charges against him. His brothers Nathaniel and Edward and Edward’s wife also refused to defend him. Oliver’s time in the church was short and what happened to him after that is not known.

A complaint was brought against Br. Oliver Eggleston for using profane language at Different times previous to his joining the church (he joined this church by a letter which he had for some years signed by Elder Warren) This charge was supported in evidence by Br. Wm Hunt & Sister Phebe Hunt & Laura Eggleston. Also by his Brother Nathaniel. His Brother Edward and his wife refuse to clear him. Br. Oliver has been labored with at different times and invariably denies the charge or says he has no recollection of ever swearing or taking the name of God in vain…
Voted to Withdraw fellowship from Oliver Eggleston.

September 7, 1817 the church voted to withdraw fellowship from Samuel Eggleston. Samuel had sold his land in April 1817, so he may have already moved away. Possibly, he did not request a letter of recommendation at the time Elizabeth did, or he moved before the church had voted on his status. It is also possibly that they had not yet moved, or he had come back briefly.

Voted to withdraw fellowship from Samuel Eggleston
Samuel Eggleston is excluded

1818

Years after his difficulties with the church, Truman Skeels was finally excluded in 1818.

The whole transaction appears to be the fruit of a dishonest principle. Viz. to say it is right to run in debt and give a man worthless security without telling his creditor of the fallacy.
After laboring with him some time nothing could be gained accept he said he had done wrong by assuming debt after that he had determination taking the benefit of the act.
Voted unanimously that we are at the end of labor with him.
Truman Skeels is Excluded
Voted the clerk shall write Truman Skeels a letter of Exclusion

In April 1818 Elizabeth Eggleston was Dismissed. Since Samuel and Elizabeth had already moved away and Elizabeth had been given a letter or recommendation, there is some question about whether this is a different Elizabeth. I didn’t see any mention in the records of an issue with an Elizabeth Eggleston prior to this and the term dismissed would not seem to indicate that she was excluded because of problems, but just that she had moved or left in good standing.

1818 April 26
Elizabeth Eggleston Dismissed

Abraham Eggleston, apparently the son of Joseph Eggleston, was baptized in December 1818. It is interesting that the record mentions that the others baptized with him related their experiences, however it does not say that Abraham did.

1818 Dec 26 Covenant Meeting
A much larger number of the church were present than common there also appeared to be more union in church than has been for some time past. Tryphene Allen related her experience and was fellowship as a Christian. . .Fanny Sessions related her experience of mind and received fellowship from the church. . .
27
Elder Alphred Bennet Preached and administered the Lords Supper
Abraham Eggleston Tryphene Allen & Fanny Sessions were baptised and united to the church.

1819

In July 1819, the church received word that Samuel Eggleston had joined another Baptist Church. The record did not mention which church, as it did with the mention of Daniel Moore and Susanna Tanner joining the church in Harmony. Susanna Tanner was the wife of Amos Tanner, son of Thomas Tanner and Phoebe Eggleston. Phoebe was a daughter of Samuel and Rebecca Eggleston. Many of the Tanner children had moved to Harmony in Chautauqua County, New York along with Nathan Eggleston and some of Benjamin Eggleston‘s children.

July 1825
New information that Br. Samuel Eagleston has united with another Church of our faith and order. Also that Brother Daniel Moore and Susanna Tanner have united with the Baptist Church in Harmony

Note:

The Marcellus Baptist Church Records continue in another blog post: Part 4 1825 and later.

In my book, The Joseph Eggleston Family: Seven Generations from Joseph (d.1767) of Stonington, Connecticut to Joseph (1885-1965) of Utah and Wyoming (Including Maternal Lines: Hill, Burgess, Titus, Sammis & Johnson)  church record entries for specific people are discussed there under the heading CHURCH RECORDS. Background information about this church is included in Appendix B THE BAPTIST CHURCHES.

2 thoughts on “Eggleston Family Members in Marcellus Baptist Church Records Part 3 1816-1819

  1. Your information has given me a new hope in finding my great grandfather, Artimas to Arthur Eggleston, born 1822 in n.y. My friend, Brenda has sent you a message for me She has been working to get me into the DAR and jumped at this lead. Harmony, Chau. Co. N.y. is where my great grandmother , Adeline Weed was from. Harmony has very little info, so I have been stuck. Thankyou

    • Thank you for your comment. I researched some Harmony records. I can look through what I have for any clues that might help you.

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