“MARK THE PERFECT MAN, AND BEHOLD THE UPRIGHT, FOR THE END OF THAT
MAN IS PEACE.”
Having given my opening chapter to an interview with Aunt Kitty, I will
now tell of her husband, Rev. Horace Carr, who was born on the Aquilla
Johnson farm, on Spring Creek, in District No. 1, Montgomery county,
Tenn., 1812. By way of explanation, I will state that white children,
in antebellum times, were taught by their parents, to call middle aged
colored people Aunt, and Uncle; hence “Aunt Kitty,” and “Uncle Horace,”
by the writer.
From early childhood, Uncle Horace was noted for his truth, and honesty.
In maturer years, strangers who met him on the highway, were impressed
by his polite manners, and upright countenance.
The late Col. Jno. F. House, of Clarksville, once said of him, that he
had the dignified bearing of African royalty.
He was married during the early 30’s, and was often heard to say, that
God never sent him a greater blessing than Kitty Winston.
It will be remembered that the offspring of a free born parent,
either mother, or father, was also free, and after several sons, and
daughters were given to Aunt Kitty, and Uncle Horace, they desired to
be in a home of their own; Mrs. Carr having become a widow, she was
administratrix of a very nice little estate, and Uncle Horace was one
of her most valuable slaves, and when it was talked around that he
wished to hire himself from his mistress, very few believed that she
would consent for him to leave the premises.
He first talked to influential citizens of his neighborhood, as to the
possibility of securing a suitable location for his humble home, and
Dr. P. F. Norfleet, of Port Royal, promised to use his influence in
that direction.
So he sent to Mr. William Weatherford, owner of a fine farm on Red
River, in sight of Port Royal, and laid the case before him.
In the meantime, Uncle Horace summoned up courage enough to propose
hiring himself from Miss Nancy, as he called Mrs. Carr, for the sum of
$200.00, to which she consented.
Mr. Weatherford kindly granted the homestead site, near a secluded
place on his plantation, known as “Horse Shoe Bend.”
[Illustration: Cabin (Aunt Judy’s House) on the old Fort Plantation, in
which Rev. Horace Carr preached his first sermon.]
A small log house was soon erected, and the Carr family, with their
scant belongings went to dwell therein.
And now the problem of making a living confronted them.
How was it to be done?
“We will work, and save, and trust in the Lord,” Uncle Horace would say.
And they did.
He made boards, bottomed chairs, did crude carpentering, and kept
the ferry on Red River, at Port Royal, during the high water season,
while his industrious little wife spun, wove, sold ginger cakes to
the village groceries; now, and then, accompanying the stork on its
grand mission of leaving rosebud baby girls, and boys in the homes of
families, where she remained a week or two, with their mothers, in the
capacity of a tender and experienced nurse.
There are many mature men and women in our midst today, who first
opened their baby eyes under Aunt Kitty’s watch-care.
She and Uncle Horace were economical, and usually saved fifty, or
seventy-five dollars, above his promised wages to Mrs. Carr.
On Christmas eve morning, of each year, after moving to their home
near Horse Shoe Bend, he would wend his way quietly back to the old
Carr homestead, with his well earned $200.00 for Miss Nancy, who always
felt safe in making her Christmas purchases a week or two ahead of the
holiday season, knowing he would be true to his promise. And she always
had a present for his family, often a pig, with some corn to feed it.
People of that date, were practical, in their present making, at
Christmas time. Uncle Horace professed religion when quite young,
during a revival at Red River Church, under the ministry of Elder
Reuben Ross, a distinguished pioneer Baptist who came from North
Carolina, to Tennessee, over a century ago.
After his profession, he felt a great desire to preach, and as the
years passed, the desire grew stronger, till he felt convinced that he
was Divinely called. So about ten years before the Civil War, he was
ordained to preach.
His ordination took place in Red River Church, the primitive building
on the hillside, a mile or two north west of Adams, Revs. F. C.
Plaster, and W. G. Adams, officiating.
There was a large congregation present, and the ceremony was said to
have been a very impressive one.
Mr. Lawson Fort was present and took great interest in the
proceedings, and followed Uncle Horace out on the church grounds and
said to him:
“Horace, I am a Baptist preacher’s son, but I do not belong to any
church, though I have great respect for religious people.
“I want to say to you, whenever you feel like preaching, or holding a
prayer meeting, come to my house, and feel welcome, and I will see to
it that you are not disturbed by patrolers.
“You will understand, Horace, that my negroes are first-class, and I
don’t care to have a mixed crowd on my premises at night. I guess your
little family, and my thirty or forty, will give you a pretty fair
congregation. It will be best to hold your meetings in Judy’s house, as
she has no small children.
“She has her Indigo dye-pots setting around in every corner, but I
guess she can move them out.
“Judy prays, Margaret shouts, and John exhorts, so it seems, that among
them all, you might get up some pretty good meetings.”
“May the Lord abundantly bless you, Mars Lawson, for such kindness to a
race striving under difficulties, to serve God,” Uncle Horace replied.
Prior to this, he had only held religious services in his own home, but
the invitation from Mr. Fort gave him fresh courage, and he retired
that night with thankfulness in his heart, and a firm resolve to live
up to the Divine light that had been given him.
Of the two ministers who assisted in Uncle Horace’s ordination, I will
speak briefly.
Rev. W. S. Adams was the eldest son of Reuben Adams; the latter came to
Tennessee from North Carolina in 1812, and settled on the bank of Red
River in Robertson county, near where the first old Red River Church
building stood.
He was a penniless orphan boy, but by industry, and economy, was soon
able to buy a small farm. Land at that date, was very cheap.
He was married early in life, to Miss Priscilla Robinson, who made him
a pleasant companion.
In the early 50’s, the Edgefield and Kentucky Railroad Co. had civil
engineers to blaze the path for the first railroad that ran through
this section.
A depot was built, and the little station called Adams, in honor of Mr.
Reuben Adams. On account of this railroad passing through his premises,
the value of his land was greatly increased, and from that time on, he
was able to assist his children financially.
Growing up while his father was poor, Rev. William Adams had but few
educational advantages. He professed religion in his youth, and was
often heard to remark, that most he knew of the Bible, was learned in
Sunday school.
He was twice married, the first time to Miss Batts, of Robertson
county, and second, to Miss Kosure, of Madisonville, Ky. Eight or nine
children by his first marriage are all dead, while two by his second,
also an aged wife, survive him, and live in Texas.
Rev. Adams spent thirty odd years in the ministry. In the early 80’s he
moved from Robertson county to Nashville.
One morning he rose early, and remarked to his wife, that he felt
unusually well, and wished to put in a good day’s work among the
afflicted of the neighborhood, and spoke of first visiting Mrs. Jones
across the street from his home (nee Miss Lizzie Frey), who had been
one of his favorite members of Little Hope Church, in Montgomery county.
Soon after breakfast, he stood before a mirror in the family room
shaving, when his wife sitting near, noticed him turn suddenly pale,
and stagger. She assisted him to a chair, and he died almost instantly,
from heart failure.
Rev. F. C. Plaster, was born in Logan county, Ky., 1805. He was of
humble parentage, and like Rev. Adams, had no educational advantages.
At sixteen years of age, he joined Red River Church, and at twenty, he
felt the Divine call to preach, and so zealous was he, that it was said
of him, that while planing lumber at the carpenter’s bench, he kept his
open Bible before him, studying the Scriptures while he worked.
He was a man of commanding appearance, and a fine pulpit orator. He
was twice married, and was the father of several sons, and daughters,
by his first marriage. Both of his wives were Kentuckians, and most
estimable women. In 1879, he moved with his family to Fort Deposit,
Ala., and from there, a few years later, he passed from earth.