Carrollton Patriot Newspaper

21 Jan 1915
What! Endorsed Slavery?
Slavery was endorsed and Bible authority quoted for it at a religious assembly held in Greene County seventy years ago, and Carrollton church people not only participated in the meeting, but were members of the committee that framed the report.

This seems a rather startling assertion, more than fifty years after the abolition of slavery, but public sentiment often reverses itself in less time than seventy years.

In his travels over the Greene-Jersey Baptist Association, Rev. W.H. Dickman recently picked up an old time stained leaflet containing the minutes of the seventeenth annual meeting of the North Baptist Association, held at Mt. Gilead Church September 6, 1844. They spelled it “Mt. Gilliad”. The title page shows the imprint of the “Advocate Office”, Carrollton. The Advocate is said to have been the first newspaper published here.

Elder Moses Lemon was moderator, J.O. Graves and D. Pierson, both of Carrollton, were clerk and assistant respectively. The two latter, with Elder S. Crane, the pastor, and W. Fales were Carrollton messengers. Other churches in the association were Kane, White Hall, Bethel, Mt. Gilliad, Delaware, Jerseyville, Taylor’s Creek and Bluffdale. Kane with 117 members was the largest church. Carrollton church reported 84.

The slavery issue came before the association in two questions contained in the letter from the Jerseyville Church. They were:

1. “Is not slavery in any and all of its’ connections a sin and a bar to fellowship?”
2. “What does the Scripture say on this subject?”

These questions were referred to a committee composed of three ministers – Elders E.
Dodson, Roberts and Moses Lemon – and two lawmen – D. Pierson and J.O. Graves.

The report of the committee was quite a labored effort. In reply to the first question it
said:

“In our opinion there are many conditions in and connections with slavery in which there is no sin, and brethren thus situated should not be denounced as heretics, thieves, etc.”

The oddest part of the report is that the committee quoted numerous passages of Scripture which they construed as authorizing human slavery.

“Your committee are of opinion that the relations of master and servant is regarded in the Word of God,” they reported. Here are several of the passages quoted:

“Let every many abide in the same calling wherein he was called. Art thou called being a servant, care not for it” etc. “Servants be obedient to your masters according to the flesh with fear and trembling.” “Let as many servants as are under the yoke count their own masters worthy of all honor.”

The record says the report was presented, received and adopted by the association.

Transcribed 07 Dec 2002 by Linda Jones Craig

18 Feb 1915
“First Negress” in Carrollton. First Negro woman in Carrollton Aunt Jane a slave and maid servant of Judge Woodsons family and later in the Locke family. She came from Shelbyville, Ky to Jerseyville Aug 11, 1862 and then Carrollton. She was no common negress but cultured and of pure Africa blood. She had been associated with the Parkers, Todds, Woodsons, Lockes, Burfords and others of Ky. and knew Miss Mary Todd before she married Abraham Lincoln. An escaped slave of New Orleans, Louisiana was captured more dead than alive from exposure and eating only corn & wheat in grain and meat raw or partly cooked and lodged in Carrollton jail. It was suggestedto advertise and send him back to his owner under the fugitive slave law, but was never done. He was the negro man in Carrollton and Aunt Jane took advantage of leap year and made him her husband. They had quite a numberof children of whom Sam Evans was the eldest.

Transcribed 10 Dec 2002 by Shirley A. Aleguas

20 May 1915
Carrollton 1875
Carrollton city authorities bought from Joseph Stohr the old stone jail building & lot for $500.
Jul 1915
Current Events in Greene County 1915
Carrollton dispensed with a Fourth of July celebration on account of the county picnic of the Odd Fellows, which will take place July 27. The renowned Odd Fellows Orphans’ Home Band of Lincoln will furnish the music and Grand Master W. H. Pease of Harvey will deliver the principal address.
Robert B. Thompson of Roodhouse answered the final summons at an age of 69 years.
John William Morrow of Roodhouse, who a few weeks ago fell from a cherry tree and sustained a fracture of the right arm near the wrist, is now laid up with another fracture. While riding a bicycle he attempted to turn out of the road and was thrown to the ground with the machine. The broken arm was again fractured, not only at the break, but the other bone also, which had not been broken.
Lee Freer of Rockbridge was arrested and jailed Monday afternoon by Sheriff Edwards, charged with an assault with intent to kill, the complaining witness being his mother-in-law, Mrs. Martha Reno, who claims that Freer struck her with a heavy cloths brush and fractured her skull. He was placed under $1000 bond.
Wm. McGooklin of Roodhouse was also jailed Monday, and is bound over in the sum of $500, for threatening to shoot Mrs. Harvey Aulgur of Roodhouse.
Walter Maher, a printer was delivered at the jail Saturday by Constable John Sink, and languishes there in default of $300 bond. The complaining witness is Elizabeth Sheppard.
Miss Adah L. White and Carl Lowenstein, both of White Hall were married by Rev. A. F. Ewert on Monday, June 28.
Geo. W. Garrison of White Hall and Miss Erma Varble of Carrollton were united in marriage at the home of the bride’s parents. The benedicts are making their home in White Hall.

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