Much interest and some resentment

CHAPTER THREE — THE CAMPBELL’S ARE COMING — (Circa 1820s)

Robert and Nancy (Rolands) Ralston had seen many changes since they came to “The Ridge” when it was a forest. Robert Ralston was born in 1776 and died in 1823; Nancy was born in 1778 and died in 1865. Their son, Robert Jr., was now a lad of eighteen (born 1801), while his brother Thomas (born 1803) was sixteen. The spacious log-house on the Ralston farm was a favorite gathering place for church parties.

Those staunch old Covenanter ministers would have preferred confining the party guests to those of their own church, but no rule to this effect was made by their Synod. Therefore, they could only insist that if their young people married outside the church, the outsider must come in. People married young, generally. Even now, Robert and Thomas were hoping to choose Rose and Rebecca Glasgow, (daughters of Joseph and Ann “Nancy” Glasgow) of the Hopewell Associate Reformed church, for their respective life partners.

The father of these girls, Joseph Glasgow, son of a Revolutionary War Soldier, Robert Glasgow, had died in middle life, leaving a large family. (Joseph Glasgow having fought in the War of 1812, returned home broken in health, died in 1820. He had been treated by an old Indian during his last illness.) Their mother, Nancy (Glasgow) Glasgow (Joseph and Nancy were first cousins, their father’s being brothers) had then married a Covenanter by the name of Robert Campbell. There were many more of the Campbell clan in the settlement. Just what relation these Campbell’s were to Alexander Campbell of the Campbellites, I do not recall. All were Scots from North Ireland, where their ancestors had taken refuge during the religious persecution in Scotland. (Robert Campbell and his brothers ran a mill on Buck Run (just north of present-day Seaman). A post office was also located at the mill. The Campbell brothers were from a small community known as Buck Run in Rockbridge County, Virginia. Thus, naming the stream they had settled near “Buck Run.” Joseph and Nancy Glasgow lived on the farm most recently owned by Waldo Armstrong on Armstrong Rd just off S.R. 247. Joseph and Nancy lived in a log house, but later when Nancy married Robert Campbell, they built a brick home. (This structure was recently torn down.)

Young folks were “swinging their partners” in the kitchen and the older folks were sitting by the fireplace in the living room.

“Had you heard? The Campbells are coming!” called a young man while passing the sitting-room door.

Minutes passed and no Campbells appeared — then the news broke. Barton Stone of the Campbellites was coming to Newport, (Lawshe) the little hamlet a half-mile from the east end of The Ridge, to hold a revival. Rumors were soon flying. This one and that was quoted as having said they believed the doctrine of this newly-organized sect was nearer the pattern set by Jesus and his disciples then that of any other church now in existence.

Some of the younger fathers and mothers had acquainted themselves with this doctrine and soon it became evident in the conversation — the Campbellites believed that neither “article of faith” nor “terms of communion” were scriptural and should not be imposed on Christians.

That the essential creed of the Apostolic church was the confession made by Simon Peter, “Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God.” On this, Christ Jesus declared He would build His church.

That all those who make that confession from the heart, being penitent of their past sins, were to be admitted by baptism into the membership of the visible church.

That baptism in the early church consisted of the submersion of a penitent believer in water, in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and that only such were fit for baptism.

That the Lord’s Supper was observed when they met together on the first day of the week. Hence, they practiced weekly communion. All this was contrary in form to the lengthy catechizing of applicants for church membership — not only to ascertain their faith but to be sure there was no lack of agreement of church doctrine. The Presbyterian baptizing by sprinkling, also infant baptism were set aside as unscriptural. They were only quietly discussing the matter, but an unspoken interest was evident. The older folks said little, but their few remarks showed they felt sure of their ground.

When the party broke up that night, there was much interest and some resentment; resentment of the new movement by some and by others, at being “fenced in.” The “no occasional hearing” rule was unjust, they felt. The latter kept silent; as resentment was considered a non-Christian attitude if directed against one’s church, and would have called for church discipline, if voiced.

Following the revival, the Reverend Stone organized a church with many members. No Covenanter that I ever heard of attended, the fence held!

Soon these converts erected a church near the Newport (Lawshe) cemetery. It was made of logs and had a huge fireplace at one end. The seats were of split logs with legs, but no backs. It was called Pleasant Point Meeting House. From that time on, the Campbellites were a power to be reckoned with among the Presbyterians.

Robert Ralston had worked hard establishing a home on this frontier. At this time the Ralston farm comprised all the land south of the Ridge Road, from the right-hand road west of the house and east to the Hemphill place and all south to what was later the Tom Hemphill place and to the McCullough place which was about 300 acres. He had cleared several sizeable fields of the most level land. This pretty farm carried an atmosphere of the Vermont, Robert and Nancy Ralston had left. Because of other special crops, it was sometimes spoken of as the flax and feather farm.

A small spring branch running close by made an ideal place for raising their geese. Flax was raised as the main crop, though I have never heard of it being raised any place else on The Ridge. Nancy carded the flax, spun it into thread, and wove linen cloth for family needs and for sale.

A neat springhouse covered the source of the branch from paddling feet of the geese and they were content to swim below in the water that poured from under the wall of this springhouse. Inside, crocks of milk cooled in the running water and butter kept fresh and sweet. Only one of those many old spring houses remains on the “The Ridge” within my memory.

Hewing this farm from the wilderness had not been easy, for not all men of that day were so rugged they were indestructible, as is often inferred. Hardly a middle-aged man, Robert passed away (age 47) after a brief illness of a heart ailment.

Robert’s sons, Robert Jr. and Thomas Ralston carried on with the farming and in their early twenties, married the Glasgow sisters. The girls “came in” to the Covenanter church with their husbands.

Thomas and Rebecca (Glasgow) Ralston lived with Thomas’s mother, Nancy (Rolands) Ralston, in their log house. Thus, two large families of Covenanters were growing up. Robert and Rose (Glasgow) Ralston built on the lower part of the farm toward West Fork Creek and beside the little log schoolhouse of the community on the old Ralston place.

Written circa late 1950s and early 1960s by Lena McCoy Mathews (1893-1988) and transcribed for The Defender by Joyce Wilson. Look for more history in future issues of The People’s Defender.