Yolo County CA Archives Biographies.....Culton, Henry Crockett ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ca/cafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@gmail.com December 1, 2005, 1:50 am Author: Tom Gregory p. 187-188 HENRY CROCKETT CULTON, D. D. Notwithstanding the mists of obscurity out of which all genealogical records emerge, there is abundant evidence that the Culton family remained for many generations in the highlands of Scotland, that they embraced the Calvinistic doctrines expounded by their original exponent, also that during the era of religious persecution in their native country they were forced to flee for their lives, thus establishing the name in the north of Ireland, whence in the colonial history of our own country some of the descendants emigrated to Virginia. Later generations followed the tide of settlement toward the further west. James Culton, a Virginian by birth and education, spent his last days in Tennessee. The next generation was represented by Alexander Culton, also a Virginian by birth, but from early manhood a resident of Tennessee. For some years he engaged in operating a plantation near Athens, McMinn county, near the state lines of North Carolina and Georgia and later he removed to an adjoining county, where he settled near Charleston. His last days were passed in that locality, and there also occurred the death of his wife, Sarah (Newman) Culton, a native of Tennessee, her father, Robert Newman, having been a descendant of German ancestry. Out of nine children in the parental family all but one attained years of maturity, but only three now survive, one of these being Rev. Henry Crockett, D. D., pastor of the Presbyterian Church of Winters since December of 1877 and widely recognized as a theologian of fine mental powers, an honor to the denomination which he represents and a leader in the community where for thirty-five years he has made his home. In boyhood he lived in southeastern Tennessee, first near Athens and then near Charleston, and after he had graduated from the Calhoun academy he entered the Cumberland University at Lebanon, Tenn., from which in 1874 he received the degree of A. B. Remaining in the institution, he began a course in theology and in 1875 he was ordained to the ministry by the Memphis presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination. Called to the pastorate of the Vance Street Church in Memphis, Tenn., he continued there from December, 1874, until November, 1876, and at the latter date became pastor of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church at Cleveland, Tenn., in his home county and only twelve miles from his father's place. For one year he remained in that position and then came to California, where he has been pastor of the church at Winters since December of 1877, meantime giving to this important charge the fullness of his remarkable mental powers and the self-sacrificing devotion of his keen spiritual vision. The history of the church extends back as far as 1863. According to such records as are obtainable, the congregation had services at Pine Grove schoolhouse, one mile west of town, as early as the year named. After two years they began to hold their services in the Wolfskill schoolhouse across Putah creek in Solano county. During 1875 a house of worship was erected on Russell and Second streets, Winters, and this building, with improvements and modifications, is still in use by the congregation. The first pastor, Rev. T. M. Johnson, served the congregation from Monticello and at the close of the year 1877 Dr. Culton became the first resident minister, beginning a pastorate that has been markedly successful and far-reaching in influence. Today the congregation is perhaps as large as any in Winters, while in the breadth of its benefactions and the extent of its missionary services it has been surpassed by none. About 1902 the degree of D. D. was conferred upon the pastor by his alma mater. Frequently he was honored with election as moderator of the presbytery and he was occupying that position in the Pacific synod when the union of the Presbyterian denomination with the Cumberland branch was accomplished, after which he preached the opening sermon of the United Synod at Mount Hermon, this state. As a result of this amalgamation since 1906 his congregation no longer claims Cumberland Presbyterian affiliations, but forms a part of the larger brotherhood known as the Presbyterian Church of the United States of America. Among his parishioners he is greatly beloved, while his influence among other denominations has increased with the passing years as the full extent of his devotion to Christianity has been recognized with growing appreciation. As early as 1884 he embraced the tenets of Prohibition and since then, by precept no less than example, he has given the weight of his influence to the cause, believing that the sale of intoxicating liquors is a curse to our country and should be sternly repressed by the aid of the law. The city of Winters voted "dry" in 1904, and is still dry and prosperous. The marriage of Dr. Culton and Miss Martha E. Crawford was solemnized at Charleston, Tenn., January 2, 1877, the bride having been a native of Greene county, Tenn., and a daughter of Rev. W. H. Crawford, D. D., an honored and useful minister in the Cumberland Presbyterian denomination. After years of acceptable and helpful ministerial service in Tennessee, removing to California Dr. Crawford entered the ministry in this state and it was while supplying a pulpit at Newman, Stanislaus county, that he passed away. There were nine children in the family of Dr. and Mrs. Culton and seven of these are still living, as follows: Maud, who married N. A. McArthur, of Winters; Mrs. Sarah Owen and Mrs. Clemmie Stone, both of Colton, this state; Perry and Carroll, who are engaged in the horticultural industry at Winters under the firm name of Culton Brothers; Gertrude and Lenis, who remain with their parents. Additional Comments: Extracted from HISTORY OF YOLO COUNTY CALIFORNIA WITH Biographical Sketches OF The Leading Men and Women of the County Who Have Been Identified With Its Growth and Development From the Early Days to the Present HISTORY BY TOM GREGORY AND OTHER WELL KNOWN WRITERS ILLUSTRATED COMPLETE IN ONE VOLUME HISTORIC RECORD COMPANY LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA [1913] File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ca/yolo/bios/culton84bs.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.poppet.org/cafiles/ File size: 6.7 Kb