Obituary for Rev Dr. Allen Ledbetter, Hardin County Illinois A MINISTER AND SOLDIER ANSWERS HEAVEN'S ROLL CALL In his home in Creal Springs last Monday night, July 26th. 1926 Rev. Dr. Allen Lebetter, a minister and soldier well known in Hardin Co. and Southern Illinois answered the solemn roll call of Heaven's mustering officer. The funeral and burial services were held Wednesday in Central Church and cemetery in this county. The deceased was the son of Rev. Dr. Ledetter, a pioneer minister of Hardin County. John T. Ledbetter, once sheriff and well known official of our county, Mrs. J. A. Oxford who departed this llife 15 years ago, and Aunt Mary Thornton, now living in Elizabethtown, were members of this respected family. D.A. Ledbetter was born in this county Jan. 12th. 1851 and at the time of his death was a few months more than 75 years old. He soon grew to manhood with a dignified stature and married young. His first wife was Mary, the daughter of Rev. Elihu Oxford, and a sister to the writer's mother. She lived but a short time. He next married a lady by the name of Morris who likewise died in a year or two but her son, Bunk Ledbetter lived to manhood. Later on he married Sarah J. Gullett, one of the daughters of the respected family of the late Uncle Pomp Gullett of this county. This union survived and became the parentage of a family of strong healthy children. Their names are Della, Ollie, Robert, Adrain, Emma, Roy and James W. Ledbetter, all of these, I believe, except Della lives and also Mrs. Ledbetter, their mother, to mourn the loss of one of the most devoted men to his family I ever knew. Patriotism is a well marked trait of the Ledbetter family and with Rev. D.A. it was very pronounced; in many of his sermons and exhortations he showed warmth and feeling when he touched on the love of his country. When the tocsin, "Remember the Maine" was sounded over the country in 1898, Allen, as his friends familiarly called him., answered his country's call enlisting under Capt. Richard F. Taylor, in which company he remained til the close of the Spanish-American War. During this war his patriotism and his confidence in the fortifications and military strength of our country was well confirmed. He came back home saying that it is not outside faces that we need to fear, but sin corruption and rebellion against God. These threatening evils he made war on the remainder of his life, both in the pulpit and in private teaching. About five years ago he sold his property in Elizabethtown and moved to Creal Springs in order that Mrs. Ledbetter might be nearer her children and also that he might have a better outlet to his church work. Failing health attacked him about two years ago, which later took on the proportions of Bright's Disease and despite medical aid and family attention brought his useful life to a close, however before the end came he arranged among other things that Rev. A.J. Clanton and Rev. R. J. Reed of this county deliver his funeral discourse. These two brothers grew up from boyhood with him, and had been associated with him more or less throughout his ministerial labors and they were much affected and somewhat handicapped in the talks by these ties and memories, however, their funeral tribute was in a high degree pathetic and fitting for the occasion. They spoke briefly of his great faith, of his earnestness of purpose, of his firm stand for the principles of righteousness and truth at any and all times, and of his unfaltering hope for immortal life. May his bereaved family and friends be comforted by these hopes, and all of us who read this short memorial, cultivate the worthy principles and share the celestial hopes of our dear deceased brother is the prayer of one who holds the name of Rev. D.A. Ledbetter in grateful remembrance. Written by Elihu N. Hall Taken from the Hardin County Independent, Hardin County, Illinois ------------------------------------------------------------- UGENWEB NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by other organiza- tions or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contri- butor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. ------------------------------------------------------------- File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Wanda Patton Reed