References to Elder Lawrence Scarborough (1767 - Oct 1846), Union Parish Louisiana Submitted by: Timothy D. Hudson Date of Submission: 11/2008 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ************************************************ ================================================================================= ================================================================================= References to Elder Lawrence Scarborough 22 Oct 1767 - 1 Oct 1846 Early settler of Mississippi and the Bayou Corney region of modern Union Parish Louisiana. One of the earliest Baptist ministers in what is now Claiborne Parish Louisiana. ================================================================================= ================================================================================= ================================================================================= ================================================================================= PERSONAL BACKGROUND ON ELDER SCARBOROUGH: To my knowledge, no documentary evidence exists to prove Lawrence's parents, but family tradition claims that he is the eldest son of Revolutionary War soldier, Major James Scarborough of Edgecombe County North Carolina. In fact, it is claimed that Lawrence witnessed Cornwallis' surrender at Yorktown, where Lawrence had gone to take his father some clothes. In the latter 1780s, Lawrence followed Miles Scarborough and other Scarboroughs to Georgia, where he lived in Burke and Bulloch Counties. Lawrence was ordained as a Baptist minister there. In 1807, he applied for and received a passport from the Georgia governor to travel across the Creek nation on his way to Mississippi. Scarborough soon became a very prominent Baptist minister in southwestern Mississippi. The Mississippi Baptist Association sent him as a missionary into Louisiana for the purpose of ordaining ministers and establishing churches. In particular, he has the distinction of ordaining the first Baptist preacher in Louisiana in 1812 (a black man, in fact) and of constituting the first Baptist Church in that state at the same time. Scarborough left Mississippi between 1822 and 1826 and moved into north Louisiana. He was the first white settler of the Bayou Corney region of what is now Union Parish Louisiana (then Ouachita Parish). He settled near the last Choctaw Indian village there. On 4 January 1827, Scarborough joined the Pine Hills Baptist Church, located near modern Vienna and Downsville in what is now southern Union (or northeastern Lincoln) Parish LA. He preached across north Louisiana, but by the 1830s he had distanced himself from the Missionary Baptists and became a Primitive Baptist minister. Scarborough died at his home on Bayou Corney in October 1846, leaving numerous children by three different wives scattered throughout Mississippi, Louisiana, Arkansas, and Texas. ================================================================================= ================================================================================= ================================================================================= ================================================================================= Controversy Surrounding Elder Scarborough's Baptist Ministry: I have researched the life of Elder Lawrence Scarborough off and on for thirty years. For a while, I thought that he was my Scarborough ancestor's brother, but subsequent research indicates that, at best, he is my ancestor's first cousin. As he was the earliest settler of region where my grandmother was born (Bayou Corney, Union Parish), I have always taken a special interest in his life. Most Scarborough researchers are familiar with Mrs. Jewel Davis Scarborough's "Southern Kith and Kin", Volume III, covering the family of Major James Scarborough. Mrs. Scarborough's husband descends from Elder Lawrence Scarborough, so her work contains a lot of information on Lawrence and many of his descendants. While her work describes Lawrence Scarborough's life, Mrs. Scarborough omitted many references to Scarborough's ministry. Maybe I'm wrong about that - maybe she did not omit them but rather remained unaware of them. Although her research seems thorough and in-depth for the times, perhaps in that era before computers and microfilm, she was unaware of the religious controversy that drove Elder Lawrence Scarborough from Mississippi to Louisiana. These works are not particularly well-known, and they are not exactly those most would think to consult when pursuing the genealogy of a particular man or family. This file contains references to Elder Lawrence Scarborough from three out of print and somewhat obscure books written in 1866, 1886, and 1888. I find the information gives an interesting addition to the "cold hard facts" that we know about his life. On the other hand, the data as written by the religious authors is not complimentary of Elder Scarborough by any means. It appears to me that there were differences of opinion in the 1800s regarding Scarborough's actions, as one of the authors writes favorably of Scarborough whereas the other two give a scathing condemnation of his separation from one of his wives and subsequent marriage to another woman without obtaining a divorce. I have never seen Scarborough's ministry discussed online, and I have previously hesitated to initiate such a discussion due to the negative aspect of the material on Scarborough's reputation. However, I find this information an interesting addition to what we know about him and it is a part of history and of his life; If he were my ancestor, I would want to know the complete truth, so I have decided to post this information. Moreover, other sources counter the some of the negative implications of statements made about Elder Scarborough. These other sources indicate that Scarborough was an honorable man who took great pains to provide for his wife and children. When Lawrence prepared to leave Mississippi in 1820, he left his property in trust for his children, taking only one horse for his use on his travels. After he had settled in Louisiana, in 1829, he put all of his property into his wife's name, including improvements he had made on 200 acres of public land, his stock, a slave, etc. Moreover, he had the foresight to make a trip to the courthouse and have these two documents recorded by local government officials. Further, he was held in high regard by the Baptists in Mississippi from 1809 until at least 1822, and a large group of members withdrew with him following the controversy in 1830. He preached to a loyal following until his death. As mentioned earlier, the events described below do not fully add up. All of the references agree that Lawrence Scarborough became a prominent Baptist miniser in southwestern Mississippi between 1807 and 1822. All agree that some controversy drove him from Mississippi and it followed him into north Louisiana. All the references also indicate that he ceased connection with the Missionary Baptists, but continued to preach until his death. It appears that he became a Primitive Baptist minister, but this is not completely clear. The Missionary Baptists claimed that after his earlier wife's death, Scarborough remarried, then separated from his wife, did not obtain a divorce, and then married another woman. If so, it does not seem possible that he could have remained a Primitive Baptist minister, for they had the same firm convictions on this activity as the Missionary Baptists did. Furthermore, the sources below do not all agree on whether Scarborough withdrew willingly from Pine Hills Baptist Church in north Louisiana or whether he was excommunicated. ================================================================================= ================================================================================= ================================================================================= ================================================================================= References to Lawrence Scarborough in Georgia: 1) "Larrance Scarbrough" registered for the 1805 Georgia Land Lottery as a resident of Bulloch County. He drew two blanks. 2) "Laurens" Scarborough received a grant of 500 acres in Bulloch County Georgia in the early 1800s (Grant Book G-5, p. 116). 3) "Reverend Lawrence Scarborough" was granted a tract of 500 acres on Ashes Swamp in Bulloch County, Georgia on 22 May 1807 (Plat Book A, p. 356, Bulloch County). ================================================================================= ================================================================================= Scarborough's Passports Across the Creek Nation: Source: Bryan, Mary G. "Passports Issued by Governors of Georgia, 1810–1820." Arlington, Virginia: The National Genealogical Society, 1965, pp. 21, 45. ================================================================================= page 21: Georgia Bulloch County This is to Certify that the Reverend Laurance Scarborough has Lived in this STate for the turme of fifteen Years as a good sitizen will disposed amongst His neighbours and has used Industry for The Interest of his family. This is therefore to certify the above Under our hands this 1st October 1807. Chas. McCall, J.I.C. George McCall Joseph Tanner, J.I.C. William Parker recommendations for passports thro the Cherokee & Creek Nations, Acted on 15th Octor 1807. page 45: On recommendation of several respectable inhabitants from the county of Bullock ORDERED That Passports through the creek nation be prepared for... Lawrence Scarborough... which was presented and signed. ================================================================================= ================================================================================= Scarborough's Ministry in Mississippi Sources: 1) Scarborough, Jewel Davis. "Southern Kith and Kin: A Record of My Children's Ancestors; Major James Scarborough: His Ancestors and Descendants", Volume 3. Abilene, Texas: Abilene Printing Company, 1957. 2) Leavell and Bailey, "A Complete History of Mississippi Baptists", published in 1904. ================================================================================= Rev. Lawrence Scarborough lived in Jefferson County Mississippi in 1809 and was present at the Salem Baptist Church meeting in 1809 as a messenger from Morgan's Fork Church. The association that year appointed him to help with difficulties at New Hope Church. At the 17 October 1812 meeting of the Mississipi Baptist Association, held at Zion Hill Church in Amite County Mississippi, Lawrence Scarborough preached the Association Sermon and was appointed to the presbytery to ordain "Brother Willis in Opelousas", and also to help constitute another Baptist church near Scarborough's residence. The association met at Bogue Chitto Church in Pike County Mississippi on 18 October 1817, and Lawrence Scarborough was a appointed to serve on a committee to submit a plan to raise funds for minister's education and to raise these funds, on another committee charged with preparing an association constitution and by-laws, etc. On 14 October 1820, the association met at Zion Hill Church in Amite County, and the minutes indicate that Lawrence Scarborough delivered the association sermon and was listed as one of the visiting ministers. Scarborough's church joined the new Union Baptist Association in 1820. He represented the Union Association at the 1822 meetings of the Mississippi and Pearl River Associations. An association historian said that Scarborough was "Plain in person, manners and style of preaching. He was given to the Heavenly tune in his delivery of sermons, but was an exceedingly useful man for many years." ================================================================================= ================================================================================= Charges Against Elder Lawrence Scarborough Jones, Rev. John G. "A Concise History of Introduction of Protestantism into Mississippi and the Southwest". St. Louis: P. M. Pinckard, 1866, pp. 63–65. Rev. John G. Jones gave a scathing description of Elder Lawrence Scarborough in his work published in 1866. The severe tone given here does not seem to reflect that of Harris and Hulse that describe Scarborough's ministry in Claiborne Parish Louisiana. ================================================================================= The truth of history requires us to state that the early Mississippi Baptist Churches not only had their troubles with some unfaithful and disorderly laymen, but also with a number of their preachers, or cautioned not to receive, as such, certain imposters and disorderly walkers. The fall of two of their leading ministers, Elders Lawrence Scarborough and Josiah Flowers, was cause of deep sorrow, not only to the Churches, but to all who admire and love ministerial purity and fidelity. Lawrence Scarborough first appears in the minutes in 1809, and continues as late as 1822. He was plain in person, manners and style of preaching, but was zealous and energetic, and acquired considerable influence as a preacher. His manner of preaching was rather boisterous, and his gesticulation violent. He had acquired "the heavenly tone" in great perfection, and could sing and wail out his hymns, prayers and sermons equal to any man we ever heard. The elocution of th epulpit has so changed since then it is likely that many of our readers do not comprehend what is mean by "the heavenly tone;" and, partial as we were to it in our boyhood, we must acknowledge our inability to describe it adequately. It was made up of assumed intonations of the voice, expressive of great earnestness, and was composed of the cadences of whining, mourning, lamentation and wailing, and was intended to arouse the sympathies of both preacher and auditors. We seldom meet with "the heavenly tone" at this day, except as very imperfectly imitated by some of our colored brethren in their public prayers and exhortations. Mr. Scarborough was conspicuous as a preacher among the Baptists in Mississippi about fifteen years, and was the pastor of some of their best Churches; but he committed a blunder that overthrew him completely in this country. The minutes containing the adjudication of his case are not extant, so far as the author knows, and he will not undertake to give thee details of the case from memory. The substance of the unfortunate and wicked affair was about as follows: Mr. Scarborough as his second wife, married a widow lady, apparently every way suitable for him as to age and circumstances in life. It was not long, however, before they disagreed and parted. Without waiting to justify himself in parting from his wife, or to obtain a legal divorce in case he was justifiable - which we presume few, if any one, believed -- he hastily married a young woman, which brought down on him, not only the censure of the Church, but the indignation of the community, in consequence of which he precipitately left the country in disorder and settled in Northern Louisiana, west of the Washita river, where he soon commenced preaching among the Baptists in that region. The Church which claimed jurisdiction over him in Mississippi, not being able to bring him to trial, sent a deputation to Louisiana to inquire into his case, collect any available testimony that might turn up, and report to the Church on their return. The result was, that he was wholly discarded by the Church in Mississippi as an unworthy and fallen minister. In 1826 the writer had a pastoral charge in North Louisiana, and heard that he was still living about the head waters of the Darbonne, near the line between Louisiana and Arkansas, and was still preaching, though in what relation to the Church he did not learn. He has since gone to give an account of his stewardship. ================================================================================= ================================================================================= Paxton, Rev. W. E. "A History of the Baptists of Louisiana from the Earliest Times to the Present." St. Louis, Missouri: C. R. Barns Publishing Co., 1888, pp. 34, 142, 152, 180, 183, 516. ================================================================================= ================================================================================= Chapter on the Mississippi Baptist Association and her influence on the earliest Baptists in Louisiana: ================================================================================= pp. 33-34 "Thomas Mercer came from Georgia about 1800, and preached regularly. Dr. David Cooper, who was probably from Tennessee, a learned and pious man, who combined the callings of preaching and the practice of medicine, came in 1807. He did more, perhaps, than any other man to give character to these early Baptists. He was long Moderator of the Mississippi Association. he was active in promoting education and missions. He died in 1830. About the same time, also, a number of preachers appeared in this country, who had either immigrated or been licensed here. Among these were Moses Hadley, Elzra Courtney, Lawrence Scarborough, Josiah Flowers,... most of whom labored subsequently in Louisiana." pp. 142-143 "In acordance with this advice, in 1811 he [Joseph Willis] attended the meeting of the [Mississippi Baptist] Association and was invited to a seat; and two ministers, Thomas Mercer and David Cooper, were invited to visit the brethren in the Opelousas. These were providentially hindered. In 1812, the [Mississippi Baptist] Association appointed Moses Hadley and Lawrence Scarborough to proceed to the Opelousas country, ordain Mr. Willis and constitute a church in the vicinity where he lived. This may appear to be an Assumption of authority on the part of the association. But the procedure under this appointment shows that the action was regarded as only advisory. They proceeded at once to the discharge of their duty. On their arrival at Bayou Chicot, in the parish of St. Landry, which was one of the places at which Mr. Willis preached, they found five brethren and one sister, whom they constituted into a church called Calvary. This church was constituted November 13th, 1812, the first in the State. At the same time, at the request of the newly constituted church, they proceeded to ordain Joseph Willis as their pastor." p. 152 "About this time [1825-1826] Lawrence Scarborough, who had been a prominent minister in Mississippi, but had separated from his wife and had married again, and had been excluded from a church in Mississippi, came into Ouachita Parish. He was received into the Pine Hills Church. On this account the Pine Hills Church was refused a letter of dismission until Scarborough was excluded, or satisfaction rendered to the church in Mississippi. In 1830 notice was given that Pine Hills Church had excluded Lawrence Scarborough. A few members of the church and a few the Black Lake Church adhered to him for a time; but were finally convinced that he was wholly unworthy. He removed to South Arkansas, where he remained till his death, in connection with the Anti-missionaries; but so far as I know he ceased to preach." [NOTE: These facts are incorrect. Lawrence Scarborough remained a resident of Union Parish until his death in October 1846. He continued to preach in Claiborne Parish until his death.] ================================================================================= Chapter on the Louisiana Baptist Association: ================================================================================= p. 180 [1827] "The following query from Vermillionville Church was considered: "Shall a person be received into a church that had been divorced and married another; or if being in the church, they marry again, shall their membership be continued. Unanimously agreed that except it be manifest that such separation was occasioned by the fornication of the opposite party, they should not be received. See Matt. 19:9. Black Lake and Providence churches were dismissed to unite in the formation of a new association. Pine Hills applied for a letter for the same purpose, but was refused until she either exclude Lawrence Scarborough from her communion, or satisfy the church from which he was excluded in the State of Mississippi, with respect to her receiving said Scarborough into fellowship. This Scarborough had been a prominent minister in Southwest Mississippi. Having separated from his wife, he left Mississippi in company with another woman, to whom he was married in Louisiana. He was excluded by his church, but refused to surrender his credentials. He managed to get received into the Pine Hills Church. Subsequently the church became satisfied of his unworthiness and withdrew her fellowship, and thus gave satisfiction to the association. Scarborough removed to Southern Arkansas, where he lived a number of years and died, as I have learned, in connection with the anti-missionary Baptists." [NOTE: Scarborough did not move to Arkansas, but remained a resident of Union Parish Louisiana until his death in October 1846. He continued to preach in Claiborne Parish until his death.] p. 183 [1831]. "It appears that in the exclusion of Lawrence Scarborough the year before some of the members of Pine Hills adhered to him. These were excluded by the church and the act commended by the association." ================================================================================= ================================================================================= Harris, D. W. and B. M. Hulse. The History of Claiborne Parish Louisiana. New Orleans: W. B. Stansbury & Co. Press, 1886, pp. 140 - 144. ================================================================================= History of the Christian Church in Claiborne Parish, Louisiana. By Rev. J. B. Davis The present reformation in Claiborne Parish commenced in about 1827. From the days of the Westleys, the want of a return to th eApostolic teachings and practices, had been deeply felt by the profound thinkers of the times, and many were the efforts of learned men to throw off the dark pall of ritualism, superstition and sensuality, which had gathered over the church in the dark ages. But these offorts were productive of new sects and creeds only, which were held up to the world for its acceptance. These human made creeds, confessions of faith, and abstracts of principles only led to further divisions and sub-divisions. Seeing this, the eyes of the thoughtful, scanned the religious horizon for a haven of rest. A port which they might enter and be comparatively safe from the storm of sectarian strife and division. Then was heard the immortal words of Chillingworth. "The Bible and the Bible alone is the religion of Protestants." And from the classic hills of Virginia came the not less immortal words of the Campbells; "When the Bible speaks we must speak, but when the Bible is silent, we must be silent." And from Kentucky's grassy plains was heard the voice of Stone. He declared in words of impassioned eloquence, that "the Christian's creed is the Bible; to none but God will be bow." Less lights sprang up everywhere and this doctrine was echoed from the valleys to the hills, and from the hills to the mountain tops, until it reached our own fair land. In about 1827, Lawrence Scarborough, began to preach to the people of Claiborne Parish, the Bible; nothing more or less as the only rule of faith and practice for Christians. This doctrine being to some extent an innovation, on the one preached by the representatives of his brethren, a rumor which followed him from Mississippi was made the basis for charges against him. A committee was appointed to investigate the matter, who after a careful investigation of the case, honorably acquitted him. But some of his brethren were not satisfied, and he (Scarborough) believing his teaching more offensive than his practice, withdrew from the church to avoid further trouble, and a number of his Baptist brethren withdrew with him. Scarborough being poor and living some distance from the brethren of Black Lake Church, could not be with them often. And after a time most of the brethren who withdrew with him went back to the Baptist Church. This movement not being contemplated things remained for sometime in rather a chaotic state. But Scarborough afterwards moved into Claiborne Parish, and John Murrell... built a church near his own residence, and in this house, about 1840, the congregation met in their own church, and commemorated the death and sufferings of Christ. As disciples or Christians, they discarded all unscriptural names an dpractices and took as a motto the words of Chillingsworth, Campbell and Stone, "the word of God as a lamp to our feet in the pathway of life," offering to meet and unite with any and all on this, the one and the only foundation for the universal union of the children of God. Many ugly and offensive names were applied to us then, as now, but we relied on the promise of God, and cared for none of those things. A few years after the erection of this church, Scarborough passed to his reward, leaving a band of christians numbering about sixty around this church, and a considerable number in the northeast corner of the parish, near the State line. He was full of days and good works, and has gone to his reward. John Scarborough, son of Lawrence Scarborough, who had preached some previous to his father's death, now took his father's place, and labored for the disciples in word and doctrine with varied success for several years. At one time this church numbered as high as seventy communicants, and there were other disciples in the Northeast part of the parish, in Union Parish and in Arkansas, where Scarborough lived. The disciples in other parts of the country, hearing of the disciples here, sent evangelists to see and help them. Among those who came was a man named Smith from New Orleans, and Stephenson from Little Rock, Ark. There were no jars between these visiting strangers and the disciples here, but unity, thus demonstrating the important truth that those who take the Bible along as their guide can meet as brethren everywhere. About the year 1850, John Scarborough moved to Texas and left the church without a shepherd, and not long after he left the church building was burned accidentally and the congregation went down to almost nothing. Some moved away, others went into other denominations, and others went to the world..." ############################################################# File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/la/union/churches/scarborough-lawrence.txt