Sketch of Bishop Enoch M. Marvin, Warren County, Missouri >From "A History of the Pioneer Families of Missouri, with numerous sketches, anecdotes, adventures, etc., relating to Early Days in Missouri" by William S. Bryan and Robert Rose, Published by Bryan, Brand & Co., St. Louis Missouri, 1876. ********************************************************************** The Marvin family is a very old one, dating back in this country to about 1635. Like most of our American families, it orig- inated in England, but we have no account of it previous to its advent into this country. Reinold Marvin came from England to America with his family about the year 1635. He settled first in Harford, CT., but soon re- moved from there to the town of Lyme, in the same State. Mr. Marvin was an intelligent man, and fully appreciating the value and power of knowledge, he educated his children as well as he could in those early times, when schools, books and teachers were not so abundant as they are now. The result was that his children occupied leading positions in the community where they lived, and were distinguished for their intelligence, fine social qualities and good characteristics as citi- zens. Lieutenant Reinold Marvin, a son of Reinold Marvin, Sr., was born (probably in England) in 1634, and died in Lyme, CT., in 1676. He was a prominent and influential citizen, and in addition to his serv- ices as a soldier, in assisting to defend his country against the att- acks of a savage foe, he occupied a high position in civil affairs, and represented the Coloney in the General Court, a body similar to our modern Legislatures. His son, Captain Reinold Marvin, was born in Lyme, CT., in 1669, and died in 1737. He represented his native town in the General Court from 1721 to 1728, and was also an officer in the colonial army. Elisha, son of Captain Reinold Marvin, was born in Lyme, March 8, 1717, and died December 3, 1801. He married Catharine Mather, the daughter of Timothy Mather, who was a member of the celebrated Cotton Mather family. Enoch, son of Elisha Marvin, was born in Lyme, CT., in 1747. He married Ruth Ely, and removed to Berkshire County, Mass., where his son Wells Ely, was born. Soon after that event Mr. Marvin removed to Shenango County, N.Y., where his family was principally reared. In 1817 he came to Missouri with his son, and died December 24, 1841. Wells Ely Marvin was born in Berkshire County, Mass., as above stated. He married Polly Davis, whose ancestors were Welch, and came to Missouri in 1817. He settled on Dardenne Creek, in the eastern part of Howell's Prairie, where he remained one year, and then removed to now Warren County, and settled two and a half miles southwest of the present town of Wright City, on a small stream called Barrett's Creek. There he built a double log cabin and covered it with rough clapboards, which were kept in their places by heavy poles laid transversely across the boards. A wooden chimney stood at each end of the house, and be- tween the two rooms there was a passage or hall. Each room was lighted by a single small, square window, containing but one sash. In this house Bishop Marvin was born, but was principally raised in a new hewed log house which his father built after his birth. The latter is still standing, and is what is known as a story and a half house; that is, the second story is only half as high as the first, and so low that a grown person can stand upright only in the middle of the room, under the cone of the roof. The Bishop and his brothers slept in this low upper story, which they entered through a door in the gable end of the house, which was reached by a ladder on the outside. If a storm or an accident overthrew the ladder, they were prisoners until someone came to their relief and hoisted it up again, for there was no other mode of egress or ingress. As they lay in their beds they could plainly hear the pattering of the rain upon the roof, and in the morning they were aroused by the singing of birds in the branches of the trees over their heads. Two little windows in their humble chamber looked out upon a rolling, hilly country, covered with oak, hickory and walnut trees, among the branches of which squirrels played and frolicked in undistur- bed merriment. Beautiful green cedars fastened their roots in the sides of the rocky hills, and gave an emerald tinge to the solemn for- est shade. Little rivulets, warbling down the sides of the hills, mingled their sparkling waters with the more pretentious brook in the valley below, and murmuring a quiet salutation, flowed on together to the river and the ocean. Raised in the midst of such surroundings, the embryo Bishop necessarily acquired a poetic nature as he grew up, and much of the beautiful imagery of his incomparable sermons, which flow from his lips in streams of sparkling metaphors, can be traced to his early associations. Wells E. Marvin and wife had four children, all of whom were born in Warren County, viz: Elisha, born April 19, 1818, married in 1845 to Margaret Faulkner, and died about 1850; Nathaniel Davis, born August 13, 1821; Enoch Mather, born June 12, 1823; Maria, born Septem- ber 1, 1831 and died about 1851. Nathaniel D. lives in Pike County, MO., and is married and has a family. Mr. Marvin was not a member of any church, and made no preten- sions to religion; but he never threw any obstacles in the way of the religious training of his children. He died December 30, 1856, and was buried in the family graveyard on the home place. Mrs. Marvin was a member of the Baptist Church, and a devoutly religious woman. She instructed her children in the principles of Christianity from the earliest moment that they could comprehend her words, and they grew up with a firm faith in its truths and devine ori- gin. Bishop Marvin stated in his farewell sermon in St. Louis, before starting on his journey to China and the East, that the first distinct recollection of his life was sitting on his mother's knee and listening to her sing, "Alas! and did my Saviour bleed," while the tears rolled down her cheeks and fell upon his upturned face. She was a superior woman, intelligent and refined, and so gentle and kind in her disposi- tion that no one could know her without loving her. The devotion of her children amounted almost to idolatry, and the two who are still living never pass near the old home without making a pilgrimage to her humble grave. Her teachings are manifest in their lives and characters, and the good seed which she sowed, with apparently but little prospect of its fruitation, has brought forth a thousand fold, in the spread of the truths which she inclucated around the globe. She taught school a considerable length of time in a small house that was built for that purpose in the yard, and there she imparted to her own children and the youth of the neighborhood the elements of an English education. This house, we believe, is still standing. She died January 1, 1858, and was buried by the side of her husband. Bishop Marvin began to exhibit evidences of his oratorical tal- ents at a very early age. Frequently he would gather his youthful playmates around him, mount upon a stump in the woods or fields, and astonish them with a speech or sermon replete with beautiful thoughts, clothed in the language of natural eloquence. In their neighborhood debating societies he stood higher than all the others, and no one could compete with him. If he had the weak side of a question he would present it so plausibly, and with so much eloquence, force and wit, that the judges would forget the merits of the case and unanimously de- clare him the victor. It was customary in their societies for the opposing speakers to announce themselves as candidates for some office, and then present their claims to their constituents in the best manner they could. Af- ter the speakers were all done, an election would be held, and the can- didates who had presented their claims in the most favorable light would be elected. One evening young Marvin and Royal Kennedy, both about sixteen years of age, and classmates in school, were opposing candidates for the office of constable, in the debating society. Kennedy made the first speech, in which he announced his candidature, and made an earn- est appeal for the support of his friends. He promised to bring all transgressors of the law to condign punishment, and to employ his best efforts to collect all accounts placed in his hands; but if he failed to collect them he would return the accounts to their rightful owners. He would discharge all the duties of his office in an honorable and satisfactory manner, and, believing himself better qualified for the position than his opponent, he hoped to receive the unanimous vote of the audience. He took his seat in the midst of great applause, and his election seemed sure. Marvin then arose, straightened his tall figure, brushed the drooping hair from his brow, and began his speech. He referred to the speech of his opponent, repeated its principal points, and then throw- ing his head back, and casting one of his peculiarly searching glances around the room, he said, "Now, my friends, I will do all that my op- ponent has promised, and much more besides. I will not only bring all transgressors to justice, but if I fail to collect accounts that are entrusted to me, I will run my hand down into my pocket (illustrating his words by the action), pull out the money and pay them myself!" This speech, so ludicrous in its application (for Marvin's pockets were always empty), and so dramatically uttered, "brought the house down," and he was elected on the spot, without a dissenting vote. Young Marvin joined the Methodist Church in August, 1839, and was converted in December, 1840, being then in his 18th year. He does not remember that any minister was specially instrumental in his con- version, but attributes it more to the religious influence of his mother than any other agency. He began to preach in 1841, being ad- mitted by the Conference that met in Palmyra that year. He did not attend the Conference, but was admitted upon the recommendation of his pastor and class; for at that time the rules of the Church did not re- quire a young minister to be present at Conference in order to be ad- mitted. The first Conference which he attended was held in Jefferson City, and it is said, though we do not vouch for the truth of the statement, that the suit of clothes which he wore on that occasion was made of calico and presented to him by some of the sisters of the Church. They had no opportunity to take his measure, and the clothes being made "by guess," proved to be too short by several inches, and he presented the appearance of having run to seed below his elbows and knees. He preached his first sermon in old Bethlehem Church, near Flint Hill, in St. Charles County, taking for his text the tenth and eleventh verses of the third chapter of Isaiah. "Say ye to the right- eous, that it shall be well with him: for they shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked! it shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall be given him." This sermon was preached at the request of Rev. D. T. Sherman, well known among the Methodists of Missouri, and who is still connected with the itinerant ministry in this State. He was at that time a local preacher, and had an appointment to preach at Bethlehem on that day, but being unable to attend, he requested Marvin to fill the appointment for him. An account of that sermon and various incidents connected with it was written by Rev. J. W. Cunningham, at present of St. Louis, and published in the St. Charles News about a year ago. From that account we make the following extracts: "It was young Marvin's first sermon. People who were present say his appearance was that of an awkward country boy, dressed in home spun, home-cut, home-made and well-worn clothes. The Bishop says his pantaloons were of blue cotton, when new, but many washings had largely relieved them of the original indigo color. They were sadly faded, and worn into holes at the knees, and, to hide the openings, a tender mother's hands had placed patches over them, with pieces of the origi- mal blue. Said he: 'The pale was very pale, and the blue was very blue.' With little or no thought of his parti-colored pantaloons and other faded and worn apparel, the young preacher entered the church and pulpit, and did as best he could. Mr. Ben Pierce remembers that he said: 'When man came from the plastic han of his Creator.' That is all he recollects of that 'first sermon,' and it is probably the only relic of it that survives in the neighborhood in which it was preached. The preacher was neither greatly embarrassed nor over-confident. He was earnest and boisterous, without much of the emotional. As the service closed, John P. Allen took John B. Allen by the arm, and gave it a severe grip by way of emphasizing his whispered words, as he said: 'That youth had better quit preaching and continue to work on the farm. He will never make a preacher.' John B. replied: 'He may be a Bishop yet.' "The service ended, the people retired, and no one was thought- ful enough to invite the young stranger to dinner. He mounted his hor- se and started homeward. He had left home early in the morning, and eaten but little, 'was very hungry,' and was determined not to stand on formalities. If no one would invite him, he would invite himself. He soon rode up beside Warren Walker, who was traveling the same road, and said to him: 'Brother, how far do you live from here?' On being told the distance, he said: 'Well, I am going home with you to get my dinner.' 'Certainly,' said Mr. Walker, 'I will be glad to have you do so.' And to Mr. Walker's he went and was cordially entertained." The people who lived in the vicinity of Bethlehem Church were noted for their hospitality, and there were none present on that occa- sion who would not gladly have had the young minister go home with them and appease his hunger; but he had come to the church in company with Mr. Walker, and most of them supposed he was his guest and would be en- tertained by him. The failure to invite hiim to dinner was not an in- tentional slight, but simply an oversight resulting from thoughtless- ness, and was so regarded by the young preacher himself. After his marriage, and after he had become distinguished as a minister, he preached at Bethlehem again, attended by his wife. When the services were over, quite a number of persons crowded around and invited the minister and his wife to dinner, and among them were several who had heard his first sermon. He recognized them, and a merry twinkle came into his eyes as he said: "The first time I came here I got no invitation to dinner, but now I have the pick and choice of the neighborhood, and am going to the nearest place where they have plenty to eat; where is that?" To this question Uncle Ben Pierce quickly replied: "That's my house, right over there," pointing to his elegant residence only a short distance from the church. "We have plenty to eat, and know how to cook it." "Very well," said Marvin, "I will go with you," and there he went. Some years after this event, Marvin, who was then a Bishop, repeated the incidents of his first and second visits to Bethlehem Church, in a spirit of pleasantry, to a circle of friends in St. Char- les, Uncle Ben Pierce being present at the time. When he had conclud- ed, he turned to the latter and said: "Uncle Ben, I discovered by my visits to your neighborhood, that you don't think much of a man that wears patched clothes." To which Pierce dryly replied: "Well, Marvin, the fact is, you were not much of a preacher, then, no how, and that was not much of a sermon, either." Marvin was ordained deacon in 1843, and elder in 1845. In 1852 he was appointed presiding elder of St. Charles District, and acted as agent for St. Charles College in 1854-1855. He was transferred to St. Louis Conference, and stationed in the city of St. Louis until 1861, having charge of the church on the corner of Washington Avenue and 8th street during the greater portion of that time. In February, 1862, he ran the guantlet of the Union armies and went South as a missionary to the soldiers. He continued in the South during the remainder of the war, preaching to the soldiers and adminis- tering to their spiritual and physical wants. many conversions took place under his preaching among the soldiers, and many parched lips on bloody battle fields opened in thanks for the cup of cold water placed to them by the hands of the devoted follower of the Nazarene. Neither the vicious whistle of the minnie ball nor the roar of cannons and muskets could drive him from his duty, or prevent him from ministering to the wants of his suffering fellow creatures. Among the other duties of the General Conference of the M. E. Church, South, which met in New Orleans in 1866, was the election of the new Bishop, and the choice fell upon Enoch M. Marvin, than whom a more worthy selection could not have been made. The action of the Con- ference met with universal approval throughout the limits of the Church and the young Bishop at once took a high position in the love and es- teem of his brethren. ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material for purposes other than stated above must obtain the written consent of the file contributor. This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by: Penny Harrell ====================================================================