Cabarrus County, NC - Samuel Suther

Rev Samuel Suther 

Although not a Cabarrus Co bio, Rev Suther lived in Mecklenburg Co 
but does have descendants early on from Cabarrus Co.
 
This bio of Rev Suther was included with the Obit for his son, David 
Suther, which is also included here.

The Weekly Messenger of the German Reformed Church 
Philadelphia PA May 10, 1843

In Cabarrus County, NC, on the 21st vit., in the 73rd yearof his age, 
Mr David Suther, a member of the German Reformed Church, and a son of 
the Rev. Samuel Suther, whose ministerial labours are identified with 
the formation of the Ger. Ref. churches in the Carolinas.  
 
Start of Bio of Rev Suther

The latter was born in Switzerland, on the 18th of May, 1722. On the 
28th of March, 1736, his father, with a large family, twelve or 
thirteen in number, left the land of his birth, to seek a home in the 
forest of America. But an allwise and mysterious Providence frustrated 
all their plans, and  prostrated all their hopes; they all, except 
Samuel, perished on the way. 
 
The father and two of the daughters found their graves on the shores of 
England, where the ship was detained several months, in order to repair 
damage sustained in encountering a severe gale. This was a sad stroke 
for the family, but they were taken away from the evil to come. The 
suffering which the surviving membrs endured are almost without a 
parallel in the  annals of history. The ship again set sail for a port 
in Virginia. After being tossed upon the mountain waves by the angry 
winds of thirteen  successive storms,upwards of four months, she cast 
her anchor in sight of the destined shore, on the 5th of January, 1739. 

Hope again revived the survivors of the ship's company, for many of 
them had already perished; their entire stock of water and provisions 
having been exhausted six days previous. The boats were dispatched to 
the shore for supplies; but before relief could be obtained, most of 
them found a watery grave. The winds again raged, the cables gave way 
and the ship became a wreck, launching about  two hundred and twenty-
five souls into eternity. On the 10th of January, Samuel, the only 
survivor of his father's family, was brought to shore almost lifeless 
from hunger and cold; but by the kind attention of an Englishman, and 
the blessing of God, he was again restored.  
 
From this time until the year 1768, the subject of the memoir seems to 
have spent his time in the provinces of Virginia, Carolina, Georgia,  
Pennsylvania, and Maryland, mostly in the capacity of a school teacher.
 
In 1749 he taught the German Reformed school in Philadelphia. The 
writer cannot discover from his mutilated and almost obliterated diary, 
that he preached before June, 1768. He then commenced preaching in 
Mecklenburg County, NC. Where or by whom he was ordained does not 
appear upon the remains of his diary; but it is said by his 
grandchildren, that until a few years ago, they had in their possession 
the certificate of his ordination, and that he was ordained in 
Philadelphia. On the 25th of October, 1771, he removed with his family 
from Mecklenburg to Guilford co (perhaps Orange), where he resided and 
labored in the ministry, till the 7th of January, 1782. It is supposed, 
that he formed all of the German Reformed churches in Guilford and 
Orange Counties. 
 
In 1774, he went to Pennsylvania and New York, in company with 
Geo.Gustner, Esq. (well known to posterity in Guilford and Orange, as 
one of the principal farmers and supporters of their churches) in order 
to collect money, to build the first German Reformed Church in Guilford 
and Orange. How they succeeded, is not known to the writer, but the 
church was afterwards built, and has since given place to the well 
known Brick Church, in Guilford county. 

From Guilford he again removed to Mecklenburg where he remained till 
1786, when he removed to  Orangeburgh District, SC, where he lived till 
his demise, which occurred on the 28th day of September, 1788.

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This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by
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