Lenoir County, NC - Life and Times of John Tomlin Walsh

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NOTE:  John T. Walsh (1816-1886) was a pioneer Disciple of Christ 
minister who was active in Lenoir and near-by counties from the 1850’s 
until his death in 1886. The following selections, which pertain to the 
time he spent in this area, are taken from his memoirs published a year 
before his death.


                          THE LIFE AND TIMES  
                                  OF  
                          JOHN TOMLINE WALSH  
                                 WITH  
                   BIOGRAPHICAL AND HISTORICAL SKETCHES  
                           AND REFLECTIONS  
                                  ON  
                       CONTEMPORARY MEN AND THINGS 
 
                               EDITED BY  
                        A MEMBER OF HIS FAMILY 
 
                              CINCINNATI 
                       STANDARD PUBLISHING COMPANY 
                                 1885 

In 1850, Dr. Walsh determined to return to Richmond, Va., and practice 
medicine, which he did, locating on Broad street, and having an office 
in the basement of Thos. J. Glenn's residence. He practiced medicine 
two years, and bid fair to make it lucrative. 
 
About this time, Elder John P. Dunn, of North Carolina, wrote a letter 
to Elder R. L. Coleman, editor of the Christian Intelligencer, asking 
for an evangelist. Dr. Walsh read the appeal, and opened a correspondence 
with Elder Dunn, the result of which was, that in March, 1852, he, with 
a young brother, H. Wicker, made a visit to North Carolina, stopping at 
a small village called Kinston. Goldsboro was then a small place, and 
there was no railroad from that place to Kinston. So, taking the stage, 
Dr. Walsh and Mr. Wicker went on to Kinston. This was Monday, of court 
week. They stopped at the Caswell House, kept by a polite Virginia 
gentleman, Dr. Thomas Woodly, who received and treated them very 
pleasantly. After dinner they inquired for Gen. Cox's residence, which 
was pointed out to them, and to which they repaired and found a 
comfortable home. It being court week, they found Elder Dunn in the town, 
made his acquaintance, and promised to visit him soon. 
 
In a few days Elder Dunn sent his carriage for them, and took them to 
his house, about nine miles from Kinston. They found him a very 
pleasant, courteous, Christian gentleman, and spent many days with him. 
On the next Lord's day, which was the third Lord's day in March, 1852, 
the morning opened brightly, but it had been snowing, though the 
foliage was unusually large for the season; and the green leaves 
covered with a light snow, flooded with the bright rays of the sun, 
made a beautiful picture. Elder Dunn soon had his carriage in 
readiness, and he, Dr. Walsh and H. Wicker were off to Elm Grove, 
Pitt county. Dr. Walsh preached, and all returned to Elder Dunn's that 
evening. 
 
During this brief sojourn in the "Old North State," Dr. Walsh preached 
at many points. Rose of Sharon, Lenoir county; Chinquepin Chapel and 
Pleasant Hill, Jones county; Wheat Swamp, Lenoir county; Hookterton and 
Oak Grove, Greene county, and elsewhere. The result of this visit was 
an agreement that Dr. Walsh should return to Richmond, Va., and bring 
his family out with him, and engage regularly in the work of 
evangelizing. 
 
He returned to Richmond, and made preparations to remove to North 
Carolina. Taking his family with him, he came via Goldsboro, and 
arrived a little after night at the home Mr. Jacob Parrott, on the 
stage road, about six miles above Kinston. Here he and family met with 
a hearty welcome, and made it their home for several months. He 
continued to board with different Christian families for about two 
years, when he concluded, if possible, to buy a house and lot in 
Hookerton. A Dr. R. Hooker, living there, offered to sell to him; but 
how he was to buy, was the difficulty. 
 
While pondering over this matter, he made a visit to a Mr. Benj. 
Streater, in Pitt county, a gentleman of large means, and a disciple of 
Christ. Dr. Walsh told him he and family were weary of boarding, and 
that he would buy a home, and go to housekeeping; but he had not the 
means, and did not see his way open in the matter at all. Without any 
hesitation, this noble and generous hearted Christian handed Dr. Walsh 
five hundred dollars! Dr. Walsh wished to give him his note for the 
amount, but he would not accept it! This was the most large-hearted act 
of generosity Dr. Walsh ever experienced. Though he has, in the course 
of a long life, found many liberal-hearted brethren, he has never found 
one whose liberality was equal to this, and, in Dr. Walsh's esteem, in 
this act Mr. Streater built a monument more durable than the hills! 

A few years after locating in the State he held a meeting at Hookerton, 
and baptized between thirty and forty persons. He also conducted a 
protracted meeting at Wheat Swamp, and baptized in that year of his 
pastorate about seventy persons. On one occasion, on a Lord's day, he 
preached there to a large congregation; and at the close of his 
discourse he extended an invitation to all who accepted Christ as their 
Saviour to come forward and confess their faith in Him; and fourteen 
young ladies arose simultaneously and came forward! There were few dry 
eyes in the house on that occasion; every heart seemed to be melted, 
and all eyes suffused with tears. 
 
On another occasion, when preaching at this same place (Wheat Swamp), 
there was a good Sister Barrow, whose lot it was to have quite a number 
of small children; and, she being a zealous Christian, always selected 
a prominent seat in front of the pulpit. On the occasion referred to, 
to keep her children quiet during the services, she took the precaution 
of taking along a well-filled basket of gingerbread; and, while it 
lasted, all was quiet, but when the bread gave out, the children began 
to cry. They cried lustily, and Dr. Walsh, in order to be heard, raised 
his voice higher, and the competition between him and the children 
waxed warmer and warmer, higher and higher, until at last the children 
triumphed, and he sat down utterly defeated! This incident, the Doctor 
thought, taught one of two lessons, either to take more bread along for 
the children or leave them at home; or, better still, to fill them 
before starting. 
 
Dr. Walsh also protracted a meeting in Kinston, preaching every night 
for a month, assisted, a few times, by Elder John P. Dunn. This meeting 
resulted in the baptism of over thirty persons, some of whom are still 
living in and around Kinston, and are worthy members of the Church of 
Christ.

Elder John P. Dunn was one of the most prominent preachers in the State 
when Dr. Walsh came into it, March 16, 1852. He was a gentleman of 
considerable wealth, a preacher of pleasing address, and very popular 
among the people. Perhaps he was one of the most effective evangelists 
in the State at the time referred to, and a very successful preacher.

Some congregations pay better and more promptly than others; indeed it 
is sadly true that perhaps a majority of them fail to pay all they 
promise. The idea seems to prevail that congregational obligations are 
less binding than individual. The preachers among the Disciples in 
North Carolina have been generally poorly paid, not receiving enough to 
support their families, much less to exempt them from the necessity of 
secular business or manual labor. To the honor of those who have done 
all, and more than all, they promised (and there may be others not 
known to Dr. Walsh), may be mentioned Eden, Greene county, North 
Carolina; Bethel, Pamlico county, North Carolina. These, within the 
knowledge of Dr. Walsh, to their honor be it recorded, have paid the 
last dime covered by their promises. Wheat Swamp, Lenoir county, has 
always done well, and several others might be mentioned; but as a rule, 
in a majority of cases, a few members bear the chief burdens of any 
given congregation. The reason of this is, the members do not give as 
the Lord prospers them, or else the Lord does not prosper them, judging 
by what they give. 

But there are noble and generous Christian brethren and sisters in all 
the congregations. Dr. Walsh does not wish to make any invidious 
distinctions, nor is it any reflection on others who, perhaps, did what 
they could, for him to state that in his late effort to secure a home 
for his family, JOHN T. DALY and NOAH ROUSE, both of the Wheat Swamp 
Church, exceeded all others in their liberality. Indeed, but for the 
extra efforts made by John T. Daly, he would now in his old age have 
been houseless and homeless. May these worthy brethren, Daly and Rouse, 
and all others interested, have "a house not made with hands, eternal 
in the heavens!"

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