RILEY, NATHAN TOMS CREEK ,DAVIDSON CO RECORDS,1808·91 /B.~.

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Ancestry

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Record

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.. of and warm

t her effort that le was popular rally in a pros-

several weeks, ith Christ. .. e in the colony :tlcment. They intellectuality. citizens of the

ry 29,. 1783, of ught him up in

sions, which in­ lod in the nine­ J ersey church· et Solomon. ained a pillar

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er and grew in > the commands

v February 17, Joseph Pickler, -n called to the re continued to ception of- two 1e 62d year of

. ~~;~z A History of the Liberty Baptist Association. /s3 fo:t:;-

He was dignified in bis deportment, possessed a firm, un­ wavering mind, and was persevering in his undertakings. His manner of preaching was plain and easy to be understood. ''Ye must be born again," was the doctrine upon which he particularly insisted; and that we, merely being the descend­ ants of Christian parents, or even of Abraham, are not en­ titled to church privileges. Ile was a faithful minister of the gospel; nothing but ho·

ing confined to bis bed prevented him from meeting bis en­ gagements and discharging his Christian duties.

But he had finished his course and the Lord called him up hif'.hcr. His praise was not only in the church of which he was a member, but in all the churches.

ELDER NATHAN RILEY.

His father, Nathan Riley, married Anna Cook. The sub­ ject of this sketch was born in Loudon County, Virginia, from which place his parents emigrated to what is now David­ son County and settled on the head waters of Tom's Creek. He was born October 29th, 1776. Some time in the year 1 ";!IS he was united in marriage to Miss Sarah Briggs. They w1 re blessed with a numerous family of children-four sons and seven daughters, namely: John, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Anna, .:\Iary, Sarah, Nancy, Nathan, William, Rhodias and. Eliza. Of his early life we know little. Possibly he made a pro­

fession of faith in early life. The first account we have of bis religious life is that he joined· Jersey church by letter July 4th, 1807.

On the 19th day of March, 1808, Swearing Creek church ( .J ersev church), of which he was a member, set off an arm, near his home, which was named Tom's Creek.

September 17th, 1811, Nathan Riley was appointed to se­ cure help to constitute this arm into a church, which was done on Sunday, the 20th day of October, 1811, Elders John

54 A History of the liiberty Baptist Association.

Gilbert and Bennet Solomon being present by invitation. Ht: had begun to preach, and, June 20th, 1812, Elders George Pope and John Gilbert were invited as a presbytery to examine .Mr, Riley with a view to ordination, on Sunday, June 21st, 1812. The presbytery being satisfied with his qualification, Elder Pope preached the sermon from Numbers 27 :16, 17: "Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which may bring them in; that the con.grega-

. tion of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shepherd," and then was solemnly set apart by the imposition of hands. He then took charge of the flock and most probably continued with them till his death, which occurred December 5th, 1827.

There is no record in hand of his having served but one other church. July 19th, 1817, the church at Tom's Creek received "a request from Jersey church for a part of Elder Riley's time, which was granted." It seems that his church first joined the Sandy Creek Association in September, 1812, and that he was a delegate to that meeting. Later on he was sent by his church to aid in the constitution of Liberty church as an arm of Tom's Creek church, October, 1824. He was engaged in ministerial work until the time of his death­ some fifteen or sixteen years. His funeral sermon was preached by a Mr. Hodge.

As preachers were scarce in his day, the churches seemed to keep their pastors longer than is customary now. His work is now done, his labors ended, he having passed over the river and resting, as we trust, "under the shade of the trees."

J

ELDER JAMES B. BADGETT.

William and Sarah Badgett emigrated from. Granville County, N. C., to what is now Davidson County. The sub­ ject of this sketch, Elder James B. Badgett, was born to them July 3d, 1786.

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ELDER NATHAN RILEY'S LIFE AND MINISTERIAL LABORS

His father, Nathan Riley, married Anna Crook. The subject of this sketch

was born in Loudon county, Virginia, from which place his parents emigrated to

what is now Davidson county and settled on the head waters of Tom's Creek. He

was born Oct. 29th, 1776. Some time in the year 1798 he was united in marriage

to Miss Sarah Briggs. They were blessed with a numerous family of children---

four sons and seven daughters, namely:Joh.n, Elizabeth, Charlotte, Anna, Mary,

Sarah, Nancy, Nathan, Wi 11 iam, Rhodias and Eliza.

' Of his early I ife we know but I ittle. Possibly he made a profession of

faith in early I ife. The first account we have of his religious I ife is that

he joined Jersey church by letter, July 4th, 1807.

On the 19th day of March, 1808, Swearing Creek church (Jersey Church), of

which he was a member, set off an arm, near his home, which was named Tom's

Creek.

Sept. 17th, 1811, Nathan Riley was appointed to secure help to constitute

this arm into a church, which was done on Sunday, the 20th day of October, 181 I,

Elders John Gilbert and Bennet Solomon being present, by invitation. He had

begun to preach, and, June 20th, 1812, Elders George Pope and John Gilbert were

There is no record of his having served but one other church. July 19th,

invited as a presbytery to examine Mr. Riley with a view to ordination, on Sunday,

June 21st, 1812. The presbytery being satisfied with his qua I ification, Elder

Pope preached the sermon from Num. 27: 16, 17: "Let the Lord, the God of the

spirits of al I flesh, set a man over the congregation, which may go out before

them, and which may go in before them, and which may lead them out, and which

may bring them in; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have

no shepherd", and then was solemly set apart by the imposition of hands. And then

took charge of the flock and most probably continued with them ti I I his death,

which occurred Dec. 5th, 1827.

HENRY SHEETS

...

1817, the church at Tom's Creek received 11a request from Jersey church for a part

of Elder Riley's time, which was granted.rr It seems that his church first joined

the Sandy Creek association in September, 1812, and that he was a delegate to

that meeting. Later on he was sent by his church to aid in the constitution of

Liberty church as an arm of Tom's Creek church, October, 1824. He was engaged

in ministerial work until the time of his death---some fifteen or sixteen years.

His funeral sermon was preached by a Mr. Hodge.

As preachers were scarce in his day, the churches seemed to keep their

pastors longer than is customary now. His work is now done, his labors ended,

he having passed over the river and resting, as we trust, "under the shade of

the trees. rr

Liberty Baptist Assoc. Minutes,

1895 (APPENDIX. BIOGRAPHICAL SKETCHES)

Note: This same biographical material is found in the HISTORY OF THE LIBERTY BAPTIST ASSOCIATION by Henry Sheets. This account says Nathan Ri Jey's mother was a Cook.

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APPENDIX.

Biographical Sketches.

Elder Nathan Riley's Life and Ministerial Labors.

His father, Nathan Riley, married Anna Crook. The subject o:f this sketch was born in Loudon county, Vir­ ginia, from which place his parents emigrated to what is now Davidson county and settled on the head waters o1 Tom's Creek. He was born Oct. 29th, 177G. Some time in the ye:ir 1708 he 'ms united in marriage to Miss Sarah Briggs. They _were blessed with a numerous family of

· ohildren=-fonr sons and seven daughters, namely: John,. Elizubeth, Charlotte, Anna.i Mary, Sarah, ::Kancy, Nathan; William, Rhodias and Eliza.

Of his early life we know but little. Possibly he made a profession of faith in early life. The first account we have o] his religious life ii; that he joined Jersey church by letter, J'uly -Ith, 1807.

·On the 18th clay of l\Iarch, 1808, Swearing Creek church (Jersey church), of which 1:1e was a member; set off an arm, near his home, which was named Tom's· Creek.

Sept. 17th, 1811, Nathan Riley was appointed to secure help to constitute this arm into a church, which was done on Sunday, the 20th day o] October, 1811, Elders J olm Gilbert and Bennet Solomon being present, by invitation.

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..

\.

II He had begun to preach, and, June 20th, 1812, Elders George Pope and John Gilbert were invited as a presby­ tery to examine Mr. Riley with a view to ordination, on Sunday, J une 21st, 1812. The presbytery being satisfied with his qualification, Elder Pope preached the sermon from Num. 27: 16, 17: "Let the Lord, the God of the spirits of all flesh, set a man over the congregation, which may go out before them, and which may go in before them, and which maylead them out, and which way bring them ill; that the congregation of the Lord be not as sheep which have no shephercl,"·and then was solemnly set apart by the imposition of hands. And then took charge of the flock and most probably continued with them till his death, which occurred Dec. 5th, 1827. There is no record of his having served but one other

church. July 19th, 1817, the church at Tom's Creek re­ ceived "a request from Jersey church for a part of Elder Riley's time, which was granted." It seems that his church first joined the Sandy Creek association in September, 1812, and that he was a delegate to that meeting. Later on he was sent by his church to aid in the constitution of Liberty church as an arm of Tom's Creek church, October, 1824. He was engaged in ministerial work until the time of his death-some fifteen or sixteen years, His funeral

· sermon was preached by a :i\Ir. Hodge. . ·As preachers were scarce in his day, the churches seemed to keep their pastors longer than is customary now. His work is now done, his labors ended, he ha Ying passed over the river and resting, as we trust, "under the shade of the trees." HEKRY SHEETS.

port o a tl report iu gospel to ministry."

A

preachers sive. Iu t satiouil. Elder Azariah Wtlllamsv-ttls Life And Work.

... 1

Elder \Yilliams was born, reared and died in Davidson county, North Carolina. His residence was some two miles from Lexington, the county seat, on the road to Winston-Salem. So far as we can learn, he never dill any pastoral work

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