William Calmes Buck: Kentucky

(Continuing posts about William Calmes Buck)

About 1820, William Calmes Buck moved to the “wilderness” of Kentucky (Union and Woodford counties) where he founded several churches but supported his family by farming because preachers were not paid at the time.

David E. Buck noted " . . . Buck steered Kentucky Baptists through the very turbulent years 1820 - 1850, when bitter opposition to missions and salaried ministers almost did in the Baptist cause in that frontier state.   . . . For fifteen years William preached in small churches around Union and Woodford Counties, almost complete wilderness.  Paid nothing for his gospel labors (he later wrote his total receipts for his first twenty-four years in the ministry were $724, mostly merchandise!), Buck farmed to support his family of five."

In later years in Kentucky, Wm. C. Buck was founder and first pastor of the East Baptist Church of Louisville, editor of the state Baptist paper, compiler and publisher of a Baptist hymnal, and co-founder of a Bible society which later merged with what is now the American Bible Society.  Upon leaving Kentucky, he held a denominational post in Nashville, Tennessee and later was pastor of the First Baptist Churches of Greensboro, Alabama and Selma, Alabama and Columbus, Mississippi. 

While living in Louisville, Wm. C. Buck was appointed president of the (Baptist) American Indian Mission Association.  In 1845, he submitted to the U. S. 28^th Congress their recommendations for the welfare of the American Indian tribes.  The recommendations can be summarized as:

1. Boundaries for Indian Territory to be fixed per a Senate bill of 1837 (which was not passed)
2. A central tract to be used for Government of the Indian Territory by all tribes
3. Representation of Indian tribes in congress
4. An educational program for the Indian tribes.

Buck was known for his presence in the pulpit.  Spencer wrote “Perhaps no other man ever preached in Kentucky that could command the attention of so large an audience in the open air.”

Wm. C. Buck was adamantly opposed to infant baptism.  His book, “A Brief Defense of the Antiquity, History & Practice of the Baptists” explained his viewpoint.  The book was based on two of his sermons which each lasted for three hours!

Wm. C. Buck preached the annual sermon before the Alabama state convention which met in Gainesville in 1858.  He then settled in Selma as pastor of its Baptist church.  In 1859, he again felt the need to publish his views and began a new paper, "The Baptist Correspondent".  His paper was in competition with the existing "Southwestern Baptist" and failed after two years.

(To be continued)

Wm. C. Buck: Marriage to Isabella Miriam Field

(Continuing posts about William Calmes Buck)

Seven years after the death of his first wife, Maria LeWright, William Calmes Buck married Isabella Miriam Field on June 30, 1829 in Woodford County, Kentucky.  She, the daughter of Willis Field and Isabella Miriam Buck, was his first cousin once removed.  She was born on August 16, 1809.

Wm. C. Buck wrote that Isabella Miriam Field was "Remarkable for personal beauty, intellectuality and piety, she had secured the love of a large circle of devoted admirers and friends".  She enjoyed the society of Louisville when they lived there and was unhappy to leave it later on.

William Calmes Buck and Isabella Miriam Field had the following children:

• William Thomas Buck (1830-1846) was born on September 28, 1830 in Woodford County, Kentucky  "at 25 min. after 1 p.m." according to the notes of his father.  He died on November 10, 1846 at the age of 16 at Georgetown College, Kentucky “of typhoid fever, after an illness of 18 days".  He was sixteen years old "when he died at 11:15 o'clock".  "He was of great promise and departed in perfect hope of immortality." His father described him as "A most remarkable youth -- the hope of his Parents" and noted that he was 6' 1" tall, weighing 165 pounds at age 16.  ".. as remarkable for his mental as his physical precocity, and as remarkable for his piety as for either."  He was buried in Woodford County, Kentucky.
• John Field Buck (1833-1834) was born on May 21, 1833 in Woodford County, Kentucky "at 9 min. after 8 a.m." He died on July 20, 1834 in Woodford County, Kentucky of "cholera-infantum" according to the notes of his father. He was buried in Woodford County, Kentucky.
• Charles Willis Buck (1835-1900) was born September 26, 1835, Woodford County, Kentucky; married Susan Croom Sparrow, September 13, 1857, in Greene Co., Alabama; died April 8, 1900, Phenix City, Russell, Alabama, USA.  He was a Baptist minister, a Chaplin in the Civil War, a publisher and a dentist.
• Emma Buck (1837-1933) was born June 29, 1837 in Louisville, Kentucky; married Gen. Richard Harrison M.D., March 2, 1871, at the Wm. C. Buck farm in Waco, Texas; died January 18, 1933 in Waco, Texas.  Richard Harrison (1821-1876) was a native of Alabama. One of a trio of brothers who all gained rank of general in Confederate Army.  He attended Kentucky Medical College and was a physician prior to his army service. His first marriage was to a Miss Ragsdale of Mississippi. After her death, he married Mary Tompkins. His third marriage was to Emma Buck.  He served as president of the Baptist State Convention of Mississippi. Moved to Texas in 1866. A trustee of Waco University. Served as chairman of the deacons of First Baptist Church of Waco.
• Giddings Judson Buck (1840-1912) was born April 4, 1840 in Lexington, Kentucky; married Mary Cottingham Halbert, July 3, 1865, Texas; died March 25, 1912, El Paso, Texas.  An educator, soldier, lawyer and author.  Author of the Free Christian in 1907.
• John Samuel Buck (1842-1846) was born on July 14, 1842 in Lexington, Kentucky at "about 7 a.m." He died on October 14, 1846 at the age of 4 in Louisville, Kentucky "inflammation of the stomach and bowels" at "20 min. after 11 o'clock a.m." according to the notes of his father. He was buried in Woodford County, Kentucky.
• Willis Field Buck (1845-1888) was born June 26, 1845 in Louisville, Kentucky; married Anna William Harrison, October 27, 1872, Waco, Texas; died August 14, 1888 in Texas.  All of his children died young and he committed suicide a few months after the death of his wife.  He was a doctor.
• Silas Calmes Buck (1847-1908) born November 1, 1847, Louisville, Kentucky; married Georgia Rebecca Titus, July 25, 1877, Texas; died 1908, Erath County, Texas.  He was a lawyer.
• Paul Buck (1847-1848) was born on November 1, 1847 in Louisville, Kentucky.  Paul and Silas were twins.  Paul was born at "20 min. after 5 and Silas at half past 7." He died on July 5, 1848 of "cholera-infantum" at "about half past 1 o'clock". He was buried in Woodford County, Kentucky.
• Thomas Buck (1849-1850) was born on November 22, 1849 in Lexington, Kentucky.  He died on July 3, 1850. He was buried in Woodford County, Kentucky.
• (stillborn) Buck was born and died in 1850 in Lexington, Kentucky and was buried in Louisville, Kentucky.

Wm. C. Buck noted in his memoirs that the health of his wife began to decline after the birth of the twins, Silas and Paul.  Following the death of Paul, her mother died in the same year.  Apparently, she became severely depressed.  Isabella Miriam Field Buck died on March 18, 1852 at the age of 42 in Nashville, Tennessee.  She was buried in the Versailles Cemetery, Versailles, Woodford County, Kentucky alongside five of her children.

(To be continued)

Wm. C. Buck: Marriage to Maria Lewright

(continuing the series of posts about William Calmes Buck)

William Calmes Buck married Maria Lewright on December 1, 1815 in Jefferson County, Virginia.  Maria Lewright, daughter of Robert Lewright and Elizabeth Price, was born 1795 in Virginia.

Wm. C. Buck wrote of Maria LeWright "She was a lady of fine appearance, an excellent mind and unusual amiability."

William Calmes Buck and Maria Lewright had the following children:

• Robert Luther Buck (1816-1866); born in Virginia on August 4, 1816; married Elizabeth Stewart; died on January 15, 1866 in Jackson, Mississippi; buried in Greenwood Cemetery, Jackson, Hinds County, Mississippi.  A doctor.
• Maria Louisa Buck (1818-1822); born in Virginia on April 13, 1818; died in Union County, Kentucky on December 13, 1822; buried in Old Highland Cemetery, Union County, Kentucky. 
• Mary Elizabeth Buck (1819-1901); born in Virginia on September 11, 1819; married Rezin Davidge (a merchant), 1839; died September 19, 1901 in Washington, D.C.; buried in Rock Creek Cemetery, Washington, D.C.  Lived in New York and was very supportive of her father and siblings during and after the Civil War.  By 1900, Rezin had retired and they moved to Washington D.C. living with their nephew Charles Davidge.
• (unnamed infant) was born and died on January 8, 1822 along with her mother.

Maria Lewright Buck died in childbirth on January 8, 1822 at the age of 27 in Union County, Kentucky.  Her husband wrote, "She deceased from consumption, having previously given birth to a daughter, which lived only three hours and a half and died of her mother's disease".  She was buried in Old Highland Cemetery, Union County, Kentucky. 

(more to follow...)