Reverend Thomas Buck (1777-1862)

Thomas Buck, the first son of Charles Buck II and Mary Richardson was born on Nov. 15, 1777 in Frederick County, Virginia.  Instead of assigning him a number, he is usually distinguished by calling him Reverend Thomas Buck or sometimes Thomas Buck, minor.  However, he is also referred to as the “Elder” or Thomas Buck VI in some references. Reverend Thomas Buck married Amelia Lee Dawson, daughter of James Dawson and Elizabeth Carter on October 19, 1801.  Amelia Lee Dawson was born on March 27, 1783, the daughter of Reverend James Dawson.  Reverend James Dawson was a co-worker of James Ireland, and like him, was imprisoned for preaching heresy.

The Reverend Thomas Buck was a “pioneer "Old School" Baptist minister of early Virginia.  He did not go along with his younger brother, William Calmes Buck, when the latter went into the "missionary" Baptist ministry, but the two never lost their close regard for each other.”

                                                              -- notes of H. N. Buck, 1965

Thomas Buck served as pastor to the Happy Creek Church, in Front Royal.  Elders James Ireland (a native of Scotland), William Marshall, and John Taylor were instrumental in the establishment of this church in 1783 with 64 members.  It was originally called Lower South River Church, because it was located near the south branch of the Shenandoah River.  

In the Federal Census of 1850, the Reverend Thomas Buck, age 73, identified his occupation as “Minister (O.S. Baptist)” meaning “Old School” as opposed to “Missionary”.  In the 1860 census, his occupation was “Preacher O.S.B”.  In early censuses, occupation was not recorded; however, the “Old School” ministers were not paid for their services so Thomas Buck was a farmer and apparently a good one.

Whereas his younger brother, William Calmes Buck, travelled widely and was an author and publisher, it appears that Thomas remained near Buckton and did not author any publications.  There is, however, there is a letter from his father as well as a letter from his uncle, Thomas Buck, to him.   

                              

Reverend Thomas Buck and Amelia Lee Dawson Buck had the following children:

• Annis C. Buck (1801-1827); married John Lovell Buck; died in Kentucky.
• Samuel Dawson Buck (1801-1863); married (1) his second cousin Martha Ann Buck, (2) married Miriam Guthrie; died in Kentucky.  He was a druggist.
• Mary R. Buck (1810-1846); married her second cousin Meredith Helm Jr. whose mother was Anne Buck (1775-1860).  Died in Virginia.
• John Gill Buck (1814-1862); married Elizabeth Ellen McKay; died in Virginia.  He remained in the old Buck homestead where he was a farmer.
• Thomas Calmes Buck (1817-1878); married Sarah Catherine Gatewood; died in Fulton County, Kentucky.  In 1860, he was a farmer in Missouri; in 1870 he was an “agt sewing machines” in Kentucky.

Reverend Thomas Buck died on December 10, 1862 at the age of 85 in Front Royal, Warren County, Virginia.  Amelia L. Dawson died on January 20, 1857 at the age of 73.They are buried in Buckton Cemetery, Virginia.

It appears that the original headstone for the Reverend Thomas Buck’s grave was damaged and replaced.  This must have happened before 1998 when I saw it.

Thomas Buck V and the Baptist Movement

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Thomas Buck V was very active in the Baptist movement in early Virginia. Like others in his family, he too, had been strongly influenced by the Rev. James Ireland. Thomas wrote, “I used to go to church with my father and mother, but never understood the sermon. My father was a great sportsman, and used to carry me off to horse races, etc., of which I became very fond, and in all probability would have followed his example had not the Lord arrested both him and myself in our mad career.”

Thomas was baptised in the waters of the Shenandoah River and into the South River Church about 1770 by Samuel Harris. At various times in his life, Thomas was a member of the South River Church, the Waterlick Church and the Happy Creek Church. Thomas and his older brother Charles II were messengers from the Water Lick Church to the Ketoctin Association in 1795.

Thomas Buck V donated land in Front Royal for the Happy Creek Church on December 4, 1835 and was named lifetime trustee for it. In donating the land, Thomas Buck wrote that it was to be used by the “Regular Baptist and for the religious association now called the Happy Creek Church”. At the same time, he noted that “at other times the property is for the use of other Baptists”. Thomas Buck probably specified these terms because, at the time, there was a great disagreement among the Baptists with respect to doctrine. Some of Thomas’ friends and family members belonged to the “Old School” or “Primitive Baptist” group but others belonged to the “New School” or “Missionary Baptist” group. Thomas was more associated with the Missionary Baptists and the tension between the two groups undoubtedly caused him grief. When Thomas felt that the terms of his donation were not being followed, he changed the locks on the church door. On April 28, 1835, Thomas and his (second) wife Ruhama were excommunicated from Old School Happy Creek Church. Eventually the two congregations compromised with the Happy Creek Church and the Front Royal Church alternating their use of the facilities.
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