"You Wouldn't Believe It"
For 2023, I’m writing responses to the 52 Ancestors in 52 Weeks prompts provided by Amy Johnson Crow on her ”Generations Café” website and Facebook page.
This prompt makes me think about the number of religious people – “believers” – in my family tree. From the earliest information I have in the 16th century through the 19th century, I am descended from dozens of ministers. There are so many, I “wouldn’t believe it” without detail like I’ll show you in this essay. I’ll talk about a few of them to make my point, but I could go on all day if I had the time. I am planning to collect all of these stories into a book tentatively called Faiths of My Fathers.
John Cotton
John Cotton (1585-1652) is my paternal 11th great-grandfather through my Ellefritz family line. After attending school in the city of Derby, John went to Trinity College, Cambridge, where he served as a sizar (kind of an early work-study student). After received his BA from Trinity, he earned an MA at Emmanuel College, Cambridge, called “the most Puritan college in the kingdom.” He then accepted a fellowship at Emmanuel College that allowed him to continue his studies for another five years. During this time he began his work as a preacher.
In 1610, at the age of 27, he was appointed vicar of St. Botolph’s Church in Boston, UK, described as “the most magnificent parochial edifice in the kingdom,” although he was not awarded his Bachelor of Divinity degree until 1613.
His theology developed over the years, and he became strongly anti-Catholic but also opposed to the established Church of England, which had in his view separated form the Catholic Church in name only. Cotton became an important member of the non-separatist Puritans (the Pilgrims). At St. Botolph’s, Cotton became renowned for his preaching and his lectures. He began to hold “alternative” services where Puritanism could be more fully embraced; he was suspended for this at one point, but was soon reinstated and was able to operate comfortably under tolerant bishops until Charles I, who became king in 1625, began to crack down on Puritans.
In 1630, Cotton traveled to Southampton to preach a farewell sermon to the members of the Winthrop Fleet that was embarking to settle a colony at Massachusetts Bay. Cotton had been part of a planning conference for this trip, but he did not emigrate with them. After seeing these colonists on their way, Cotton and his wife became seriously ill with malaria; Cotton recovered, although his wife died. He began to think about joining the emigrants in Massachusetts.
In 1632, he remarried (to a widow, Sarah Hankred Story, who had a daughter), and received word almost immediately after that that he was to be summoned to the High Court for his non-conforming practices. The threat to his safety was so great that he disappeared into the “Puritan underground” in England, staying for a time in Northamptonshire, Surrey, and other places around London. Members of the Massachusetts Bay Colony, hearing of his plight, wrote to him urging him to come to New England. He re-united with his wife and step-daughter and they made their way to Kent, where they boarded the Griffin – which was also carrying fellow minister Thomas Hooker and Samuel Stone, along with Edward Hutchinson, oldest son of Puritan leader Anne Hutchinson. Sarah had a child while they were on board the Griffin; they named him “Seaborne.” Yes, yes, he was.
Cotton settled in the Massachusetts town of Boston, which had been named after its English counterpart in 1630. He is recognized today as the preeminent minister and theologian of the Massachusetts Bay Colony.
John House
My paternal 11th great-grandfather John Howse (1570?-1630) was born in Leicestershire, northwest of London (maybe -- his origins are uncertain). He matriculated at St. John’s College, Cambridge in 1590. He is listed in the Alumni Cantabrigienes as such with the further note that he was rector at Eastwell, Kent in 1610. In the Bishop’s Transcripts for Canterbury he is also given as Curate for Egerton, 1592-96. From his location at the time of the baptism of his children, he is likely to have also been Curate for Eastwell from 1603 to his death in 1630. He performed the marriage ceremony for his daughter Hannah, in her marriage to Rev. John Lothrop in Eastwell, 16 October, 1610. I am descended through my Arnold family line from John Howse’s 9th (and last) child, Samuel, who came to Massachusetts in 1634.
I have some information that explains this decision to move. In 1632, Rev. John Lothrop was arrested in the house of one of his congregants along with 42 of his congregation including three of John Hawse [sic] children, Samuel Hawse, Peninnah Hawse and Hannah Lathrop. They were brought before the Court of the High Commission and were charged with sedition and holding conventicles. The political nature of the charge of sedition, and the antique language of “conventicle’ [ a private meeting to hear illegal preaching] renders the charges unclear to modern ears. The charges were, however, deadly serious and the court proceedings unimaginable. The accused had none of the rights of modern citizens. The court was an inquisition, where the accused were forced to testify against themselves, with our counsel. The process was so intimidating that many people were driven to flee. It was one of the driving forces in the Great Migration to New England. It was no dispute over prayer books and vestments. It was about life, death, and salvation.
John Crandall
My 9th great-grandfather John Crandall was born in England and probably came to Massachusetts in 1634, settling in Salem and serving as a minister there. A Baptist and later a Seventh Day Baptist, John and several companions were arrested at Lynn, Massachusetts, on July 21,1651 and suffered imprisonment at Boston. All three men were fined and publicly whipped for their attachment to the Baptist cause. In 1660, he was one of a group of five investors who purchased a Rhode Island land grant known as Misquamicuck (later Westerly). After several years of boundary and jurisdiction disputes, the town of Westerly was incorporated; John Crandall’s is the first name on the list of freeholders of the town in 1669. He became the first elder and preacher in Westerly, where his name is the first in the list of "free inhabitant” in 1669.
On 21 May 1669, the Governor and Council of Rhode Island appointed six men as Conservators of the Peace for the Colony. The men were assigned to geographic areas in pairs, the first of the pair to also act as coroner for their area. John Crandall and Tobias Saunders were appointed as justices at Misquamicut, with John likely acting as coroner. John is also listed as a deputy representative of Westerly in the General Assembly in both 1670 and 1671. I descend from John Crandall through my Arnold family line.
Joseph Botts
I have been able to learn a lot about my 4th great-grandfather Joseph Botts because the records of Bullittsburg Baptist Church (Boone County, Kentucky), where members of the Botts family worshipped for decades, have been transcribed and are available online. These records show that 23 members of the Botts family were members of this church. I’m going to provide you only a summary here – this information goes on for pages and pages. For more detail, visit the Baptist History Homepage link to Early Boone County, Kentucky Baptists at http://baptisthistoryhomepage.com/boone.baptist.index.html.
The first time the Botts name appears in the church records is on January 20, 1811, when Lucy Botts and Rowland Botts are received for baptism. I think that these people are my 5th great-grandmother Lucy and her son Rowland (or Roland, as it’s frequently spelled), although they may be the children of Botts family members who had moved to Kentucky. Six years later, in October of 1817, my 4th great-grandfather Joseph Botts (Lucy’s second youngest son) was also received for baptism.
At this point, the name of Roland Botts began to appear regularly. He seemed to have been a leader in the church and was part of a church governing board. In October of 1825, William Botts and Catherine Botts were issued “letters of dismission;” such a letter is a formal acknowledgment that a member of the church was planning to relocate to another Baptist congregation. This letter would be presented to a new congregation to attest that the bearer of the letter had been in good standing in the church when he or she left it. William was Joseph’s brother and Catherine was William’s wife.
In November of 1825, we see the first evidence that Joseph Botts was rising in status in the church; he was appointed to serve on some sort of church leadership council. Six months later, in May of 1826, he was chosen to serve as a deacon; his formal ordination was deferred, however, because of illness in his family. His ordination as a deacon was carried out as planned on the first of July, 1826.
In 1827 Joseph’s status in the church continued to increase, as he was chosen as a “moderator” of the church – a position held by a member of the church laity, intended to assist in running church meetings. Beginning in 1828, Joseph’s name appeared in almost every set of church minutes – he was very much involved in running the church. At this point, Absolam Graves was mentioned regularly as an important spiritual leader of the church – and it is in 1828 that Joseph and his wife Sabra named their 8th child “Absolam Graves Botts” in his honor.
At this point, Joseph Botts was signing off on every set of church minutes; in addition, his older brother Rowland Botts still appeared often in the church records. In 1829, several sets of minutes reference a discussion of Joseph’s “preaching gift;” on the first Saturday in December, 1829, the church minutes note that “The Reference respecting Bro. Joseph Botts's preaching gift was taken and considered, and by a unanimous vote of the church, Bro. Joseph Botts is encouraged and licensed to go forward and preach the gospel Wherever God in his providence may otherwise direct or cause him to go.” At this time, Joseph was ordained as a deacon in the church.
In October of 1830, letters of dismission were granted to Joshua Botts and his wife Emily. Joshua was Joseph’s older brother (not to be confused with Joseph’s son Joshua, who was born in 1816). I don’t think Joshua and Emily left Boone County, as records indicate that they both died there – Joshua in 1837 and Emily 36 years later, in 1873. The church records acknowledge the creation of other Baptist churches throughout the early 1800s, and it’s likely that Joshua and Emily simply went to another church without leaving the community.
In 1833, the church notes indicate that Roland Botts followed in Joseph’s footsteps and was made a deacon in the church. Later in 1833, Joseph was fully ordained as a minister. The church minutes record it this way:
“The reference respecting Bro Botts preaching gift & of his ordination as a minister was taken up - & the church unanimously express a desire to encourage Bro Botts in preaching after which Bro Botts gave a relation of his hope of salvation ___ through Christ & also his views & impressions about the preaching of the gospel which was satisfactory & the church by a unanimous vote express a desire that Bro Botts be set apart & ordained to the ministry to which Bro Botts replied that as it is the wish of his Brethren for to be ordained - he hopes to have their prayers and upon that ground he submitted.”
In August of 1836, the church minutes note that letters of dismission were granted to Joseph and other members of his family, along with members of the Graves and Weldon families, who the minutes note “are all about to move to the west.” After December of 1837, there is no further mention of anyone named Botts in the records of Bullitsburg Baptist Church. The family did indeed “move to the west;” my 2nd great-grandmother Mary Ann Botts, the third child of Joseph’s son Joshua Mills Botts, was born in Illinois in April of 1838. Joseph Botts founded a Baptist church in Hancock County when he moved the family there.
I have more current family members who have taken a similar path into ministry. Although these are not my ancestors, they are descended from the same clerical stock.
Mary Lorraine Workman
My aunt Mary Lorraine Workman (my mother’s younger sister) entered the ministry by a circuitous route. Her memoir (which she wrote in the 1990s) details this story. Here are some snippets of what she wrote:
When I was a teenager, attending Christian Youth Conference, in Prescott, Arizona, I was really stirred each morning during morning watch (a time set aside for prayer, scripture readings). Each morning I was aware of something that was far beyond me, but yet quite near and personal. Each morning I struggled with what this "thing" was. On the final night when we came together to finish our week together in a special worship service, I realized what that "thing" was. It was a strong feeling that I wanted ministry and that ministry wanted me.
You have to realize that at 17, in 1946, a woman realizing that she wanted to be a minister and to minister was certainly not to be realized immediately. Oh, I went to church university, but was advised that the only thing I could qualify for once I graduated was a church secretary, and possibly a Christian Education Director, but Minister, no way.
So I put my call (dream) into the back of my heart, and proceeded to make a living the best way I could. With my business education in high school, and the two years of university, I started out as a secretary.
After telling the story about how she came to live with us in Virginia in the 1950s, she went on to talk about the church we attended.
My family belonged to the Wilson Boulevard Christian Church in Virginia, so I became a part of that fellowship. I immediately started teaching Sunday School (my brother-in-law was Sunday School Superintendent). Not long after I started my teaching job, I was asked if I would be high school sponsor for the youth. I said yes.
This led to even more interesting encounters with young people of the District of Columbia. I became the volunteer youth director for the Christian Churches in the District of Columbia. This proved to be very time-consuming, but I loved every minute of it.
Our Conference grounds were at Bethany Beach, Delaware. For one who had come from the desert and mountains, this beach setting was a new thrill for me. In addition, I was able to be in most of the churches in the District, and became acquainted with many of the ministers and lay people.
After living with us for five years, Mary had to return to Tucson to take care of her ailing father. But her involvement with the church continued.
My home church, First Christian Church, was still home to me, and it seemed very natural for me to enter the Sanctuary on my first Sunday back.
It wasn't too long before I became the sponsor for the high school youth. They were a great bunch of young people, and we really enjoyed ourselves.
After a short time, I was asked to be the volunteer youth director the State of Arizona. I quickly said yes, and started a journey that lasted 6 years. We had great conferences, weekend meeings, overnight journeys together in this time.
Our minister, J. Robert Moffett, accepted a calling to be the minister to First Christian Church, Houston, Texas. He and his family moved in March of 1966. They were truly missed. In June of 1966 I received a call from him offering me the position of Youth Minister to the Church with the understanding that I could finish my university while there.
This call came at a very inopportune time, I had just purchase a new home, my father had moved in with me, I had started a new job as office manager for an insurance company. I was really in a quandary. I knew that something had to give with all of the volunteer time I was giving to the youth. It was interfering with my working time at the office, and I felt that I was giving sufficient time to the work that I was being paid to do. I had come to the decision that I would have to give up the work with the youth, a hard decision to make.
I told Bob Moffett I would have to think about this offer for a while, and he agreed to that. So in talking with a minister friend, he counseled me to do what Gideon did in the Book of Judges. Gideon put a fleece of wool on the floor and if there was dew on the fleece alone and the floor was dry, then Gideon would know that God would deliver Israel by Gideon's hand (Judges 6:36-40)
He told me that it had worked for him when trying to make decisions about his life and his work. I felt uncomfortable at first, because it seemed that I was testing God. That definitely put some fear into me. After thinking and praying about it, I decided to do just that. My friend did say that it was important to put a time limit on when God would give a sign as to what will come.
So that summer of 1966, I told God that I would p put out the fleece and set the deadline as Labor Day weekend. This was the time I would hear about my future. It really worked, because I was able to go through the summer months and not think about the position in Houston.
For Labor Day weekend, the high school youth of Arizona were finishing up their week long conference in Flagstaff. I packed my bag that Friday morning, because I was to leave immediately after work and drive to Flagstaff to do a weekend leadership conference with the leaders of the individual youth groups. That morning, at the office, I received a special delivery letter from the Houston Church offering me the position, and indicated that when I could come for an interview the travel arrangements would be made. This really frightened me for I really forgotten what I had done in June. I called the minister in Houston and told him what had happened, and he said, "God has now given the ball back to you."
After visiting Houston to talk about this potential move, she made the decision.
I arranged for a visit to Houston. Needless to say, when I returned I turned in my resignation to the office, and reported to work in Houston on November 1st.
What convinced me that this move was meant to be was:
I saw the youth of the church -- many of them
I felt the need of these young people for something strong in their spiritual life
I met some of the people of the church. They were anxious to get something going in a positive way for the young people
I knew the minister and his family and loved them
She moved, began her work with the church in Houston, earned her degree in business and religion from Baptist University of Houston, coped with her father’s death in 1973, and then moved to Dallas to assume another church position before returning to seminary.
I started my seminary schooling at Perkin's School of Theology I went to school, as I did before, part- time (whenever I could fit a class into my schedule). When I did not have responsibilities at night, often I would go to the library and study until it closed at 11 p.m. In this way I was able to keep up with my classes.
I had a great time at Perkins. Wonderful professors and people. I wondered if I as an older woman would fit into the school when most of the students were recent graduates. I found very quickly that I was accepted. My years at Perkins were wonderful.
She moved again, to Ponca City, Oklahoma, where she finished her seminary training at Phillips Seminary in Enid, Oklahoma. Here’s what she said about her time at Perkins:
My seminary schooling at Phillips was very interesting. The dean of the seminary I knew quite well when he was minister of one of the churches in the Dallas Area. The Biblical scholar I had known very well because he was also a member of one of our churches in Dallas while teaching at SMU. The Professor of Homeletics (preaching) I knew well because I was responsible for obtaining him for two of the Dallas Churches' annual assemblies.
All of this paid off, because on April 27th, 1980, I was ordained into Christian Ministry by the Oklahoma Region and the church in Ponca City. It was a wonderful celebration because my family was able to be there. My sister, Violet Arnold, my brother and sister-in-law and niece, Tom, Marilyn, and Diane.
Imagine which I must have felt when I realized that my dream had come true. A dream that laid on my heart, spirit, and mind since I was 17. I was 52 when my ordination happened. I remember the words of the Dean of the Seminary at my Ordination: "Mary, you now can do what you have always done, the only difference is that you are now fully called to do your ministry.
I am so fortunate to have Aunt Mary’s memoir that tells everyone about her life. I found a copy of this typed manuscript among mother’s things after Mom died in 2012; I retyped it, had it published in hardback by Lulu.com in 2015, and gave it to Mary (and other family members) for Christmas in 2016. Mary was so surprised and delighted with this gift. She told everyone about it and displayed it on her coffee table until the day she died in 2021. It is by far the best gift I have given anyone, and Mary’s delight in it was the best return gift I have ever received.