The Constitution and Bye Laws, of the Upper Long-Cane Society of Abbeville District. Abbeville: Printed by John Taggart, 1832.
Photocopy obtained courtesy of Thomason Library,
All entries are exactly as they appear, except for an obvious typesetting error on the word daad (dead), and a double entry of a word when wrapped to a new line (a a). It also appears that there is an additional typesetting error on the name James Lelsly (Lesly?), as well as some uncommon abbreviations that might prevent a descendant from finding his or her ancestor(s) via a word search. These names would be M’Cord (McCord), M’Murtray (McMurtray, McMurtrey, McMurtry), M’Crone (McCrone), Ja’s (James), and Garret (Garrett). Three names appear in italics, which I assume to mean they were elected, but never entered, as that is what is included in their description, and it only occurs on those three men. The introduction, or description, of the Society is at the beginning (pages 3 and 4) and the listing of members is on pages 15 and 16 of a sixteen-page pamphlet. The actual By-Laws, not included here, constitute the remaining pages (5-14). The description of the Society mentions a donation of $50 by Major John Bowie, but I have read the Will of William Lesly, dated 1822, who bequeaths $50 to the Society to be paid three years after his death. –James A. Strain.
THE
UPPER LONG-CANE SOCIETY OF ABBEVILLE DISTRICT.
THIS Society was formed in 1793, by most of the members then belonging to the Upper Long-Cane Congregation of Presbyterians, in the neighborhood of Abbeville Court-house, associating themselves to provide a permanent fund for the support of the Gospel in their Congregation, and for works of benevolence amongst themselves: so as to place these great objects above the difficulties and vicissitudes which the fluctuation in society and the inconveniences of a new country then occasioned.
The Society was incorporated in 1799. It at first consisted of 35 members, and in a few years increased to about 60:--but the number was soon reduced by withdrawals, removals and deaths, so that for the last twenty years, it has been generally below 32, at which it now stands. In this course of time, the original contribution of $65, has, from the payment by each member of one dollar a year, and from the accumulation by compound interest, gradually increased, so that (including a legacy of $50 from Maj. John Bowie, and various other small donations amounting to about $50 more) it amounted, on the 2d day of March 1832, to $8,909.82, bearing interest from that day, over and above $600 expended in aiding the support of a clergyman, and all other expenditures.
Most of the members of the Congregation, for many years past, have neglected to join the Society, and the latter, having always been a wholly distinct body from the Upper Long-Cane Congregation, is now connected with it only by the circumstance that most of the members of the Society, are also members of the Congregation, although composing a minority in it.
The present members of the Society having fully experienced the great benefit of the plan heretofore pursued in its management, and finding themselves now become the stewards of a considerable fund, to be faithfully husbanded and expended upon the objects of their association, have new-moddled their rules to suit the present condition of the country and of the Society, and directed them to be published with the matters herein accompanying them.
2d March, 1832.
A List of all who have ever been Members, WITH THE DATE OF THEIR ELECTION.
PRESENT MEMBERS MARKED THUS *
May 1793.
John Bowie, dead
William Lesly, “
Samuel Watt, “
Hugh Reid, “
John Miller, “
*Matthew Wilson,
*James Wardlaw,
*Andrew Hamilton,
John Quay, removed
John Hairston, dead
William Baskin, “
Joseph Gaston, “
John Wilson, “
Andrew Miller, “
John M’Cord, sen’r, “
Charles Wilson, “
Samuel Armstrong, “
William Cunningham, removed
*John M’Cord, Jun—now Sen.
Joel Thacker, dead
Isaac Thacker, “
Samuel Strain, removed
David Strain, dead
William Strain, “
Samuel M’Murtray, “
William M’Murtray, excluded
Ezekiel Evans, excluded; dead
Thomas Jeffries, dead
James M’Cord, withdrawn
Felix Hughes, excluded
Archibald Hamilton, withdrawn
David Brown, “
Nathaniel Baily, excluded
Ja’s
William Shaw, dead
August 1793
John Brackenridge, dead
February, 1794.
William Garret, removed
Robert M’Crone, excluded
James Russell, dead
James Evans, “
Ezekiel Evans, Jun, “
Samuel Lyon, “
David Robinson, “
William Callahan, “
John Strain, “
James Bradley, “
Robert Thornton, withdrawn
Benjamin Gunnion, dead
Alexander Reid, “
*William Crawford,
Julius Nichols, dead
Ezekiel Pickens, “
Ja’s Stevenson, elected, never
entered; dead.
August, 1794.
Rev. Robert Wilson, removed
John Caldwell, dead
Thomas Weems, “
Matthew Donaldson, “
Jehu Foster; elected, never en-
tered; dead
November, 1794.
Alexander Fife, excluded
February, 1795.
Andrew Bowie, dead
*Hugh Morrah,
May, 1795.
James Harris, dead
August, 1795.
William Hadden, dead
February, 1796.
Charles Caldwell, withdrawn
May, 1796.
Nathan Kirkwood, dead
Rev. George Reid, “
February, 1797.
Ja’s Gilmer, sen. elected, never
entered; dead.
May, 1797.
George Bowie, removed
John Bowie, Jun. dead
Samuel Houston, “
Wiliam Paul, “
Nathan Thaeker, “
February, 1804.
Francis Walker, removed
May, 1804.
Samuel Feemster “
May, 1805.
James Lelsly, dead
November, 1806.
*Moses Taggart,
May, 1807.
*William Bowie; removed, re-
turned, & re-elected 1830.
May, 1810.
*Rev. W. H. Barr,
Sam. Armstrong, Jun. dead
May, 1811.
*Samuel L. Watt,
*Robert H. Lesly,
May, 1813.
*Alex.
November, 1813.
*Patrick Noble,
May, 1815.
William Tennent, dead
March, 1816.
James Liddell, “
March, 1817. *Robert Wilson,
1820. *William Lomax,
1821. *D. L. Wardlaw,
1822. *Eli S. David,
“ *John Wier,
1823. *John Bowie, Jun.
“ *Marshall Weatherall,
“ *William Lesly,
1824. *Robert Gilmer,
1825. Simeon S. Bonham, rem’d
1826. *Ebenezer Miller,
1827. *David Lesly,
1828. *Samuel W. Bowie,
“ *Langdon Bowie,
“ *Samuel Reid,
“ *Robert C. Gordon,
1830. *Robert H. Wardlaw,
“ *Thomas C. Perrin,
“ *James S. Bowie,
1831. *John Richardson.