BAPTIST MINISTER HERITAGE

WINFREY BAPTIST MINISTERS

As far back as we have been able to trace the Winfrey line, they have been staunch defenders of religious freedom. In a letter from Sir Richard Winfrey’s only son, he wrote: “There is no doubt that the name Winfrey is Anglo-Saxon and the family therefore was located in England before the Norman Conquest [1066 A.D.]. You will appreciate that there are absolutely no records existing concerning people in those days, but we have evidence that our family have occupied land in the Long Sutton area of South Lincolnshire since 1670. The family has always been, what we call in England, “dissenting,” i.e. has declined to conform to the statutory religion of the Anglican Church. It therefore follows that there are no entries in any of the Church registers of christening and burials because, being Dissenters, they did not come within the aegis of the Church of England. Records were not kept by any other denominations. We have no knowledge of any member of the family emigrating to America, but it could easily have happened because substantial numbers of people went from South Lincolnshire, where the town of Boston is located, and here the Dissenters were particularly strong in numbers and subjected to a great deal of persecution. This, as you know, drove them to immigrate to the New World.”----R. P. Winfrey, Castor House, Peterborough, England, 9 November 1956.

The origin of the General Baptists is connected with the name of John Smyth (d. 1612), pastor of a church at Gainsborough, Lincolnshire, which had separated from the Church of England. About 1606, pastor and flock, to escape persecution, emigrated to Amsterdam, where they formed the second English congregation. In 1609, Smyth, owing possibly in some measure to Mennonite influence, rejected infant baptism, although he retained affusion. In this he was supported by his church. Some members of the congregation returned to England (1611 or 1612) under the leadership of Helwys (c. 1550-1616) and formed in London the nucleus of the first Baptist community.

There is a tradition of Baptist Ministers in the Israel Winfrey line, beginning with Rev. Henry Winfrey who married many couples in the states of Kentucky and Missouri. His nephew, Rev. Thomas Winfrey, of Miller County, Missouri is listed history books as a Predestinarian Baptist Minister. His grand nephew, Rev. Thomas Jefferson Winfrey was also a circuit riding Baptist preacher in Kentucky. A 1^st cousin, 3 times removed in Virginia was Rev. Elisha William Winfrey who, along with his brother Rev. Egbert Bolling Winfrey, were Baptist ministers during the same time period.

These brothers both served as early pastors of Wallers Baptist Church in Spotsylvania County, Virginia. Although we generally think of America as being founded on the principle of religious freedom for all people, this was not the case in early Virginia whose official religion was the Church of England and any deviants were severely persecuted and fought to obtain their religious freedom. The founder and original pastor of Wallers Baptist Church, John Waller, was a member of the Church of England and was converted while attending a Baptist meeting. This era of imprisonment of Baptist preachers in Virginia is vividly described from the history of the Wallers Baptist Church: “John Waller, William Webber (the first person Waller baptized), Lewis Craig and his brothers Elijah and Joseph "traveled forth in every direction, spreading the tidings of peace and salvation wherever they went." They faced "magistrates and mobs, priests and sheriffs, courts and prisons" but held fast to the spread of the gospel. Then, in 1768, the first instance of actual imprisonment of Baptist preachers that ever took place in Virginia occurred in Spotsylvania County. John Waller, Lewis Craig and others were seized by the local authorities for unlawful preaching. Arraigned in court two days later for disturbing the peace, Waller and his companions refused to promise not to preach anymore for a year and a day. They sang a hymn as they were marched through the streets of Fredericksburg from the courthouse to the jail. In 1771, while pastor of Wallers and preaching in Caroline County and as Mr. Waller began to pray, a county parish parson, his reverence Morton, "ran the butt end of his whip into Waller’s mouth" to silence him. Then a clerk "pulled Waller down and dragged him to the sheriff," who, with a horse whip, beat him so bad that it left him with permanent scars. It is recorded that he whipped "him in such a violent manner (without the ceremony of a trial) that poor Waller was presently in a gore of blood … [However,] Waller, "sore and bloody as he was, remounted the stage and preached a most extraordinary sermon, thereby showing that beaten oil is best for the sanctuary …." Other records of abuse include that "Waller was pulled down and hauled about by the hair of his head while he was preaching at Hanover and that he received like treatment in Culpeper where ‘he narrowly escaped with his life.’ Other efforts to silence him have been described as ‘almost torn in two’ and ‘jerked off stage’ and ‘head beaten against ground.’" A jail in Urbanna was described as follows, "The prison swarmed with fleas. They borrowed a candle of the jailer, and having sung the praises of that Redeemer whose cross they bore and from whose hand they expected a crown in the end; having returned thanks that it was a prison and not hell that they were in; praying for themselves, their friends, their enemies and persecutors, they laid down to sleep." Despite the conditions, "the imprisoned ministers preached every Wednesday and Sunday and so many came to hear them that their enraged enemies frequently beat drums in attempts to drown out the preaching." Waller, it is recorded, "was recognized as the leader of the [Separatist] Baptist dissenters and the chief disturber of the peace by the rectors of the parish churches." John Waller was a good friend with Samuel Harris who was called the "Apostle to Virginia." And it was Harris’ influence on James Madison and Madison’s influence on Thomas Jefferson and Jefferson’s influence on the Constitution that helped establish Religious Liberty and Freedom by the Continental Congress. In Virginia, Waller was appointed a General Assembly delegate by the Baptist general committee in 1783 and 1788 for the purpose of petitioning the Virginia Legislature for religious liberty. In 1799, the Baptists finally gained their objective, "the secure enjoyment of religious liberty."

Descendants of ISRAEL WINFREY (1718 – 1797)

Who Were Baptist Ministers

ANCESTOR ORDINATION

1. Rev. Henry Winfrey 22 Aug 1802

22 Apr 1767 – 7 May 1849 (82) Adair Co, KY*

Son of John Winfrey, Sr.

Grandson of Israel Winfrey

2. Rev. Thomas Winfrey

18 Apr 1810 – 25 Jan 1902 (91 yrs) Miller Co, MO**

Son of James Madison Winfrey, Sr.

Great-Grandson of Israel Winfrey

3. Rev. Thomas Jefferson (T.J.) Winfrey

10 Aug 1845 – 2 Aug 1905 (59) Russell Co, KY***

Son of Nelson Winfrey

2nd great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

4. Rev. Elisha William (E.W.) Winfrey, DD 24 May 1879

1 Nov 1858 – 29 Mar 1931 (72 yrs) Sharon Baptist Church

Son of George Hill Winfrey Buckingham Co, VA****

3rd great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

5. Rev. Egbert Bolling (E. B.) Winfrey (Was scheduled to be ordained

21 Mar 1868 – 15 May 1891 (23 yrs) the summer of 1891)*****

Son of George Hill Winfrey Buckingham Co, VA

3rd great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

6. Rev. Edward Lee (E. L.) Winfrey Jul 1894

24 Jan 1871 – 3 Mar 1918 (47 yrs) Wakenda Baptist Church******

Son of James Henry Winfrey Carrollton Co, MO

3rd great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

7. Rev. William Frank Winfrey 29 May 1901

20 Nov 1873 – 8 Sep 1964 (90 yrs) Wakenda Baptist Church

Son of James Henry Winfrey Carrollton Co, MO

3rd great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

8. Rev. James Albert Winfrey

23 Jan 1879 – 7 Feb 1961 (82 yrs)                 High Point Baptist Church

Son of Reuben C. Winfrey                                Stoutland, Camden Co, MO

3rd great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

9. Rev. Levi Edwards Winfrey

1 Jan 1906 – 15 Jul 1992 (86 yrs) Wakenda Baptist Church

Son of Rev. William Frank Winfrey Carrollton Co, MO

4th great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

10. Rev. William Albert Winfrey

16 Oct 1908 – 6 Jun 1996 (87 yrs) Pleasant Valley Church*******

Son of William Felix Winfrey Kingman, Kingman County, KS

4th great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

11. Rev. Everett Lee (E. L.) Winfrey                  1949

24 Feb 1913 - 18 Mar 2008 (95 yrs)           First Baptist Church********

Son of James Warren Winfrey                       New Franklin, Howard Co,MO

5th great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

12. Rev. James Edward Winfrey

16 Dec 1917-11 Aug 1947 (29 yrs) High Point Baptist Church

Son of Rev. James Albert Winfrey Stoutland, Camden Co, MO

4th great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

13. Rev. Louiegene Winfrey Sep 1943

12 Feb 1921 – 27 May 2000 (79 yrs) Wakenda Baptist Church

Son of Samuel Riggs Winfrey Carrollton Co, MO

4th great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

14. Rev. Charles Edward Winfrey

24 Aug 1943- Myrtle Avenue Baptist Church

Son of Rev. James Edward Winfrey Eureka, Humboldt Co, CA

5th great-grandson of Israel Winfrey

15. Rev. Jeffrey Layne Winfrey, D.D.S. 3 Mar 1991

(13 Jul 1954 - ) Dawson Springs Primitive

Son of Joe Davis Winfrey Baptist Church

5th great-grandson of Israel Winfrey Dawson Springs, Hopkins

Co, KY

*Probably the Tabernacle Meeting House (Separatist Baptists), Adair Co, KY. It is not known when or where Henry Winfrey was ordained, but he became the first minister to obtain a license in that county.--Adair County, Kentucky Records, Order Book A, Page 11, Aug. 23, 1802: "Henry Winfrey produced credentials of his ordination and executed Bond taking the necessary oaths, whereupon a license is granted to him to Solemnize the Rites of Matrimony within this Commonwealth."

**In the Biographical Appendix to “Goodspeed’s Camden County History,” published in 1888, it speaks of James M. Winfrey’s two children “who are now living, Thomas and Will C., both whom are living in Miller County, Mo., the former being a Predestinarian Baptist minister.”

***It is not known when or where T.J. Winfrey was ordained, but he married and lived out his life in Russell Co, KY where he farmed in the Esto area of Russell Co, KY and was a circuit riding Baptist preacher for many years.

****Newspaper Clipping, dtd 30 Mar 1931: DR. WINFREY’S CLOSING MOMENTS. My Dear Dr. Pitt.----Yesterday morning, March 29, Dr. Winfrey came to church, spoke to the Sunday School; went up to the pastor’s study; talked to me and Brother Charles Clement, who was to preach for us; went out on the pulpit and announced two hymns; gave the right hand of fellowship to candidates who were baptized from the meeting just closed; took his seat in the congregation, and while Brother Clement was preaching he arose from his seat, very near the pulpit, and attempted to step up into the pulpit. The brethren, seeing him trying to reach the study, aided him, and in ten minutes his spirit fled. A great and good man is now with his Lord, who he served many years. He lived seventy-two years and served the Baptist church here forty-two years. Funeral services at 2 o’clock Tuesday. ----M. F. Sanford, Culpeper, VA Rev. E. W. Winfrey was pastor of Culpeper Baptist Church, Buckingham Co, VA at the time of his death.

*****Died of Typhoid Fever after an illness of 3 weeks while a student at Richmond College, Richmond County, VA. Pastor of Bethany Church, Caroline County, VA at the time of his death.

******James Henry Winfrey was ordained a deacon of the Wakenda Baptist Church which was 5 miles east of Carrollton, MO. His sons, Edward Lee and William Frank were ordained as Baptist Ministers in this church. His grandsons, Louiegene Winfrey (son of Samuel Riggs Winfrey) and Levi Edwards Winfrey (son of William Frank Winfrey), were also ordained as Baptist Ministers in this same church.

*******In the Primitive Baptist “Church and Family History Research for Kingman County, Kansas,” it states “Elder W. A. Winfrey was the pastor . . . when the church dissolved in May 1991.”

********Louiegene Winfrey was pastor of this church and presided over the ordination of his 1^st cousin 1 time removed, Everett Lee (E. L.) Winfrey.