Person:Caleb Witt (2)

About Caleb Witt

[wft10-12.FTW]

[Brøderbund WFT Vol. 10, Ed. 1, Tree #0012, Date of Import: Nov 15, 1998]

CALEB WITT WAS IN THE REVOLUTIONARY WAR; WAS "DRAFTED FROM DOBEY'S STORE,"WAS IN THE YORKTOWN CAMPAIGN, AND SAW CORNWALLIS SURRENDER HIS SWORD. AFTER HIS DEATH HIS WIDOW APPLIED FOR A PENSION."

IN 1783, WHILE TENNESSEE WAS STILL THE "STATE OF FRANKLIN," THE WITTS SETTLED NEAR WITT'S FOUNDRY, IN WHAT IS NOW HAMBLEN COUNTY, TN. SOME OF THE FARMS IN THIS NEIGHBORHOOD HAVE BEEN CONTINUOUS POSSION OF THE WITT FAMILY FOR 132 YEARS.

SEPTEMBER 2, 1784, THE SUBJECT OF OUR SKETCH WAS MARRIED TO MIRIAM HORNER A DAUGHTER OF WILLIAM AND ELIZABETH HORNER AND A NATIVE OF RANDOLPH CO., NC. THIS UNION WAS BLESSED WITH A FAMILY OF ELEVEN CHILDREN. COLEMAN WITT, THE YOUNGEST THE FAMILY, FAR UP IN HIS 80'S WHEN LAS SEE BY THE WRITER EARLY 1960'S RENDERED THE WRITER VALUABLE SERVICE ON A NUBER OF HIS SKETCHES, FOR WHICH ACKNOWLEDGMENT IS HEREBY DULY MADE.

CALEB WITT HAD AT LEAST TWO BROTHERS, ELIJAH AND JOSEPH, WHO CAME TO TENNESSEE IN THE EARLY SETTLEMENT OF THE COUNTRY, AND TWO SISTERS PATSY, WHO MARRIED CAPT. THOMAS JARNAGIN, AND WHO WAS THE GREAT-GRANDMOTHER OF DR. W. A. MONGOMERY, AND LYDIA, WHO MARRIED WILLIAM BAZE. wILSON C., SON OF DANIEL WITT, IS A NEAR RELATIVE OF CALEB WITT. ELIJAH WITT, THOUGH NOT A PREACHER, WAS A STUDENT OF THE BIBLE, ESPECIALLY OF THE "PROPHETS" AND WROTE A BOOK, OR PAMPHLET, ENTITLED, "THE BEAT WITH SEVEN HEADS AND TEN HORNS."

CALEB WITT AND HIS WIFE, MIRIAM, COMMENCED HOUSEKEEPING FOR THEMSELVES AND THEIR HOUSEHOLD EFFECTS CONSISTED OF A FEW POUNDS OF FEATHERS FOR A BED, A BOARD FOR A TABLE, STOOLS FOR CHAIRS, A BROKEN POT FOR BOILING VEGETABLES, AND A FLAT ROCK FOR BAKING BREAD. IN ADDITION TO THESE NECESSARY FURNISHING HE HAD HIS "LITTLE BLACK MARE" WITH WHICH TO PLOW THE FIELDS.

HE WAS A MEMBER OF THE OLD BEN CREEK (NOW WHITESBURG CHURCH, CONSTITUTED IN 1785). HE WAS LIKELY BAPTIZED BY THE LONG-TIME PASTOR, ELDER TIDENCE LANE. THIS CHURCH LICENSED AND ORDAINED HIM TO PREACH, AND WAS SERVED BY HIM AS PASTOR FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS.

CALEB WITT WAS A MAN OF PLAIN PERSONAL APPEARANCE, RATHER SHARP FEATURES, HIGH, SHRILL VOICE, PASSIONATE NATURE, AND HIGH TEMPER; BUT A MAN OF GOOD SPIRIT AND SPLENDED ABILITY. IN DOCTRINE HE WAS A THOROUGH-GOING PREDESTINARIAN, A STRONG ADVOCATE OF THE DOCTRINE OF "PARTICULAR ELECTION." HE WAS "HARD" A PLENTY IN HIS DOCTRINE, BUT WAS NOT "ANTI-MISSIONARY." LUTHER RICE'S "LIST OF COLLECITONS FOR JUDSON IN BURMAH SHOWED CALEB WITT'S NAME AS ONE OF THE CONTRIBUTORS OF BENT CREEK CHURCH TO FOREIGN MISSIONS. I SAW THE LIST, AND REMEMBER DISTINCTLY THE NAME, BUT NOT THE AMOUNT OF THE CONTRIBUTION." (W. A. KEEN).

FOR A NUMBER OF YEARS CALEB WITT REPRESENTED HIS CHURCH (BENT CREEK) IN THE HOLSTON ASSOCIATION, AND WAS FOURTEEN YEARS THE MODERATOR OF THAT BODY.

AS ILLUSTRATING THE DIVERGENT VIEWS OF "PREDESTINARIANS" AND ANTI-PREDESTINARIANS IN THE POPULAR MIND, DR. W. A. MONTGOMERY TOLD ME THE FOLLOWING STORY OF HIS GREAT-GRANDMOTHER, A MRS. JARNAGIN, WHO WAS A SISTER OF CALEB WITT. EXPRESSING HERSELF IN REGARD TO THE DOCTRINE OF ELECTION, ON ONE OCCASION, SHE SAID: "BROTHER CALEB SAYS, IF A BODY ISN'T ONE OF THE ELECT, IT'S NO USE FOR HIM TO TRY; HE MAY WEEP HIS EYES OUT AND PRAY FOREVER, BUT IT WON'T DO ANY GOOD. I RECKON THAT'S SO, FOR BROTHER CALEB SAYS SO. BUT SOMEHOW OR OTHER I CAN'T HELP BUT FEEL THAT EVERYBODY OUGHT TO TRY AND STRIVE TO ENTER IN."

TRADITION SAYS THAT CALEB WITT WENTO INTO A TRANCE, ON ONE OCCASION, AND WAS LAID OUT FOR DEAD. BUT, "COMING TO," HE RAISED HIMSELF UP AND SIAD THAT HE HAD BEEN TO HEAVEN AND HAD HEARD A SONG THAT HAD NEVER BEEN SUNG ON EARTH: "LIVE MANY YEARS MORE; INCREASE IN STORE; AND PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR." THE VISION AND THE SONG MADE A LASTING IMPRESSION UPON HIM, AND HE DID LIVE MAN YEARS TO "PREACH THE GOSPEL TO THE POOR." HE DIED JANUARY 20,1827, NEAR RUSSELLVILLE, AND WAS BURIED IN THE OLD BEN CREEK CEMETERY AT WHITESBURG

1. ↑ ^{1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3} Brøderbund Software, Inc. World Family Tree Vol. 10, Ed. 1. (Release date: May 6, 1997)
   Tree #0012.

   Date of Import: Nov 15, 1998

2. ↑ ^{2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3} Wft10-12.FTW.

   Date of Import: Nov 15, 1998