Moderator: Bruce Gourley
Doctor is a given name, and his nickname was "Dock." Some genealogists in the family say it was passed down that he was named after the doctor who delivered him in Alabama -- Doctor Reubin Gideon. The story is that he was a premature baby and the doctor saved his life/kept him alive even though he was very tiny. Probably quite a feat in 1853!Haruo wrote:So was "Doctor Reuben Gideon “Dock” Jimmerson" a doctor by education and/or title, or was "Doctor" (and the nickname "Dock") a given name like the Judge in Colored Sacred Harp editor Judge Jackson?
Reubin seems to be the preferred spelling, and the other spelling is unintended on my part. Dock's son Egbert S. JAMESON named one of his sons Reubin. The spelling variations must be maddening to family genealogists. I went with "Jimmerson" for Dock because that is what is on his tombstone. His mother and father's marker has "Jimerson." Interestingly, on Find-A-Grave the cemetery where Dock is buried has 10 "Jimmerson" and 17 "Jimerson". I'm guessing they are all related.Haruo wrote:And I would note that the records of this fellow spell his various names variously, with at least one "Reubin", and with as far as I can see "Jimerson" outnumbering "Jimmerson".
Yes, this is the same person, and I will make some correction in the piece in the future to indicate this is the same person. Thanks!Haruo wrote:Do you know whether (as I would assume) the D. R. Jimerson who was the senior pastor at the meeting following Angus's demise was this same D[octor] R[euben] Jim[m]erson?
I don't know anything about her background, where she is from, or anything, so don't know about any connection.Haruo wrote:And I wonder if he's related to Ellin Jimmerson of Huntsville.
Here are a couple I recently posted on my blog:Haruo wrote:Any hymn texts emerging from the Freewillers you've been studying?
When you say "most folks" are you including most Texas Freewill Baptists, or most folks in general? My impression is that most folks in general don't know who John Leland was, and many would have a hard time telling you what denomination grew out of Martin Luther's nailing expedition of 1517 (even if they don't assume you meant Dr. King). The general sense of history seems to me to have diminished rapidly with the onset of automation and the television.Rvaughn wrote:Glad you all found it interesting. I was very intrigued by Stewart. His history (much of it) is right here where I live, yet much of it seems unknown to most folks.
Rvaughn wrote:Doctor is a given name, and his nickname was "Dock." Some genealogists in the family say it was passed down that he was named after the doctor who delivered him in Alabama -- Doctor Reubin Gideon. The story is that he was a premature baby and the doctor saved his life/kept him alive even though he was very tiny. Probably quite a feat in 1853!Haruo wrote:So was "Doctor Reuben Gideon “Dock” Jimmerson" a doctor by education and/or title, or was "Doctor" (and the nickname "Dock") a given name like the Judge in Colored Sacred Harp editor Judge Jackson?
All I know is that her husband (source of the name in her case) is from Georgia, "Al's (my husband's) family is from the area around Thomaston" she said. She was intrigued by the story but doesn't know if they're related.Rvaughn wrote:I don't know anything about her background, where she is from, or anything, so don't know about any connection.Haruo wrote:And I wonder if he's related to Ellin Jimmerson of Huntsville.
Tim Bonney wrote:I like Free Will Baptists. They are a lot like Methodists who just like to use a lot of water.
Sandy wrote:Tim Bonney wrote:I like Free Will Baptists. They are a lot like Methodists who just like to use a lot of water.
Never thought of that, but I guess they are. Don't the Freewill Baptists practice footwashing as well as baptism by immersion?
Yes, that is correct. Here are some of the statements from their treatise:Sandy wrote:Never thought of that, but I guess they are. Don't the Freewill Baptists practice footwashing as well as baptism by immersion?
3. Washing the Saints’ Feet. This is a sacred ordinance, which teaches humility and reminds the believer of the necessity of a daily cleansing from all sin. It was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ, and called an “example” on the night of His betrayal, and in connection with the institution of the Lord’s Supper. It is the duty and happy prerogative of every believer to observe this sacred ordinance.
13. Gospel Ordinances. BAPTISM, or the immersion of believers in water, and the LORD’S SUPPER, are the ordinances to be perpetuated under the Gospel. FEET WASHING, an ordinance teaching humility, is of universal obligation, and is to be ministered to all true believers.
B. Provision should be made for regular observance of the Lord’s Supper and washing of the saints’ feet by the congregation. Ministers and deacons administer these.
Rvaughn wrote:3. Washing the Saints’ Feet. This is a sacred ordinance, which teaches humility and reminds the believer of the necessity of a daily cleansing from all sin. It was instituted by the Lord Jesus Christ, and called an “example” on the night of His betrayal, and in connection with the institution of the Lord’s Supper. It is the duty and happy prerogative of every believer to observe this sacred ordinance.
I think you are right. Most folks in the more literal sense don't really care that much about such historical events. I guess I was thinking about most folks in the area that I thought should be interested, but maybe I didn't give it that thought much after all. I was acquainted with several Baptist preachers who were quite interested in Baptist history who never mentioned this. Of course, even in my own case, though I had read about it quite some years back in Robert Picirilli's history of Free Will Baptist state associations, I had never bothered to look further into it myself. There is mention of this first church in some Panola County histories, though I don't think much beyond the fact of it.Haruo wrote:When you say "most folks" are you including most Texas Freewill Baptists, or most folks in general? My impression is that most folks in general don't know who John Leland was, and many would have a hard time telling you what denomination grew out of Martin Luther's nailing expedition of 1517 (even if they don't assume you meant Dr. King). The general sense of history seems to me to have diminished rapidly with the onset of automation and the television.
I would be surprised if this surveyed beyond being retold in the family, but you never know. Awhile back when researching one of our community doctors (and a relative on my Mother's side), I found a letter he wrote to the [url=https://books.google.com/books?id=TiqgAAAAMAAJ&pg=PA172#v=onepage&q&f=false'Obstetric Gazette[/url] about a birth of triplets in 1878. If I catch myself not busy with something else, I might research Dr. Gideon a bit and see what I find.Haruo wrote:That is indeed a story worth hearing and, if any corroboration has survived, worth retelling with footnotes.
The Jimmerson's came to Texas from Alabama, but the Rusk County history says they Dock's parents were married in Cass County, Georgia (which is now Bartow County) in 1839. Cartersville, county seat of Bartow County, is north and slightly west of Atlanta. Thomaston looks pretty much due south of Atlanta. That might give her something more to go by.Haruo wrote:All I know is that her husband (source of the name in her case) is from Georgia, "Al's (my husband's) family is from the area around Thomaston" she said. She was intrigued by the story but doesn't know if they're related.
Yes, I would say so (that FWB's are trine-ordinance folks), with some decline in interest for the ordinance which denominational leaders are trying to turn around through teaching, books, and other forms of leadership in that direction. (I'm not suggesting it is in any way dying out among them, but I think what you might see is that larger more progressive churches are less than enthusiastic about it, and maybe some others that just quietly move along without mentioning much about it. I know of one local church of whom it was said that they had not practiced it in years.)Haruo wrote:Thanks for the hymn texts! I may use part of one in Sankta Harmonio, as I think it would be nice to have a footwashing hymn. Are the Freewillers big trine-ordinance folks, or did these two hymns just happen to focus on that topic by chance?
I like both of those changes.Haruo wrote:In the L.M. hymn, I changed "Know you" in the second stanza to "Know ye"; if I had it to type over (which I will of course if it goes into my book) I think I'll also change "the dear disciples' feet" to "his dear disciples' feet".
I think all they are trying to say is that the actual cleansing takes place daily, and when the rite is observed it reminds us of that fact. I'd guess that many churches probably practice it quarterly, and some probably annually.Haruo wrote:That almost makes it sound like they practice it daily, which I find unlikely unless individual foot-washing of her or his own feet is counted as fulfilling the ordinance.
Return to Baptist History and Heritage
Users browsing this forum: No registered users and 1 guest