NCSCOTS-L Archives

Archiver > NCSCOTS > 1998-07 > 0900853419


From: "Lib McPherson" <>
Subject: Re: [NC-SC] Longstreet Post Office
Date: Sun, 19 Jul 1998 09:03:39 -0400


Sorry, I don't know the name origin. However, there is considerable
information about the history of Longstreet in a book commissioned by the
Synod of North Carolina, Presbyterian Church US and written by a
Presbyterian minister, Rev. Foote, who was secretary of Home Missions for
the Presbyterian Church US in the early 19th century. This book, Foote's
Notes of North Carolina Presbyterians, was published in 1846 and has been
reprinted twice by the Synod of North Carolina. Copies are available from
the NC Presbyterian Historical Society, PO Box 849, Montreat, NC 28757. I
believe the price is $12 + $3 postage and handling (bought a couple for
gifts last year).

There are excerpts in this book from the journal of the Rev. Hugh McAden who
was the first Presbyterian missionary to come south into North Carolina from
the Philadelphia area. Mr. McAden came into North Carolinaabout 1750
across the Dan River east of Danville, VA into Caswell County and preached
to a small congregation at what is now Red House Presbyterian Church and
from this point made a large circle to the east, south, and west visiting
mostly unorganized/chartered churches like Red House/Griers in Caswell
County, Thyatira in the Salisbury, NC area, Longstreet to the south, and
many others.

Some years later he returned to Caswell County where he served as pastor of
the Red House and other churches in the area until his death just 2 weeks
before Cornwallis and his troops traipsed into North Carolina and camped at
Red House. These troops burned McAden's library and mutilated his grave as
an expression of Cornwallis's distaste for Presbyterian ministers who taught
the sovereignty of God and other Reformed doctrines that didn't give
"proper" submission to the Crown.

This book is a fascinating story of the roots of the Presbyterian Church in
North Carolina and includes references to many people who are looking for
personal roots in this area.

Lib McPherson

This thread: