Rev. Gabriel Gerald

Gabriel was a minister at the High Hills of Santee Baptist Church. He and Elizabeth reportedly had 13 children who were all born in South Carolina. After Gabriel's death in 1798, Elizabeth ventured west to Amite County, Mississippi in 1810 with several of her children.

Three sons, Benjamin, Charles, and Richard, are known to have stayed in Sumter County, South Carolina.

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"Rev. Gabriel Gerald, a member of the church at High Hills at Santee, having advanced sentiments subversive of the Christian Sabbath, and a difficulty existing between him and the church in consequence of the same, the Association was applied to. Mr. Gerald then published a pamphlet in defense of his opinions and practice. At the request of the Association, a letter was written in answer to his publication, with a view to convince him of the obligation to observe the Sabbath, and to reclaim from him what appeared a dangerous error; but it proved ineffectual. The church put Mr. Gerald under censure, and he appealed to the Association, complaining of unfair treatment. A letter was also received from the church, requested assistance. Messrs Furman, Botsford and Fowler, were appointed a committee on behalf of the Association, to meet both parties. Next year the committee reported, that according to their judgment, some of the church's proceedings had been irregular; but that they had just cause of dissatisfaction with Mr. Gerald, both on account of principal and conduct; that a liberal plan of reconciliation, proposed by the committee, had been rejected by him, and that he persisted in the sentiment and conduct he had defended from the pulpit and the press. He died soon after, without having recanted his sentiments."

From "A General History of the Baptist Denomination in America"

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Reverend Gabriel Gerald was of Irish descent. His father's name was Fitzgerald and he was among the Irish Patriots, being over powered by the British, who left their native land and settled first in North Carolina. to escape detention after their arrival in this country the name was shortened by dropping the "Fitz" and they have since been known as "Gerald." His mother, whose name is unknown, is said to have been American. Elizabeth White was of Welsh descent, her parents having come direct from Wales in 1770.

Dr. Sherburne Anderson of Baton Roughe, LA states that Elizabeth White was Gabriel Gerald's wife. In april 1810, Elizabeth made several bequests to be carried out after her death. She named "my son John Gabriel Gerald of Sumter" when he reaches 21....23 Oct 1817...

Reverend Gabriel Gerald was the administrator of the estate of Richard Strother. Since "Strothers" is also the name of a son, it is speculated by some that Elizabeth's maiden name was Strothers.

Gabriel Gerald married Elizabeth White/Strother and they had thirteen children. He was a planter, and from 1792 to 1797 was tax collector for Claremont County, South Carolina. For a number of years, he was a lay minister and preached at High Hills Baptist Church. In 1797 a conflict developed between Gabriel and the church concerning observance of the Sabbath. This conflict had not been resolved at the time of his death. He died in South Carolina in 1798.

About 1812, his widow, Elizabeth, and all of her younger children moved to Amite County, Mississippi. Left in South Carolina were Benjamin and Richard Strothers Gerald. Jacob Boatner, Elizabeth's son-in-law, settled a Boatner community in Amite County...Gerald family burial ground near Centerville in Amite County.

SOURCE: Some information was received from Michael E. Arnold whose mother compiled an extensive amount of Gerald information in the 1970's. mikebelarnold@earthlink.net. Also, some information came from the book "Proud To Remember History of Lula Humphrey Kearl, Page 73, Lineage of Laura Louise Gerald, Wife of Rufus Milton Thames"

http://www.singletonfamily.org/getperson.php?personID=I23840&tree=1