Samuel Ansley

Headstone reads: In Memory of Rev. Samuel Ansley, Born Feb'y 22,1765, Embraced religion in 1786, Entered the ministry of the M.E. Church 1788. Departed this Life in the full assurance of Heaven, March 1837. After a faithful discharge of his ministerial duties for forty-nine years. Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord.

Listed extensively in book, "Methodist Preachers in GA, 1783-1900", Harold Lawrence, 1984; he served the Santee,SC (Camden) district in 1804. SC Annual Conf had been held in Augusta in Jan 1804 and, no doubt, that is where he was appointed. He had to cross the Santee River 6 times in a 6-week circuit. Methodism had been introduced to the Augusta GA area by Bro. S. Mead in 1799. Rev. Samuel entered ministry of M.E. Church in 1788

• ****** Transcript of letter to Eugene Asberry Ansley from his sister Julia Ansley, written from Bessemer, Alabama, February 27, 1904

Our grandfather was Samuel. He lived ten miles above the family in Warren, Ga. He maried Miss Mary Tilman. Her father and mother moved out from Virginia to Warren County, Georgia, and both died. Col. Stith a rich man and a celebrated Lawyer raised and educated her I mean our grand mother Miss Mary Tilman. (Brother Quintillian Stith was named for Col. Stith.) (The man that raised grand mother Ansley). She was a number one woman, too. Grand Father was a local preacher never joined the conference. [Worrell note: He was a member of the conference. His records are at Emory University.] broke up his home and went into the regular work, but he took work all the same that left grand Mother to manage the home affairs, and they had a home right I have lived in one mile of their home three miles below Barnesville in old Pike County, Georgia. They had many hundreds of acres of the finest rich red oak and hickory land on Potatoe Creek. The roads crossed just in front of a four roomed white house with a vine covered porch in front and between the two chimneys. Through a door out of grand Mothers room another large poarch where you went out to the kitchen. A large hughed log house. There was a back porch and flowers along the east and south part of the yard. The cook house was out west of the dwelling along the walk as we went to the cook room there was a large fine scupanong vine arbor, and beside that a very large garden, all out east of the garden and north of the house the yard extended a long way covered thick with burmooda grass. A fine well of water, many large oak trees and large horse apple trees heare and there all over the great yard. A cider press under one apple just down a slant across the road a very large horse lot with a very large barn a very high staked and ridered fence. Everything kept in perfect order. A large crib and big mules. One large buggy horse, old Peave as we caled him. Back of the garden one large old time old filed plumb orchard and many acres in fine peaches and other fruit many white English peaches. Grand mother knew how to can and put up fruit for her table. You should have seen her house clenliness and order rules. She had her 140 pieces of china dishes and anything she needed. I can remember so well the interear of her house and I did not like to go there much either because she would not let you rest for fear of a speck of dust or soil on something. She had an old colored man and wife and 5 fine children. They were all very large. I guess that you remember when Father came home from grand mothers sale and brought home Elbert a colored man that he bid in at the sale after grandmama's death. Father sold Elbert and bought that mean Negro Jo. She had a nice tall block in the kitchen and an ax that the cook used for many long years. I can see the place now in every direction two long lanes ran through the plantation and up one lane was a large gin house and beautiful fields in every direction except one that was right in front as we went out towards Barnesville a dence wood. Grandmother had lots of geese and other fowls. They held theire membership in the first church in Barnesville. In 1884 I was visiting the Prator kin-folk in old Upson and in Thomaston. Some evangelist conducted a wonderful meeting in Thomaston then went on to Barnesville. In a few days the preachers sent back to Thomaston for all the church workers to come up and help them. They came for me. I went with them, after servis that day at eleven oclock one of the nicest most refined old ladies came and invited me to make her house my home, her carriage was at the door. We were soon at home. She asked many questions as to where I was from and who I was before marriage. When she heard Ansley she said oh any relation of Rev. Samuel Ansley of this place. I said yes he was my grandfather. She thought so much of him and family. Said she heard him preach his last sermon. Afterwards I went to see theire graves. Grand father was 72 when he died but I do not remember what date was on the tombstone, but Father and Mother were married in 1837 the same year that he died. I never saw him but father said he was a fine looking man though very small. Aunt Catherine was buried beside him aged 27. Died at the same time 1837. Grand mother was buried there just beside the great gate. And her tombstone was fine white marble but a box like a large chest. She died sometime in 1850. Theire children were F.A. Ansley our Father - then Wesley - Martha - Josiah - Thomas - William and Catherine and Mary. Our Father F.A. Ansley married Miss Elizabeth Alison Prator of Upson County. Daughter of John and Mary Prator. They were married in 1837. Wesley All that I remember of him he died young. Aunt Martha married such a nice man. A fine physician and a christian and all. A model husband and father. Aunt Martha and all of grand fathers children had good advantages of school and society and church privileges. Aunt Martha married Dr. Jasper Bryan. They lived near Oxford University and gave all of theire eight children the best of opportunities and they applied themselves. Cousin Fannie theire eldest daughter married Judge Estices of Georgia-Gainesville. He is judge of Supreme Court and their son, Claud Esties, is a leading lawyer of the state. Aunt Marthas eldest son, Samuel, was a Dr. The next daughter, Julia, married a noted lawyer of Oxford, Col. Edwards, and has raised a first class set of children. I do not know about the other children. Uncle Thomas married well I knew her though she died without any children. He married again and raised two boys. Uncle Thomas lived in Taylorsville, Cobb Co., Ga. He was an intelligent man made plenty lived well. I met him in 1896. Mother and myself were in Atlanta. He was there sitting on United States Grand Jury. He went with Mother down to Quins and spent some time. He died a few years after that. Uncle William was a first class physician. Did the best practice of the city of Ameracus, Ga. A handsome man with black hair. And one of the best men I ever knew. I spent several weeks at his house in Ameracus. His wife was an educated woman all time sickly. They raised only one child. He married and was living in Atlanta railroader. Aunt Mary married Mr. Futrell. She raised three children. Eddie, Emma and Annie. Mr. Futrell has been dead about 10 years. Aunty Mary is Father younges sister and the only one of them living. She is 78 years of age and very feeble. Her daughters are single never did allow any man to wait on them in any way. Never did receive any company of the kind. They are about 40 years of age, though to see them you would not think them near so old. They work as clerk up town in Atlanta. I guess the two make 75 dollars per month. I spent a month with them two years ago. Cousin Emma is one of the dearest and sweetest women I ever saw.