BRETHREN-L Archives

From: Merle Rummel <>
Subject: Re: Roland & Hon
Date: Fri, 24 Sep 1999 08:54:52 -0400

>Surnames: ROLAND, & HON
>
>>Gasper Roland was the son of Jacob Roland b. 1758 in MD, and Mary
Keithley b.
>ABT 1760. They were married before 1776 and Jacob died in 1779 after Mary
>gave birth to Gasper and his sister Fanny. I have 2-13-1776 as a possible
>birthdate for both and also 1781 as a possible date for Gasper. Twins?
>After Jacob's death, Mary married Jonas Hon ABT 1780 possibly in VA.
>
>Carrie Hon Crow
>
>
I am very interested in this conversation about the Rowlands, Hendricks,
Hons, and Keithleys -they are leading families in what history we know of
the Brethren in the Kentucky Churches (c1800) and moved on into Missouri
and Illinois soon after that date.

My brother and kids cleaned my house while I was in the hospital -and I
don't know right now where all my papers are (satchels) -when I find them,
I'll have my Kentucky information -but the Hendricks and Rowlands were
subjects behind Annual Meeting actions in 1798 and again in c1820 - the
result being that we lost ALL the Carolina and Kentucky Churches. It was a
conflict between "Frontier Pietism" and "Back-East Anabaptism" -the
Anabaptists won!
(I wrote this up in a paper on Frontier Pietism -Ron Gordon has it at:
<www.cob-net.org/docs/brethrenlife.htm>)

I found some information on Gasper Rowland of NC/KY --someone asked
me earlier and I didn't have anything, but now I've been going
through David Eller's PhD Dissertation: the Brethren in the
Western Ohio Valley

Here's what he has on Gasper Rowland:
- -------------------------------------
p67 One of the most unusual documents relating to the Brethren
settlement in the Green river country is a doctrinal statement
made about 1830 by universalist Dunkers in Sagamon County, ILL.
In addition to affirming trine immersion baptism, the holy kiss,
and the literal observanceof communion and feetwashing, the
statement continues:
We believe in the restitution of all things [universal
restoration] upon which gospel faith the church on Drake's
Creek, Warren County, Kentucky, was constituted by Gasper
Roland...and in the year 1800 April 1st day, John Hendricks
and Joseph Roland were put in office by Gasper Roland.
["Ancient Documents"]
Both of these families, Rowland (Roland) and Hendricks
(Hendrix), played a major role in the Brethren Ohio Valley
story. Both have North Carolina backgrounds. Both had
universalist sentiments. Little else, however, is know about
either.
Gasper Rowland may have originally been either from
Pennsylvania or mryland. He may have also married Mary
Hunsaker, daughter of Harmann Hunsaker. Rowland was identified
by several Brethren writers of a previous generation as one of
the first ministers in Kentucky. No evidence has been found,
however, which indicates Rowland resided in Kentucky. He was
undoubtedly a minister in North Carolina and probably visited
the scattered Kentucky Brethren on occasion. He lived in the
forks of the Yadkin River, Rowan County, North Carolina c1774 to
1790. during 1796-1797 he is thought to have resided on the
South Fork of the New River, Wilkes (now Ashe) County, North
Carolina. Rowland was supposedly ordained in 1775 by David
Martin of South Carolina. Other evidence suggests that he was
ordained in Maryland. His residence after 1798 is unknown; he
died sometime before 1810.

p 69 (footnote 16 -Rowland may have been related to Philip
Rouland, one of the charter members of the Cocolico
congregation...Dutchman's Creek, Rowan Co 1778...Bear Creek,
Rowan Co -sold 1798...to Wilkes Co NC -bought 200 acres in 1797
from John Carver, who is suspected of being a Dunker
minister...Joseph Rowland of Warren Co KY and Joseph Rowland of
Ashe Co NC, sold his land... as coexecutors of the estate of
"Jasper Rowland, deceased" in 1810...witnessed by John Kessler,
a Dunker who moved to Hamilton Co OH in 1812...6 Feb 1806,
Gasper Rowland married Elizabeth Rowland in Warren Co KY, Jacob
Keithley posted bond, married by John Kendricks...a Gasper
Rowland organized Brethren congregations in rutherford (1821)
and wilson (1824) counties TN --is not in either the 1790 or
1800 Ky tax lists. a young Gasper Rowland is enumerated in the
1810 census as being between 26 and 45)
-------------------
There's quite a bit more information on the Hendricks, Keithley and Hon
families in Kaintuck, I could share what I have -if you are interested.
Peter Hon (son of Jonas, as I remember) caused a lot of conflict in the
Southern Ohio Brethren, preaching the Campbellite Revival. The earliest So
Ohio Churches came up from Kentucky (including the one I pastor:
Obannon/Stonelick -1795, outside Cincinnati).

Merle Rummel
Church Historian

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