The Diary of John H Paton (1900)

In 1981 Lucile Swain Hough donated a typwritten transcript of the diary of John Henry Paton for the year 1900 to the Almont Public Library. Paton and his extended family lived at Almont, Lapeer County, Michigan, for most of his life. His magazine The World’s Hope was published there from 1882 to 1916.

Paton of course was an early associate of CTR and wrote for Zion’s Watch Tower before starting his own paper to promote Universalist views. He is a good source for historical research because he tried to keep in touch with many people, and his paper reveals the subsequent history of a number of early associates of CTR after they parted company with him.

What happened to the original diary is unknown. How accurate and complete is the transcript is also unknown. What we have is not very detailed, often brief notes about events and people, many of whom will mean nothing to a modern reader. But there are a few insights, and this article tries to extract the few items that link up with Watch Tower history.

The title page tells us who provided the transcript.

Lucile Hough was a grand-daughter of John H Paton. Her mother, Annie Paton Swain (1883-1969) was a daughter of John Paton. Lucile would have known John Paton as a child; she was 12 years old when he died and was living at the same address in the 1920 census.

Paton traveled widely, especially making use of the railways, electric cars in cities, horse and buggy, and also the new fangled motor car. However, it was the railway that made longer journeys possible. The same would hold true for Charles Taze Russell. Paton regularly listed where he stayed (or “staid” as he always spelled it) and where he dined. He commented regularly on the weather and how his health was. Back home he saw to it that his paper The World’s Hope had full copy and came out on time.

Paton had been ordained as a Baptist minister, before switching to Advent Christian, and then had furrowed his own path with Nelson Barbour, CTR, and finally his own independent Universalist ministry. However, he was quite prepared to preach anywhere that would have him. From the diary, he seems to have had most invitations from Baptist and M.E. Churches. As shown by his death certificate he viewed himself throughout his life as a clergyman, a “preacher of the gospel” but with the title “Rev.”

As the Rev. John Paton, he expected financial reimbusement for his efforts. This comes up quite early on in the diary. Visiting Richland on Sunday, January 14, he commented “Preached three times for M.E. minister, morning and night in Richland.” But after listing his sermons - “Rec’d no money.”

Like many of the era, he supplemented his income from preaching and publishing by engaging in some small scale farming. So there are entries like November 26: “cow taken sick.” November 27: “cow suffering.”  November 28: “cow died.” But all was not lost – after preaching at Peck and Yale (north of Detroit) on December 20: “Rec’d $10.25 towards a new cow.”

A few personal details emerge. Paton had been involved in the American Civil war and regularly attended military reunions. One such in the diary was on August 23, 1900, in Detroit. Paton wrote: “Attended reunion of my old regiment and met about 100 of the boys. Aunt Addis went with me on the river with regiment.”

One such reunion four years earlier had been photographed. I am grateful to John Paton Marshall, a great grandson of John H. Paton, who made the photograph available. This one was taken at the Chicamauga and Chattanooga Military Park on September 18, 1895, and shows men of the 22nd Michigan Infantry, Volunteer 1st Division Reserve Corps. The cross at the very bottom of the photograph shows where John Paton is placed, and to his right are two of his brothers, first brother David and then standing to the right of him brother William.

Paton was also a Freemason and on December 3 attended the lodge meeting at Peck and Yale where a new “master” was installed.

Paton’s brief comments shed light on contemporary controversies at times. In the mid 1890s there was interest in the wider Bible Student community in a movement founded by Cyrus Teed, who rebranded himself as a Messiah figure named Koresh, and who founded a commune in Estero, Florida. One of his distinctive beliefs was that the earth was hollow with the sun as a kind of giant battery in the center. There was controversy in Pittsburgh in 1895 when one of the Watch Tower Society directors, Augustus Weimar, among others, defected to what became called Koreshanity. When Koresh died his followers believed he was only in a state of suspended animation, so refused to bury him until the issue was forced by public health officials. His mausoleum on the coast was demolished by a hurricane and his coffin washed out to sea and lost. This bizarre tale and the connection with certain former Watch Tower adherents was discussed in The Watch Tower and the Koreshan Unity if you use the search facility on this blog.

One might have thought that the interest in someone so off-the-wall would have soon petered out in the mid-1890s. But here in Paton’s diary for 1900, in an entry for June 18 from Peck and Yale he showed that many in his circle were also fascinated. Paton simply wrote: “All seem gone on Koresh.” Alas, there is no further comment on the subject.

 

It has been fun checking some of the names, but most have been readers of The World’s Hope or friends and family who do not have any obvious link to Watch Tower history.

One name took some time. On September 1 Paton visited Hattie (Brown) Rice. At the time he was visiting places like Pontiac and Orchard Lake, within striking distance of Detroit.

There was a Hugh Brown Rice who featured in very early Watch Tower magazines at the same time as Paton. It would have been nice to make a connection, but that has not been possible.

Hugh Brown Rice was someone who nearly wrote for Zion’s Watch Tower, but never did. His story is covered in the article H B Rice – an Impecunious Man, which can be found by using the search facility on this blog. Hugh Brown Rice wanted to be an Age to Come evangelist linked to The Restitution paper, but as business ventures failed and his family grew, financial pressures kept thwarting him. He eventually got a “proper job” and by the end of his life ended up quite financially secure.

The only two people named Hattie Brown Rice I could trace were a Hattie Brown who married a Rice, and then as Hattie Brown Rice married again. The other was a Harriett Blanche (with the sobriquet “Hattie Brown”) Rice born in 1872. Neither seems to have any connection with Hugh Brown Rice of fleeting Watch Tower association. But neither do they have any obvious connection wth John Paton.

Tiptoeing onto firmer ground there were two areas he visited where some familiar names from Watch Tower history appear.

There was Chicago where he spoke at meetings at 6006 Green Street over September 18-19. On the 19^th he wrote: “Had good meeting at night. Sister Russell present… Bro. Keith present.”

Taking “Brother Keith” first – Benjamin Wallace Keith had played one key role in what became Watch Tower history. As an associate of Nelson Barbour he had noted that the Emphatic Diaglott rendered the Greek word “parousia” as “presence” rather than “coming.” When brought to Barbour’s attention this was a key factor in the teaching of an invisible second presence for Jesus Christ. Keith supported Barbour and wrote for his magazine and knew CTR well when he came on board. When Barbour and CTR split, Keith supported CTR and the fledgling Zion’s Watch Tower magazine. He was listed on the front page as a regular contributor from its start in July 1879 until early 1881.

When John Paton split from CTR and founded The World’s Hope, Keith chose that path and was often mentioned in its pages. Keith’s story can be found in Separate Identity volume one.

Perhaps of even greater interest is a reference to “Sister Russell.” Was this Maria or someone else of the same name? Paton would have known Maria quite well as he officiated at her wedding to CTR back in 1879. Also Maria would have cause to visit Chicago because her brother Lemuel, a lawyer, lived there. It was to Lemuel in Chicago that she first went when she left CTR in 1897. If this is our Sister Russell, it appears that she still kept in contact with some from the old community and had fellowship with them in 1900.

There are two other references to the name Russell in the diary. From December 14: “Expected to go to Assyria (probably the townhip in Michigan), but received no reply to my letter to Bro. Russell.”  There seems no way of knowing whether Paton would have written to CTR this long after their parting, or whether this was an unrelated “Brother Russell.” Either way, he didn’t get an answer.

The other reference to the name was in Indianapolis on July 29, Paton wrote: “Did not preach, but visited. Attended meeting of Russell people.” We note that, unlike some visits to Baptist and M.E. Churches, he wasn’t invited to speak on this occasion. But it also shows that long after the original parting of the ways there was still some contact between many individuals.

As well as Chicago there was one other area Paton visited where names from the past appeared. Over July 10-12 he was in Pittsburgh.

On July 10 he wrote: “Saw Mrs Carnahan, Conley & Walshan’s. Staid at Bro. Mann’s.

On July 11 he wrote: “Called at Dr. Buvinger’s and Bro. Englands, & had lunch at Mrs. Buvinger’s.”

On July 12 he left Pittsburgh for Elyria and wrote: “Avis met me at Station…Had evening meeting at Bro. Sherwood’s.”

So on July 10 he saw, among others, Mrs. Conley.  She was the widow of the first Society president, William Henry Conley. Conley had faded from view in the early 1880s and when the Society was incorporated in 1884 was no-where to be seen. He surfaced again with a letter of support over the Conspiracy Exposed and Harvest Siftings issue in 1894. But his religious journey had taken him elsewhere. Paton continued to visit him and in Conley’s obituary published in The World’s Hope for August 1, 1897, stated how “many times during these (more than twenty) years I have shared the hospitality of that the Christian home.” Had Paton not been away on his travels to receive the news too late, he would have attended the funeral. Conley’s obituary in Paton’s magazine was written by W.I. Mann.

So on the same 1900 trip to Pittsburgh, Paton visited Mann as well, and as he put it “staid” with him.

W I Mann as he was in 1900.

(With thanks to Bernhard who supplied the photo)

William Imrie Mann (1844-1930) had been around in the Nelson Barbour days, and when Zion’s Watch Tower started he was listed as contributor in the first issue, the same as Keith (see image above). He compiled a new hymnal for the paper’s readers called Songs of the Bride in 1879. When Zion’s Watch Tower Tract Society was incorporated with CTR as president, Mann was vice-president. He resigned as a director in December 1891 and was officially replaced on April 11, 1892.

Like Keith, Mann was mentioned in the pages of Paton’s magazine. After his separation from CTR, he was mentioned in a letter CTR wrote to his wife Maria (Russell vs Russell 1906, exhibit 2, letter to “My Dear Wife” dated July 9, 1896). Here CTR lists some former associates who he now accuses of “evil surmisings and slanders and envy,” Mann is the first name on the list.

Another name from the past from the Pittsburgh trip is Buvinger. On July 11 Paton had “called at Dr. Buvinger’s and had lunch at Mrs Buvinger’s.” Although the name does not occur in Zion’s Watch Tower, the Buvingers were early associates of CTR. The original Dr. Buvinger had written letters to Barbour’s Herald of the Morning and George Storrs’ Bible Examiner, before supporting Paton. He died in 1891 but his widow (Mrs. Buvinger) lived on until 1925.

There is an interesting insight into Paton and the Buvingers in The World’s Hope for February 15, 1892 (I must thank Separate Identity volune one for the reference). The widow Emma Buvinger wrote Paton expressing appreciation for what he taught and how her two sons were now much interested. She asked Paton if she could have a photograph of himself and his wife. Paton offered to sell her one for 25 cents. A choice of three poses was offered.

The final names to consider here are those of Avis Hamlin and a Brother Sherwood.

As noted above, on July 12 Paton left Pittsburgh for Elyria and wrote: “Avis met me at Station…Had evening meeting at Bro. Sherwood’s.” The same names occur later in the year when he again visited Elyria. On October 19 in an entry about reaching Elyria by train: “Avis and Bro. Sherwood met me. Meeting at Sherwood’s.” The next day’s entry noted: “had another meeting at night at Sherwood’s.”

Avis was Avis Hamlin and she is mentioned in Zion’s Watch Tower. In the August 1880 issue CTR wrote that he would be visiting Elyria in his travels and noted that “Elyria meetings are in the charge of Sister Avis Hamlin.” These were meetngs of an independent fellowship because in October of that year Nelson Barbour’s Herald of the Morning announced plans to visit Elyria, “where Avis Hamlin may arrange.” According to the write-up in the November 1880 Herald three of the meetings were held at Avis’ home.

The story of Avis and the house church at the home of her friend (and possible relative, Thomas Sherwood) is told in Separate Identity volume one. She supported Barbour for some years, and hosted a visit of CTR, but ultimately chose John Paton in her later years. She would write a letter of appreciation for Paton’s October 1900 visit which he published in The World’s Hope for January 15, 1901. Thomas Sherwood died in 1902 and although Paton took the funeral and wrote an obituary he did not memtion Avis on that occasion (See The World’s Hope, May 15, 1902).

When Paton was greeted by Avis at the train station in 1900 she was already into her eighties. She soon became the oldest local resident in Elyria and as such became a bit of a celebrity. She featured regularly in snippets in the local paper.

For her 90^th birthday she had her photograph in the paper, and her life story partly told. From the Elyria Republican, February 27, 1908:

On the occasion of her 93^rd birthday, the newspaer reported that she recited a selection of poetry for some of her guests and “sang a little song for a favored few.”

With an election coming up, one of the last stories about her was from The Chronicle-Telegram for November 24, 1911.

The reference to “Lacked the Pants” is linked to an anecdote on why she hadn’t tried one of the new fangled aeroplanes as yet. Avis was determined to vote for women’s suffrage in the next election in February 1912. Sadly she wasn’t to make that date, but died on the last day of December 1911.

Regretably, the relevant issue of Paton’s magazine, The World’s Hope, is not available; but one may assume that he gave Avis an obituary, and may even have traveled to Elyria to conduct her funeral.

She was buried in the family grave of Edith Morehouse in the Ridgelawn Cemetery in Elyria.

A memorial exists, but doesn’t seem to have been photographed, and reportedly is now illegible on two of its four sides. However, the names that survive include those of Avis Hamlin herself (1818-1911), Andrew Morehouse (1840-1883) and Edith Morehouse (1849-1898). Andrew was Avis’ son by her first marriage to Samuel Morehouse, and Edith was Avis’ daughter-in-law. Andrew and Edith’s son, Max Morehouse (1865-1923), a prominent businessman, was a regular visitor to grandmother Avis in her final years.

Paton’s diary ended appropriately on December 31, with just a few brief notes for the first week of January 1901. His final entry for 1900: “This is the last day of the last week of the last .month of the last year of the Nineteenth Century. We sat up to see the New Year in. Good by (sic) 1900.”

As noted at the start of this article, it is a shame that the original is missing, and that diaries for other years do not appear to exist today.

1919 Year Text Card - Found it on ebay.

 

Paris Bethel - On Ebay now

 

Out of context paragraphs

 ... from volume three in progress:

            Adams wrote at the request of “a number of friends” near Beverly, Massachusetts. His letter itself seems to belie that claim. Instead, it seems that he wrote the letter, taking it from person to person to gather signatures. The initiative was his, though that does not diminish the support given by those endorsing it. “I can only say for myself and the little band of believers here,” he wrote, “that in the light of Scripture, type, prophecy and parable, and in the light of our past experience up to the present point, our position never was so satisfactory and convincing, to those who have eyes to see, as now.”

            This complex sentence shows them as far removed from the literalism that existed in the ‘movement’ before 1878 and which was the position Watch Tower adherents maintained. They saw in themselves the antitype of imagined Scriptural types. They saw each failure as progress. And there is a strong element of exclusivity. They saw their fragile, about to collapse, typology as truth, identifying themselves as those having “eyes to see,” apparently an allusion to Deuteronomy 29:2. At this point – late 1883 – there was nowhere else to turn. Adams quoted one of the Beverly adherents: “As one of our number has frequently said, though we sometimes, with heartsickness of hope deferred, grow weary in the way we never grow weary of it; sometimes with trembling hand we have clung to the silver cord of faith that as yet is our only claim to eternal life, and yet, thank God! we have held on.”

            Barbour strongly objected when, in 1894, Russell assumed the mantel of “the faithful and wise servant.” He did not object to Adams’, “The ‘prepared victuals’ fully sustain us,” an unmistakable reference to Matthew 24:47. This exposes the underlying conflict between Barbour and Russell. Each saw himself as the divinely appointed teacher.

World War One

 I hope you are all well. For those interested, two post surgery doctor appointments next week. Still on pain meds and such.

Now to the point of this post: Though it is past the era covered in Separate Identity three, I need material showing non Watch Tower interest in Gentile Times and prophetic interest in World War 1 and its aftermath. This will probably turn into a minor point in my introductory essay, but it is worth pursuing. 

Photo identity?

 

See review of Separate Identity in previous post

Does anyone recognize this photograph?

I took the picture from a small historical display while visiting Germany as an international delegate in 2019. I am almost certain it was at Magdeburg where the old Society’s headquarters still owned (at least in part) by the Society were used for a Kingdom Hall and a place to feed and entertain visitors.

There was no caption for the photograph. I assume the photo must relate to Germany, although it should be noted on reflection that J F Rutherford is not there is person, this is only his photograph on display. Also the caption is in English. The other thing I noted was that the group is nearly all men, although there are a few women dotted about.

So – has anyone else ever seen this with more information?

Addenda

We now know the history of this photo, and it is a little more recent than one might think. Read the comment trail for the full story. With thanks to Bernhard.

Leave a review

 More reviews of Separate Identity, vol. 2, would be very helpful. Best review to date:

Stéphane

            I want to paint the portrait of the book and tell its qualities as I judge them, without unveiling if possible the treasures of its contents, nor the discoveries and the surprises waiting there for the reader.

            The 2 volumes of Separate identity, and a third one under preparation, constitute the first real reference work of historians addressing the birth and the first decade of the Watch Tower movement, from the double point of view of its doctrinal evolution and its progressive rise and turbulent development.    .

            The works of Herodotus are entitled Histories, of a Greek word meaning inquiry or investigation : for the first time ever, it is to such a work of investigation, a patient, comprehensive, in-depth as well as objective and impartial work, that the two historians Rachael de Vienne (until her death last year) and Bruce Schulz devote themselves, since over 15 years.

           This innovative work not only brought to light novel discoveries, but standing as a true work in progress, the research, as it went along and was enriched with new elements, sprang up, opening new pathways to explore, requiring new developments (some of them important enough to necessitate a supplementary third volume).

It inaugurates a new decisive step of the research into the history of the Watch Tower — the movement and the magazine —, characterized by an increased granularity (or level of detail) of several orders of magnitude.

            Thanks to their rigorous method, and their attention to telling details, Schulz and de Vienne’s research stands out from the works of previous authors who wrote about this period of the Watch Tower history, whose works are often mostly superficial, patchy, and simply rehashing earlier works, or accommodating to the recourse to second or even third-hand sources — when not downright biased or polemical.

            They also stand apart from the official history works published by the Watchtower Society, which are as a rule insufficiently documented, despite their custody of the archives of the movement, and sometimes inaccurate, and notoriously rushed, due to the lack of time or thinking imposed by editorial constraints (short deadlines, apologetical pretensions).

            It took historians almost 140 years to submit the issues of the first years of the Watch Tower, for a start, to a close and systematic reading, followed by a classification and a sound analysis. Rather than their heavily redacted Reprints that omit not only a vast amount of items rejected as irrelevant, but also a number of important contributions, — either for having been penned by redactors having dissented in the meantime, or for dealing with doctrines no longer finding favor, — the original issues of the magazine offer to the investigator, besides in-depth articles on doctrinal topics and debates, a rich palette of announcements of any kind, of news echos, of travel, mission and even accounting reports, together with an abundant “Letters to the Editor” section. No serious study should skimp on, sweep, dispense with, avoid, obviate this invaluable collection of facts, it is the non disposable starting point of any research worthy of the name.

            Not only did the authors exploit this corpus as the basis of their work, especially in Volume 2 of Separate Identity, but they extended their review to the innumerable papers, newspaper articles, discourses, tracts, and to the 6 volume collection, that flowed from the prolific pen of Charles Russell.

            Then, to resituate the teachings of Russell and his followers, as well as their progressive elaboration, they confronted them systematically with those of the dissenting groups or of groups related by a community of doctrine, through an examination of their respective writings.

            They particularly committed themselves to unscramble Charles Russell’s investigations in the perilous field of the final ends’ chronology, but they have above all deepened the analysis of the dual concern which is at the centre of his message, — focused on the merits of the Ransom by Jesus Christ, — as well as the contradictory reactions it had to elicit, either of fierce rejection, or of enthusiastic reception : viz. the blasphemous lie of the eternal torment reserved to almost all humans, in total contrast with the bright perspective of the times of the “restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began“ as heralded by St. Peter in his founding speech of Christianity at Pentecost.

            To describe the sequence of events that shaped the life of the movement, its growth, its evangelism and its trials and tribulations, and to place them in the context of the time, they performed a multitude of cross-checks with an abundant harvest of documents, often never seen before, gained after a tireless hunt for newspaper articles, narratives, books, yearbooks, catalogues, family genealogies, obituaries, official papers, not to forget an array of old photographs… this monumental documentary base not having benefited from any access to the official archive held by the Watchtower Society, except for a handful of documents made available in dribs and drabs, and one single photograph — a proof, if needed, of the independence of the research and its lack of sponsoring.

            A similar approach was followed to reconstruct the biographies of as many people as possible mentioned in the movement’s documents, even when they appear under a simple name: first-day followers, collaborators, propagandists, missionaries, traveling speakers, occasional correspondents, up to and including opponents of the movement.

            The outcome of this untiring hunt for documents and original sources followed by their exploitation (classification, analysis, interpretation), results in a voluminous data set made of a myriad of details. Thanks to the talent of the authors, the synthesis of this accumulation of well established facts, being anything but rebarbative, blends into a harmonious whole of a teeming richness.

            As can be seen by consulting its table of contents, Volume 2 articulates on 16 chapters that fit together like the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle providing a picture of the movement and its evolution seen from various angles : foundation and beginnings of the movement, segregation from the mainstream churches, organization into congregations, launch and funding of a huge publishing ministry, starting and extension of the evangelism, expansion of the field of activity to the United Kingdom, Canada, China, Africa, as well as the European Marches of the Ottoman Empire.

            The narrative, full of life, at times even thrilling as an adventure novel, interweaves with a portrait gallery presenting a variety of characters, often endearing, sometimes heroic, less frequently unsympathetic, and more than a few particularly colourful.

            The book opens with two prefaces where each of the authors begins by expressing a more personal view — and lets show through his or her own style — about their intentions, their expectations, their working method, the obstacles encountered, their opinion about the current state of research, and specifically the irreducible discrepancies between Russell and the Adventists. These exordia introduce a very elaborate monograph by Rachael de Vienne that broadens the project horizon, situating the characteristic teachings of the movement within the wider context of the history of Christian doctrines.

            The book ends with a To-be-followed : in an Afterword, it evokes the crisis that shook the movement around the year 1881, and led it to affirm its specificity by assuming a separate (organizational) identity, — thus reaching the conclusion of the research —, defering the detailed development of the circumstances to a third and final (?) volume of the series.

            Last but not least, Volume 2 incorporates no less than 1813 notes, and quite as many references, an eloquent invitation to plunge into the original sources, and why not, pursue the research…

Update

 I've had my surgery. They believe they removed all the cancer. There will be at least one follow up surgery to remove 'growths' they do not believe are cancerous. That's good, I think. And in three months they will reevaluate the area they removed.

Research for volume 3 of SI is progressing, but very slowly. I'm still researching A. P. Adams, focusing on his adherents and supporters. It appears that he generated interest among those with social prominence and money. This represents his own social back ground at President Adams' grandson. 

An element of the intro essay is a discussion of mainstream and fringe religions that approached prophetic studies in the same way as did Russell. This is something that blog readers can contribute to if they are so inclined.

I have doctor's appointments over the next six months. I hurt. Some of that will not go away; it's old age related. So research and writing will continue to move slowly. Suggestions and research results from you are very welcome.

Lueck

New York Herald - September 24, 1921

You may need to click the image to see it entire.

The Perrysburg, Ohio, Journal

May 20, 1915

Any additional information will be appreciated.

 

Frank L. Draper

Guest post by Bernhard

He was at the forefront of Bible Students for 25 years and was one of the most prominent and beloved, though he was never an officer of the Watchtower Society, nor wrote articles for the magazine now known as The Watchtower and hereafter referred to by that title. But he was a leading evangelist, colporteur, pilgrim brother, pastor, convention speaker and loyal supporter of Charles T. Russell.

When and where was Frank born?

The US Census for 1910 provides some basic information. Around 1908-1910 and maybe some later Frank was a member of the Brooklyn Bethel family in New York. The census tells us he is 54 years old and was born in Ohio. This leads us back to the years 1856 or 1857.

In the Daily Heavenly Manna book, owned by Rose Leffler, we find the entry that Frank was born on March 2. The Leffler family (parents and eight children) embraced the Truth in 1897, when Frank Draper spoke on “The Second Coming of Christ“ in Tiffin, Ohio.

With this information we can find Frank Draper in the familysearch system. He was born on March 2, 1856 in Pottsville, Pennsylvania. His father was James Draper, born 1831 in England, and his mother Jane Smith who was born 1833 in Ireland. He had four siblings: William H., Annie, Emma J. and Mary Elizabeth.

Around 1879/80 he married 19 year old Elvira, born in Ohio in 1861, and from then on lived in Niles, Trumbull, Ohio. (US Census 1880). His profession at this time is “laborer in R. M.”, his wife is a housekeeper. He lived for a long time in Ohio and that's maybe the reason why he told the 1910 US Census that he was born in Ohio, but actually it was in Pennsylvania. Tragically, his wife died relatively young, possibly from a serious illness and Frank became a widower.

 In July 1890 Frank is mentioned for the first time in The Watchtower (July 1890, p. 5443, reprints). He wrote a letter to Brother Russell:

“Brother Wise (Aaron C.) and myself are pushing the battle. Many are becoming awakened on these questions which are so dear to us. There is an increasing demand for reading matter, especially Old Theology Tract No. 1. Last evening we held a street service. People crowded us almost to suffocation for Tracts and Slips, and some wanted DAWN. We expect to open a building  for meetings soon. In the midst of reproach and evil speaking we are "looking unto Jesus."“

This shows that Draper joined the Bible Students before 1890.

When there were accusations against Russell by J. B. Adamson, Otto Von Zech and others in 1894, Draper took a stand for Russell. He wrote in The Watchtower June 11, 1894, p. 7963:

“Am doing what I am able to support and spread the truth.“

In 1894 he began as part-time pilgrim. In The Watchtower, December 1894, we read:

Brother M. L. McPhail only has been giving all of his time to this work, and he alone has all of his expenses paid out of the Tract Society's fund, the other laborers in this branch of the service, Brothers Antoszewski, Austin, Bell, Blundin, Bohnet, Draper, Merrill, Murphy, Owen, Page, Ransom, Richards, Thorn, Webb, Weber, Weimar, West, Williams, Wise and Witter, being traveling salesmen, colporteurs or business men whose expenses are met by their business or otherwise and who delight to give an evening or a Sunday, as they can arrange it, in serving the Lord's flock--pointing to the green pastures and the still waters and feeding and rejoicing with the "sheep."

He was already giving speeches at least as early as July 1895. [1] At the end of 1896, while in Kentucky, he held 14 meetings in one week, three in private homes and 11 in public places. He reported that in one particular county he had experienced the prejudices of locals against Bible Students, who even used guns, and opposition from a member of the Baptist Church which tried to prevent the holding of meetings, but they did take place anyway. In another place, the Shakers, who usually did not allow preachers of another religion to hold meetings among them, allowed Draper to preach in their school; he was able to hold three meetings there with an average attendance of 75 or 80. [2] In August 1899, Russell had planned to send Draper to Kansas by October 1 of that year, [3] and he was supposed to deliver speeches at the St. Louis convention assembly on October 6. [4] In November 1899 he visited Indiana Territory. [5] By early 1900 he was in Texas and Edward Brenneisen praised him, considering him a capable orator. [6] At the 1903 Memorial, he was in Chetopa, Kansas, [7] and was one of the speakers at the convention in Denver, Colorado, July 10-12 of the same year. [8] He visited Texas in early 1904, [9] and was a speaker at the Los Angeles conventions [10] in St. Louis in October of the same year, [11] in Asbury Park in July 1906, [12] from Indianapolis in 1907, [13] in July he was on his way to Kokoma, [14] from Norfolk on October 3 of the same year, [15] from Put-in-Bay on September 3, 1908, [16] and Denver, Colorado, in July 1909. [17] In 1911 Russell sent him to his parents homeland, the United Kingdom and Ireland. [18]

Samuel Kuesthardt give us the report that Frank Draper was also a baptizer, for example he baptized two in Toledo, Ohio (The Watchtower, August 15, 1898).

In 1908, he was among those who reacted favorably to Russell's vow, made by adherents concerning the attitude to be adopted towards the opposite sex. [19] Likewise, during the New Covenant schism, he positioned himself vigorously in favor of Russell: indeed, he praised the latter for his articles published in October and November of 1909.

In 1913, he congratulated Russell for not having insisted too much, in the last two or three years, on a date concerning the end of Gentile times. [20] He highly praised the Photo-Drama of Creation, which he described as "the most successful project the Society has ever launched". [21]

What was Draper's personality?

Morgan T. Lewis, a staff member at the Bible House, described him  (The Watchtower, February 15, 1898):

His talks and his fine Christian character impressed us very much, and we want to express our gratitude for the helpful occasion. He has a remarkable talent for presenting the truth; so easy do the words flow and so forceful, that they impress the candid hearer. He spoke Saturday evening at Troy and Sunday morning at my home to sixteen of us on the "Narrow Way," and in the evening on the upper features of the chart to about twenty-five, mostly interested ones. The talks did me much good, as I learned how to arrange the talks, and will make use of his plan when I have occasion to speak in public. I want to express myself in regard to the work that Bro. Draper is doing. I think it is one of the best opportunities to help on the cause, and I almost envy the dear Brother the great blessing he must get in going around and meeting and helping the friends. What a joy his must be.

Ernest David Sexton remembered Frank Draper in the 1930 Souvenir Convention Report:

He was a short man; and when I saw him, I did not like to have him notice it, -- notice that I saw it, -- but he had the most prodigious looking feet I ever saw for a small man. One night he called attention to it. (They were bigger than mine.) He was talking about helping one another. He said, You cannot go along because you are strong, and ignore the weak. The Apostle says the uncomely members need the more attention. "You will notice that I have very large feet. That is, I haven't large feet in fact, but I wear very large shoes. My feet are very sore and I have to wrap them up with bandages. When I go to bed at night, I always get a switch and switch my feet because they are so uncomely. No, I don't. I give them more attention, more than any other part of my body. I salve them, and pat them, and give them all sorts of attention because they are uncomely.

Draper even allowed himself to advise Russell on certain matters. In 1905 he criticized the translation "running towards the goal" in Philippians 3:14, a translation which had been suggested to Russell by one of the pilgrims claiming to have received it from a Hellenist scholar. As the translation does not fit the picture of a race, Draper disagreed with Russell and suggested that "the thing be presented to us as someone who knows Greek".

With the end of 1915 he stopped touring as a pilgrim. Why? In the St. Paul Enterprise (January 1916) he wrote that he came to Detroit, Michigan, and stayed there at 148 Lincoln Ave. The reason was his aged mother lived there and he needed to care for her. He became a part of the 250 strong Detroit class. In this class he met a sister named Lois (Louise) Haskins, nee Swain.

In April 22, 1916 he gave a talk at O.E.S. (Order of the Eastern Star) Temple, 43 Alexandrine West, at 3 p.m., Subject: “Do the Scriptures Teach that the Dead Are Asleep?“

One month later he married Lois Swain (daughter of Alexander Swain und Julia Arn) on May 29, 1916. The marriage entry shows that Draper was still an evangelist. Lois (Louise) was born on February 26, 1871).

Lois Swain was previously married to Seth L. Haskins (1866 - February 18, 1909) on January 7, 1888, and they had one daughter Bertha E., born 1894.

On October 31, 1916, Charles T. Russell died and the funeral took place on November 5. Many prominent brothers gave funeral talks. But remarkably Frank Draper was not at the burial. Nowhere is he mentioned; although he was a capable speaker he did not give a funeral talk.

On June 1, 1917, p.175 Frank Draper was mentioned for the last time in The Watchtower:

FORMER PILGRIM HEARD FROM

Although dear Brother Russell will be greatly missed by us all, he is greatly the gainer, having gone beyond the veil to forever with the Lord. You may be assured that whatever influence I can exert in the interest of the SOCIETY and the work it is doing, I will be very glad to exert. My humble prayer is that aIl the dear brethren at the Headquarters and everywhere may work together most harmoniously and successfully. With much Christian love and very best wishes in which Sister Draper joins me, I am. Your brother in the Lord, Frank Draper, Michigan.

On November 10, 1917 he had a talk  at the O.E.S. Temple: Subject: “The Judgement Day. What is it for“

Although he urged others to work harmoniously with the brothers, he was obviously no longer willing to do so himself. We find him mentioned in The Herald of Christ's Kingdom, September 15, 1919:

“Blessed Fellowship at Detroit“

THIS WAS INDEED very manifestly the senti­ment of all of the brethren in attendance at the Convention held in Detroit, Aug. 30, 31, Sept. 1, when a most blessed season of fellow­ship was enjoyed. ...

It was noted that there were about twelve of the old Bethel and Bible House family, formerly in close association with Brother Russell, present, and as many as eleven of the old Pilgrims who had been recognized and received appointments under Brother Russell's supervision in the years gone by. These all, of course, had a part in the program and in the ministry at this Convention. Among this number were Brothers Frank Draper, F. A. Hall, P. E. Thomson, F. F. Cook, S. J. Arnold, H. E. Hollister, E. W. V. Kuehn and four of the Editorial staff of this journal.

This shows us that Frank Draper had left the Watch Tower Society and joined or sympathized with the Pastoral Bible Institute, but like at the Watch Tower Society he did not become an officer. From later testimony his active contact with the PBI was short-lived.

Back in 1909 there had been the schism over the new covenant issue, led by Ernest Henninges in Australia. Although Draper supported the Watch Tower position at the time, after CTR’s death certain doubts came to the surface again. After disappearing from view for well over ten years, Draper wrote to Henninges in 1932. He outlined his path since the death of CTR, and what he now believed. It was published in the July 1932 issue of Henninges’ paper. Draper wrote:

Dear Brother in Christ: For a year, or more, I have felt that I would like to write to you. It is about a year ago that I met Brother Benson, who told me about you and the work you, and Sister H., are in. For nearly twenty years prior to meeting Brother Benson I had not heard a word as to your whereabouts. Therefore was real glad to learn about you from Bro. B., to whom I am indebted for your literature—books and N.C.A.—that I have read with great interest and benefit.

Of course you will recall how strenuously I contended with you, by correspondence, after you went to Australia, in support of Brother Russell's views re the Sin Offering and Covenants. Am sure that those views were honestly held by me—largely, I now see, because so much stress was laid on "that servant" idea. But I was not fully satisfied with Bro. Russell's explanations, as shown by the following: I asked myself the question, "Why did the Apostle have so much to say, in his letter to the Hebrews, about the New Covenant if the brethren addressed were not under it?" Then, too, I saw that a verse you have used in your writings must have some special significance with respect to the New Covenant and the brethren therein addressed. I refer to the l5th verse of the 9th chapter of Hebrews.

I was so much interested in this particular verse that I asked Brother Russell about its meaning. He tried to explain it to suit his idea of the time when the New Covenant would become effective. But his explanation did not satisfy me.

Because I did not fully agree with Brother R. In his teaching that everything would collapse in 1914, I was put out of the "Pilgrim" work. About that time it was most openly taught in the "Watch Tower" that the Church shares with Christ in providing the blood of the Ransom. That was altogether too much for me, and I wrote my protest to Bro. R. For ten years, or more, since then, I did not take an active interest in the Truth, though I continued to believe it.

About two years ago my interest was renewed, and I began to study the blessed Word of God more diligently than ever, and to pray more earnestly, also. Soon light began to break clearly upon my mind re the Sin Offering and the Covenants. Then, about a year later, through the kindness of Brother Benson, your literature came into my hands the reading of which has greatly clarified the Bible teachings on these subjects, as well as some other sacred truths.

For about a year I was an elder in a little class here, but my present views re the Sin Offering and the Covenants have practically separated me from the class. Very few of the friends seem to want the truth with respect to these two essential doctrines found in the Bibele. But I am perfectly willing to stand alone, if necessary, in defence of these precious Truths. I love the Lord, and His Holy Word, and His people much more since coining to see clearly regarding the Sin Offering and the Covenants.

Please convey my Christian love to Sister H., and accept same yourself. Your brother in Christ,—F. L. Draper..

There is a little more we can find out about him. The 1920 US Census shows that Frank & Lois & Bertha still lived in Michigan. Stepdaughter Bertha E., was living with them. The census gives Frank‘s occupation now as masseurist in an auto factory. Bertha married a Howard E. Waite on November 23, 1920.

Then on September 15, 1929 Louise died at the age of 58 in Detroit and Frank was again a widower.

The 1930 US Census shows us that Frank is now living in Los Angeles. Maybe he decided to move after his wife died. He now lives there as a lodger.

Frank L. Draper died on October 4, 1937 at the age of 81 and he was buried in the same cemetery as his second wife in Detroit, Wayne, Michigan. His death certificate gives his occupation as minister, retired for twenty years.

1. The Watchtower, July 15, 1895, p. 1843

2. The Watchtower, December 1, 1886, p. 2076

3. The Watchtower, August 1, 1899, p. 2515

4. The Watchtower, August 1, 1899, p. 2516

5. The Watchtower, April 15, 1900, p. 2605

6. The Watchtower, February 1, 1900, p. 2576

7. The Watchtower, May 15, 1903, p. 3194

8. The Watchtower, October 1, 1903, p. 3250

9. The Watchtower, April 1904, p. 3349

10. The Watchtower, June 15, 1904, p.3383

11. The Watchtower, October 15, 1904, p. 3444

12. The Watchtower, August 15, 1906, p.3838

13. The Watchtower, July 1907, p. 4026

14. The Watchtower, July 1907, p. 4032

15. The Watchtower, November 1, 1907, p. 4081

16. The Watchtower, September 15, 1908, p.4244

17. The Watchtower, September 1, 1909, p. 4462

19. The Watchtower, June 15, 1908, p. 4192

20. The Watchtower, November 15, 1913, p. 5355

21. The Watchtower, April, 1914, p. 5447

 

NEW BOOK

This story of Frank Draper is included in the new book Who's Who – in the Bible Student Movement before 1920. In it we find 4000 names, some biographical notes and short biographies. Also included are almost 1100 portrait photos. It can be found on Amazon.

A. P. Adams on Redemption

 

Adams and "The Spirit of the Word."

 

The Wintons

I know - it almost sounds like "The Waltons..."

Some readers here will know I am working on a book on the Society’s United Cemeteries in Ross Township, much of which started life as articles on this blog 7-8 years ago. In checking out a couple of names that might have added a sentence in one paragraph I came across the story below, which now merits its own chapter. This is a beta version of that new chapter. 

THE WINTONS

In 1907 most of the Bible House “family” in Allegheny had their photograph taken on the pavement in front of the building.

In the front row was an elderly couple, Francis and Susan Winton.

Around the same time another photograph was taken of the group in the parlor inside Bible House, but this time only Francis was in the picture.

The Wintons were the next known Bible Students after William Morris Wright  to be laid to rest in United Cemeteries, quite soon after the photograph was taken. Both died in January 1908. Their story therefore belongs here.

Originally it was thought that Francis and Susan, as a long forgotten couple, would just feature as passing names in a paragraph. However, Francis at least has an interesting back story. So much so that he even has his own Wikipedia entry, if you join all the dots.

The entry reads

Francis Winton (ca 1829 – 1908) was a printer, publisher and politician in Newfoundland. He represented Bonavista in the Newfoundland House of Assembly from 1869 to 1873 as an Anti-Confederate.

The son of Henry D. Winton and Elizabeth Nicholson, he was born in St. John's. In 1860, he was publishing the St. John's Daily News in partnership with his brother. In 1866, he began publishing the Day Book, later the Morning Chronicle. By 1894, Winton had moved to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, where he owned a newspaper called the Morning Chronicle. Winton and his wife both died there in 1908.

The material for the Wikipedia article was taken from The Encyclopedia of Newfoundland and Labrador volume 5 (initials S-Z) published in 1994.

The Winton family originally came from England. Francis’ grandfather, Robert Winton, was a clergyman in Exmouth. One son, Henry David Winton (1793-1855) married and immigrated to Newfoundland, Canada, in 1818. (Henry David has his own Wikipedia article). He got involved in politics, founded a newspaper, and fathered nine children, three of whom also became involved in the newspaper business. One of these was Francis who was born in 1829.

The Wikipedia article for Francis has a gap of nearly 30 years in his history.

He seems to have spent regular time in America as well as Canada over the years. An obituary in the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette for January 14, 1908, says he came to America as “a young man.” The 1900 New York census indicates that he married Susan (Peckham) in 1858 (actually 1856 from marriage records) and had been in America since 1843. They appear to have had no children. However, according to Rowell’s Newspaper Directory (published New York 1869) he was also running a newspaper in Newfoundland at that time.

His obituary, which we will come to later, also has him working in New York with newspaperman Horace Greeley who ran the New York Tribune.

Obituaries can be notoriously unreliable when it comes to details because the one person who can verify the information is not there to do so. We are on firmer ground with his application for naturalisation as an American citizen which dates from 1895. He was living in Brooklyn, New York, at the time, and gave his profession as “journalist.” His character witness had known him in America for at least ten years. By the 1900 census he was still in Brooklyn in a rented property and was now a “proofreader.” As he aged, his career seems to have gone from newspaper proprieter (controlling output) to journalist (supplying output) to proofreader (checking other people’s output) with perhaps some overlap along the way. His death certificate went back to recording his occupation as journalist.

In 1903 he relocated to Pittsburgh and he and Susan became part of the Bible House family. How they became interested in the Bible Student message is not known, and it is assumed that in his 70s his role in Bible House was probably his profession as a proof reader. The Wikipedia article on him suggests he had newspaper interests in the city as well. (However, there was no newspaper of the given title in Pittsburgh at the time, although Francis had been involved with a paper of that name back in Newfoundland in the 1860s). He was a well trusted member of the Bible House family as indicated by his being chosen to be one of the trustees for the cemetery company in 1905, although having businessman status would no doubt have made that a more logical choice.

Susan was taken ill with pneumonia and died at the Bible House on January 8, 1908. Her funeral in United Cemeteries was on Friday, January 10. The next night, Saturday, January 11, Francis died as well. His funeral was held on January 14. They were at the same address (612 Arch Street), attended by the same physician, and the same undertaker arranged the funerals at United Cemeteries.

The Pittsburgh Press for January 13, 1908, gave the most detailed obituary.

We do not know where in United Cemeteries they were laid to rest. A special section for full-time workers was not actioned until some years later. Whether they ever had a headstone is unknown. Not all grave markers in the cemetery have been photographed as yet. But Francis and Susan are part of our story.

British postcard sent 1911

Past the Era We Usually Consider

 This is way past the era we usually consider, but the old timers among us will remember it.

Edgars and the Pyramid

 These are on ebay. Some of you may be interested.

https://www.ebay.com/itm/265094356174?hash=item3db8dadcce:g:A00AAOSwIEFgS~6s

https://www.ebay.com/itm/313487186373?hash=item48fd4ad9c5:g:uoIAAOSwMU1gcQyo

1950 Covington

 

New to my research library

 

Research Help

 I'm a bit over medicated, as you can imagine, but still working. Up to some research? I need:

1. Other than Russell other writers pointed to 1914. I need a list with references.

2. Many in the Russell era believed Gentile Times were expiring, though they did not point to 1914 but to some other approaching date. I need names with references.

Can you help?

Update on the health situation. I'm in some pain despite the mediation. A series of tests are upcoming. I must travel for those. One cannot be done here because the Medical Center is too cheap to buy the equipment, and they own the hospital in Spokane that has it. So there is a financial incentive to funnel patients there. After the tests we decide on chemo, surgery (likely), or live with it. I'm old, and I do not see much benefit from a surgery that will leave me as distressed as I am now. We'll see. 

Birla

On this blog a couple of years ago, I reproduced the letter below. It was in response to a debate that occurred in The Evening Journal (Wilmington) Deleware in its 7 December 1914 issue. The local Ministerial Union had tried unsuccessfully to get the paper to stop printing CTR’s sermons. The letter as printed in the 22 December issue was one of several commending the newspaper on its “open door” policy. The interesting point is that the writer, Mrs Birla A Kent, wrote from 124 Columbia Heights, Brooklyn – that is the Brooklyn Bethel.

So who was she? When you start digging, there is always something of a story to tell.

Birla (sometimes Berla, sometimes Burla) was the former Birla Morris and was born in Indiana c.1883. (Her death certificate from 1951 gives the year 1881 but this is likely an error). Birla’s father was George Morris and her mother, the former Rachael (Ray) McMillan. In 1905 she married Rafael Arrillaga Urrutia and thus became Birla Morris Y McMillan de Arrillaga. In 1910 the couple were living in Puerto Rico where Rafael was born.

Shortly thereafter the marriage must have failed because Rafael would marry again in 1912 and live on until 1933.

On 5 January 1914 in Brooklyn, NY, Birla M De Arrillaga married Benjamin Ray Kent (1889-1964). There is an R B Kent on a list of deacons for a New York class, which may or may not be the same person. Benjamin Ray and Birla obviously lived at Bethel in 1914, for her to use that address in her letter of December 1914.

On 5 June 1917 Benjamin Ray completed his draft registration card, and stated that his occupation was Ordained Minister and Stenographer. He was now living and working at Turner Springs, Florida. He also claimed exemption from the draft on account of being a member of the International Bible Students Association.

It is not known whether either Benjamin or Birla retained their interest in the Bble Student message.

In a 1924 city directory Benjamin R and Birla A Kent are listed as a married couple in Fort Worth, Texas. In the 1930 census for Sweetwater, Nolan, Texas they now have one child, Alan Ray Kent, aged 2. Birla’s age is given as 46, so she would have had Alan Ray quite late in life, at the age of 43-44.

Sadly Birla’s second marriage did not last. In the 1940 census, she is now married to a Clair W. Lawson (formerly Larsen from Sweden) and Alan Ray Kent is aged 12 and listed as a step-son of the family head. The marriage took place in 1936. Benjamin Ray Kent also married again in 1940 to a Jettye Kirkpatrick.  You can trace some of the subsequent family history through sites like Ancestry and Find a Grave.

One suspects that when Birla wrote her letter in 1914 she would never have believed that someone would be poring over her family history well over a hundred years later.