SPENCER KING MELTON, V.D.M.
I was born June 3, 1801, in Cumberland County, Virginia; when three
years old my father moved to Buckingham County, Virginia. My
parents, Isham and Sallie Melton, were not religious, though strictly
moral, and lived to a very old age. In the fall of 1816, father
moved to Harrison County, Kentucky. In 1823 he moved to Rush County,
Indiana, where my mother and father died.
I was baptized by Elder William Morton, at Silas church, Bourbon
County, Kentucky, on the fourth Sunday in July 1822. I began
immediately to exercise in public; was licensed to preach on the
second Saturday in April, 1825, by the New Providence church, in
Harrison County, Kentucky to which I had removed. At a call of the
church at Union, Decatur County, Indiana, I was ordained to the
ministry on the fourth Sunday in July, 1827, by Elders Daniel
Stogsdill, Esom Leath, and Adam Cantwell, presbytery; all now dead
and gone to their eternal reward. They were good and holy men. I
have labored much in the gospel ministry in the States of Kentucky,
Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, Missouri, Arkansas and Tennessee. I was
married October 6, 1823, to Miss Hannah R. Phillips, Harrison County,
Kentucky; she was killed by the fall of a tree, April 9, 1829;
left two small children. My second wife was Miss Elizabeth Skiroin,
with whom I lived about eight years; then I spent about thirteen
years in traveling and preaching; August 25, 1851, I was married to
Miss Savilty Wilson, of Cape Girardeau County, Missouri. In
December, 1860, I moved to Memphis, Tennessee; thence to Brownsville,
Tennessee; thence to Ripley, Lauderdale County, Tennessee. Upon
coming to Memphis, I connected myself with the church in Chelsea;
then with the church at Brownsville; then with the church at Hermon,
near Ripley; then with the church at Ripley; then with the church at
Selem. February, 1871, I removed to Dyer County, connected myself
with the church at
Newbern, Tennessee, where my membership still remains.
I consider my work upon earth nearly finished. I am now old and
feeble, so that I may say I have nearly finished my course; I have
kept the faith; I have, to the best of my abilities, fought a good
fight; I feel ready to depart and be with Christ; I feel assured that
there is a crown of righteousness laid up for me, and which the Lord,
the righteous Judge, will give me at that day when He comes to judge
the living and the dead.
[further paragraphs]
SOURCE: Biographical Sketches of Tennessee Baptist Ministers 1880 by J. Borum.
DONATED BY; Mary Beth Lozo.
FROM: M/M POT V. 11 pg. 36.
full text at
http://www.geocities.com/npmelton/biographies.html