Rev. David Carson and Jane Gillespie

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Husband Rev. David Carson ¹

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           Born: 25 Oct 1799 - Greencastle, Franklin Co, PA 1
     Christened: 
           Died: 25 Sep 1834 - Canonsburg, Washington Co, PA 1
         Buried: 

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         Father: David Carson (1750-1823) 2 3 4
         Mother: Jean Oliver (1760-1839) 2 3 4

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       Marriage: 1827 5

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Wife Jane Gillespie ⁵

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           Born: 
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         Father: James Gillespie (      -      ) 5
         Mother: Elenor Corran (      -      ) 5

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Children

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1 M Rev. David Walker Carson, D.D. ⁶

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           Born: 21 Oct 1830 - Blount Co, TN 6
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           Died: 
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2 M Rev. James Gillespie Carson, D.D. ⁶

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           Born: 11 Feb 1833 - Blount Co, TN 6
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General Notes: Husband - Rev. David Carson

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Largely through the influence of Rev. John Lind, under whose pastoral care he spent his youth, he decided to devote his life to the work of a Christian minister, and it was under his instruction that he prepared himself for entering Jefferson College, at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania, where he graduated in 1819. During his college life he made public profession of his faith in connection with the Associate Reformed Church. About that time, he experienced great perplexity and distress of mind by reason of the bitter controversy in the church of his choice, on the subject of open communion, a controversy which resulted in the withdrawal of a large portion of it, which united with the General Assembly Presbyterian Church. This state of mind seems to have caused him to hesitate for a time in carrying out his purpose to enter the ministry. He, however, entered upon a course of theological study, which he prosecuted at the seminary of the Associate Reformed Church at New York, during the winters of 1820-22. The following winter, 1822-23, he continued his studies at the seminary of the Associate Presbyterian Church at Philadelphia, under Rev. Dr. Banks, chiefly with a view to perfecting himself in Hebrew, Dr. Banks being at that time esteemed one of the most eminent Hebrew scholars in America. During the latter year, after a long and severe mental conflict, he decided to connect himself with the Associate Presbyterian Church, better known as Seceders. After passing through the usual trials he was licensed to preach the Gospel, October 8, 1823, by the Associate Presbyterian Presbytery of Philadelphia. Under the rules of that church, licentiates on probation for the office of the ministry were required to itinerate as missionaries for at least one year. This service he seems to have performed with great acceptance, as during the year of his itineracy he received five or six calls from parishes scattered through nearly as many states. He accepted that from the parish composed of the congregations of Big Spring, Pistol Creek and Munroe, Blount County, Tennessee, giving these congregations the preference, because he believed them less likely to secure a pastor by reason of their isolated position. He was ordained to the work of the ministry and installed pastor of those congregations, October, 1824, where he labored for about ten years.
Mr. Carson was a man of fervent piety and attained high rank as a scholar. His intellectual endowments were of a high order and in respect to mental and moral qualities he was distinguished among his associates at college and among his ministerial brethren. In his public ministrations he displayed marked ability. His delivery was not rapid but distinct and emphatic. He had a noble voice, strong, clear, but not harsh, which he modulated according to his own will, now lowering it to a whisper distinctly audible throughout the church, however large, and in an instant raising it to ringing trumpet tones. In October, 1833, the Associate Presbyterian Synod of North America elected him professor of Hebrew, Biblical antiquities, chronology and church history in the seminary of that church, then located at Canonsburg, Pennsylvania. This position he accepted, resigned his pastoral charge in East Tennessee, and in the spring of 1834 removed with his family to his expected field of labor. There he received a call from the Associate Presbyterian Congregation of Washington, Pennsylvania, and accepted intending to discharge the duties of both professor and pastor. He did not live to enter upon the duties of his professorship. His excessive labor in his widely scattered charge in East Tennessee; the journey with his family of over 600 miles by private conveyance which brought him to Canonsburg; the fatigue of which was greatly increased by the care of a number of negroes who had been manumitted by their master and committed to his charge to be settled in the free States; these enfeebled his naturally robust and vigorous constitution. Soon after reaching his new field of labor he was prostrated by disease and medical skill proved unavailing. In the prime of manhood, in the zenith of his usefulness he passed away from earth, his death being in every way worthy of the devoted Christian life which had preceded it.

1 —, History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner, Beers & Co., 1887), Pg 852.

2 —, History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner, Beers & Co., 1887), Pg 847.

3 —, Biographical Annals of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: The Genealogical Publishing Co., 1905), Pg 95.

4 Blanche T. Hartman, Genealogy of the Nesbit, Ross, Porter, Taggart Families of Pennsylvania (Pittsburgh, PA: Privately printed, 1929), Pg 187.

5 —, History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner, Beers & Co., 1887), Pg 853.

6 —, History of Franklin County, Pennsylvania (Chicago, IL: Warner, Beers & Co., 1887), Pg 854.