Rev. John Carmichael and Unknown

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Husband Rev. John Carmichael ¹

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           Born: 17 Oct 1728 - Argyleshire, Scotland 2
     Christened: 
           Died: 15 Nov 1785 2
         Buried: 

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         Father: Donald Carmichael (      -      ) 2
         Mother: Elizabeth [Unk] (      -      ) 2

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       Marriage: 

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   Other Spouse: Unknown (      -      )

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   Other Spouse: [Unk] Blair (      -      ) - 1775

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Wife Unknown

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           Born: 
     Christened: 
           Died: Nov 1785
         Buried: 

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Children

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1 F Catharine M. Carmichael ^{3 4}

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           Born: 23 Jul 1774 - Chester Co, PA 3
     Christened: 
           Died: 23 Sep 1856 3
         Buried: 

         Spouse: Robert Jenkins (1767/1769-1848) 4 5
           Marr: Sep 1799 3

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General Notes: Husband - Rev. John Carmichael

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He was graduated at Princeton College in 1759, and was licensed in May of the following year. In April, 1761, he was installed as pastor of the Presbyterian Church of the "Forks of Brandywine," known in common parlance as Brandywine Manor. He was an earnest, uncompromising friend of American liberty. Some time before the Revolution he devoted his pen, in a series of articles published in the papers, calling upon the people, while they should maintain fidelity to their king, to stoutly resist oppression by the English government. In 1775, one year before the Declaration of Independence by Congress, at the request of the militia of the town of Lancaster (Capt. Ross' company), he preached a sermon to them against the tyranny and usurpation of the crown of Great Britain. He succeeded in instilling the principles of patriotism into the minds of the people to whom he ministered to such an extent that when they were called upon to serve their country not a man of them hesitated or faltered. When Congress convened in Philadelphia he visited the members personally, urging them to action. As the war went on his activity in the cause was incessant. He and Rev. Robert Smith, of Pequea, were with the army at the battle of Brooklyn; and when it lay at Valley Forge he literally stripped his house in supplying its needs. On one such visit, learning from Gen. Washington that they were greatly in need of linen with which to dress the wounds of the soldiers, he returned home and stated the fact to the people of his charge, observing to the women, "Now, each of you can spare so much linen," measuring off on his arm. In a day or so a large number of small packages of linen were brought to his house, with which he filled two bags, and, mounting his horse, conveyed them to the camp. The timely supply was followed by a letter of grateful thanks from the commander-in-chief. At length the British set a price on his head, and when their army occupied Philadelphia many attempts were made to take him, which failed, his faithful people keeping scouts out all the time to warn him of danger. In his family Bible is found this entry:
"On the 18th of October, 1777, was born to me a son. Since it pleased the great God of Providence to ordain he should be born the very day and hour that Gen. Burgoyne and his whole army had to come forth and ground their arms and resign themselves prisoners of war; as Gen. Gates was the instrument in the hands of a kind and Divine Providence to effect this deliverance; and as our great, judicious Commander-in-Chief, General Washington, still continues to persevere amidst many difficulties to head the American army, I thought it my duty, as a memorial of these events, to call my son Washington Gates Carmichael."

This son entered the United States army at an early age, and fell a victim to yellow fever at Fort St. Philip. With this officer the male line of Rev. Mr. Carmichael and family name became extinct. There are yet, however, lineal descendants of the blood through female lines: W. W. Nevin, Esq., of Philadelphia; Rev. Dr. Robert J. Nevin, of Rome, Italy ; John Carmichael Jenkins, Esq., of Natchez, Miss.; Mr. John Carmichael Nevin, of Philadelphia, and others.

He was an eloquent man and a laborious, faithful minister,\emdash one of the noble band of pioneer clergymen of Pennsylvania, whose missionary excursions to preach and baptize often extended fifty or more miles. On one of these excursions, as shown by an entry in his journal, he baptized children of Mr. Bayard, of the well-known Bayard family, then living in Maryland, near the borders of Pennsylvania.
His will, which is on record in the register's office of Chester County, contains a synopsis of the doctrines and polity of the Presbyterian Church, as given in her standards, and an expression of his belief in them. It is a curious document.

1 J. Smith Futhey & Gilbert Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: Louis H. Everts, 1881), Pg 483, 493.

2 J. Smith Futhey & Gilbert Cope, History of Chester County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: Louis H. Everts, 1881), Pg 493.

3 Alex. Harris, A Biographical History of Lancaster County (Lancaster, PA: Elias Barr & Co., 1872), Pg 327.

4 Franklin Ellis & Samuel Evans, History of Lancaster County, Pennsylvania (Philadelphia, PA: Everts & Peck, 1883), Pg 425.

5 Alex. Harris, A Biographical History of Lancaster County (Lancaster, PA: Elias Barr & Co., 1872), Pg 327, 330.