The Marvin family is a very old one, dating back in this
country to about 1635. Like most of our American families,
it originated in England, but we have no account of it previous
to its advent into this country.
Reinold Marvin came from England to America with his family
about the year 1635. He settled first in Hartford, CT., but
soon removed from there to the town of Lyme, in the same state.
Mr. Marvin was an intelligent man, and fully appreciating
the value and power of knowledge, he educated his children
as well as he could in those early times, when schools, books
and teachers were not so abundant as they are now. The result
was that his children occupied leading positions in the community
where they lived, and were distinguished for their intelligence,
fine social qualities, and good characteristics as citizens.
Lieutenant Reinold Marvin, a son of Reinold Marvin, Sr.,
was born (probably in England) in 1634, and died in Lyme,
CT., in 1676. He was a prominent and influential citizen,
and in addition to his services as a soldier, in assisting
to defend his country against the attacks of a savage foe,
he occupied a high position in civil affairs, and represented
the colony in the general court, a body similar to our modern
legislatures. His son, Captain Reinold Marvin, was born in
Lyme, CT., in 1669, and died in 1737. He represented his native
town in the General court from 1721 to 1728, and was also
an officer in the colonial army. Elisha, son of Captain Reinold
Marvin, was born in Lyme, March 8, 1717, and died Dec. 3,
1801. He married CATHARINE MATHER, daughter of TIMOTHY MATHER,
who was a member of the celebrated COTTON MATHER family*.
Enoch, son of Elisha Marvin, was born in Lyme, CT., in 1747.
He married RUTH ELY, and removed to Berkshire County, Mass.,
where his son, Wells Ely, was born. Soon after that event,
Mr. Marvin removed to Shenango county, N. Y., where his family
was principally reared. In 1817 he came to MO. with his sons
and died Dec. 24, 1841.
Wells Ely Marvin was born in Berkshire County, Mass., as
above stated. He married Polly Davis, whose ancestors were
Welch, and came to Mo. In 1817. He settled on Dardenne Creek,
in the eastern part of Howell's Prairie, where he remained
one year, and then removed to now Warren County, and settled
two and a half miles southwest of the present town of Wright
City, on a small stream called Barrett's Creek. There he built
a double-log cabin, and covered it with rough clapboards,
which were kept in their places by heavy poles laid transversely
across the boards. A wooden chimney stood at each end of the
house, and between the two rooms there was a passage or hall.
Each room was lighted by a single, small, square window, containing
but one sash. In this house, Bishop Marvin was born, but was
principally raised in a new hewed log house which his father
built after his birth. The latter is still standing, and is
what is known as a story and a half house; that is, the second
story is only half as high as the first, and so low that a
grown person can stand upright only in the middle of the room,
under the cone of the roof. The bishop and his brothers slept
in this low upper-story, which they entered through a door
in the gable end of the house, which was reached by a ladder
on the outside. If a storm or an accident overthrew the ladder,
they were prisoners until someone came to their relief and
hoisted it up again, for there was no other mode of aggress
or ingress. As they lay in their beds, they could plainly
hear the pattering of the rain upon the roof, and in the morning
they were aroused by the singing of birds in the branches
of the trees over their heads. Two little windows in their
humble chamber looked out upon a rolling, hilly country, covered
with oak, hickory and walnut trees, among the branches of
which squirrels played and frolicked in undisturbed merriment.
Beautiful green cedars fastened their roots in the sides of
the rocky hills and gave an emerald tinge to the solemn forest
shade. Little rivulets, warbling down the sides of the hills,
mingled their sparkling waters with the more pretentious brook
in the valley below, and murmuring a quiet salutation, flowed
on together to the river and the ocean. Raised in the midst
of such surroundings, the embryo Bishop necessarily acquired
a poetic nature as he grew up, and much of the beautiful imagery
of his incomparable sermons, which flow from his lips in streams
of sparkling metaphors, can be traced to his early associations.
Wells E. Marvin and wife had 4 children, all of whom were
born in Warren county, viz.: Elisha, born April 19, 1818,
married in 1845 to MARGARET FAULKNER, and died about 1850;
Nathaniel Davis, born August 13, 1821; Enoch Mather, born
June 12, 1823; Maria born Sept. 1, 1831, and died about 1851.
Nathaniel D. lives in Pike county, MO., is married and has
a family.
Mr. Marvin was not a member of any church, and made no pretensions
to religion; but he never threw any obstacles in the way of
the religious training of his children. He died Dec. 30, 1856,
and was buried in the family graveyard on the home place.
Mrs. Marvin was a member of the Baptist Church, and a devoutly
religious woman. She instructed her children in the principles
of Christianity from the earliest moment that they could comprehend
her words, and they grew up with a firm faith in its truths
and divine origin. Bishop Marvin stated in his farewell sermon
in St. Louis, before starting on his journey to China and
the East, that the first distinct recollection of his life
was sitting on his mother's knee and listening to her sing
--
"Alas! and did my Savior bleed,"
while the tears rolled down her cheeks and fell upon his
upturned face. She was a superior woman, intelligent and refined,
and so gentle and kind in her disposition that no one could
know her without loving her. The devotion of her children
amounted almost to idolstry, and the two who are still living
never pass near the old home without making a pilgrimage to
her humble grave. Her teachings are manifest in their lives
and characters, and the good seed which she sowed, with apparently
but little prospect of its frutation, has brought forth a
thousand fold, in the spread of the truths which she inculcated
around the globs. She taught school a considerable length
of time in a small house that was built for that purpose in
the yard, and there she imparted to her own children and the
youth of the neighborhood, the elements of an English education.
This house, we believe, is still standing. She died Jan 1.
1858, and was buried by the side of her husband.
Bishop Marvin began to exhibit evidence of his oratorical
talents at a very early age. frequently he would gather his
youthful playmates around him, mount upon a stump in the woods
or fields, and astonish them with a speech or sermon replete
with beautiful thoughts, clothed in the language of natural
eloquence. In their neighborhood debating societies he stood
higher than all the others, and no one could compete with
him. if he had the weak side of a question he would present
it so plausibly and with so much eloquence, force and wit,
that the judges would forget the merits of the case and unanimously
declare him the victor.
It was customary in their societies for the opposing speakers
to announce themselves as candidates for some office, and
then present their claims to their constituents in the best
manner they could. After the speakers were all done, an election
would be held, and the candidates who had presented their
claims in the most favorable light would be elected.
One evening, young Marvin and ROYAL KENNEDY, both about sixteen
years of age, and classmates in school, were opposing candidates
for the office of constable, in the debating society. Kennedy
made the first speech, in which he announced his candidature,
and made an earnest appeal for the support of his friends.
He promised to bring all transgressors of the law to condign
punishment, and to employ his best efforts to collect all
accounts placed in his hands; but if he failed to collect
them he would return the accounts to their rightful owners.
He would discharge all the duties of his office in an honorable
and satisfactory manner, and, believing himself better qualified
for the position than his opponent, he hoped to receive the
unanimous vote of the audience. He took his seat in the midst
of great applause, and his election seemed sure.
Marvin then arose, straightened his tall figure, brushed
the drooping hair from his brow, and began his speech. He
referred to the speech of his opponent, repeated its principal
points, and then throwing his head back, and casting one of
his peculiarly searching glances around the room, he said
---"Now, my friends, I will do all that my opponent has
promised, and much more besides. I will not only bring all
transgressors to justice, but if I fail to collect accounts
that are entrusted to me, I will run my hand down into my
pocket (illustrating his words by the action), pull out the
money and pay them myself!"
This speech, so ludicrous in its application (for Marvin's
pockets were always empty), and so dramatically uttered "brought
the house down," and he was elected on the spot, without
a dissenting vote.
Young Marvin joined the Methodist Church in August, 1839,
and was converted in Dec., 1840, being then in his 18th year.
He doe not remember that any minister was specially instrumental
in his conversion, but attributes it more to the religious
influence of his mother than any other agency. He began to
preach in 1841, being admitted by the Conference that met
in Palmyra that year. He did not attend that Conference, but
was admitted upon the recommendation of his pastor and class;
for at that time, the rules of the church did not require
a young minister to be present at conference in order to be
admitted. The first conference which he attended was held
in Jefferson City, and it is said --though we do not vouch
for the truth of the statement--that the suit of clothes which
he wore on that occasion was made of calico and presented
to him by some of the sisters of the church. They had no opportunity
to take his measure, and the clothes being made "by guess",
proved to be too short by several inches, and he presented
the appearance of having run to seed below his elbows and
knees.
He preached his first sermon in old Bethlehem church, near
Flint Hill, in St. Charles county, taking for his text, the
10th and 11th verses of the third chapter of Isaiah. "Say
ye to the righteous, that it shall be well with him: for they
shall eat the fruit of their doings. Woe unto the wicked!
It shall be ill with him: for the reward of his hands shall
be given him.
This sermon was preached at the request of REV. D. T. SHERMAN,
well known among the Methodists of Missouri, and who is still
connected with the itinerant ministry in this state. He was
at that time a local preacher, and had an appointment to preach
at Bethlehem on that day, but being unable to attend, he requested
Marvin to fill the appointment for him. An account of that
sermon and various incidents connected with it was written
by REV. J. W. CUNNINGHAM, at present of St. Louis, and published
in the St. Charles News about a year ago (1875). From that
account, we make the following extracts:
"It was young Marvin's first sermon. People who were
present say his appearance was that of an awkward country
boy, dressed in home-spun, home-cut, home-made and well-worn
clothes. The Bishop says his pantaloons were of blue cotton,
when new, but many washings had largely relieved them of the
original indigo color. They were sadly faded, and worn into
holes at the knees and, to hide the openings, a tender mother's
hands had placed patches over them, with pieces of the original
blue. Said he: "The pale was very pale and the blue was
very blue". With little or no thought of his parti-colored
pantaloons and other faded and worn apparel, the young preacher
entered the church and pulpit, and did as best he could. MR.
BEN PIERCE remembers that he said: "When man came from
the plastic hand of his Creator". That is all he recollects
f that "first sermon", and it is probably the only
relic of it that survives in the neighborhood in which it
was preached. The preacher was neither greatly embarrassed
nor over-confident. He was earnest and boisterous, without
much of the emotional. As the service closed, JOHN P. ALLEN
took JOHN B. ALLEN by the arm, and gave it a severe grip by
way of emphasizing his whispered words, as he said: "That
youth had better quit preaching and continue to work on the
farm. He will never make a preacher". John B. replied:
"He may be a Bishop yet."
"The service ended, the people retired, and no one was
thoughtful enough to invite the young stranger to dinner.
He mounted his horse and started homeward. He had left home
early in the morning, had eaten but little, was very hungry,
and was determined not to stand on formalities. If no one
would invite him, he would invite himself. He soon rode up
beside WARREN WALKER, who was traveling the same road, and
said to him: "Brother, how far do you live from here?"{
On being told the distance, he said: "Well, I am going
home with you to get my dinner." "Certainly,"
said Mr. Walker "I will be glad to have you do so{".
And to Mr. Walker's he went, and was cordially entertained."
The people who lived in the vicinity of Bethlehem Church
were noted for their hospitality, and there were none present
on that occasion who would not gladly have had the young minister
go home with them and appease his hunger; but he had coe to
the church in company with Mr. Walker, and most of them supposed
he was his gust and would be entertained by him. The failure
to invite him to dinner was no an intentional slight, but
simply an oversight resulting from thoughtlessness, and was
so regarded by the young preacher himself.
After his marriage, and after he had become distinguished
as a minister, he preached at Bethlehem again, attended by
his wife. When the services were over, quite a number of persons
crowded around and invited the minister and his wife to dinner,
and among them were several who had heard his first sermon.
He recognized them, and a merry twinkle came into his eyes
as he said: "The first time I came here I got no invitation
to dinner, but now I have the pick and choice of the neighborhood,
and am going to the nearest place where they have plenty to
eat; where is that?" To this question, UNCLE BEN PIERCE
quickly replied: "That's my house -- right over there,"
pointing to his elegant residence only a short distance from
the church. "We have plenty to eat, and know how to cook
it." "Very well", said Marvin, "I will
go with you", and there he went.
Some years after this event, Marvin, who was then a Bishop,
repeated the incidents of his first and second visits to Bethlehem
Church, in a spirit of pleasantry, to a circle of friends
in St. Charles, Uncle Ben Pierce being present at the time.
when he had concluded, he turned to the latter and said: "Uncle
Ben, I discovered by my visits to your neighborhood, that
you don't think much of a man that wears patched clothes{".
To which Pierce dryly replied: "Well, Marvin, the fact
is, you were not much of a preacher then, no how, and that
was not much of a sermon, either".
Marvin was ordained deacon in 1843, and elder i 1845. In
1852 he was appointed presiding elder of St. Charles district,
and acted as agent for St. Charles college in 1854-5. He was
then transferred to St. Louis Conference, and stationed in
the city of St. Louis until 1861, having charge of the church
on the corner of Washington Avenue and 8th St., during the
greater portion of that time.
In Feb. 1862, he ran the gauntlet of the Union armies and
went south as a missionary to the soldiers. He continued in
the south during the remainder of the war, preaching to the
soldiers and administering to their spiritual and physical
wants. Many conversions took place under his preaching among
the soldiers, and many parched lips on bloody battle fields
opened in thanks for the cup of cold water placed to them
by the hands of the devoted follower of the Nazarene. Neither
the vicious whistle of the minnie ball nor the roar of cannons
and muskets could drive him from his duty or prevent him from
ministering to the wants of his suffering fellow creatures.
Among the other duties of the General Conference of the m.
E. church, South, which met in New Orleans in 1866, was the
election of a new Bishop, and the choice fell upon Enoch M.
Marvin, than whom a more worthy selection could not have been
made. The actions of the Conference met with universal approval
throughout the limits of the church, and the young Bishop
at once took a high position in the love and esteem of his
brethren.
*Increase, the father of Cotton Mather,
was born at Dorchester, Mass., June 21, 1639 (or 1633 or 1638...
print's too small to tell). He graduated at Harvard College
in 1656, and in June, 1685, he became President of that institution
of learning, which position he accepted until 1701. He was
ordained a minister of the gospel in 1661, but had preached
before with great success, in Boston. He also distinguished
himself as a skillful statesman, and among other public services
rendered to his county, he prevented the Charter of Massachusetts
from being surrendered to the King, Charles II, for which
he received the thanks of the General court. He died at Boston,
August 23, 1723, in the 86th year of his age, having been
a preacher 66 years. It is said that he usually spent sixteen
hours a day in his study, and his sermons and other publications
were proportionably numerous. During the witchcraft delusions
he exerted all his influence to allay the excitement, and
thereby saved many persons from a violent death at the hands
of an ignorant and superstitious mob.
Cotton Mather, D. D., son of Increase Mather, surpassed even
his father in learning, influence, and the variety and magnitude
of his productions. In one year he preached 72 (or 79) sermons,
kept 80 fasts and 20 vigils, and wrote 14 books. His publications
amount to 382 (362?) and some of them being of huge dimensions.
His largest and most celebrated work in his Magnalia Christi
Americana or the Ecclesiastical History of New England from
1626 to 1688 (?), in seven books folio. He was born in Boston,
February 18, 1658, graduated at Harvard College in 1678, and
was ordained a minister in 1684. He died in 1723 aged 65 years,
with the reputation of having been the greatest scholar and
author that America had then produced.
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