RACHEL McCART – 1805-1899
Eighty four years ago the 17th of last January, in the county of Morgan, Tn., on the headwaters of Emory River, there was born to Robert and Hannah McCart a daughter whom they named Rachel when the man of God baptized her. Her parents were old time Methodists “full of faith and the Holy Ghost”. Rachel, very early in life, gave her heart to God and was received into the church of her parents. She was married to James Peters, a pious extorter of the same church in her eighteenth year. Sixty years ago she moved, with her husband, to the western border of her native county, than a wilderness, where there was neither church nor school house within 15 miles.
In a little while, however, her humble home was opened to the Methodist itinerant for preaching. A class was soon organized and for thirty years there was regular preaching once and often twice a month. From one to twenty, every preaching day, stayed for dinner, which was prepared by this faithful woman, without assistance, until her daughters were old enough to assist her. In this way these godly and poor people, gave away ten thousand meals to church folks. She was the mother of thirteen children, all of which lived to be grown,-seven daughters and six sons She lived to see spring from her own blood one hundred seventy odd children, grandchildren, great and great-great grandchildren. She was uneducated, but had a fine natural mind and was able in public prayer. Many a sinner has trembled while listening to her earnest pleading with God. Every child she had was converted in the old fashioned way and joined the Methodist church. Two of her sons are preachers, the writer and A.C. Peters, now presiding elder of Kingston District, of the Methodist Episcopal Church Holston Conference. Some years ago I was on a visit, and on Sunday I preached in the morning and my brother in the afternoon in the old home church, Mt. Vernon, in the presence of our mother, who was full of holy joy. That night, at the old homestead, she said to us; “When you were all small, and I had to work so hard, spinning, weaving, sewing, mending, washing, ironing and cooking–I thought my life a hard one and could not see what good would ever comeout of it; but now I am more than paid for all my toil and suffering”.
To them she never grew childish, nor forgetful. Her mind was clear and active up to the day of her death. She knew no guile. She was as pure in her purpose and life as it was possible for one to be. A living Christian, who was willing and able to save all, and a heaven of everlasting felicity, were as real as children and home ever were to her. She was never troubled with doubts on this line, although she sometimes expressed fears of not attaining unto the resurrection of the just.
She died of heart trouble on the 8 APR 1889 at her home, in the yard of her son, Adam Clark Peters, to whom she was greatly endeared and from whom she received the treatment of a faithful child. She has joined Father, with whom she lived for more than fifty years. Praise the Lord for a heaven of eternal rest.
OBITUARY WRITTEN BY HER SON, T.C. PETERS
Courtesy of Robert Kellogg