Elam Culpepper

Male, #32491, (14 Sep 1851 - 5 Dec 1935)

Parent*Charles William Culpepper (16 Jul 1824 - 8 Jun 1900)
Parent*Mary Jane English (15 Oct 1830 - 19 Jan 1910)
Elam Culpepper|b. 14 Sep 1851\nd. 5 Dec 1935|p32491.htm|Charles William Culpepper|b. 16 Jul 1824\nd. 8 Jun 1900|p32277.htm|Mary Jane English|b. 15 Oct 1830\nd. 19 Jan 1910|p32278.htm|Joel Culpepper of Crawford Co., GA|b. 12 Mar 1795\nd. 6 Dec 1839|p32048.htm|Nancy Corley|b. circa 1798\nd. 22 Mar 1860|p32049.htm|William English|b. circa 1800|p35821.htm|Rebecca E. Hicks|b. circa 1802|p35822.htm|

Birth*14 Sep 1851 Elam was born at Haralson, Coweta Co., Georgia, on 14 Sep 1851.1 
 He was the son of Charles William Culpepper and Mary Jane English. 
1860 Census1 Jun 1860 Mary, Annira, Elam, Sarah, Warner and English listed as a household member living with Charles William Culpepper in the 1860 Census at Haralson, Coweta Co., Georgia.2 
1870 Census1 Jun 1870 Mary, Elam, Sarah, Warner, English, Obediah, Linea, Joel and William listed as a household member living with Charles William Culpepper on the 1870 Census at Gordon Co., Georgia.3 
Marriage*1 Jul 1873 He married Phalba Catherine J. Kay at Gordon Co., Georgia, on 1 Jul 1873.4 
1880 Census*1 Jun 1880 Elam was listed as the head of a family on the 1880 Census at Meriwether Co., Georgia.5 
1900 Census*1 Jun 1900 Elam was listed as the head of a family on the 1900 Census at Oostanaula, Gordon Co., Georgia.6 
1910 Census*15 Apr 1910 Elam was listed as the head of a family on the 1910 Census at Jonesboro, Clayton Co., Georgia.7 
1920 Census*1 Jan 1920 Elam was listed as the head of a family on the 1920 Census at Norwalk, Fairfield Co., Connecticut.8 
1930 Census1 Apr 1930 Elam was listed as a father in Joel Culpepper's household on the 1930 Census at Oostanaula, Gordon Co., Georgia.9 
Death*5 Dec 1935 He died at Rome, Floyd Co., Georgia, on 5 Dec 1935.10,1 
Burial*circa 7 Dec 1935 His body was interred circa 7 Dec 1935 at West Union Cemetery, Curryville, Gordon Co., Georgia.1 
Biography*  Elam Culpepper spent his childhood in Coweta Co., GA. He then moved with his parents to Gordon Co., GA where he met and married Phalba Kay. He is next found with his young family in Meriwether Co., GA where he apparently was called to the ministry. Rev. Elam Culpepper was listed (56-1) in the 1900 census of Gordon Co., GA with his wife and younger children. He was listed as having been born Sep 1851 in Georgia. In the 1910 census of Clayton County, GA, a 59 year old Elam was listed (10-19) with his wife and daughter, Ludie and son, Joseph. The following obituary comes from the Calhoun Times , Gordon Co, GA, 12 Dec 1935: REV. E. CULPEPPER DIES DECEMBER 5 -- Well Known Curryville Minister Passes at Hospital in Rome -- Rev. E. Culpepper, one of Georgia's most able and beloved Baptist ministers, passed away at a Rome hospital after a week's illness of pneumonia on December 5. For several years he had been in declining health. Mr. Culpepper was the son of Charles William Culpepper and Mary Jane English. He was born September 14, 1851, at Haralson, Coweta County, GA. His education was obtained at Mercer University. After entering the ministry at the age of 29, he held pastorates in the following cities: Jonesboro, McDonough, Locust Grove, Fairburn, Hogansville, Senoia, Ashburn, First Church of Cordele, and Fifth Avenue, of Rome. When his health failed about 30 years ago, he moved to his country home near Curryville and served churches in Gordon and Floyd counties.... Hundreds of friends of the deceased were in attendance at the funeral service and the interment which followed at West Union cemetery, amid a wealth of floral offerings seldom equalled.

      In a 5 Nov 1978 letter, Mrs. W. B. (M. Louise Culpepper) Broach, a niece, wrote about Rev. Elam Culpepper: He was a legend in his own time, a Godly fanatic, if you please. He had a fixation about what he called "God's creatures." He did not believe in killing anything not even a snake. He refused to eat any meat, anything that had to be killed. His land was posted with "no hunting" signs and he never preached a sermon that he did not plead with the men to be kind to their horses. He especially talked to the young men about running their horses on the weekends when they had been plowing with them all the week. Of course, his horses were not exercised enough and were over fed but they had beautiful coats that shone like satin. When there got to be too many cats around the barns, he would get a bucket of water, get down on his knees and pray over the little kittens before he drowned them. The strange thing about all this was that he was the best loved and most highly respected man in the whole country. Even the young men smiled over his fixation about horses and treated him with the utmost respect and I'm sure some of them at least followed his advice.... Before I was born he had a church in Rome, my parents lived in the pastorium with him and kept house for him. That was over 80 years ago, but when they held a communion service, he invited all who repented of their sins and meant to lead a new life to come to the Lord's table. That was simply unheard of at that time, and even now at the First Baptist Church here, they still have closed communion. You would think that the deacons would have fired him, and the fact that they did not shows how much they loved him. When he was out making pastoral calls, he did not only call on his members but called at every house on the block. He also went to every house where there was illness, death or any trouble. People all but worshipped him and that included his own children. They called him "Father" and showed him love and respect. His house was a two-storied frame house with many porches [on land he bought next to his father's farm in Gordon County, almost in sight of his father's old home place. Both of these homes have since burned to the ground in separate fires.] and by the time I was 12 years old, Cousin Charles [Emory Culpepper] had had all those porches glassed in, had put in central heat and electric lights (way before Rural Electrification). My uncle was retired from city churches and just preached around in the country as invited. He was not a big, robust man and he was running his father's old mill on the creek. Cousin Charlie had the latest mill machinery installed for him and he enjoyed grinding corn for his neighbors as long as he lived. He was in his 80's when he died.

      According to Coweta Chronicles (255) Rev. Elam Culpepper as a pastor of White Oak Grove Baptist and (277) E. Culpepper as the 11th pastor at Holly Springs Baptist.

      James Burie Clegg wrote 22 Nov 1978 that he tried to take a picture of the foundation of the old mill on the creek and added "I couldn't get near enough to it, as I had to take it from a bridge (built by the Culpeppers) about 40 yards away." James Burie Clegg wrote 15 Nov 1978 about a visit to the West Union Baptist Church Cemetery: On the road from Calhoun to West Union, which is about 8 or 10 miles out to the west of Calhoun [near the Curryville Community?]. I stopped at a service station-stor at a crossroad to buy gas. The station is owned by an old Negro, 71 years old. He knew several of the Culpeppers and told me "all are gone, now." He said the W. U. Baptist Church allowed his mother to join. I presume Rev. Elam Culpepper was pastor of that church, which is a fairly large white, wooden structure.... Incidentally, there is a "Culpepper Road" near the church. It is a fairly well maintained dirt road. I'm sure it was named for the Culpeppers who settled out there.

      In a 22 Nov 1978 letter, James Burie Clegg added: On the front of a pretty brick church, New Hope Baptist, about two miles away [from West Union Baptist Church or Johnston Chapel?] is a plaque with only one name on it - Rev. Elam Culpepper.

The following is from a manuscript by Kathryn English Culpepper, as transcribed by Gayle L. Poole:

Elam was a Baptist Minister, serving in different churches over Georgia, two of which were at Macon and the Fifth Avenue Baptist Church in Rome.

He was a gentle, kind, Godly man, and his younger years, was prominent in the Southern Baptist Convention. He was a handsome man, and wore gray "away" coat (with long tails). He was much loved all over the country, and after his retirement, was asked to hold meetings at the churches he had served, which he continued to do until ill health prevented. He never preached a sermon that he did not admonish the congregation to be kind to their animals, especially horses and mules. He, himself, owned beautiful black horse named Bob. Bob was a very special animal to him, and always privileged, at any time, anywhere, to stop along the road to rest and crop the grass on the side of the road.

Elam was a vegetarian because he could not stand the thought of eating the meat of any animal. He said that when he looked at the meat he could vision the animal alive and well. He would even step over a bug in the road, to him, animals were
God's creatures and not to be harmed.

He preached in many country churches near to him, and there is a plaque on the front of the Rosedale Baptist Church, where he was the minister, at one time. This a new building, donated by the Charles E. Culpepper Foundation, hence the plague.
 

Family

Phalba Catherine J. Kay (7 Oct 1855 - 4 Apr 1937)
Children

Charts Descendants of Charles William Culpepper of Gordon Co., GA
Last Edited 26 Nov 2007

Citations

  1. Jo B. Gladney and J. L. Henderson Sue Henderson, compiler, Gordon County, GA Cemetery Records, Calhoun, GA: Gordon County Historical Society, 1987, Repository: LDS Family History Library - Salt Lake City, Call No. US/CAN 975.8362 V3h.
    West Union Cemetery, Curryville community adjacent to Floyd County line in Gordon Co., GA
    + Rev. Elam Culpepper, 14 Sep 1851 – 5 Dec 1935
    + Phalba Kay Culpepper, 7 Oct 1855 – 4 Apr 1937.
  2. 1860 Federal Census, United States.
    Page 729, Haralson PO, Coweta Co., GA (ID: 32277)
    Charles W. Culpepper, 26, M, Farmer, $2000/$5191, SC
    Mary J. Culpepper, 29, F, GA
    Elmira Culpepper, 10, F, GA
    Elim Culpepper, 8, M, GA
    Sarah E. Culpepper, 6, F, GA
    Warner Culpepper, 4, M, GA
    English Culpepper, 2, F, GA (English was actually recorded at the bottom of the page, five families removed from this one, as if he were part of the Charles H. Pyron HH, but it seems likely that the enumerator subsequently discovered the omission of English from the Culpepper family and simply added English at the bottom of the page).
  3. 1870 Federal Census, United States.
    Pages 246B, Calhoun P.O., Gordon Co., GA
    Charles W. Culpepper, 47, M, $1200, $1000, Farmer, SC
    Mary J. Culpepper, 39, F, GA
    Elam Culpepper, 18, M, GA
    Sarah E. Culpepper, 16, F, GA
    Warner Culpepper, 13, M, GA
    English Culpepper, 12, M, GA
    Osbert Culpepper, 10, M, GA
    Linnia Culpepper, 7, F, GA
    Budda Culpepper, 4, M, GA
    Millin Culpepper, 1, M, GA.
  4. Donald Forbes Forsythe, compiler, Gordon County, GA Marriages, Books A – C, Georgetown, TX: , 1994, Repository: LDS Family History Library - Salt Lake City, Call No. US/CAN 975.8362 V29f.
    E. Culpepper (M) and P. C. J. Kay (F) on 1 Jul 1873 in Gordon Co., GA, Book A-283.
  5. 1880 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 83, Page 287A (61), Family 531, District 1213, Meriwether Co., GA
    E. Culpepper, Self, M, Md, 29, School Teacher, GA/SC/GA
    P. C. Culpepper, Wife, F, Md, 24, Housekeeper, GA/GA/GA
    C. E. Culpepper, Son, M, S, 6, --- , GA/GA/GA
    F. J. Culpepper, Son, M, S, 4, --- , GA/GA/GA
    W. L. Culpepper, Dau, F, S, 2M (b Mar 1880), --- , GA/GA/GA
    Salina Kay, Sister-in-Law, F, S, 22, --- , GA/GA/GA.
  6. 1900 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 56, Page 95A (1), Family 5, Oostanula, Gordon Co., GA
    Elam Culpepper, Self, M, Sep 1851, 48, Md 26 yrs, GA/SC/GA
    Phalba C. Culpepper, Wife, F, Oct 1855, 45, Md 26 yrs, ch 9/6, GA/SC/GA
    Mary L. Culpepper, Daughter, F, Mar 1880, 20, Sng, GA/GA/GA
    George W. Culpepper, Son, M, Nov 1883, 16, Sng, GA/GA/GA
    Alvin Culpepper, Son, M, Aug 1888, 11, Sng, GA/GA/GA
    Joel Culpepper, Son, M, Mar 1894, 6, Sng, GA/GA/GA.
  7. 1910 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 10, Page 117B, Family 143, Gen.com img 38, East Smith St., Jonesboro, Clayton Co., GA
    Elam Culpepper, Head, M, 59, Md1, GA/GA/GA, Preacher
    Phalba Kay Culpepper, Wife, F, 55, Md, GA/GA/GA
    Ludie Culpepper, Dau, F, 29, Sng, GA/GA/GA
    Joseph Culpepper, Son, M, 16, Sng, GA/GA/GA.
  8. E. D. 146, Page 10-A.
  9. 1930 Federal Census, United States.
    ED 17, page 2B, Johnston Spring Road, Oostanaula Twp, Gordon Co., GA
    Home=$3500, Radio=Y, Farm=Y
    Joel Culpepper, Head, M, 36, M, md @ 33, GA/GA/GA
    Mammie Culpepper, Wife, F, 24, M, md @ 21, GA/GA/GA
    Elam Culpepper, Father, M, 78, M, md @ 22, GA/SC/SC
    Phelba Culpepper, Mother, F, 74, M, md @ 18, GA/SC/SC.
  10. Georgia Health Department / Office of Vital Records, compiler, Georgia Deaths, 1919-1998, Online database at Ancestry.com, 1998.
    http://www.ancestry.com/search/rectype/inddbs/5426a.htm
    Rev E. Culpepper, d. 5 Dec 1935 in Floyd Co., GA.
  11. USGenWeb Archives.
    http://www.rootsweb.com/~usgenweb/copyright.htm
    Haralson United Methodist Church Cemetery, Haralson, Coweta Co., GA
    + Theophilus A. Culpepper, 1 Nov 1878 -17 Mar 1879 (Parents: Rev. E. & Mrs. F. G. Culpepper).
  12. Kathryn Culpepper Family History, Kathryn English Culpepper (handwritten), Rome, GA,, circa 1980.
  13. Kathryn Culpepper Family History, Kathryn English Culpepper (handwritten), Rome, GA,, circa 1980.
    died young.