Family Card 9/13/21 - Person Sheet
Family Card 9/13/21 - Person Sheet
NameWilliam Harrill
Birth1 Oct 1804, Cleveland Co., North Carolina
Death14 Mar 1886, Rutherford Co., North Carolina
BurialCool Spring Cemetery, Forest City, Rutherford Co., NC
OccupationBaptist Minister
FatherSamuel B Harrill (1772-1871)
MotherSusannah Hamrick (1777-1856)
Misc. Notes
Was the first pastor of Cool Springs Baptist Church which later was renamed First Baptist Church of Forest City, NC

In 1828 William joined Concord Baptist Church and was licensed to preach the following year. He was ordained to the full Gospel ministry on January 11, 1833. In 1849 he became the pastor of Cool Springs Baptist Church (this church is now named First Baptist Church, Forest City, NC) . He remained a member there until his death.

William also served as pastor of Ebenezer, Bill's Creek, Mountain Creek, Pleasant Hill, Mt. Pleasant and Bethel (Baptist Churches in Rutherford Co., NC). He ranked as the busiest and most successful pastor in the Green River Baptist Association. He baptized 1,600 people, more than any other pastor in the Association.

Because of bad health, William had to retire from preaching in 1875, but he still taught Sunday School at Cool Springs. He had a premonition about his death on the Thursday before he died. He told his son Housen that when he returned from church on Sunday he would be gone. He made plans for his funeral and picked the songs to be sang. He also requested that his grave stone be a simple plain slab with his date of birth and death, and bearing the inscription, "Sinner Saved by Grace". When his son returned home on Sunday, William had passed on.
Spouses
Birth5 Nov 1803, Rutherford Co., North Carolina
Death31 Oct 1890, Rutherford Co., North Carolina
BurialCool Spring Cemetery, Forest City, Rutherford Co., NC
Misc. Notes
Her parents were born in Pennsylvania according to 1880 Census. Have seen her last name spelled Bennett and Benrick (History of Mountain Creek Baptist Church, Gilkey, NC 1789-1955) also.
Marriage17 Feb 1824
ChildrenMartin J. (1825-1914)
 Rebecca (ca1826-)
 George S. (1832-1913)
 Robert M. (1837-1914)
 Margaret Evelyn (1839-1921)
 Housen D. (1842-1926)
 Mary Ann (ca1845-)
 William Pinkney (ca1846-1864)
Last Modified 22 Oct 2006Created 13 Sep 2021 using Reunion for Macintosh
Revised September 13, 2021