During the War of 1812, when North Carolina was often referred to as the "Rip Van Winkle State" due to its undeveloped resources and more or less indifference to education, one of the forefathers of the Iseley families was born. The birthplace was near what is known today as Burch Bridge, and there are families of Iseleys living in that neighborhood today. That forefather was Alfred Alphonso Iseley, born in "fodder-pulling" time, October 13, 1813. And while Alfred was born the thirteenth of the month and the thirteenth year of the century, he was fortunate enough to escape Friday the thirteenth— he was born on Wednesday. There are [over one hundred] names listed in the latest telephone directory, and all but [a few] spell the name I-s-1-e-y. Perhaps the Iseleys who spell the name with the extra “e” are exceptionally proud of their ministerial ancestor. Why wouldn't they be?
 When the second war with England ended in 1815, Alfred Iseley was two years old—just beginning to notice people and things and to exercise his physical faculties, such as pulling the hound’s ears or the cat's tail. Alfred used Noah Webster's "Blueback Speller" and the Bible to get his education. When he was nineteen years of age he made a profession of Christianity and became a staunch disciple of James O'Kelly. Two years later he had learned the Scriptures from Genesis to Revelation and impressed the elders so much that he was licensed at New Providence Church, in what is now Graham. He was first assigned to a circuit in southeastern Virginia, with headquarters in Norfolk. He preached so forcefully and effectively that none of the brethren could catnap while his verbal blasts issued from the pulpit. Preachers who can deliver sermons like that go places in theological professions. So, at Pope's Chapel in the year 1838, he was ordained to the full work of the ministry.
Another important event occurred in his life in the year 1838. Having been duly ordained that year, he felt equal to the task which the Lord commanded Adam when he and Eve were chased out of the Garden of Eden: "Go forth and replenish the earth," So, with that object in view, he celebrated Christmas Day by marrying Miss Margaret Iseley. He and the wife replenished the earth with seven Iseleys—three to four in favor of the daughters. The Iseley-Iseley union lasted fewer than sixteen years. Mrs. Iseley died May 24, 1854, leaving an infant daughter. A short while before her death, while Rev. Mr. Iseley was attending a conference at O'Kelly's Chapel, his house and all the furniture were burned to ashes, and his family barely escaped perishing in the flames. That was a trying time, but he believed the words of that beautiful old hymn, "God Will Take Care of You." He knew God helped those who helped themselves so he pitched in and helped his maker take care of himself and his family.
With the loss of his house and wife—the excitement of the fire was a contributing cause of his wife's death, undoubtedly—Rev. Alfred Iseley needed a woman to help him care for the seven motherless children, the oldest of the four daughters hardly in her teens. So, before passing through another summer wifeless, he married a widow with children. She was Martha Hughes Garrison. Widow Garrison was in the same predicament as Rev. Alfred Iseley: She needed a husband for a father to her children; he needed a wife to mother his. So, the minister and the widow made a deal of mutual benefit, and lived happy ever after—or until death parted them. However, the second Mrs. Iseley bore her preacher husband six children —four sons and two daughters. As our jovial grandfathers would put it, "Twice as many chimney-sweeps as dishwashers."
Although Rev. Alfred Iseley was first assigned to a circuit in Virginia, seven years later he was appointed to serve the Haw River circuit, which embraced eight small congregations in his native Orange County. His first year in the Haw River circuit was marked by an increase of 75 new members in the various churches where he delivered his sermons. While serving in the Haw River circuit he taught school in a dwelling known as Cable's schoolhouse about half a mile north of where Elon [University] is located. Later† he organized the little church in northern Alamance [County] known as Bethlehem. He preached the first sermon in this country church, perhaps his last sermon was preached here. However he was buried in the Bethlehem Church cemetery, and members of the Annual Conference unveiled a monument to his memory there in 1880.
Although Rev. Mr. Iseley was a better preacher than a politician, and he knew it, he was strong for the Southern Confederacy. During days of the Civil War he preached some blistering sermons directed at the "bushwhackers" who evaded the call to arms. During those trying times he proved his sincerity and patriotism by giving his oldest sons to fight for the Southern cause—and no strings attached.
Rev. Alfred Iseley continued to do good work after the war, filling he pulpit in Bethlehem, New Providence, Shallow[f]ord and Apple's Chapel. His inspiring sermons did much to keep the morale of the dejected intact during the Reconstruction days. He lived to see the Northern troops withdrawn from the county; and the "carpetbaggers” and their henchmen, the scalawags," driven to their holes.
On September 13, 1876, just one month before his sixty-third birthday, and a little over two months past our nation’s 100th birthday, Rev. Alfred Iseley passed away.
[Condensed from “Rev. Alfred Iseley Left His Mark on Christian Growth in the Area” by Julian Hughes, Times-News special writer, Burlington, NC Times-News, June 14, 1956]
†Mr. Hughes has his dates wrong here. Bethlehem Christian Church was founded in September 1832, when Reverend Alfred Iseley was not yet nineteen years old.
Photo from "The Church on the Ridge: Historical Sketch of Union Meeting House, now Union Ridge United Church of Christ," 1965.
REV. ALFRED ISELEY was born in Orange (now Alamance) county, North Carolina, October 13, 1813, and died September 13, 1876, in his sixty-third year. He was buried in the church cemetery at Bethlehem in Alamance county. During the Annual Conference at Bethlehem, in 1880, a monument erected to his memory by his friends was unveiled.
 He married twice. His first wife was Miss Margaret Iseley to whom he was married December 25, 1838, and to them were born three sons and four daughters. She died May 24, 1854. A few weeks before her death while he was at one of his appointments, his house caught on fire and the family barely escaped being burned up with the house. Nothing was saved. In a week or two after the death of his wife, his youngest child died. What a trying time, but he bore these afflictions as a good soldier of the cross!
In 1855, he married Miss Martha A. Garrison, and by this marriage were four sons and two daughters.
At about the age of nineteen years, he made a profession of religion and joined the church. He was licensed at New Providence church, in Orange (now Alamance) county, North Carolina, in 1834, and was assigned to Norfolk. In 1885, at the General Meeting at Pleasant Grove in Halifax county, Virginia, he was assigned to Neuse River circuit, with Rev. S. Apple. At the General Meeting at New Providence in 1837, he was assigned to the Surry circuit in Virginia. He was ordained at Pope's chapel to the full work of the ministry in the year 1838, by the following presbytery: Revs. J. Fuller, S. Turner and J. P. Lemay, and was assigned with Rev. E. T. Berryman to the Surry circuit. In his early ministry he traveled as an itinerant much also in Sussex and Southampton counties, in Virginia.
In 1840, he was in attendance upon the North Carolina and Virginia Conference, held at Union, in Orange (Alamance) county, North Carolina, and was appointed as an itinerant preacher on the Haw River circuit the ensuing year. At the Conference at Apple's chapel, in Guilford county, in 1841, he reported on the Haw River circuit, and was appointed on a committee to admonish a brother minister. He says, "I have attended to eight churches the past season, and seventy-five or eighty members have been received into church fellowship."
In 1843, at the Conference at Pleasant Grove, in Randolph county, he was appointed on the committee on the state of the church. All the churches were reported in a good, and many in a highly prosperous condition. At the Conference at Hanks' chapel in Chatham county, in 1844, he was re-appointed on the committee on the state of the church. He was appointed an itinerant for the ensuing year, and agent for the "Sun." He was also appointed a messenger to the North Carolina Conference, and to the Eastern Virginia Conference. In 1845, he was present at the Conference at Apple's chapel, and was assigned by the committee on itinerancy to labor in the Deep River circuit."
In 1846, at the Conference at Union, in Orange (Alamance) county, he was on the committee on religious exercises "to arrange the preaching during the meeting," and on the publishing committee. He also served on the committee on itinerancy and was assigned to the Haw River circuit. In 1847, he was engaged in protracted and camp meetings, in Elder Murray's circuit, in Randolph county, at O'Kelly's chapel, and at New Providence in Haw River circuit. And in 1848 he was in a meeting of six days at Kedar (Mt. Auburn), Warren county.
About this time he taught school in a house, known as Cable's school house, about half mile north of where Elon College is located. At the Conference at New Providence, he was assigned to the Haw River circuit, and chosen a delegate to the Southern Christian Association to meet in 1849 at Raleigh, North Carolina. In 1850, he was at the Conference at Union, in Alamance county, at which time the educational interests of the Church were considered in which he took an active part. In connection with the Conference there was held a camp meeting, and two weeks later, October 5th to 9th, he was in a camp meeting at New Providence with Elders Isaac N. Walter, George G. Walker, John R. Holt, and others. At Union chapel, he delivered the annual address before the Conference in 1851.
In 1853, at the Conference at Pleasant Grove in Randolph county, he was appointed on the committee on religious exercises, and was assigned to the following circuit: Liberty (Caswell county), Concord, Bethlehem, Apple's chapel, Zion Hill, Vest's, Brisintine's, Cedar Grove. In 1864, at the Conference at O'Kelly's chapel, he was elected a delegate to the Southern Christian Association. At this Conference a monument was unveiled to the memory of the Rev. James O'Kelly, and the prayer was offered by Rev. A. Iseley. At New Providence in 1855, he served on the committee on education. And in 1856 he was a delegate from the North Carolina and Virginia Conference to the Southern Christian Convention, organized at Union chapel, in Alamance county, North Carolina, and was chairman of the committee on the organization of conferences. This year he was President of the Conference at Hanks' chapel, and was also elected a member of the Executive committee of the Home Missionary Society. In 1857, at the Conference at Bethlehem, he served on the committee on ordination, and as chairman of the committee on the Graham Institute. He was also appointed on a committee on statistics for the purpose of determining the number of delegates the Conference was entitled to in the next session of the Southern Christian Convention. He was chosen a ministerial delegate, and was appointed an itinerant on the Graham circuit: Mt. Zion, Union (Alamance), Zion Hill, Liberty, Concord, Burk's School House, Parks' Stand, Barnum's, Mt. Bethel, Western School House, Vest's, Fulp's, Bethlehem, Shallow Ford, and Apple's chapel.
In 1858, he attended the Southern Christian Convention at Cypress chapel, in Nansemond county, Virginia, and delivered the opening sermon from 1 Cor. 3:11, "For other foundation can no man lay than that is laid, which is Christ Jesus." He offered a motion to appoint a committee to prepare and report a plan for a Southern Home Missionary Society, of which he was chosen one of the Directors. At the Conference at Union chapel (Alamance), in 1859, he served on several committees. He introduced the following resolution: "Resolved, That from this date Conference agree and pledge herself to pay the servants of this body for any services enjoined upon them by Conference." The committee on itinerancy reported Rev. A. Iseley on the Alamance circuit: Union (Alamance), New Providence, and Pleasant Hill (Chatham). In 1860, he served on the committee on ordination and examination of candidates for license, at the Conference at Pleasant Hill (Chatham). He was elected Vice-President of the Home Missionary Society of the North Carolina and Virginia Conference.
During the year 1863, he was pastor of Bethlehem church. At the Conference at Oak Level, in Franklin county, he was chosen a delegate to the Southern Christian Convention, to meet in May, 1866. This year the Conference met at O'Kelly's chapel, and he served on the committee on ministerial supply, and was appointed on the Conference Executive committee. He was reported to preach at Bethlehem, Hines' chapel, Salem chapel, and Ebenezer. He attended the Conference at Union chapel, in 1867, and was appointed a fraternal messenger to the Deep River Conference. He was assigned to Shallow Ford, Apple's chapel, Bethlehem, and Hines' chapel. At Salem chapel, he preached the introductory sermon from 1 Cor. 12:31, before the Conference, in 1868. He was on the ordaining presbytery with Revs. T. J. Fowler, J. N. Manning, and W. B. Wellons, to ordain Revs. D. A. Long, R. C. Tuck, W. T. Walker, and J. W. Hatch.
In 1869, at the Conference at Wake chapel, he was chairman of the committee on Temperance and was also appointed on the Executive committee as chairman. He was elected a delegate to the General Christian Convention, which met at Suffolk, Virginia, May 6, 1870. He preached before the Convention in the Christian church. He was appointed on the standing committee on home missions. This year, at the Conference at Union chapel, in Halifax county, Virginia, he conducted the opening religious exercises. He served on the committee on the circulation of the Holy Scriptures, and on the Board of Education to collect and disburse funds "for the education of Wm. W. Staley and Peter T. Klapp," and was treasurer of the Conference Missionary Society. He was one of the presbytery which ordained Rev. W. G. Clements, the second Sunday in January, 1870. In 1871, at the Conference at Mt. Zion in Orange county, he was appointed on a committee to prepare rules for the government of Conference, and was chosen a fraternal messenger to the Deep River Conference. His ministerial report stated that he "preached to four churches; delivered about eighty sermons; received into fellowship forty-five; baptized forty. My labors have been blessed."
At Shallow Well, in Moore county, in 1872, he was appointed a fraternal messenger with Revs. J. W. Wellons and W. S. Long to the Methodist Protestant Conference, and elected treasurer of the North Carolina and Virginia Conference. At New Providence, in 1873, he was elected a delegate to the General Convention, also a fraternal messenger to the Deep River Conference. He had served four churches.
In 1874, the General Convention met at New Providence. He took part in the deliberations, and was reappointed on the standing committee on home missions. He also attended the Conference at Hanks' chapel and served on the committee on periodicals. He was chairman of the Executive committee, on which he had served many years. In 1875, Rev. A. Iseley preached the annual sermon before the Conference at Pope's chapel in Franklin county. He was appointed with Revs. A. G. Anderson and S. Apple on the ordaining presbytery at this Conference. These were among his last official acts. He attended no more conferences.
In 1876, the North Carolina and Virginia Conference adopted the following resolution: "Resolved, That in the death of Rev. Alfred Iseley, the Church has lost one of her most faithful and efficient ministers and this Conference one of its most useful members." Likewise the General Christian Convention, in 1878, passed resolutions to his memory.
He commenced his ministerial career in 1834, and filled many of the most important positions of trust and duty connected with the Church. But few men have ever persevered more steadily, met difficulties more firmly, and preached the gospel more faithfully and successfully than he did. When fully aroused he was powerful in his appeals to the unconverted.
Lives of Christian Ministers (1909), P. J. Kernodle, pages 180-186, courtesy of Memorial University, St. John's, Newfoundland, Canada
Rev. Alfred Iseley, a native of the community, became Pastor in 1844 and served until 1876; a period of thirty-two years, and the longest term of any. Rev. J. W. Holt served the second longest, thirty years over three terms.
Alfred Iseley was born October 30, 1813. At about the age of nineteen years, he made a profession of religion and joined the church. He was licensed at Providence Church in Graham, North Carolina, and was ordained to the full work of the ministry about the year 1837. He married Miss Margaret Iseley on December 25, 1838. She died May 24, 1854. In 1855 he was married to Mrs. Martha Garrison. He fathered several children, among them one preacher, Rev. A. F. Iseley.
He served the following churches as their pastor at different times during his ministry: Apples’ Chapel, Hines Chapel, Union (Alamance), Concord, Shallowford, Bethlehem, Pleasant Hill (Chatham). He also labored in Eastern Virginia for several years and in what is now known as the Deep River Conference. He was a strong man, a fine preacher, and when fully aroused was powerful in his appeals to the unconverted. He was a leading member of the North Carolina and Virginia Conference. He died September 13, 1876, deeply lamented by all his brethren.
From the Christian Annual, 1890 |
