Ninth Generation

36. Rev. Paul HENKEL^6,7 was born on 15 Dec 1754 in Rowan County, North Carolina and died on 17 Nov 1825 in New Market, Shenandoah County, Virginia. He was buried there in the Emmanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery. His obituary read as follows:⁸ "Rev. Paul Henkel was a son of Jacob Henkel who was a son of Justus Henkel who was a sou of Rev. Ger­hard Henkel who was a German Court preacher, and came to America about 1718, and located at Germantown, near Philadelphia, Pennsyl­vania. Rev. Gerhard Henkel was a descendant of Count Henkel, of Poeltzig, who was instrumental in sending Rev. Muhlenberg to America. Count Henkel was a descendant of Johan Henkel, D. D., LL. D., born in Leutschau, Hungary, and was Father Confessor to Queen Maria about 1530. He sympathized with Protestantism, and maintained friendly relations with Melanchthon, Erasmus, Spalatin, and others who were engaged in the Reformation of the sixteenth century.
Rev. Paul Henkel was born on the Yadkin River, Rowan County, North Carolina, December 15, 1754. Whilst he was a youth, his pa­rents, with their family, moved to Western Virginia. About the year 1776, Paul Henkel determined to prepare himself for the Gospel Min­istry, placing himself under the instruction of Rev. Kruch, pastor of the Evangelical Lutheran Church at Fredericktown, Maryland. After having taken a course in the German, Latin, and Greek languages, and other studies necessary to the ministerial office, he applied to the Evangelical Lutheran Synod of Pennsylvania and adjacent States,- the only Lutheran Synod then in existence in this country. He was examined and licensed to preach. Having received a call from con­gregations in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, at and near New Market, Shenandoah County, he accepted, and located at New Mar­ket, Virginia, and extended his labors into other sections, as Augusta, Madison, Pendleton, Wythe, &c, where he laid the foundations of a large number of congregations. On the 6th of June, 1792, he was solemnly set apart to the office of Pastor, in the city of Phila­delphia, Pennsylvania. His ordination was performed by Rev. John Frederick Schmidt, pastor of a church in' that city. He afterward located in Staunton, Augusta Gounty, Virginia, and labored in that section about three years. He then returned to New Market, Virginia, and resumed his labors among his former congregations. In 1800, he received a call to congregations in Rowan (his native County), North Carolina. He accepted it, but even there, as in Virginia, he did not confine his labors simply to those congregations, but extended them to other places in the surrounding counties. But finding that section unhealthy, on account of chills and fever, he returned in 1805 to New Market, Shenandoah County, Virginia, and became an independent missionary. Not depending for a support on any special missionary fund, but on the promises of his Master and the good will of those to whom he ministered, he made several tours through Western Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, Indiana, and Ohio, gathering the scattered members of the Church, administering to them the Word and Sacra­ments, instructing and confirming the youth, and, as far as practicable, organizing new congregations. During the War of 1812-1815, he took up his residence at Point Pleasant, Mason County, Virginia, and organized several congregations in that section, but at the close of the war, he returned to his old residence at New Market, Virginia, and resumed his missionary labors.

In 1803, whilst he resided in North Carolina, he, with several other ministers, formerly belonging to the Pennsylvania Synod, organ­ized the North Carolina Synod. In October, 1812, while he resided at Point Pleasant, about ten of the brethren of the Pennsylvania Synod held their first special conference west of the Alleghany Mountains, in Washington County, Pennsylvania. To this conference he was invited, but for certain reasons was unable to attend. But at the con­ference which was held the next year at Clear Creek, Fairfield County, Ohio, he was present, and was recognized as one of their body, although he still belonged to the Synod of North Carolina. In 1818, he took part in the organization of the Ohio Synod, and in 1820, in that of the Tennessee Synod.

In 1809, he published a small work in the German language, on Christian Baptism and the Lord's Supper. This work was afterwards translated into the English. In 1810, he published a German hymn-book for the benefit of the Church, containing two hundred and forty-six hymns. In 1816, he published another hymn-book in the English language, which was afterwards enlarged and improved, and contains four hundred and seventy-six hymns,-a portion of which are adapted to the Gospels and Epistles of the Ecclesiastical Year. A considerable number of these hymns, both German and English, were composed by him. In 1814, he published his German Catechism, and not long after­wards his English Catechism, for the especial benefit of the young, not changing the substance of Luther's Catechism. To these Catechisms he appended an explanation of all the Fast and Festival Days observed in the Church. Soon after this, his little work, written in rhyme, en­titled Zeitvertreib (Pastime) made its appearance, to the amusement of some, and the annoyance of others,-it was a satirical rebuke to fanaticism and superstition, vice and folly.

He was well proportioned, large and erect, standing about six feet, with well developed physical organs, full of energy and perseverance. His mind was well balanced. His attainments were liberal. As a citizen, he was kind, affectionate, and forbearing. As a neighbor, he was universally esteemed and beloved. As a preacher, he had few su­periors in his day. He was animated and often eloquent. His soul was in his Master's cause. Few ministers performed more arduous, faithful, efficient labor than he did. In all the relations of life, he was true, faithful, pious, reliable, and upright.

On the 20th of November, 1776, he entered into the holy estate of matrimony with Miss Elizabeth Negley, who, with her father's family, had emigrated from New Jersey to Virginia. They became the parents of nine children,-six sons and three daughters. The oldest son enter­ed the medical profession, and the other five, the ministerial, becoming Lutheran ministers.

He preached his first sermon in Pendleton Count}', Virginia, now West Virginia, in the year 1781, on Phil: 2, 5, and his last one, in New Market, Shenandoah County, Virginia, Oct. 9, 1825, on Luke 2: 34.

After faithfully serving his generation for many years, it pleased the great Head of the Church to call him from his labors here to his reward in the Church triumphant. He died of paralysis, on the 17th day of November, 1825; aged 70 years, 11 months, and 11 days, and was buried at New Market, Shenandoah County, Virginia ; Rev. Geo. H. Riemenschneidef officiating. The sermon was based on Phil. 1: 21.

In speaking of the Rev. Paul Henkel, John G. Morris, D. D., LL. D., says, in his work, "Fifty Years in the Ministry," he "was, in early life and for many years, a laborious missionary among the scat­tered Anglo-German population in the South. He may indeed be con­sidered as one of the pioneers of the church in that region, which was in those days truly desolate. His narrative, which was printed, has all the interest of romance, and if he had performed the same self-denying labors in the service of any other' church he would have received a greater earthly reward." Paul Henkel, born Dec. 15, 1754, on Dutchman's Creek, 16 miles from Salisbury, in Rowan Co. (Now a part of Davie Co.), was the first Lutheran pastor born in N. C. Parents: Jacob and Mary Barbara (Teeter) Henkel. Married Elizabeth Negley (d/o Balthaser and Christina (nee Raisch) Negley) Both are buried in Emmanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery near New Market, Va. They had six sons and three daughters--Solomon (a physician), and five minister sons, Philip, Ambrose, Andrew, David and Charles; daughters were Hannah (married the Rev. John N. Stirewalt), Naomi, and Sabina.

While preparing to become a minister and in his early ministry supported his family by working at the cooper's trade. In 1776 he began his study in theology and the classics under the guidance and sponsorship of the Rev. John Andrew Krugh, Fredericktown, Md. Licensed by the Ministerium of Pa in June 1783, with renewal annually until ordination by the same synod on June 6, 1792. Served churches in Va., and perhaps in other states, from his home in New Market, Va., until 1806 when he was appointed "travelling preacher," and was allowed $40 a month for the time he was actually engaged in his work. The next year (1807) he reported that he travelled 128 days in the service of the synod and baptized 158 children and received $106.05 on this journey. In 1808 he was appointed missionary for Virginia, North Carolina and Tennessee, and from records it appears that he was re-appointed annually with his field widened to "territory of his own selection."

It seems reasonable to assume that during the years he was travelling preacher he would have lived in N. C. from 1800 to 1805 while serving the following churches in this state: Dutchman's Creek Church (later called New Jerusalem, then Reformation from 1870 to disbanding in 1925), Davie Co., 1800-05; Becks-Bethany-Pilgrim, St. Luke, Davidson Co.-Nazareth-Shiloh, Forsyth Co., 1800-05; also, in same area occasional supply with other Tenn. Synod pastors. Assistant to Johann Gottfried Arends (Arndt), Emmanuel, Lincolnton-Zion, Catawba Co., 1803; and supply, St. Mark, Gaston Co., 1803-. Because of malarial climate moved back to New Market, Va., 1805. Made repeated missionary tours in N.C., S.C., Va., Tenn., Ohio, Ky., and Ind. "No more active, indefatigable and self-denying missionary than the Rev. Paul Henkel ever labored in this country" (p. 308, The Lutherans in America by Edmund Jacob Wolf, D.D.). One of four pastors with 14 laymen, organizing the N. C. Synod in 1803. Assisted in organizing Ohio Synod in 1818, but not becoming a member. Also an organizer of Tenn. Synod, with six other N. C. Synod pastors, including sons Philip and David. Wrote and published the following: A work on Baptism and the Lord's Supper in German (1809), later translated into English; a German hynmbook with 246 hymns (1810), with some hymns (perhaps in both books) written by himself. Also German and English catechisms based on Luther's Small Catechism. Preached in both German and English. One of the stalwart fathers of the Lutheran Church in N. C. and in other states as well, particularly in Va., and Ohio. To him and his family the church owes a great debt of gratitude. The records of the Ministers of Pennsylvania show that he attended its convention at Lancaster, Pa., in 1820 for the last time. Died in New Market, Va., Nov. 17, 1825; buried at Emmanuel Church, New Market.

He was a commanding figure in the history of the Lutheran Church in America, and is worthy to be classed with his great grandfather, and his exiled ancestor, Jacob Anthony (Gerhardt) Henkel, and the more distant, progenitor, the learned Court Minister of Queen Maria Theresa, the "Friend of Erasmus," the Rev. Dr. Johann Henkel of the Protestant Reformation.

Rev. Paul Henkel m. Nov. 20, 1776, Elizabeth Nagley, of Monterey, Va. She belonged to the New Jersey Nagley family, some of whom were noted artists and painters. Rev. Paul Henkel had three daughters and six sons, five of whom were very prominent Lutheran Ministers; two of the five m. daughters of the Hon. Peter Hoyl, usually called, "Politician Peter" Hoyl.

Henkel kept a diary which is referred to in THE HENCKEL GENEALOGY and other sources available to capture his life story. He assisted Rev. Johann Gottfried Arends (Arndt), assisted in organizing the NC and Tenn. Synods, author and publisher and one of the founders of The Henkel Press. "

Rev. Paul HENKEL and Elizabeth NAGLEY were married on 20 Nov 1776 in New Market, Shenandoah County, Virginia. Elizabeth NAGLEY (daughter of Balthaser NAGLEY and Christina RAISCH) was born on 20 Sep 1757 in New Jersey and was living in 1770 in Monterey, Virginia. She died on 11 Apr 1843 in New Market, Shenandoah County, Virginia and was buried there in the Emmanuel Lutheran Church Cemetery. She belonged to the New Jersey Nagley family, some of whom were noted artists and painters. Rev. Paul HENKEL and Elizabeth NAGLEY had the following children: