ADAM ELROD JR.
Memoirs
(husband of Rachel Winscott/Wainscott)
 

 	MEMOIR: ADAM ELROD, JR., Translated from the German, 1963, Moravian Archives, 
	Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

			Obituary of the married Brother Adam Elrod, Jr., who fell asleep peace- 
		fully, at Hope congregation on the 5th of June, 1816.  He was born on the 29th  
		of March, 1776 in Rowan County and was the youngest son of our Bro. and Sr.  
	 	Adam and Rachel (m.n. Wainscott) Elrod, who at that time stood in connection
		with the congregation at Friedberg.  He was baptized soon after his birth by 
		the late Brother Backhof.  Later his parents took him regularly to the services
		at this place (Hope) and he attended them very willingly and since later he
		expressed his desire to belong to the Society at this place, this took place
		on August 16, 1791.

			He helped his father most faithfully on his plantation until in the year
		1800, on March 20th, he married the now widowed Eleanora Cooper, and cultivated
		a piece of land for himself.  When his parents later moved to Salem to take
		care of the tavern he became responsible also for the care of the plantation of
		his father until the latter's return from that place.

			As to the rest he was of a quiet nature and was unable to speak much about
		the condition of his heart.  Nevertheless, in later years it would be noticed
		that he had more life and that he thought more about his soul's salvation.  One
		would have wished it is true, to observe a greater desire on his part for the
		blessings of the church.  However, his wife who does not belong to us, was not
		of one mind with him in this and therefore one had to be satisfied to see him
		only on the occasion of the public services, which he also was accustomed to
		visit regularly.  In his married estate he was happy in other respects; he had
		six children who lose in him a very tender father.

			In other respects he enjoyed a very healthy constitution and one would
		not have thought that his life would end so soon.  At the beginning of his year
		he witnessed his mother and brother entering eternity.  This made a deep impress-
		ion upon him.  On this occasion he wept much and when his wife urged him to be
		comforted over the loss of his mother, he said: "It is not the loss of my mother
		or of my brother which brings me to this state.  It is restlessness about my
		salvation, for I know that I myself soon will have to travel the same road."
		When his wife sought to quiet him about this, he said most positively: "Several
		days ago when I was alone in the field it seemed to me I heard a voice, like a
		human voice, telling me to be prepared for I did not have much time and would
		soon leave this world.  It is this that distresses me."  Thereupon, he moved to
		the plantation that had come to him through his mother's death and worked indus-
		triously, though he had to experience various hard circumstances, namely, as
		when all his horses died one after the other.

			At this time he was seen of various people without his knowledge as he
		kneeled in the woods and brought his needs aloud to his Master, asking him for
		the sake of his death to forgive his sins and to prepare him to pass from this
		world to appear before him with joy.  Eight days before his end he still was
		here at the church to help roof the building, which he did with special zeal
		and concern.  Further he paid what he owed for his congregation dues and we
		would not have thought that this would be the last work he would do in this
		world.  However, as soon as he got home he complained that he did not feel well
		and the next day he had to take his bed and it proved to be a dangerous illness
		which was raging in various regions against which all remedies that were used
		proved fruitless.

			On the last day of his life he wished to have his wife and children come
		in to his bedside and when they did, he first took a touching farewell from
		his wife and urged her particularly to bring up the children for the Lord.
		Then he gave his children many admonitions.  When Brother Kramsch visited him
		on that day he declared with a specially joyful heart that he believed that he
		would leave the world and that he was ready to do so and that the Saviour had
		forgiven him his sins and that he only wished that this would take place soon
		for he had brought all his temporal affairs in order and nothing detained him.
		He said that this would happen still today.  A number of verses were sung for
		him and toward evening his end came; he having been fully conscious and he
		having requested in the last moment that they fold his hands.

			His age was 40 years, 2 months and 7 days.

Charlotte Curlee Ramsey
http://freepages.genealogy.rootsweb.com/~cramsey/index.html