In this second 1804 letter written to a relative in Virginia, Samuel M. Wallace reports on a large camp meeting held in Woodford County, Kentucky. Bodily exercises of various types—most likely including the jerks—erupted among the 15,000 participants. Revivalers from as far away as Ohio and Tennessee attended the multi-day religious gathering, which was sponsored by prominent members of the New Light, or “Schismatic” faction of the Kentucky Synod.
Woodford County, Kentucky November 2nd 1804
Dear & Honored Aunt,
It is with pleasure I embrace the opportunity of communicating to you any news, which is interesting or which I conceive would give you any satisfaction. We have been sickly in Kentucky this fall, perhaps more so than for several years heretofore. The Bilious and Nervous Feaver has been prevalent. Our relations here are generally well. Cousin Leonard & family are very well except Cousin Polly, who has a bad cold, I believe caught attending a large meating which we had at Bethel, the second week in October. Mamma has been weakly this fall and my father had an attack of the feaver, but has gotten pretty well again. I have had my health tolerable well for some time past. The dissenters from the Presbyterian sect has increased in number considerably and still continue to be warmly engaged in religion. They are exercised with almost all the different kinds of exercise, that you have heard of in Tenesse and Kentucky. The large meating, we had in October was held by the dissenters. It was the opinion of good Judges that there was at least fifteen thousand people supposed generally to be the largest we have ever had in Kentucky. It was early appointed in the summer, in order that general notice might be had. There was a good many people from the State of Ohio and some from Tenessee. It began on Thursday and continued until Monday night. A great number stayed on the ground night and day, well prepared with good tents for Camping. Cousin Polly and Cousin Leonny were there the whole time as well fixed as any other person; they had a very large tent and a great quantity of provisions. I suppose near fifty people eat with them a day. Cousin Polly is one of their members. Cousin Leonny has not joined; but appears to have a greater regard for religion than formerly he had.
Give my love to my relations,
I am dear Aunt, your Affectionate Nephew
Source
Samuel M. Wallace to Anne Fleming, November 22, 1804, Box 2, William Fleming Correspondence, Collection 009, Special Collections, Leyburn Library, Washington and Lee University, Lexington, Va.
