James Mann Hurt, born on July 25, 1797, son of Philemon Hurt and Elizabeth Mann, was a man of

“fair complexion of fine physique, full six feet. In Huntingdon on one occasion Mat Bell, a man of about one hundred and fifty pounds, was intoxicated. He was arrested and ordered upstairs before the judge of the court for trial and he refused to go. Jim Hurt proceeded to pick him up in his arms and carried him up the stairway, sit him in a chair before the judge saying, ‘now you sit there till they are through with you.’ He was a man of fine business qualifications, he owned a fine farm two miles southwest of McLemoresville where he raised tobacco, corn, wheat and hogs, owned a number of slaves, he ran a tan yard and shoe shop in connection with his farm, was the first man to build an ice house in that country. He was the pioneer Baptist preacher of that country – notwithstanding the two brothers Jim and Robert were Methodist when they came from old Virginia.”

“On one occasion, James Hurt and Reuben Borough, a leader of the Cumberland Presbyterian church had a debate on the mode of baptism which caused quite a stir and enmity between the two churches and the two preachers had but little fellowship, till the Civil War when they took sides together for the south and on one occasion met at the house of Robert Greer where they, at family prayer, mingled their tears and prayers together and loved each other again as brethren.”

“He was a strong-minded man and had a will to go through with what he undertook. He lost his eyesight in his old age. He wrote several religious books, preached a while afterwards – died at an old age several years before his wife.” (Pedigree of the Hurt Family dictated by Robert Greer to Mrs. R.B. Mitchum, October 20, 1908.)

He was baptized by his brother Robert and started preaching about 1832. The following passage is from Biographical Sketches of Tennessee Baptist Ministers, written in 1880 by Rev. Joseph H. Borum.

“For some time Elder Hurt oscillated considerably; formed a free-will, or open communion Baptist church, and wrote a tract advocating open communion at the Lord’s table. The writer remembers to have read an article from his pen written in those days to the editor of The Baptist, who was Dr. Howell at the time. Elder Hurt wrote, hailing from McLemoresville, Tenn. and among other things written (I write from memory) he said: ‘If the Baptist church would adopt open communion they would take the world, but if they did not, they would become extinct.’ “Dr. Howell, in reply stated: ‘I reckon before there was a James M. Hurt there was a Baptist church; I reckon before there was a McLemoresville, there was a Baptist church; and I predict that long after James M. Hurt and McLemoresville are both forgotten, there will be Baptist churches.’

“Not long after this Elder Hurt changed his ground, and became a strong advocate, as it is termed, of close communion, and made a staunch Baptist, contending ‘earnestly for the faith once delivered to the saints.’ His first regular pastorate was with the McLemoresville church. He also served Bluff Spring, Eldad, Trenton, Paris, New Hope, and Spring Creek churches. He moved from Virginia about 1825 and settled in Carroll county, Tenn., near McLemoresville.

“He became a Baptist champion, and had several debates. He had a discussion with Reverend Reuben Barrow, Cumberland Presbyterian, about 1848; one with Elder J. R. McCall, Campbellite, about 1850; both came off at McLemoresville. Elder Hurt proved himself equal to the task, in both instances.

“His personal appearance would attract attention at once. Tall, muscular and of erect carriage.

“In 1868 he moved to Milan, Tenn. In 1871 he wrote a pamphlet entitled, The Theory of Infant Baptism Torn up, Root and Branch; in which he displayed considerable powers as a polemic. He was several times president of the West Tennessee Baptist Convention, and often the moderator of the Central Association, which positions he held with dignity and precision. He was an ordinary man, but a man of power, and his influence was felt wherever he moved. He was of high moral tone; a friend of education, missions, Sabbath-schools, and all the benevolent operations of the denomination.

“He was very hospitable. The writer has frequently had the pleasure of enjoying it. Sister Hurt, his noble wife, was like himself in that particular. She was one of the noble women of the land. She departed this life in 1876. He died April 3, 1873, at Milan, leaving his aged companion and eight children to mourn their loss. His children are all interesting and doing well. He was much resigned to the will of God. He was in a suffering and declining state for several years previous to his death, afflicted with blindness and an irritable stomach. He was a kind husband and father, and deported himself ever as a christian gentleman. In his afflictions he spoke often of death, and said he was subject to the call of the Master. His remains were interred at McLemoresville in the family burying ground (being in his 76th year) to await the signal of the resurrection morn–the resurrection being one of the subjects upon which he dwelt with peculiar interest. He will doubtless rise in the image of Him ‘Who is the resurrection and the life.’

“Elder Hurt was always a warm friend of the writer, and consequently felt near and dear to him.

“For a number of years he was a regular correspondent of the Tennessee Baptist, and wrote upon various doctrinal subjects, showing great familiarity with Bible teachings.” (from Biographical Sketches of Tennessee Baptist Ministers by Rev. Joseph H. Borum, 1880, Rogers & Co., Publishers, 315 Main Street, Memphis, Tennessee. Reprinted by Church History and Research & Archives, Inc., 1976.)

“Elder J.M. Hurt–I cannot close this little family sketch without saying a few words about Elder J. M. Hurt. He and my father’s family were acquainted in Virginia. I knew him from the time we came to Tennessee until his death. After my father’s death he manifested a good deal of interest in our family. He always treated me with marked kindness and respect. I and my brother Silas appreciated him through life with little less than filial regard. He felt great interest in Silas as a young preacher, and was to him as a father in the ministry. I had many evidences of the warm interest he felt in my welfare. He was of great benefit to me, not only in my earlier years, but indeed through life. Left pretty much alone, with no special friend to counsel or guide me, I appreciated more sensibly the interest he manifested in my and my father’s family. Whenever I could, I sought his company and loved to be with him.

“I joined the Baptist Church at McLemoresville while Elder Hurt was pastor, and he baptized me. He was a well-informed man; and while there were many men of more learning and higher culture, I have always thought he was one of the most intellectual men I ever knew. He was by nature a great man, of masculine common sense, and an original thinker; and was inclined to exhaust any subject in which he became interested. He was not what would be called a polished man; there was something of the rough-hewn about his character. When a young man he read Blackstone’s Commentaries, as I learned from him after I became a lawyer, and at one time thought of adopting the Law as a profession. Had he done so, he would have taken the first rank in his profession. He was a man of clear conceptions, strong convictions, and unswerving integrity. He must have been somewhat advanced in life before he became a preacher of the Gospel. My father had been in Tennessee several years before I heard of Elder Hurt’s preaching. He had, as I understood, been ordained to the ministry several years before I heard him. When called out by an important occasion, he generally preached a grand sermon. Our old-fashioned camp-meetings suited him. Upon such occasions he came nearer John Kerr than any man I ever heard. I once heard him at the old camp-meeting ground near Shady Grove, preach with powerful effect from the text, “There is a friend that sticketh closer than a brother.” I may judge partially of many of our old men in the ministry. Men of the present day, turned out from our schools, may have more learning, greater knowledge of books, and higher culture; but I am slow to believe that we have that grand class of men that belonged to the past generation. It seems to me that men of the present day are less spiritually minded, and rely more on the knowledge of books, than men of the past. I by no means depreciate learning; but may not the too eager pursuit of the mere learning to be acquired from books, chill the spiritual man, cause the student to rely too much upon his learning, and leave undeveloped the natural powers; powers which must always be developed to make a truly great man. (Hurt Cemetery, From the Yellowed Pages, the McKenzie Banner, Wednesday, July 25, 1979.)

James Mann Hurt married Martha “Patsey” Marshall (1799-1876) in Lebanon, Wilson County, TN, on March 14, 1817 and had twelve children: Robert, Rebecca, Joseph David Hurt, Elizabeth (called Betsy), Phil, Martha, James Mann, Jr., Jane, John, Sarah, Eliza, and Anthony Bennezette Hurt. In the 1860 census, he lists real estate valued at $11,520 and personal property at $20,304, a fortune at that time. He was probably one of the wealthiest men in McLemoresville. He died in 1873.

Death

Will

Will of James Mann Hurt, Sr.

Milan, Tennessee

In the name of God amen.

I James M. Hurt being upwards of 72 years old, blind, and very frail in body; but of sound mind and disposing memory; do make and ordain this to be my last Will and Testament; hereby revoking all previous Wills by me made.

Article 1
It is my Will that all my just debts, including my funeral expense be immediately paid.

Article 2
I do hereby appoint my Son Robert M. Hurt my sole Executor exonerating him from the necessity of giving security; and vesting in full honor and authority to wind up and conduct the business of my estate in accordance with his own discretion; vesting in him complete power to sell and to make title to real estate; just as I could do myself were I living. I deem it necessary here to Say that this appointment was not made by Robert Hurt’s request; nor even his knowledge: On the contrary he advised me to appoint my friend B. T. Williamson my Executor.

Article 3
I also appoint my said Executor as Trustee for the purpose hereinafter expressed; nor did he desire this appointment; but opposed it, upon the ground that it was unnecessary.

Article 4
I give to my beloved wife Martha Hurt absolutely and forever the lot of Land in Milan bought of A. Patton; containing fourteen acres with all its appurtenances; also the household and kitchen furniture, and all my Books, except my Encyclopedia of Religious Knowledge; which I give to my Daughter Eliza Hurt.

Article 5
I direct my said Trustee to rent out my two tracts of land which are in Carroll County both the homestead and the William Cuningham tract; and apply the proceeds thereof to the support and comfort of my said wife during her lifetime; and for the support of my Daughter Eliza Hurt during the time that she remains single; should she marry, it is my will that my said executor should pay over to her $1,000.00 to make her equal to her sisters at their marriage.

Article 6
I hereby give and settle upon my son John C. Hurt’s family all that portion of the tract of land on which he now resides (including the Residence) lying north of the which comes [sic] down from Thomas Nesbitt’s, should my said son die leaving a wife, whether the present or any other, this provision shall be used for the benefit of the woman so left during her lifetime or widowhood; and for the support of all the lawful children of said son, whether by one or more wives; until his youngest child shall become of age; then the land shall be sold, and the proceeds thereof equally divided among all his said children unless he or his present wife shall be living at that time and in that event he and she or her or she, as the case may be, shall have his and her, or his or her (as the case may be) support out of said tract of land until they are both dead; or his his [sic] than present wife shall marry; than shall the land, be sold, and the proceeds disposed of as above directed; and as their tract of land is worth more than my estate be able to pay my other children proportionately, this completely loses his interest in the same in my estate.

Article 7
I hereby place this matter completely in the power of my said trustee and request that he should carry out all the provisions made for the benefit of John C. Hurt’s family as are made, as provided in the article above; with a distinct understanding that no part of the said provisions shall be subject to the payment of John’s debts.

Article 8
I give to my grandson, who is the son Philemon Hurt just one dollar. He is thus cut off from a participation in my estate because he has already if he should take care of it, an ample estate. And without care, whatever I might give him would be thrown away. Therefore this completely closes his interest in my estate both that which now is and that which may accrue to it.

Article 9
I charge my son James M. Hurt eight hundred dollars as an advancement.

Article 10
I have made advancement to my son A.B. Hurt with which I do not charge him on account of his labors, sufferings and exposures during the late war.

Article 11
I have now closed my especial legacies and advancements and proceed to the general distribution of the residue of my estate. It is my Will that my Sons Robert M. Hurt, James M. Hurt and A. B. Hurt with my Daughters Rebecca wife of W. E. Mitchum; represented by her children James Mitchum, Ervin Mitchum, Jr., Albert Mitchum and David Mitchum, with their sister Eliza Mitchum; that the five named shall constitute one heir and receive the one share to which their mother would have been entitled had she lived. It is my will that the children of my departed son David Hurt, to wit: Albert W. Hurt, Tennessee Hurt wife of James Clements, Philemon Hurt, Elizabeth Hurt and William J. Hurt; that the last five named constitutes one heir; and that the five receive that portion of my estate which my son David would have done had he lived. My daughter Elizabeth Mitchum wife of L. F. Mitchum, my daughter Martha Ray wife of F. M. Ray, my daughter Jane B. Hurt wife of J. C. Yancy, my daughter Sarah Collins wife of E. A. Collins, and my daughter Eliza Hurt. It is my will that the ten heirs here mentioned four Boys and six Girls (after taking out the advancement of eight hundred dollars made to James M. Hurt) in the general distribution of the residue of my estate which shall take place immediately after the death of my said wife: Shall all heir equally: Share for Share:

Article 12
Explination [sic] in the event that my daughter Eliza shall not marry during the lifetime of her mother my said executor shall pay over to her in addition to her equal interest in the general division the one thousand dollars named and provided heretofore. I have now disposed of all my estate; I have done it to suit myself and it is my Will that this instrument shall be construde [sic] in no other wise according to the plain import of the language used:

Article 13
An after thought. It is my Will that when the present business arrangements shall be broken up which must necessarily be at the end of the year that the one third part of my stock of Hogs and Cattle go to the support of John Hurt’s family and also the one third part of the plantation tools, and also the one third part of tall the crop on hand including that made on his part of the land be applied to the same purpose except the Cotton rent on my land, which shall be exclusively mien. I also except my large wagon. Out of my portion of the cattle, I give my Daughter Eliza Hurt one Cow and Calf. The business arrangement alluded to above is that with John C. Hurt and myself.

Article 14
It is my Will that my said Executor after paying my just debts shall use what money may be left that which he may collect for my estate as far as shall be necessary in accordance with the provisions of this will for the use and comfort of my said wife and Daughter Eliza and should he receive more than is necessary for that, it is my will that he should put out that amount at interest until the death of my wife.

Article 15
In my discretion about the division of our crops I omitted to state that the cotton growing on John Hurt’s part of the land was exclusively his which is so. Explination [sic] this will was written by my Grand Daughter Mattie Mitchum and was several times distinctly read to me by her, in testimony of all which I hereunto set my hand and affix my seal in this the year of Lord 1879. April the 11th.

J. M. Hurt

Test.
J. T. Hurt, Sr.
J. T. Hurt, Jr.
Robt Y. Moore
Carroll County, Tennessee Will Book Vol. B; p. 104-108.

Thanks to Mike Parsons for supplying me with a copy of this will.