Ephraim S. Frazee
1824-1896
Ephraim S. Frazee was one of the most noted lay-preachers Rush County ever produced. He was a student at Bethany College and an admirer of Alexander Campbell. For forty years he saw to it that there was preaching at the Orange church. He is typical of a great host of farmer preachers who did much to build the church in the first and second generation. They are happily described under the title, "The Proud Farmer," in a poem written by Vachel Lindsay as a tribute to his grandfather. We publish this by the courtesy of Mr. Lindsay.
-Disciples Of Christ In Indiana, Cauble, p.205
Typical Of A Splendid Group
The Proud Farmer
(In Memory Of E.S. Frazee, Rush County, Indiana)
Into the acres of the newborn State
He poured his strength, and plowed his ancient name,
And, when the traders followed him, he stood
Towering above their furtive souls and tame.
That brow without a stain, that fearless eye
Oft left the passing stranger wondering
To find such knighthod in the sprawling land,
To see a democrat well nigh a king.
He lived with liberal hand, with guests from far,
With talk and joke and fellowship to spare,
Watching the wide world's life from sun to sun,
Lining his walls with books from everywhere.
He read by night, he built his world by day,
The farm and house of God to him were one.
For forty years he preached and plowed and wrought—
A statesman in the fields who bent to none.
His ploughmen-neighbors were as lords to him,
his was an ironside, democratice pride.
He served a rigid Christ, but served him well—
And, for a lifetime, saved the countryside.
Here lie the dead who gave the church their best
Under his fiery preaching of the word.
They sleep with him beneath the ragged grass,
The village withers, by his voice unstirred.
And tho his tribe be scattered to the wind
From the Atlantic to the China Sea,
Yet do they think of that bright lamp he burned
Of family worth and proud integrity.
And many a sturdy grandchild hears his name
In reverence spoken, till he feels akin
To all the lion-eyed who build the world—
And lion dreams begin to burn within. —Vachel Lindsay
-Disciples of Christ In Indiana, Cauble, pages 205,206
Directions To The Grave Of Ephraim S. Frazee
Location: The Little Flat Rock church and cemetery is located SE of Rushville, Indiana. The church is located in Rush County at 2471 S 450 E, Rushville, Indiana 46173, (phone: 765.932.4900).
GPS Location
D.M.S. 39°34'39.2"N 85°21'34.3"W
or D.d. 39.577550, -85.359517
Frances E - His Wife
Born In Baltimore, MD
June 20, 1827
May 1, 1910
Ephraim S. Frazee
Born In
Mayslick, KY
Oct. 4, 1824,
Died
June 14, 1896
Special Thanks
In June, 2009 Tom L. Childers, C. Wayne Kilpatrick and Scott Harp traveled about 3000 miles in one week through parts of Tennessee, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana and Kentucky. During this time we found the graves of 75 church leaders in the Restoration Movement. Chronicling these leaders into websites has been time consuming. Many thanks to Tom and Wayne in helping to take photos, share the driving, and putting up with your web master's slave-driving effort to see as many as we did in the time we had. Their photos as well as some of mine are seen on this site.
See Little Flat Rock Church And Cemetery Here
