Cephas Shelburne Buck
1857-1924
Source: Ancestry.com
The Life of C.S. Buck
Cephas Shelburne Buck was born November 2, 1857 near Holston, Washington County, Virginia. He was the ninth of ten children born to David Mason Buck (1823-1863) and Nancy Agnes Taylor Buck (1793-1885).
Young Cephas grew up and attended Milligan College in Carter County, Tennessee. While there he married fellow-student, Emma Katherine Shelburne. She was the daughter of another Virginia preacher, Samuel Shelburne (1790-1871) and her mother was Fannie Boswell Shelburne on December 28, 1880. (Interestingly, Cephas was the namesake of Katherine's father.)
Cephas and Katherine were the proud parents of five children, Minnie Vernon Buck (1881-1958), Samuel David Buck(1883-1956), Mary Francis Buck “Fannie” (1886-1971), Roy McGarvey Buck (1888-1952), and Cephas Shelburne Buck, Jr., who was born in 1890, but only lived a little over a year. Katherine died on February 27, 1891, and Cephas married Lenora “Nora” Virginia Fogglesong of Brumley Gap on December 30, 1892. With Nora they had three children, Myrtle Lenora “Nora” (1894-1964), Mabel Ovella Buck (1896-1979) another daughter Maxie Beula Buck (1899-1995), a son Shelburne Taylor Buck (1905-1995), Helen Kate Buck who was born in 1905 and died the following year, 1906. Son, Daniel Prentice Buck was born in 1906 and lived until 1976. Then finally, an infant child, was born in 1909, but died in childbirth. Severely weakened, his wife Nora passed within a few weeks, September 19, 1909. After eight years a widower, Cephas, at the age of 60, remarried for a third time to Ella Frances Buchanan (1870-1960), who was about thirteen years younger than he.
One of Cephas’ brothers followed in his father’s footsteps as a preacher of the gospel of Christ. David Taylor Buck preached among churches of Christ all his life. He was born in 1855 and died in Carrollton, Kentucky, near the Ohio River, June 25, 1910. Preaching was Cephas’ great passion. He was involved in ministry like his father all his days. He wrote a good bit of poetry, some of which was published in the local newspaper. Below are several examples of his talents in this genre.
C.S. Buck passed from this life the 12th of August, 1924. He was buried next to his second wife Nora in what is now called Buck Cemetery, just off the Holton River, in Brumley Gap, Washington, Virginia.
-Scott Harp, 12.19.2019
Sources: Ancestry.com info.
Excerpt From Son, Samuel D. Buck's Autobiography
Milligan College, located in East Tenn. about five miles S.E. of Johnson City, is where my Father, Cephas Buck and my Mother Katherene Shelborn (sic) were attending school in the year of 1880. I do not know the details of this romance. But the records show they were married in this year. Milligan is a Christian College and Papa had been studying for the ministry. [After their marriage,] they went to housekeeping with Grandma [Mary E.] Buck. Her husband had died some time before that. Papa [Cephas] contracted to buy the other children's interest in the estate, and he and Mama [Kate] began teaching school.
In 1881, Minnie was born, which put an end to the mother's teaching. In Nov. 26, 1883, Samuel David was born and named after both his grandfathers. In 1886, Mary Fannie was born and named after her two Grandmothers. Then Roy McGarvey was born in 1888. In 1890, Cephas Jr. was born. He died one year later, 1891. Mama also died in that year. [After contracting pneumonia.] Papa had gone to Hopson,Tenn. about 1889 and was running a store. I was left with Grandma at the farm because I was getting big enough to help with the chores. Shortly after Mama and the baby died, the store burned to the ground, and Papa had no insurance. He was busted. He came back to Grandma's place with the children where she could look after them while he taught school. During the winter of 1892-3, when he was teaching at a place called Gravley point he fell in love with one of his students, Nora Foglesong. They were married in 1893. Nora was a beautiful girl, with fair skin and very black eyes and hair. Grandma was very mad because Nora was not much older than Sister Minnie and Papa was a teacher and a minister and should be dignified enough to find some one near his own age. She raised such a fuss about it that Papa rented a store building at McConnell Switch, a few miles East of Abingdon. There he took his bride and all the children except me. Grandma needed me to help her on this big farm. There were cattle, hogs and sheep to feed.
The store at McConnell Switch was not a success. So Papa rented a store building at Brumley Gap, which is about 10 miles North. Here he moved his family and store. This was in 1893. I was then 10 yrs. old and still helping Grandma.
Papa had purchased the children's interest in the place but she had full control of it during her lifetime. Uncle Ephraim had a place about half mile east of Papa's new location in Pore Valley. Typhoid fever had gone through Uncle E's family and taken his wife and one child. So he traded Papa this place for Papa's equity in Grandma's place. then it became Uncle's duty to look after Grandma. So he married his first wife's sister and moved in with Grandma. This relieved me so I could go and live with Papa and my new mother. This was in 1894, and Papa soon moved into the place where Uncle had lived and had Typhoid. He used the front room for a store until Papa could build a store house. We never took typhoid, perhaps it was the turpentine he gave us about once a week."
-Exerpt from his son, Samuel David Buck's Autobiography: Source: FInd-A-Grave
Home Photos Of Cephas S. Buck
Source: Ancestry.com
Dear Shox: Here is the picture you wanted. I think this was about 1916, and taken by Roy.
Love to all, Cephas
Source: Ancestry.com
Poetry of C.S. Buck
The Bristol Herald Courier, Sat. Aug 19, 1914
The Bristol Herald Courier, Sat. Sep 15, 1914
The Bristol Herald Courier, Sat. Jan 19, 1915
The Bristol Herald Courier, Sat. Apr 3, 1917
The Bristol Herald Courier, Tue. Jun 26, 1917
The Bristol Herald Courier, Sat. Jul 7, 1917
The Bristol Herald Courier, Sat. Aug 25, 1917
Directions To Grave
In southern Virginia, head to Abingdon, and head west on US-19 N/US-58 ALT W for about 7.8 miles and turn right on Brumley Gap Rd. Go about 4.1 miles and the Buck Cemetery will be on your left at the corner of Bryson Cove Rd. and Brumley Gap Rd.
GPS Location
36°48'16.1"N 82°01'11.4"W
or, D.d. 36.804479, -82.019840
Our Darling Baby Brother
Son of
Eld. C.S. & Nora V. Buck
Born & Died July 27, 1909
Sleep on sweet babe
and take thy rest.
God calls away when he thinks best.
Our Darling
Helen Kate
Daughter of
Eld. C.S. & N.V. Buck
Born March 27, 1905
Died March 31, 1906
BUCK
Nora Virginia
Wife of
Eld. C.S. Buck
Born Oct. 24, 1876
Died Sept. 9, 1909
She has gone to the world above,
Where saints and angels meet
To realize our Savior's love,
And worship at his feet.
BUCK
Cephas Shelburn Buck
Born: November 2, 1857
Died August 12, 1924
We will meet you
Papa darling,
Where the surges cease to call
Where in all the bright forever
Sorrow ne'er shall press the soul.
BUCK
Photos Taken 04.2019
Webpage produced
12.19.2019
Courtesy Of Scott Harp
www.TheRestorationMovement.com
In April, 2019, I had the privilege to speak on the lectureship program of Southeast Institute of Biblical Studies, held at the Karns church of Christ in Knoxville, Tennessee. Along with me was long time friend and fellow laborer in restoration research, C. Wayne Kilpatrick. After we both completed our responsiblies at SEIBS, we made our way into southern Virginia where we sought the burial places of several leaders in the Restoration Movement in that area. Special thanks are extended to Wayne for his help in finding some of these graves.