The minister's grandpa

Conversations overheard in the Bear Feet Street Tours house…

Me, sharing about the research I’ve been doing lately: “Did I tell you what I learned about John Witherspoon?”

My husband: “That he’s the great great great great grandfather of Reese Witherspoon!?”

No. I mean maybe? I haven’t looked that up but if anyone has any connections to THE “Laura Reese Witherspoon”(that’s her real name!) please inquire about this lineage and report back.

I’m referring to John Knox Witherspoon, the reverend who originally led New Bern’s now beloved First Presbyterian Church in 1817. (You might have put together from recent posts, churches have been the focus of much research for BFST  lately.) Follow this train with me…

Reverend John’s family had a plantation across the trent river (from Tryon Palace grounds). His mom and dad were David and Mary Witherspoon. David’s father (John’s grandfather) was the FIRST Reverend John Witherspoon, a presbyterian minister from Scotland who lived and raised his family in New Jersey. AND who gave his signature on the Declaration of Independence (the only active clergyman to do so).

Think of your church leader, if you’re a worshiper.

Now imagine that their GRANDPA was one of our nations FOUNDING FATHERS.

For Presbyterians in this exact building in the early 1800’s, that was exactly the case!

My mind is just blown.

That’s it for Bear Feet updates tonight. Mull that over for a while. And, happy 239th signing of the constitution today, America!