William Gaddy

William Gaddy (1843-1915) was born in Mississippi and came to Txas after the Civil War, evidently living somewhere in the Shiloh/Mt. Enterprise area of Rusk County. He was, at least on occasion, a member of Shiloh Baptist Church. Before his conversion he lived a wild life. According to Charles I. Shindler: "This rare story brings out the influence the tender hand of a young maiden has over the heart of a man, begins with two saloon keepers, Bill Gaddy and his partner, in our neighboring town of Mt. Enterprise, Texas. In the late hours of the night when the two partners were alone in their place of business, and no doubt both having indulged in too mch rectified spirits with a real fight,and no one to prevent it being carried to a finish, the final outcome was Gaddy being knocked down utterly dead to the world, the partner sitting upon him with beer bottles in hand, proceeded to break them over Gaddy's head to his satisfaction (there being no resistance), and finally leaving him. After several hours he had a friend go down to see if he was still alive. Having sobered up some by that time he did what he could to remedy his error by having Gaddy carried to his (the partner's) home, receiving the best of care by the partner's wife and special nurse, the wife's sister. He too soon found that he had recovered. 'Tis the old story of the patient falling in love with the nurse." ("A Tribute to Reverend William Gaddy and Wife," Nacogdoches Weekly Sentinel, March 14, 1935, p. 2)

Gaddy was licensed and probably ordained by Shiloh Baptist Church and pastored several churches, including First Baptist (Nacogdoches County); Bethel, Mt. Hebron (Panola County) New Mt Sinai, Shiloh (Rusk County)