Mount Carmel Blog: Elder J. S. Milstead

In 1850, James Milstead, his wife Delilah/Dilla (and their two children Francis L., 3, and William E., 6 months) were living in the third division of Tippah County, Mississippi, where he was listed with the occupation of grocer. By 1860, they were living at Caledonia in Rusk County, Texas, with three additional children: N. E. Milstead (age 8), John N. Milstead (age 7), G. A. Milstead (age 4), and James M. Milstead (age 3).

His occupation is to me not readable in the online copy of the census. In 1870 his post office is Henderson (but they were not living in the town of Henderson). His occupation is minister of the gospel. They have 3 more children, Zealous A. (8), Amanda (6), and Delann (2, sp. ?). Francis is not listed, but she may have married. The child G. A. is evidently deceased. By 1880, the family had moved to Robertson County, where he is listed at Bald Prairie. They have added two more children, Susan E. (9) and Edwin S. (6). The child named Delann (sp. ?) has apparently died. James Sanford Milstead was born July 9, 1823 in Tennesee, and died January 10, 1900 in Texas. He and his wife are buried at the Thornton Cemetery at Thornton in Limestone County, Texas.

J. S. Milstead was in Texas at least by 1859. He performed a marriage in Texas that year, and he was a delegate from the Mt. Sinai Church at Caledonia to the Central Baptist Association. J. S. Millstead, Eli Millstead, and A. D. Stovall were the delegates, Wyatt S. Childress was the pastor, and there were 26 members. [Note: the surname is sometimes spelled Millstead in censuses and association minutes, but Milstead seems to be his preferred spelling.]

Central Association minutes, 1859, Page 9: “Elders J. L. Mills, J. D. Williams, J. T. Millstead and Brother R. J. Alexander and Thomas L. Stewart were appointed a special committee to set in proper shape, and lay before Mt. Zion Association, for her consideration, the apparent disorder existing in two of her constituent members, at her next session.” (This was Red Land and New Salem churches.) No 1860 minutes of the Central or Mt. Zion Association are available to indicate how this was concluded. I am assuming J. T. Millstead is supposed to be the same as J. S. Milstead. An “Elder Millsted” preached at the 1859 Central Association meeting.

Known pastoral work of Elder James Sanford Milstead

Mount Zion Baptist Association (formed 1857)

J. S. Milstead performed a marriage in Rusk County in 1859. “M. G.” beside his name, indicating he performed the marriage in the capacity of “Minister of the Gospel.” Later, by 1861 or 1862, “O. M. G.” is beside his name on a marriage record, indicating he was an “Ordained Minister of the Gospel.” He is not in the Mt. Zion ordained ministers’ lists in 1866, 1867, (no list in 1868), 1869, or 1870, but is listed as a pastor of two Mount Zion churches in 1869. Perhaps he was left off the list, but perhaps more likely he was a member of a church not in the Mount Zion Association (probably in Mount Bethel Association circa 1865-1870).

1869 Bethel, Mt. Zion
1872 Union (Nacogdoches County) He was a member of Union (His P. O. is Nacogdoches)
1873 Bethel, Union, Lynn Flat (P. O. is Nacogdoches)
1874 Bethel, Lynn Flat
1875 Lynn Flat, Pleasant Hill (Nacogdoches County) P. O.. address is Lynn Flat
1876 Pleasant Hill, Union Springs P.O. Lynn Flat

With M. Melton, J. S. Milstead served on the organizational presbytery for the Pleasant Hill Baptist Church, Bogg Community, Nacogdoches County, in November of 1874.

Mount Bethel Baptist Association (formed circa 1865)

In 1866, the Mount Zion Association received “Brother Milstead” as a corresponding messenger from the Mount Bethel Association. This was probably J. S. Milstead.

1870 Pastor of Columbia Church, Shelby County; his Post Office listed as Nacogdoches

Little Brazos Baptist Association (formed circa 1876)

1879 Pastor Bald Prairie, the church at Bald Prairie among those that joined by petitionary letter that year; Milstead also a messenger from this church. The church had 29 members, 17 of whom had been received during that year, by baptism (2) and letter (15). (P. O. address Bald Prairie)
1880 Bald Prairie (same address)
1881 Bald Prairie and Antioch in Robertson County
1882 Bald Prairie and Heard’s Prairie (Robertson County) P. O. Bald Prairie
1883 Salem in Limestone County (P. O. Thornton)
1884 Salem and Rocky (P. O. Thornton)
1885 Salem, Antioch, Prairie Point, Rocky (Antioch was at Thornton, and may have come to simply be called Thornton? The Clerk & Pastor of 1886 Thornton Church was same as 1885 Antioch Church, also same messengers)
1886 Salem, Thornton, Ebenezer (Post Office Thornton)
1887 Salem, Hope, Thornton (Hope has J. F. McSead as pastor, but there is no such minister in the OM List)
1888 Enon, Thornton
1889 Macedonia, Enon, Thornton
1890 Macedonia, Thornton
1891 Thornton
1892 Bald Prairie October 22-24, 1892
1893 Bald Prairie
1894 Ebenezer
1895 Ebenezer, Heard’s Prairie

Limestone County Association (formed 1892)

1892 Hornhill
1893 Hornhill, Kirk

J. S. Milstead seems not to have pastored after 1893, perhaps because of age and/or health. In 1900, J. S. Milstead not listed in obituaries report, but is listed in ordained ministers as deceased.

It appears that J. S. Milstead also had some interest in populist politics.