Biographical Sketches
Alexander Procter
Pastor of the Christian Church in Independence, Missouri, has spent nearly half a century in the work of the ministry, and, although he has passed his three-score and ten years, he is still on the sunny side of life, his genial presence giving evidence of the fact that he has mastered the art of growing old gracefully.
Mr. Procter was born in Fayette county, Kentucky, April 1, 1825, son of Rowland T. Procter and grandson of George Procter, the former born in Fayette county, Kentucky, in June 1800, and the latter a native of Culpeper county, Virginia. George Procter immigrated with his family from the Old Dominion to Kentucky at an early day and made settlement in Fayette county, where he passed the residue of his life and died. He was a veteran of the Revolutionary war, was under General LaFayette, and was a participant in the battle of Yorktown. When General LaFayette visited this country in 1825 and stopped in Kentucky, his greeting to George, as he called him, was most cordial. The mother of our subject was before her marriage Miss Diana Chapman. She was born in Cumberland county, Kentucky, about 1803, and died in Randolph county, Missouri in 1861. In their family were eleven children, seven sons and 4 daughters, all of whom reached maturity. Alexander was their second son.
On his father's farm in Kentucky, Alexander Proctor spent the first 11 years of his life. Then the family removed to Randolph county, Missouri, and settled near Moberly, where the father entered government land. Here young Proctor assisted in the clearing and improving of two farms, one of 380 acres and the other comprising 120 acres. Thus was his time occupied until his 19th year, and his educational advantages during that time were necessarily limited. He was then sent East to Bethany College, in Virginia, where he spent four years and graduated in 1848.
After his graduation he returned to his home in Missouri, and in the Fall of that same year was called to the pastorate of the South Street Christian church, in Lexington, Missouri, where he remained for 2 years, or until the Fall of 1850, the church prospering greatly under his ministrations. In 1850 he resigned his charge there and accepted a call to the Christian church in Glasgow, Missouri, where he labored most efficiently and acceptably until the Fall of 1856, during this period also doing a large amount of outside work, such as preaching and organizing churches in various places throughout the country. In the Fall of 1856, in answer to a call of the Christian church in St. Louis (there being only one Christian church in that city then), he went there. His duties, however, as pastor of that large congregation were too heavy for one of his constitution, and on account of failing heath he resigned his charge, in the Fall of 1860, after a successful pastorate of 4 years. His next charge was at Independence. Ever since 1860 (with the exception of 2 years during the war, on account of General Schofield's famous order �No. 11�), he has labored in the vineyard of the Lord at this place, choosing to remain here notwithstanding the fact that he has had flattering calls from New York, Cincinnati and other places, and offered handsome salaries. His whole ministerial career has been characterized by deep earnestness and incessant toil, and a love for the work of the Master, and his labors have been crowned with substantial success. He is well known throughout Jackson and adjoining counties, not only in his own denomination but also in all Christian churches regardless of creed. Out of his church in Independence there have been 4 churches organized in adjacent territory. The church over which he presides has a membership of 600. As the work has grown too arduous for one pastor, and especially for one of his advanced years, an associated pastor was engaged in the Fall of 1895 to assist Mr. Proctor. Thus, with work lightened, this worthy divine remains to minister to the people he has learned to love, and in whose hearts he has a warm place.
Mr. Proctor was married in St. Francois county, Missouri, August 29, 1859, to Mrs. Caroline (Shaw) Prewitt, a native of that county, born February 10, 1829. She was the widow of Mr. Joel Prewitt and a daughter of William Shaw, one of the old settlers of St. Francois county, his located here being as early as 1812. Mr. Shaw lived to be 96 years of age. Mr. and Mrs. Procter are the parents of 4 children, Mary S., wife of C. R. Thompson, an attorney of Astoria, Oregon; Rowland T., a civil engineer and surveyor; Stella, wife of J. H. Montague, Independence; and Emma, wife of W. N. Southern, Jr.
This page was last updated August 2, 2006.