Bio of Greenberry Boring

Father was born in Baltimore County, MD., in 1782, within the limits of what is now embraced in the City of Baltimore. His Father's name was Absalom, and was originally from England. He had five sons and five daughters, whose names were as follows: John, Joshua, Greenberry, Jacob and Amon: Ruth, Dorcas, Violet, Abia and Polly. Grandfather moved from MD. and settled on Brush Creek, in Washington County, East TN., when my father was about ten years old. In this community he grew up an honest, hard working, and industrious man, with but few facilities for mental and moral improvement. Father spelt his name as written above, but brother Washington and I left the "e" out of our name when we joined the Holston Conference in the fall of 1851. The question in the days of father's youthful manhood was not who is the wisest man, but who is the bravest man - not who is the best man morally, but who is the strongest man physically. In this rude state of society his manly form was well developed, but the training of his mind and heart were greatly neglected. This was a source of regret to him in later life, and especially so after he turned his feet to the testimonies of the Lord. He was married October 11, 1807, to Miss Mary Ruble, daughter of Peter Ruble, of Washington County, TN.. Immediately after their marriage they settled on Sinking Creek, in said county, where he followed his hard and honorable trade - that of a blacksmith - until his country called for volunteers to fight in the War or 1812. In this war he enlisted as a soldier, and served one campaign, and re- turned home in good health; then went again, and served a second campaign as a substitute for Henry Bowers, of Washington, Tenn. For the service he rendered in this war he was drawing a pension when he left the battle-field of life, He was the father of nine sons and three daughters, and although he and mother were not members of the Church in those days, still they were believers in the fundamental doctrines of Christianity, and as such they had all their children dedicated to God, by baptism, in their infancy; every one of whom, when they grew up united with the Methodist Church, professed faith in Christ, and started for the heavenly Canaan, four of whom were subsequently called to preach. They gave us all to God when we were young, and then we prayed to God when they were old, and these prayers have been and will be answered, for they both finally joined the Church of their children, and promised to go with them to heaven. An unlettered and eccentric man by the name of William Cole, of Sullivan County, TN., was instrumental in getting father into the Church (it occurred at a prayer meeting in father's house). He was a man of great power in prayer, and "was full Of faith and the Holy Ghost." He was familiarly called "Old Billy Cole." Soon after this father professed religion, being about sixty-six years of age...(portion omitted) ...Father was in his ninety-second year when he finished his course, at one O’clock and thirty minutes, January 7 1874, at his residence on the Watauga River, where he lived for the last forty three years of his life... (portion omitted)