American Historical Ephemera and Photography Online

A group of 4 manuscript sermons, each with sewn binding (displaying various levels of wear, some fading to ink, some with dampstaining and missing pages), and constituting the following: an unsigned, undated sermon of 20pp, beginning with "A Sermon, &c. From Romans, VIII. ver. 16. The Spirit itself beareth Witness with our Spirit... "; an undated sermon of 17pp, signed "Wm. G. Rosborough," beginning with "1 Cor. [15] 56, 57, & 58. The Sting of Death is Sin; & the Strength of Sin is in the Law... "; an undated, unsigned sermon of 18 pp, missing approx. 4pp at end, beginning with "Rom. XII. 2. And be not conformed to this world; but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind.... "; and a sermon of 12pp, signed "Wm. G. Rosborough," 20 February 1795, beginning "Song, [?]. Many Arguments have been offered for & against the Divine Authority of the Book of Canticles.... "

[With:] 11pp of loose notes relating to religion and sermons, one of which begins "As we are now convened for the purpose of consummating a marriage contract.... "

[Also with:] A portion of a hair queue enclosed in an envelope bearing the modern ink inscription over original pencil inscription which reads in part: "Portion of the Queue of Rev. Wm. Gaston Rosborough cut from his head at the time of his death." -- A small woven hair brooch, 3/4 x 7/8 in.

Rev. William Gaston Rosborough was the oldest child of Irish immigrants Alexander Rosborough (1740-1814) and Martha Gaston Rosborugh (1741-1804), who arrived in Chester, South Carolina, with their young son in 1769. William Rosborough attended Mount Zion Theological Seminary, in Winnsboro, South Carolina from 1791 through 1793. He was ordained as a Presbyterian minister in October 1793 at Aimwell Presbyterian Church in Ridgeway, South Carolina where he preached until October 1, 1801. He served as pastor of Fishing Creek Presbyterian Church in Chester, South Carolina until 1808, when he left to become pastor of two Presbyterian congregations, Old Lebanon & Mt. Olivet in Fairfield County, South Carolina. He never married. Through his maternal Gaston line, Rosborough is related to John Gaston and other fervent patriots who served during the American Revolution.