The Preaching Legacy: Rev. Frost Pollitt’s son, Rev. Charles Pullett and grandson, Rev. Charles W. Pullett
Not only was Frost Pollitt a respected and gifted preacher of the gospel, a Founding member of the Delaware Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1864, but he was blessed to have one son, Charles, following him into the ministry. Rev. Charles Pullett, known consistently by the variant spelling of his last name, also was present at the founding of the Delaware Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church in 1864 and went on to pastor numerous churches in both Maryland and Delaware. Charles also had a son that followed him in the ministry, Rev. Charles W. Pullett. Summaries of both of their lives are best stated in the memoirs published in the Minutes of the Delaware Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church, as follows.
1905 Picture of Rev. Charles Pullett
Reference: Delaware Conference Minutes, 1906, .page 5, Rev. Charles Pullett. Photograph assumed to have been taken about 1905 to make it to press in 1906. Rev. Pullet died in 1908. This is the only know picture of one of Frost Pollitt’s children.
We first find Charles Pollitt in the 1850 Census in Worcester County with his wife Ann and son, Levin H. Pollitt. His occupation is listed as a laborer. I believe Caroline was his uncle Titus Pollitt’s oldest daughter. In 1860, his is now in Salisbury, Somerset Count, Maryland still listed as a labor but now with five children. Charles is listed in the 1870 Census in the little town of Vienna, Maryland on the Nanticoke River now listed as Minister of the Gospel. So it can be deducted that somewhere between 1860 and 1864 Charles heeded the call into the ministry unless he was a labor to support his family even while preaching. It is just six years after the forming of the Delaware conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church and he is assigned to the Washington Circuit extending from Preston, Caroline County, to Bucktown, Dorchester County, Md., nine appointments. Later that year he would be appointed to Odessa, Delaware.
1850 MD Worcester Co., District 5, August 16, 1850
Name: Charles Pollitt Age: 30 Birth Year: abt 1820 Birthplace: Maryland Home in 1850: District 5, Worcester, Maryland Race: Black Gender: Male Charles Pollitt M B M 30 Laborer Ann Pollitt F B M 28 Levin H Pollitt M B S 1 Caroline Pollitt F B S 16 1860 MD Somerset Co., Salisbury, Salisbury District, July 3, 1860
Name: Charles Pollitt Age in 1860: 50 Birth Year: abt 1810 Birthplace: Maryland Home in 1860: Salisbury, Salisbury District, Somerset, Maryland Race: Black Gender: Male Post Office: Salisbury Charles Pollitt M B M 50 Laborer Ann Pollitt F B M 48 Lewis Pollitt M B S 12 Edwin Pollitt M B S 9 Rosetta Pollitt F B S 6 Mary E Pollitt F B S 4 Charles Pollitt M B S 2
NOTE: Charles Pullett, age 2 above, became the Rev. Charles Wesley Pullett, the third generation ministers of this family and the first to go to college. His picture was found in the Delaware Conference Minutes of 1908 in Wilmington, DE.
1870 MD Dorchester Co., Vienna, District 3, June 1870
Name: Charles Pullet Age in 1860: 50 Estimated Birth Year: abt 1817 Age in 1870: 53 Birthplace: Maryland Race: Black Gender: Male Post Office: Vienna Charles Pullet M B M 53 Minister of the Gospel MD Ann Pullet F B M 49 Keeping house MD Rose Pullet F B S 15 MD Charles Pullet M B S 10 MD 1880 MD Kent Co., Kennedyville, June 17, 1880
Name: Charles Pullitt Age: 50 Birth Year: abt 1830 Birthplace: Maryland Home in 1880: Kennedyville, Kent, Maryland Race: Black Gender: Male Relation to Head of House: Self (Head) Marital Status: Married Father’s Birthplace: Maryland Mother’s Birthplace: Maryland Occupation: Preacher M.E./td> Charles Pullitt M B M 50 Ann Pullitt F B M 60 Charles Turner M B S 14 1900 MD Wicomico Co., Salisbury, June 5, 1900
Name: Charles Pollitt Age: 77 Birth Date: Feb 1823 Birthplace: Maryland Home in 1900: Salisbury, Wicomico, Maryland Race: Black Gender: Male Relation to Head of House: Father Marital Status: Widowed Father’s Birthplace: Maryland Mother’s Birthplace: Maryland Occupation: Preacher M.E./td> Mary E Brown F B W 39 Head Servant Lillie G Brown F B S 20 Daughter School Teacher John Brown M B S 19 Son Hotel Waiter Charles G Brown M B S 14 Son At School Nancy Brown F B S 14 Daughter At School Ada C Brown F B S 11 Daughter At School William E Brown M B S 6 Son Harry W Brown M B S 2 Son Charles Pollitt M B W 77 Father Minister
In the 1900 Census, Charles Pollitt / Pullett is now widowed and aged, living with his daughter Mary Elizabeth (Pollitt) Brown and her children. He was listed as a Minister even though he had retired in 1881.
Additional details again are supplied but the Delaware Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church.
1908 Memoir of the Rev. Charles Pullett
Reference: Minutes of the … session of the Delaware Annual Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church By Methodist Episcopal Church. Delaware Conference Published by James & Webb Print. and Stationery Co., 1908 Original from the New York Public Library Digitized Jul 21, 2008
CHARLES PULLETT.
The Rev. Charles Pullett was born at Salisbury, Md., February 16, 1817, and died in Salisbury, Md., January 13, 1908. Having married Sarah Ann Houston, he and his wife lived happily together for more than fifty vears. Eight children were born to them— five girls and three boys. He joined the M. E. Church in slave days. He was licensed to preach by the white M. E. Church of his town, and for many years before the organization of the Delaware Conference, served as a preacher. When the Delaware Conference was organized in 1864 he presented himself for membership at John Wesley M. E. Church, Philadelphia. He was appointed by Bishop Edmund S. James to Salisbury Circuit and served this Circuit, extending from Laurel. Del., to Nanticoke, Md., for three years. In 1866 he was appointed to Washington Circuit by Bishop Matthew Simpson. This charge extended from Preston, Caroline county, to Bucktown, Dorchester county, Md., nine appointments. This charge he served three years. The second year he held two famous camps, one in Dorchester county and the other in Caroline county, two weeks. The result of the camps was 80 additions to the church.
In 1870 Bishop Levi Scott appointed him to Odessa, Delaware. He served Odessa, Port Penn and Delaware City for two years.
In 1872, at Whatcoat Church, Dover, Del., Bishop E. G. Andrews appointed him to Centreville, Md., a circuit of seven appointments. He served those good people for three years, and built Charles Wesley M. E. Church, at Centreville, Md. Bishop E. S. James held the Conference at Snow Hill, Md., in 1875, and appointed him to Millington, Kent county, Md., a circuit of five appointments. Here he stayed three years. In 1878 Bishop William L. Harris appointed him to Still Pond Circuit, with three churches the first year, and a fourth church organized and built at the close of his third year. In 1881 he superannuated, returning to Centreville, Md. In 1882 he supplied Centreville Circuit. In 1883 he supplied Millington Station. He again located at Centreville, Md., in 1884 and remained there until his wife became an invalid, then he moved permanently to Salisbury, Md. He was an active, helpful and acceptable superannuated preacher. His delight was to go and help the brethren, especially among the people whom he had served. He has been a father to more than a score of young men in their first appointments. Until 1903 he was an active and acceptable preacher. At the Conference in Pocomoke City, Md., on Monday morning after the close of the session, he accidentally fell and was brought helpless from that town to Salisbury, Md. He suffered intensely everything but death for two or three months. The doctors of Salisbury gave him up and advised his friends to embrace the opportunity of bidding him farewell. His life was lengthened, however, for medical aid was found in Dr. S. G. Elbert, of Wilmington, Del. For nearly five years he was unable to walk without crutch or cane. Like Job, sorely afflicted, yet with patience, he was willing and did wait all his appointed time for the change. He was patient, cheerful and faithful to the end. He never was known to murmur or complain. “He knows the way I take,” was a common saying of his.
He is survived by one brother, three sons and two daughters, a number of grandchildren and one great-grandchild. One of the sons is the Rev. Chas. W. Pullett. The daughter with whom he spent his last years is Mrs. Mary E. Brown, of Salisbury, Md. The funeral services were conducted at John Wesley M. E. Church, Salisbury, Md., by the pastor, C. S. Sprigg. The eulogy was delivered by Rev. D. R. Dunn, with remarks by Dr. P. O’Connell, Revs. J. H. Harman, E. H. Nichols and C. S. Sprigg. The following brethren assisted in the services: Revs. T. N. Cooper, Frank Trigg, Dr. W. C. Jason, D. A. Ridout, J. T. Matthews, A. L. Henry, J. F. Molock and S. Hammond.
Servant of God, well done!
Thy glorious warfare’s past;
The battle’s fought, the race is won,
And thou art crowned at last.C. S. SPRIGG.
I. Hinson }J. Q. Dennis } Committee.”