As the story of my Revolutionary War ancestor Samuel Kendall (5th Great-Grandfather) is virtually unknown today, I have been asked if his experiences really happened as portrayed in the song "So Dearly Won" on the Journey to Liberty album.
One of these occasions was when my wife and I were visiting with the parents of virtuoso violinist Aubree Oliverson before her performance with the Utah Symphony. Aubree’s parents listened to the song on my iPhone and seemed to enjoy it. Then her mom asked if the story was true about Kendall being cast out of church for playing the violin with too much vigor. When I said yes, she said her daughter would likely have been cast out for the same reason. It was a delightful moment.
To provide colorful details to the song from Samuel Kendall’s life, here is some of the account taken from History and Genealogy, Kendalls, Cunninghams, Snodgrasses by Norman Festus Kendall (Chapter VI, pages 15–16):
"Samuel Kendall (1749–1823), a son of William Kendall and Jamima Kirk, married Mary Smith, March 15, 1780. Samuel Kendall belonged to a company of Home Guards during the Revolutionary War to protect the frontiers against Indian raids. During a skirmish his left knee was shattered by a bullet from an Indian's gun, making him a cripple for life."
"He made a visit to his sons in what is now Marion County in 1820, the year before he died. He was a breeder of fine horses and cattle. His farming activity was mostly confined to raising tobacco. He was a veterinarian; owned and operated a country store and blacksmith shop. He and his twin brother, William, owned and operated a water power grist mill, manufacturing corn meal and feed. In 1790 a carding machine was added to the mill. He was a man 6 feet 2 inches in height, weighed about 200 pounds. His hair was abundant and black."
"He had a tenor voice, a good singer, a leader of country choirs and taught old time singing schools. He loved to play a violin: took it in the Episcopal choir and played it. The preacher vehemently protested that he should not play the sinful instrument in the church. Kendall took his pastor by the hair of the head and cuff-of-the-neck and shook him so hard that it nearly broke the preacher's neck, and informed him he would play HIS VIOLIN in church, and told the preacher he could not understand why his church only loved three things, 'a long solemn face, a funeral, and a fuss.' They fired Kendall out of the church."
"He joined the Baptist Church, saying, 'they at least liked one other thing and that was "water."' It was not long until the people would not attend the church because Kendall played his violin in church. To save the church and embarrassed preacher, he quit the church. He made an address to the congregation giving reasons for withdrawing his membership from the church. He said, 'Brethren you cannot convince me that it is wrong to play the violin in church or out. Neither can you convince me that if I play my violin I'll have to go to hell to do it. The violin has the capacity of producing the finest music God ever put into the mind and soul of man. It awakens every fiber of the human body; it stirs the human mind to its loftiest imaginations, dreams and visions. It reaches down into the mysterious depths of the soul of man to the very gates of eternity. The violin does not sin when it does that. The violin does not sing ignorance, spite, malice, venom, hatred, contempt, jealousy and littleness, and make a fool of God. Its mission is Love.'"
"He went up in the northern mountains of Fauquier County among the hunters and trappers and played and sang his hymns, and they organized a church with the understanding that he would play his violin in the church; and went over in Warren County and organized another similar church. It was at these churches that his son, Rev. William Kendall, began his boy preaching career, and came to Dent's Run, (W.) Va."
"My father left me this story, saying 'Father was well educated for his time, a very pleasing orator, extremely active, living about 100 years ahead of his time, and people do not like progress, and always fight the man that wants it. He was a good Christian man, and firmly believed in doing good rather than talking good. My mother was from a fine, well-to-do family. Taught music and subscription schools. A blonde, 5 feet 8 inches tall, a mild voice, commanding appearance, very friendly and sociable; always had lots of friends.'"
