Elder Raymond Howard, Old Regular Baptist Preacher, 1911-1963

 

I have written in several other blog posts about a few Old Regular Baptist preachers, mostly from the New Salem Association which is centered in Knott, Floyd, Perry, and Letcher counties in Kentucky.  Previous posts have been about Clabe Mosley, perhaps the most well known preacher in the history of the New Salem Association, and E. Hawk Moore who was a close friend of my father Ballard Hicks in the Wayland area of Floyd County and was also a lifelong member of the UMWA and worked regularly as the Burial Committeeman in UMWA Local 5895 in Wayland.  This post will be about Elder Raymond Howard whose name I have known all my life but whom I did not know as well in my childhood as I did some other preachers within the New Salem Association.  This blog post will be based largely on the obituary of Raymond Howard from the 1963 edition of "The Minutes of The New Salem Association of Old Regular Baptists" which I have been fortunate enough to borrow a copy  from someone I know.  

 

Raymond Howard was born October 14, 1911, and died July 20, 1963.  His obituary was written by Elder Burton Howard and Brother Dillard Howard.  They list his children as Angus Neal Howard and Reva Howard Francis.  His wife's name was Mattie Slone Howard.  They state in the obituary that "Brother Raymond was loved by practically all men who knew him" and, as I recall, that is factual.  I do remember that he was well respected among the Old Regular Baptists in Eastern Kentucky and in the greater community as well.  They also state that he served as the Assistant Moderator of the Ball Branch Church at Mousie, Kentucky.  He apparently lived in the Mousie area and is buried there in the Howard Cemetery along with his wife Mattie.  Presumably, the James Dillard Howard who is buried in the same cemetery is the person who co-authored the obituary.  It also appears likely that Dillard Howard was his brother due to a sentence in the obituary which states "but I feel that Mother will have someone now to sleep with her in the old cemetery."  The obituary further describes him as "a wonderful singer, preacher, and he wonderful in prayer."  His memorial on Find A Grave also lists the inscription on his tombstone as being "A minister of the Regular Baptist Church."  The obituary does not state the number of years he was a member or minister of the church as those obituaries frequently do.