From the Minutes of 1865 (The Blue Eye Baptist Church) Obituary of Captain Elisha O’Rear

Captain Elisha O’Rear of the 29th Regiment, Ala, Volunteers was born at Jacksonville, Ala. on the 25th day of Feb., 1835, united in marriage with Miss Malinda Gibson in and had been for years an active member of Blue Eye Baptist Church, near Lincoln, Ala. with license to preach the gospel of Blessed God and was killed on the battlefield near Franklin, Tenn., while nobly leading his men in defense of wife, of home, of country, of liberty. In him, like Generals Lee and Jackson, was exhibited the sublimest spectacle of human character, that of a Christian warrior.

The loss of a good man is at all times a private grief and a public calamity but especially that of the young man who had dedicated all the powers of his intellect, the strength of manhood, youthful zeal, and piety to the work of his Master, as was the case of our beloved brother. This piety, zeal and aspirations for Heaven were practically illustrated by his godly walk in and out of camp, and by his letters to his wife and friends. Previous to the war, he was at the University of Murfreesboro, pursuing classical and theological studies, the better to prepare himself for the ministry.

But the war cry was heard, the student flew to arms, the fatal ball came, the victim fell, and the gallant soldier, the young minister, the dutiful son, the affectionate husband lies in the lonely battle grave, shrouded in the soldier’s blanket.

The Blue Eye Church, the parents, his young desolate wife bow in humble submission to the mysterious Providence with a firm persuasion that he rests in a land undisturbed by human strife, unstained with blood, unwet by the tears of weeping friends, in that land that land which --

  "Eye hath not seen
  Ear hath not heard it’s deep sounds of joy
  Dreams cannot picture a world so fair,
  Sorrow and death may not enter there
  Time doth not breathe on its fadeless bloom
  Beyond the clouds and beyond the tomb."

It is there, it is there our brother rests.      O. Welch, Chairman.