USA > Alabama > Memorial sketches of the lives and labors of the deceased ministers of the North Alabama conference, Methodist Episcopal church, South (1870-1912.) > Part 15
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After completing the course in Vanderbilt Uni- versity, Brother Hawkins served the Elkmont Cir- cuit, in the Decatur District, for the remainder of the year, when he was admitted on trial into the traveling connection at the session of the North Alabama Conference held in Talladega. At this Conference he was ordained deacon by Bishop Duncan. He was appointed by Bishop Duncan to the Bessemer Station, in the Birmingham Dis- trict, which charge he served with great accepta-
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bility for four years. On October 14, 1896, he was happily married to Miss Sallie Swayne Wager. This union was blessed with three children. At the session of the Conference held at Florence, Ala., in December, 1897, he was ordained elder; and hav- ing completed his four years at Bessemer, he was ap- pointed to East Lake. He remained in this charge for four years, and the Lord greatly blessed his labors. The membership of the Church was largely increased and all its interests advanced. During his last year here he received one hundred mem- bers into the Church, and there was universal re- gret at his leaving. This was true not only of his own but of all denominations. In 1901 he was ap- pointed by Bishop Hendrix presiding elder of the Lafayette District. He entered upon his labors with great zeal and earnestness, and in a short time mani- fested the wisdom of the appointment. He had spe- cial endowments for this work. Full of faith and hope, he carried sunshine with him and was a source of inspiration to the preachers under him. They were glad at his coming, and when he left them they were the better for his visit. He believed in the power of the gospel in the hearts and lives of men, and thought that anything could be done by Methodist preachers and people that ought to be done for the building up of the kingdom of Christ. He prosecuted his work faithfully, preaching every- where as opportunity presented itself, until stricken by the disease that took him from our midst.
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REV. EUGENE HARGROVE HAWKINS.
Returning home from a Quarterly Conference sick, he took his bed with typhoid fever, which at- tacked him so violently that on Saturday afternoon, August 2, 1902, just as the sun was setting, the spirit of our dear brother took its flight to that land lighted not by sun nor moon, for the Lamb is the light thereof.
Reared in an atmosphere of piety such as is to be found in a Methodist parsonage, it is not to be wondered at that at an early age Brother Hawkins gave his heart to God and consecrated his life to his service. In all the relations of life he showed himself to be true. As a son he honored his parents with filial obedience and affection. Always kind and thoughtful of them, he brought to them joy that filled their hearts with honest pride. What he was to his father no one will ever know. The relation between them was more than ordinarily exists be- tween father and son. They were companions and friends, taking sweet counsel together. As a friend he was always true, and could be depended on to respond to any call of friendship. Especially in the hour of need was he a friend indeed. His friends could be counted by the score. There was, indeed, a sacred inner circle into which only a few could come, and those favored few only can tell the depths of the riches of his friendship.
As a preacher Brother Hawkins was well equipped for his work .. Every effort had been made by him to thoroughly prepare himself for his life
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work. He was a student not only of the Word of God but of good books. His preaching was clear and forcible. There was no effort at oratory or display in his preaching. The truth was presented in a straightforward way and always with an ear- nestness that made its impression on his congrega- tion. He impressed people with his own faith in the gospel and made it easier for them to believe. As a pastor he was the equal of any man. He seemed almost intuitively to know when there was sickness or sorrow among his people. He was a minister of mercy and comfort to many a sorrowing home. Men loved him because he loved them.
Brother Hawkins's last illness was short, being confined to his bed only nine days. He was con- scious up to a short while before he died. He knew the end was approaching, and asked his father about it. When told that his recovery was doubtful, he said : "I know it. I wish to talk to my friends be- fore it is too late. I have several things to say." He calmly arranged all his temporal affairs, talked to his wife about where to bury him, told his friends how glad he was to have known them and how pleasant it had been, and asked each one to meet him in heaven. His father asked him if it was all right. He answered: "O yes; all right. My pre- cious Saviour is with me. I shall soon see him as he is. I shall awake in his likeness and behold him in his beauty." We are sure that there was not a doubt in his mind. His death was most triumphant.
REV. JAMES WATSON BRADFORD.
R EV. JAMES WATSON BRADFORD, son of Rev. D. P. and Emma E. Bradford, was born in East Feliciana Parish, La., May 27, 1868. He was edu- cated at Centenary College, Jackson, La. He came of a line of Methodist preachers reaching back a hundred years. His father is a member of the Mississippi Conference.
The subject of this sketch was licensed to preach at Jackson, La., June 2, 1888. He did some work in the East Texas Conference, and was stationed at least one year at Liberty. In January, 1892, he became a member of the Florida Conference, and was sent to the Wakeenah Circuit. In 1893 he served the Sarasota Circuit, and in the fall of that year, forced to transfer by the failure of his wife's health, he came to the North Alabama Conference. In this Conference he served the Fredonia Circuit one year; Piedmont Circuit, three years ; Birming- ham Circuit, one year; West Anniston, one year ; and was entering upon the third year at Brookside when he was killed. He was ordained deacon by Bishop Fitzgerald at Ocala, Fla., January 8, 1893. He was ordained elder by Bishop Galloway Decem- ber 5, 1897, at Florence, Ala. It is to be doubted whether he served a charge without leaving the im- press of his strong personality and progressive spir- it. At Piedmont and Brookside especially he was
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greatly beloved and admired. At the latter place in two years he had done a great work and, under God, had made the Methodist Church a power for. good.
As a man he was fearless. He had convictions and dared to stand by them. He was a noble, brave specimen of manhood. The closer one got to him, the more noble and manly he appeared. He had to be known to be appreciated at his real worth. He was a preacher of striking gifts and marked ability. He had an ear for the beautiful and ele- gant. He caught whatever was new and striking or strong in what he heard or read and carefully stored it away for use. If he had been spared a few years more, it is believed that he would have been in demand by the best congregations.
Brother Bradford was alone at the parsonage when murdered, his wife and children being on a visit at the time in Louisiana. That afternoon he had written a letter to his stepmother, whom he loved as a mother. During the twelve years' ab- sence from the parental roof his rule was to write home at least once a week. He was affectionate in his disposition, loving his family devotedly and be- ing greatly loved by them. He was murdered just before dark on December 8, 1901. He was shot through the head at the parsonage at Brookside, Ala., and died in about two hours. He was never conscious after friends reached him, and therefore could not tell the particulars of the attack.
REV. MARCUS JACKSON WILLIAMS.
R EV. MARCUS JACKSON WILLIAMS was born in Christianburg, Va., March 12, 1863; and died in Tazewell, Va., June 13, 1902. He came to Bir- mingham, Ala., in 1887, and at once began attend- ing church at St. John's, Birmingham. Rev. L. F. Whitten was at that time pastor of St. John's con- gregation, and under his ministry our brother was converted and joined the Church. He was an ac- tive working member of that Church till he was licensed to preach, which was on September 13, 1888, Rev. V. O. Hawkins, presiding elder. Then his sphere of action became somewhat larger, as he gave himself fully to the work of a local preach- er, with an appointment at some church around the city every Sunday. This he continued for four years, except a few months spent at school in Greensboro. On March 12, 1891, he was married to Miss Sadie R. Andrews, of Greensboro, Ala. In November, 1892, he joined the North Alabama Conference and began his itinerant labors which were so soon to terminate. In 1893 he served the Jonesboro Circuit ; 1894, Coaling Circuit ; 1895-96, Kennedy Circuit, and was returned to that work for 1897, but his health failed and he gave up the work. Brother Williams then asked to be located, which was done according to his request; and he remained
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in the local ranks for about three years, when he was readmitted and sent to the Fredonia Circuit for 1901. Here he did a fine year's work, received thirty-one into the Church, and built up the work very much. His next appointment was Lanette and Langdale, but he lived only a few weeks. He and his wife were ill at the same time, and the latter died about two weeks before Brother Williams was called to go. It was a sad sight to see their three bright lit- tle boys, orphans among strangers, weeping at the graves of their parents.
REV. SION HILL.
R EV. SION HILL died on his work, the Attalla Cir- cuit. No record is given of the date of his death, but it occurred sometime during the year 1877. We have not been able to obtain any in- formation as to his early life and ministry. He had been among us but a short time, and hence the meagerness of facts concerning his career as a preacher in the North Alabama Conference. He had been a preacher in the Baptist Church before connecting himself with our Conference. He was a faithful, good man, and had he lived would have been useful as a Methodist itinerant preacher. He was about sixty-seven years old.
REV. LEMUEL R. ALLISON.
R EV. L. R. ALLISON was born September 6, 1864. From the best information obtainable he was converted in early life and was licensed to preach when quite a young man. He joined the North Georgia Conference, and at the end of the first year was transferred to the South Georgia Conference. How long he labored in this Conference the record does not show, but in 1898 he was transferred to the North Alabama Conference and was appointed to the Fayetteville and Sylacauga charge. He labored here very efficiently and acceptably till about the last of June, when he was taken sick and lingered till July II and died. Thus it will be seen that Brother Allison was in the North Alabama Confer- ence but a short time. Such were his social quali- ties, combined with his Christlike spirit, that in the short time he was on the charge he had so in- gratiated himself into the good opinion of the peo- ple as to draw all classes to him both in and out of the Church. He was a good preacher, but perhaps a better pastor. He visited not only his own mem- bers, but other Christian people, and also those who were not members of any Church. Especially did he hunt up the poor people and urge them to at- tend the church services and Sunday school.
Brother Allison was not a member of the Con-
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REV. LEMUEL R. ALLISON.
ference in which he died long enough for the breth- ren to know him well; but his success on his first and only charge in the North Alabama Conference gave good promise that, had he lived, he would have soon shown his efficiency as a successful worker and a brother beloved.
REV. JAMES B. YOUNGBLOOD.
B ROTHER YOUNGBLOOD was born in Pickens County, Ala., in 1856. His parents were North Carolinians and Methodists of the Wesley- an type. He was converted when twelve years of age, and at once united with the Church and grew up a model Christian boy. He was educated at Providence Academy, in his native county, read Latin and Greek well, and was a good English scholar. Industrious, studious, and pious, he was regarded by his neighbors and the Church as a young man of much promise, which promise he well fulfilled. He was licensed to preach by the Yorkville Quarterly Conference in 1877, L. M. Wilson, presiding elder. Exceedingly timid and distrustful of himself, he preached but seldom the first two years of his ministry, and then only when urged to do so by his brethren. But he was con- stantly seeking preparation for the great work of preaching the Word of God by earnest prayer, com- munion with Christ, and the presence and baptism of the Holy Ghost. In this way he came into the ministry with a life deeply spiritual and eminently holy.
Brother Youngblood was for three years a supply on the Falls Mission and one year on the Fayette Courthouse Circuit. On each of these charges he
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REV. JAMES B. YOUNGBLOOD.
was successful in saving many souls to Christ and building up the Church. He was then admitted on trial into the North Alabama Conference and sent to the Fayette Circuit. Here he remained two years to the delight and profit of all the people under his ministry. Then he was one year on the Berry Circuit, where he succeeded well, greatly en- dearing himself to his brethren, with whom his memory is "like the precious ointment upon the head." In 1889 Brother Youngblood was sent to the Kennedy Circuit. He entered upon this charge with great encouragement and hope, and was doing fine work for the Church and the Master. Hun- dreds of people gathered to hear his message of mercy ; and,
"Bent on such glorious toils, The world to him was loss ; Yet all his trophies, all his spoils He hung upon the cross."
In the midst of his years and strength, in the bosom of his young and confiding family, and in the love and confidence of his charge he heard the final roll call in August, and was ready.
"At midnight came the cry, 'To meet thy God prepare !' He woke and caught his Captain's eye ; Then, strong in faith and prayer, His spirit with a bound Left its encumbering clay ; His tent at sunrise on the ground A darkened ruin lay."
REV. HUGH P. BERRY.
R EV. HUGH P. BERRY was born in DeKalb Coun- ty, near Collinsville, Ala., February 17, 1847. He was the son of A. J. and Winnie Berry, and was married to Miss Dana Ventress on December 18, 1867. To this union were born four children, two of whom went home to God in infancy.
Brother Berry was converted early in life and united with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He was licensed to preach by the Quarterly Con- ference of the Van Buren Circuit, Gadsden Dis- trict, J. G. Gurley, presiding elder. He was ad- mitted on trial at the fourth session of the North Alabama Conference, which convened November 19, 1873, and served the following charges: 1873- 75, Woodstock Mission: 1875-77, Cross Plains Cir- cuit; 1877-80, Ball Play Mission; 1880-82, Som- erville Circuit ; 1882-83, Danville Circuit ; 1883- 84, Oleander Mission: 1884-85, Cullman Mission; 1885-86, Limestone Circuit ; 1889-90, Warrenton Mission ; 1890-92, DeKalb Mission; 1892-94, Spring Creek Circuit ; 1894-96, Pelham Circuit ; 1896-98, Pratt City Circuit; 1898-1900, Boaz Mis- sion; 1900-01, Cleveland Circuit; 1901-02, Covin Circuit ; 1902-03, Gadsden Circuit.
At the close of the session of the Conference held
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at Tuscumbia in 1903 Brother Berry, at his own request, was placed on the superannuate roll, and moved to Albertville to spend his last days near his
REV. H. P. BERRY.
(laughter. In January, 1905, he moved into the su- perannuate home provided by the Conference.
As a preacher of the gospel Brother Berry was a faithful and earnest expounder of the truth as taught by our standards. As a pastor he was faith-
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ful to all the details of his work, looking well after all the collections ordered by the Conference, not forgetting the American Bible Society and orphan- age. He also looked well after the circulation of good books and our periodicals. The property of the Church was well looked after by Brother Berry. He built the first parsonage that was ever built at Albertville, and built parsonages on the Pratt City Circuit, the Piedmont Circuit, and possibly others. He also built many new churches and organized Churches in destitute places. We call attention to the fact that he was probably of more help to the young preachers and young men who were strug- gling for opportunity to do something for the Church than any among us.
All the institutions of Methodism were dear to the heart of Brother Berry, and out of his meager salary he contributed to all the enterprises of the Church. He never seemed to be happier than when a collection was being raised and he could make his offering. He gave his best efforts to the building up of the Conference Brotherhood, and to the very last his heart was with his brethren whom he loved without guile and without envy. He served hard charges without a murmur or complaint, and gloried in the promotion of his younger brethren. As a husband he was as courteous and kind as any gen- tleman of the old school; as a father he was de- voted, kind, and gentle. In Albertville, where he
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REV. HUGH P. BERRY.
passed his last days, he was loved, reverenced, and respected. He will be sorely missed by the Church and community, but we expect to see him again. He has answered the roll call on high, and has heard his beloved Saviour say: "Well done, thou good and faithful servant."
REV. THOMAS ARMSTRONG, D.D.
R EV. THOMAS ARMSTRONG, D.D., son of Henry and Mary King Armstrong, was born in Wilcox County, Ala., in 1832; and died in Birmingham, Ala., in June, 1912. His mother was the daughter of Rev. James King, who was one of the pioneer preachers of two States, the first ordained preach- er in Wilmington, N. C., and later the first resident minister of Montgomery, Ala. (then called New Philadelphia ).
Dr. Armstrong in the days of his young manhood was an educator of no ordinary distinction. He taught school for a number of years in Marion, Ala., and also in Eutaw, Ala. From these two schools were sent out many graduates who afterwards be- came distinguished in public life. Dr. Armstrong was for several years President of the Mansfield Female College, which position he filled successfully and with eminent satisfaction. It was while filling this position that he was licensed to preach, and was a very useful local preacher for a number of years. On July 26, 1860, Dr. Armstrong was married to Miss Mattie DuBois, of Greensboro, Ala. She was the daughter of Rev. John DuBois and Louisa Wil- liams DuBois. Rev. John DuBois was the inventor of the celebrated DuBois cotton gin, which he manu- factured in Greensboro, Ala. Dr. Armstrong lost his beloved companion about six years before he was
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REV. THOMAS ARMSTRONG, D.D.
called to go. . Such was the deep sorrow occasioned by the separation that he never fully recovered from the depressing shock.
Dr. Armstrong was pastor of the Methodist
DR. THOMAS ARMSTRONG.
Church in Decatur, Ala., during the dreadful scourge of yellow fever at that place in 1888; and he stood heroically by his people in their distress, ministering to the sick and giving Christian burial to all who
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needed his services, whether they were members of his Church or not. About the same time his broth- er, Rev. J. K. Armstrong, lost his life in another city while performing similar service in a yellow fever scourge.
Dr. Armstrong's first work in the North Alabama Conference was Tuscumbia Station in 1884-86; 1887-89, Decatur Station; 1890-92, Gadsden Sta- tion ; 1893-95, Editor Alabama Christian Advocate; 1896, St. John's; 1897-98, Lafayette Station ; 1899. Elyton ; 1900, Fayette Station. In 1901 he asked to be placed on the superannuate roll, in which relation he continued to the end of his life. The larger part of Dr. Armstrong's active life was spent in teaching. As will be seen by the above dates, he spent sixteen years as a member of the North Alabama Confer- ence, three of which he was editor of a Church pa- per. He was nearly seventy years old when he took the superannuate relation, and for about twelve years he patiently awaited the call of the Master to "come up higher." He died at the home of his daughter, near Birmingham, Ala., about the first of June, 1912.
REV. E. CAPERS ODOM.
R EV. E. C. ODOM was born on July 29, 1834. His
father died when he was quite young. His early religious training was in the Methodist Prot- estant Church, his mother and sisters being mem- bers of that Church. He was licensed to preach in that Church and continued in the connection till 1869, when he withdrew from it and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He joined the Montgomery Conference at Union Springs, Ala., and was appointed to the Fayetteville Circuit. In 1870 the North Alabama Conference was formed; and his work being in its bounds, he was reappointed to the Fayetteville Circuit, but was called to his reward before the year's work was ended.
For further information of Brother Odom, his character and ministry, see the Minutes of the North Alabama Conference for 1871,
REV. PRIESTLY E. NICHOLSON.
R EV. PRIESTLY E. NICHOLSON was born near Nich- olson's Gap, the old homestead, in DeKalb County, Ala., on March 1, 1835. He professed reli- gion early in life and joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, in Wills Valley, DeKalb County, Ala. He had ten brothers and four sisters. Four of the brothers were itinerant ministers of the Meth- odist Church, and all were reared on the farm at Nicholson's Gap. P. E. Nicholson's parents were members of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. His Grandmother Nicholson came from Scotland and married in Virginia, and his Grandfather Adair (his mother's father) came from Ireland and mar- ried in Kentucky. . P. E. Nicholson taught some lit- erary schools in early life. He was always a faith- ful and ardent worker in Church and Sunday school, which was characteristic of his brothers and sisters.
He joined the Confederate army about January I, 1862, and served under General Joe Wheeler, filling some minor offices in the command, and made a very gallant soldier. He was finally captured and imprisoned at Camp Chase, where he employed his time making finger rings, etc., in order to get more supplies for himself and comrades. After the sur- render he returned to Alabama and taught school, and finally joined the North Alabama Conference at
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Gadsden in 1871. His first circuit was the Ar- bacoochee. Here he served for two years, 1871-72. His next appointment was the Asheville Circuit, and here also he served two years, 1873-74. At the end of 1874 he, for reasons which he considered impor- tant, asked to be discontinued from the Conference roll, which was done according to his request. Brother Nicholson was one of a large family of sons, than whom no better citizens ever lived in Alabama. Having severed his connection with the Conference, no memoir of Brother Nicholson was published in the Conference Minutes, and consequently we have very little history of his life and ministry.
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REV. E. A. WEST.
R EV. E. A. WEST was born in Shelby County, Ala., May 14, 1836; and died in the same county on November 6, 1872. He was licensed to preach in 1857, and in 1861 was admitted on trial into the Alabama Conference. For two years after this he was in the Confederate army. In 1865 he be- came connected with the Montgomery wing of the old Alabama Conference. In 1870 he became a member of the North Alabama Conference, and was appointed to the Center Circuit. At the session of the Conference held in Florence, Ala., in Novem- ber, 1871, he was reappointed to the Center Circuit : but in the early spring his health failed, and he had to give up his work.
For his memoir, see the Minutes of the North Alabama Conference for 1872.
REV. WILLIAM RHODES.
R EV. WILLIAM RHODES was born in Edgefield District, South Carolina, April 26, 1797; and died in Jefferson County, Ala., June 1, 1872. In early life he joined the Methodist Church as a "seeker," and was converted soon afterwards. In 1836 he moved to Alabama and settled in Cherokee County. Just when he was licensed to preach is not given in any record that we have been able to find, but he was received on trial into the Alabama Conference in 1841 and sent to the Blountsville Circuit. After this he filled various charges in the counties of St. Clair, DeKalb, and others. In 1860 his eyes became diseased, which soon resulted in total blindness. He was then, of course, placed on the superannuate roll, which relation he sustained the remainder of his life.
For further history and facts concerning this good and venerable man of God, see his memoir in the Minutes of the North Alabama Conference for 1872.
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