USA > Georgia > Gwinnett County > Gwinnett churches; a complete history of every church in Gwinnet County, Georgia, with short biographical sketches of its ministers > Part 17
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Days served
63
Salary 1897
$38.25
" 1898 32.50
CEDAR CREEK.
Miles traveled 220
Days served
130
Salary for four years
150.00
BAY CREEK.
Miles traveled 1440
Days served
130
Salary for four years
250.00
CORD MILL.
Miles traveled 1156
Days served
62
Salary for two years
$85.00
LOGANVILLE.
Miles traveled 862
Days served 65
Salary for two years
200.00
ANTIOCH.
Miles 440
Days
130
Salary for four years 200.00
325
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
BETHEL.
Miles 1344
.Days
200
Salary for four years
400.00
LIBERTY.
Miles
1940
Days
85
Salary three years
276.00
·MT. VERNON.
Miles
170
Days
125
Salary four years
245.00
DOUBLE SPRINGS.
Miles
125
Days
150
Salary five years
$225
EBENEZER.
Miles 336
Days
62
Salary two years $200
326
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Mr. TABOR.
Miles 800
Days 31
Salary one year
$68
Mr. Settle has baptized into these churches prior to his revivals in the summer of 1911, as many as 418 members.
Rev. John H. Wood.
REV. J. H. WOOD.
The subject of this sketch was born near Covington, Newton county, Georgia, September 23, 1865, and was raised near Conyers, Rockdale County, Georgia. His early life was spent as a general laborer on a farm, go-
327
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
ing to the nearby country schools during a few weeks of the summer after crops were finished, and sometimes a month or two were spent in school in mid-winter. His father was Leslie A. Wood, a native of Spartanburg, S. C., who at the age of fifteen, came with his father and a large family of brothers and sisters to Gwinnett coun- ty, Georgia, where he lived until after the Civil War. While a young man, he was elected sheriff of Gwinnett county, and served one term. He became a Baptist preacher, but died when his son John was three years old. His wife was the daughter of Samuel G. Hunter of Jackson County, Georgia.
At the age of twenty-one, John H. Wood entered Kentucky University, Lexington, Ky., and spent five years in that institution, graduating June 9th, 1891, from the Ministerial Department.
Immediately after graduation Mr. Wood was em- ployed as District Evangelist of North East Georgia, and labored in Gwinnett, Walton, Oconee and Jackson counties. In January 1892, he moved to Jug Tavern (now Winder) and became pastor of four country chur- ches, viz: Mt. Vernon in Walton county, Christian Cha- pel, Galilee and Harmony in Jackson county. In 1894, 1895, 1896 he was pastor of the Winder Christian church and some nearby country churches. In 1897, he moved to Watkinsville, Ga., and became pastor of the Wat- kinsville church in connection with Maxeys in Ogle- thorpe county, Mt. Vernon in Walton county and Anti- och in Oconee county. This was a very pleasant and fruitful pastorate, but in 1899 he was again called to
328
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
the church at Winder and served this church for two years. In 1902, Mr. Wood was called to the West End Christian church, Augusta, Ga., where he did acceptable service for four years. In 1906, he was again called to the Winder church where he is still ministering. Be- sides the above pastorates, he has held many other responsible positions in his church, viz: Cor. Sec. of the Georgia Christian Education Society, President of the North East Georgia District Convention, and Cor. Sec. of the Georgia Christian Missionary Society, which position he now holds in connection with the pastorate of the Winder Christian church. Mr. Wood has preached about 300 funerals, married about 150 couples, and added to the various churches and missions he has served about 1500 people. His life has been a very busy one and has accomplished much, when you consider that the Christian church is not strong in this state. He has been directly or indirectly connected with the erection of half a dozen church buildings, among them, is the elegant new church of Winder. Mr. Wood is now in his prime and has the promise of many more years of usefulness.
Rev. H. C. Seay.
Rev. H. C. Seay was born August 23, 1851.
He was ordained at Double Springs, DeKalb county, in March, 1894. He has served Double Springs and County Line in DeKalb county and Concord in Cobb county.
329
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Rev. W. R. Branham.
The pastor of the Lawrenceville Methodist church is Rev. W. R. Branham. He was born in Macon, Jan- uary 10th, 1850. His father, Rev. W. R. Branham, Sr., was a member of the North Georgia Conference for 58
REV. W. R. BRANHAM.
vears, 43 of which he was actively engaged in the min- istry, and was a presiding elder 14 years. He was pas- tor of the Lawrenceville work in 1843, and died at Ox- ford in 1894 in his 81st year.
The present pastor is a graduate of Emory College, class 1869. He was licensed to preach October 18, 1870,
330
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
and joined the North Georgia Conference December, 1870.
He was married to Miss Addie Singleton, Decem- ber 21, 1881.
Mr. Branham served the Conyers circuit as junior preacher in 1871; Subligna circuit in 1872; Baldwin cir- cuit in 1873, Edgewood station in 1874; Nacoochee cir- cuit in 1875-6 ; Edgewood station in 1877; St. Paul, Atlan- ta in 1878; Oconee St. station in 1879-80 ; Dahlonega sta- tion in 1881; Dahlonega district as presiding elder in 1882-3-4; he was then transferred to the Indian Mis- ion Conference, Indian territory, and served six months on the Choctaw district. He was then appointed by Hon. L. Q. C. Lamar, secretary of the interior, as super- intendent of the Chilacco Indian Industrial Training school, where he remained three and a half years.
In 1888, he came back to the North Georgia Confer- ence and served Newborn circuit in 1889-90; second church, Rome, in 1891; Harmony Grove circuit in 1892- 3; Sparta station in 1894-5-6; Milledgeville station in 1897-8-9 ; Cartersville station in 1900; Barnesville station in 1901-2; Jackson station in 1903-4-5-6; Social Circle in 1907-8-9-10; and is serving Lawrenceville church at the present time (1911). =
He has received into the church about 1,500 persons., and married 400 couples.
Rev. R. P. Jackson.
The present pastor of the Dacula circuit, Rev. R. P. Jackson, was born in White county, Georgia, four miles,
331
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
east of Cleveland, in 1871, remaining there on the farm until 1901, when he moved to Clarksville, Habersham county, to enter the mercantile business. He was in this business for seven years and, in spite of the mis- fortune of fire, succeeded. In 1909, he joined the North Georgia Conference and was sent to the South Lumpkin
A
REV. R. P. JACKSON.
Mission in Lumpkin county, Georgia, serving that mis- sion one year with great success. Then in 1910, he 107. cated at Murrayville, Hall county, and was transferred to the Dacula circuit, consisting of six churches with 878 members. The Dacula circuit up to the present, since he has taken charge, has broken all previous re- cords both spiritually and financially.
332
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Rev. J. H. Barber.
Perhaps the best educated young man claiming Gwin- nett county as his home is the Rev. John H. Barber.
November 8, 1882 is the date of his birth, which event occurred in Walton county. At the age of three,
REV. J. H. BARBER.
his parents moved to Gwinnett county, within half a mile of Dacula. There his boyhood days were spent and the family lives there yet.
He attended the common schools of this neighbor- hood with the other children in the community. In September, 1899, he entered Perry-Rainey Institute and remained there two years.
333
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
In September, 1901, he entered Freshman class at Mercer University and after a four years' course, grad- uated in 1905 with the degree of Bachelor of Arts. The following fall, he became a student in the Southern Bap- tist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky., taking the degree of Master of Theology in 1908, and the degree of Doctor of Theology in 1909. Since then he has done special work in the University of Alabama.
He joined the Hebron Baptist church September 9, 1898, and was baptized by Rev. Frank Jackson two days later.
At the age of 17, he decided to enter the ministry ; and soon after making that decision, he began to preach. He was ordained at Hebron in June, 1908. During the summer of the same year, he was pastor of the church at Eatonton, Georgia.
Leaving the Seminary in the spring of 1909, he went to Tuscaloosa, Alabama, as assistant pastor of the First Baptist church. In February last, he became pastor of the Monnish Memorial Baptist church, a new church just organized in the same city.
In addition to his work as a minister, he teaches German, English and Bible in the Alabama Central Female College situated in Tuscaloosa.
On June 23, 1909, he was married to Miss Margery Harris Leonard of Eatonton, Ga.
Rev. E. L. Langley.
A native of Gwinnett county is the Rev. E. L. Lang- ley, of Snellville. He was born near Grayson, May 10,
334
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
1849, and what education he received was in a little log cabin on the farm of Merit Camp, where for a few days he attended the school taught by James McElroy.
He was converted and joined the church at Chest- nut Grove in the summer of 1876. In 1881, he was li- censed to preach and ordained to the mininstry May 28, 1882. He served the Snellville church seven years ; Mt. Zion eight years ; Bay Creek three years ; Chestnut Grove four years; Mt. Vernon nine years; Zion three years ; River Dale two years; Pleasant Hill ten years; Alcova three years; Old Field two years; Mt. Tabor two years.
He has baptized nearly eleven hundred people into the several churches served, married one hundred and eighty seven couples, preached three hundred or more funerals, assisted in the organization of three churches, and served at the ordination of five ministers and twelve deacons.
He has served churches for twenty-nine years, and for all his labor during this long period, he received only $2,000 from all sources including salary. He ac- cepted the pastorate of churches without a financial consideration, leaving it to the churches to pay as much as seemed best.
On account of his health and that of his wife, he does not now accept the care of churches.
Rev. D. W. Cook.
There are four Methodist Episcopal churches in Gwinnett county, all of which are served by Rev. D. W. Cook, of Lawrenceville.
335
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Mr. Cook is a native of Fannin county, Georgia, hav- ing been born there January 17, 1854.
He was converted at the age of eight years, liscensed to preach September 19, 1883, admitted to the Georgia Conference M. E. church November, 1884 and ordained by Bishop Walden November 26, 1887.
REV. D. W. COOK.
He has been pastor of the churches at Mountain Town, Cassandra, Spring Place, Toccoa, Cohutta, La- Fayett, Mt. Zion, Rock Springs; and at present, July, 1911, is serving Martin's chapel, New Prospect, El Be- thel, and Rock Springs.
During his ministry he has baptized and received into the church 349 members.
336
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Rev. J. M. Hudlow.
On March 28, 1873, in Dawson county, occurred the birth of Rev. J. M. Hudlow, of Carl. He has, however, spent the most of his life in Gwinnett county.
REV. J. M. HUDLOW
He entered the ministry in 1900, and was ordained May 8, 1904. Soon after his ordination, he was called to the pastorate of Alcova Baptist church and continued in this service two years, baptizing nineteen.
He served Friendship one year baptizing eleven.
337
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Also Mulberry one year, and Mt. Moriah two years, re- ceiving into the latter thirteen members on a profession of faith.
He now serves two churches, viz: Mt. Zion, having already received by baptism eighteen members, and Is- land Ford to which there have been seven additions.
His preaching at other churches has been the means of leading many to Christ.
In all he has baptized seventy-eight on a profession of faith and has been called on to officiate at twenty- two weddings.
Rev. S. H .Dimon.
Rev. Stephen Henry Dimon was born August 15, 1854 at Columbus, Muscogee county, Georgia. His early education was in the public school of Columbus and then was prepared for college at the Wynnton Academy un- der the tuition of Mr. R. W. B. M. Monroe. He was sent to Emory College where he remained four years. During Junior year, while at Emory, he was liscensed to preach at Oxford, Georgia, by Dr. Frank Cook of the North Georgia Conference. His first work after leaving college was teaching school at Culverton, Hancock county, Georgia. While teaching here, he was married to Miss Claud Yarbrough of Oxford, Ga., Sep- tember 28, 1878. In the fall of 1878, he joined the North Georgia Conference at Marietta, Ga., Bishop H. N. McTyeire presiding and was immediately transferred to the Florida Conference and stationed at Ellaville, Madi- son county, Florida, where he had a successful pastorate of one year. From Ellaville, he was transferred back to
338
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
the North Georgia Conference and sent to the Newnan circuit. Serving this charge one year, he was ordained deacon by Bishop H. N. McTyeire at Rome, Ga. in 1880 and was appointed to Lawrenceville, Gwinnett county, Ga. Lawrenceville was then a circuit of four churches, viz: Lawrenceville, New Hope, Prospect and Pleasant
REV. S. H. DIMON.
Hill, now Dacula. In July of this year 1881, he was elected principal of the Wynnton Academy at Columbus, Ga. which school he accepted and served one year. He then taught one year at Rock Mills, Ala. He was then re-admitted to the North Alabama Conference at Birm- ingham, Ala., and during the years 1884 and 1885, served the Oak Bowery circuit in Chambers Co., Ala. He was or-
339
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
dained elder by Bishop A. W. Welson at Gadsden, Ala. in the fall of 1885 and was appointed to Athens station.
After a most delightful term of three years at Ath- ens, he was appointed to Elyton station, Birmingham, Ala. His next appointment was Tuscumbia, Ala. and in June, 1891, was transferred by Bishop Haygood to the Los Angeles Conference and stationed at Santa Ana, Cal- ifornia. He was next stationed at West End, and then at Bellview Ave., Los Angeles. He was then trans- ferred to the North Georgia Conference and served the Monticello circuit two years. Here he witnessed two years of great revival power-235 being added to the church.
In 1895, he was pastor of the First church, Gaines- ville, Ga. In 1896 and 1897 he was pastor of St. Paul, Atlanta, Ga., and then one year at Second church, Rome, Ga. From Rome to Lavonia one year and then Bowman two years. From Bowman back to Atlanta and stationed at Mt. Vernon. His next appointment was the Forsyth circuit and from Forsyth to Hampton. After three years at Hampton, two years were spent on the Salem charge, and from Salem to Loganville where he is now serving the third year. During his ministry, he has bap- tized and received into the church about 1000 persons and married about 100 couples.
Rev. E. H. Jennings.
Ernest Henry Jennings was born December 6th, 1883, in Oconee county, Georgia.
340
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
His childhood and youth were spent on the farm where he worked with his father and four older brothers and attended the country schools. At the age of sixteen
REV. E. H. JENNINGS.
he was converted and joined the Mars Hill Missionary Baptist church, being baptized by Rev. L. T. Reed.
Mr. Jennings was an earnest student of the Bible from childhood. This, together with the godly influence of his mother and the Sunday school had much to do with his early decision for the ministry. He began
341
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
preaching at eighteen and was ordained by Mars Hill church January 18, 1903, being then nineteen years of age. He was known for some years as the "boy preach- er."
After attending the country schools he entered the Winder public school January, 1902. After one term here he spent two years at Perry-Rainey-Institute, Au- burn, from which he graduated in 1904. · Later he at- tended the state university at Athens and the Baptist Seminary at Louisville, Ky. While in school at Auburn, he served Antioch church in Gwinnett county, this being his first pastorate, and assisted Rev. H. N. Rainey in his field, including Mt. Moriah, Appalachee and Cedar Creek. January 1, 1907, Mr. Jennings became pastor of the Lawrenceville and Norcross Baptist churches, which he served successfully for three years. While in Lawrence- ville, he also preached at Collins Hill. While holding this pastorate, quite a number of people were added to the churches and considerable strides made in the finan- cial development of the same. December 28, 1906, Mr. Jennings was married to Miss Bertie Miller, daughter of H. D. Miller, of Auburn.
From Lawrenceville he went to Greensboro, Ga., and from thence to Dothan, Alabama, being now the pastor of the First Baptist church of that goodly city.
Rev. J. B. Brookshire.
Rev. John B. Brookshire, the present pastor of the Auburn and Carl Baptist churches, was born July 7, 1868 in Habersham county, Ga., among the foothills of the
342
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Blue Ridge Mountains. His father was a Confederate soldier and lost a foot in the battle of Gettysburg. When growing up, his father being poor was not able to help him in the way of an education. His father looked to him for help to support the family.
At about the age of 18, he was converted and joined
REV. J. B. BROOKSHIRE.
the church at Providence, his father's and mother's old church, and was baptized in Soque River. When about 26 years old he felt a call to the ministry and saw his need of an education. He worked his way through the common school grades and through the high school; and was all the while dreaming of what then seemed to him to be the impossible, going through college.
343
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
He was ordained to the ministry in 1897 at South Union, S. C. Having taught school that year and saving up about $60, he resolved to apply for admittance into, the Freshman class in Mercer University. He took the examination and was admitted. He received some help from the ministerial fund, borrowed some money and served some country churches, and by using close econ- omy gathered means enough to go through college. After staying four years, he graduated in 1901 at the age of 33, with the A. B. degree. The day he received his diploma was one of the happiest days of his life.
Soon after graduation he accepted the school at Edi- son, Ga., and the pastorate of the church at Arlington. In the fall of 1902 he entered the Southern Baptist The- ological Seminary at Louiville, Ky. He studied the full Greek and Hebrew course for one term. He left the seminary then to do mission work on the frontier in South West Texas. After working there one year he was em- ployed as missionary pastor of Karnes City and Stock- dale, under the State Mission Board of Texas. After serving here one year he returned to Georgia, his native state, and married Miss Texie York of Rabun county, a school teacher, and they went into the educational work. He was president one year of the Hightower Baptist Institute, Cumming, Georgia. He then accepted the Presidency of Perry-Rainey Institute, Auburn, Ga., which position he held three years. Since giving up the school work he has been giving full time to the ministry.
344
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Rev. Fritz Rauschenberg.
Rev. Fritz Rauschenberg was born in Atlanta De- cember 27, 1877. His father was Mr. Aug. Rauschen- berg, Confederate veteran and pioneer citizen of At- lanta. He graduated from the Boys' High School in Atlanta in 1896. He was a reporter for a while with an
REV. FRITZ RAUSCHENBERG.
Atlanta paper, and later owned and edited a religious periodical there. He sold his paper and for six years was engaged in the laundry business. Here he came in touch with Jew and gentile, white and black, old and young, rich and poor, religious and irreligious, and learned hu- man nature in all its phases. He was married to Miss Clara Elizabeth Hay, May 16, 1897. His wife was born
345
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
in Gwinnett county, near Woodward's Mill. They have three children.
He joined the Presbyterian church in Atlanta at the age of 18, and served as deacon, elder and Sunday school teacher in the Pryor street Presbyterian church. He entered the Columbia Theological Seminary, Columbia, S. C., 1905, graduating in 1908. Licensed to preach at Congers, April 17, 1907, and ordained at Lawrenceville, May 24, 1908.
He served as pastor of the Lawrenceville, Winder and Fairview Presbyterian churches from 1908 to the middle of 1911.
Dr. B. J. W. Graham.
Dr. B. J. W. Graham was born in Cherokee county, July 6, 1862. He graduated at Mercer University in the class of 1894, receiving the A. B. degree. His Alma Mater conferred the degree of D. D. on him in 1908.
He was ordained in 1887, and has served the churches at Raleigh, Milner, Locust Grove, Unadilla, Pinehurst, Cochran, Conyers, Social Circle, Lawrenceville, Ellijay and Norcross. He is the present pastor at Norcross. During his ministry, he has baptized more than one thousand converts, and married more than two hundred couples.
He founded Locust Grove Institute in 1894, and was director of Bible institutes from 1897 to 1900. He is the founder of The Index Printing Co., associate editor of the Christian Index, a member of the State Mission Board, and trustee of Locust Grove Institute and Mercer
346
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
University. He is one of the leaders in the Baptist ranks in the state.
Rev. J. Frank Jackson ..
Bethabra, in Cains district, has the honor of giving to the county and state one of the most successful and
REV. J. F. JACKSON.
certainly one of the most remarkable ministers in the Baptist denomination in Georgia. Rev. J. Frank Jack- son was ordained there June 8, 1890.
Mr. Jackson's native county is Walton. He was born there September 2, 1854. He joined the church in Monroe in August, 1870, and was baptized by Dr. G. A.
347
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Nunnally. He was licensed to preach on Saturday before the third Sunday in September, 1886, at Cedar Creek, Gwinnett county.
The Mulberry Association endorsed him as an evang- elist in 1889; and in October of that year, he preached his first sermon as an evangelist or missionary, at Wal- nut Fork church in Jackson county.
The first revival he conducted was in July, 1890, under a brush arbor, near Messrs. Gip and Billy Wiley's in Jackson county. This was a great meeting, and all those joining the church were received into the Walnut Fork church. This meeting was the beginning of his evangelistic work, being held a month after his ordina- tion at Bethabra in June of that year. Since that time he has gone into various sections of the state carrying the old story to those who delight to hear him.
He has been for years engaged in evangelistic work under the auspices of the Georgia Baptist convention, and his work may be summed up in a few words that tell of the remarkable work of this remarkable man.
Since his ordination, he has traveled 55,000 miles, visited 25,000 families, preached 12,000 sermons, deliv- ered 1,000 addresses, talked to 25,000 persons individ- ually about their salvation, prayed witlı 7,000 families and individuals, received into the church by letter 1,000. and baptized and received for baptism 5,000 peaple.
Rev. L. A. Brown.
Lester Alexander Brown was born on a farm in Culpeper county, Virginia, September 15, 1874. He is
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GWINNETT CHURCHES.
a son of James R. and Bettie S. Brown. His family is one of the old families of Virginia, having been in that state for about two hundred years. His people on both sides of the house, were in the Confederate army.
Lester Alex. Brown is the youngest of six children, all boys. One of the boys is a farmer, one a civil en- gineer, one a physician, and three of them Baptist preach-
DR. L. A. BROWN.
ers. All five of the professional boys are full college graduates.
His people, both the Browns and Bickers (his mother was a Miss Bickers) have always been famous for pos- sessing good homes, for being farmers, preachers, teach- ers and physicians. Never in the history of his people has one of them ever been arrested, placed in jail or on trial in court. Lester Alex. Brown was born and raised on a farm which his father bought before the civil war and still owns and lives on. This farm is in twelve miles of the first tract of land the first Brown of the family
P. A. ATKINSON, Prominent member of New Hope Christian Church.
T. R. POWELL, For Twenty Years Supt. Lawrenceville Pres- byterian Sunday School.
C. B. POOL, Who Has Missed But One Service at Antioch in Twenty-seven Years.
W. A. WILSON, One of the Founders of Union Grove Church.
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GWINNETT CHURCHES.
bought and paid five hundred thousand dollars (pounds instead of dollars in those days) and the home house of that place is owned by Rev. T. P. Brown, a first cousin of the subject of this article.
Mr. Brown attended the Shenandoah Institute (Va.) two years, (ten months each year), and graduated in the music department in 1896. He taught music normals and sang for evangelist for the next year and then be- came music director in Rappahannock Military Academy, Va. He did special work under the principal of the school. The next year he became music director in Shenandoah Normal College, Va., did as much work as any student in the college course and served a village church one Sunday in each month, riding horse back eighteen miles from the college to the church. In the fall of 1899 he entered Crozer Theological Seminary, Pa., and remained one year. While there he lectured three times a week in the school on music. On Sunday he would go down into Delaware and acted as assistant pastor of the Baptist church, Newcastle, Del. In the Spring of 1900 he became pastor of the Baptist church, Bangor, Wisconsin. While pastor there for two years, he entered Gale College (State Presbyterian College) which was located near where he was living and took the Bachelor and Master of letters. Also received the hon- orary degree of Doctor of Divinity from the same school. In addition to all of this work he had written several music books and published them. In the fall of 1901 he entered Colgate University (New York), Hamilton Theological Seminary which is a department of this
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