USA > Georgia > Gwinnett County > Gwinnett churches; a complete history of every church in Gwinnet County, Georgia, with short biographical sketches of its ministers > Part 19
Note: The text from this book was generated using artificial intelligence so there may be some errors. The full pages can be found on Archive.org (link on the Part 1 page).
Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4 | Part 5 | Part 6 | Part 7 | Part 8 | Part 9 | Part 10 | Part 11 | Part 12 | Part 13 | Part 14 | Part 15 | Part 16 | Part 17 | Part 18 | Part 19
In: 1863 he joined the Confederate army at the age of 16; and from that time to the close of the war, he
375
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
served with distinction in the thrilling struggle the South made for maintaining her constitutional rights.
At the age of 22, he began life penniless. He bought a small farm from his mother, and to this he added other lands until now he owns a large plantation and lives in ease and comfort. He has given his children a splendid education, several of them being graduates of leading colleges.
He joined the Baptist church early in life ; and feeling it his duty to enter the ministry, he was ordained ir. 1873. He has served many churches in Gwinnett, Jack- son and Hall counties, and for years was moderator of the Mulberry Association. During his ministry about one thousand were baptized by him into the various churches he served.
He has officiated at something like 500 weddings.
Rev. M. D. George.
Rev. M. D. George lives in DeKalb county, but has been, and is now, pastor of churches in Gwinnett county.
He was born in Henry county 52 years ago, and re- ceived a common school education in the public school of the county. He was regularly ordained to the Chris- tian ministry in 1897. Since that time he has been pastor of various churches in this and other counties. He was the leading spirit in the organization of Shady Grove in DeKalb county, and served the church six years. He was pastor of Mt. Zion eight years, Almond one year, Porterdale seven years, Tucker one year, Yellow River nine years, Bethany two years.
376
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
In these fourteen years of active ministerial work, he has baptized 650 converts, and traveled many thousands of miles. He has served four churches each year, and they have been situated so that he could go to each church and hold services and return to his home at night.
Rev. J. C. Johnson.
Among the most active and popular ministers in Gwint nett county is the Rev. J. C. Johnson, of Hog Mountain.
REV. J. C. JOHNSON.
He was born in Walton county March 23, 1848, and moved to Gwinnett county in the year 1856, and has resided in the county ever since.
377
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
His educational advantages were confined to the pub- lic schools of the county.
Feeling it his duty to enter the ministry, he was or- dained in September, 1885, at Alcova, and has been in the active work of the ministry since that day. He has served many churches, among them being Walnut Grove, Alcova, Lebanon (now discontinued), Bethel, Friend- ship, Mt. Salem, Luxomni, Cedar Hill (discontinued), Pleasant Grove, Union Grove, Harmony, Rockbridge and Island Ford.
During his ministry, he has baptized between 300 and a 1,000 converts into the various churches he has served ; and the marriage ceremonies performed amount to some 220.
During the year 1910, he traveled 2,800 miles in a buggy while engaged in his ministerial work, preached scores of sermons, officiated at 38 funerals and performed 13 marriage ceremonies.
He is now in his sixty-fourth year and travels 100 miles a month in filling his pastoral appointments.
Mr. Johnson is a plain man of the people, a preacher of the old school, and the common people, the best in the county, hear him gladly.
?
Rev. J. R. Wall.
The subject of this sketch was born in Jackson county April 24, 1848, but now resides on rural route one from Auburn in Rocky Creek district, this county.
Growing up during and immediately after the civil war, he was deprived of any opportunity to educate him-
378
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
self except in the elementary branches as were taught in the public and private schools of the day.
He joined the church at Bethabra in 1867, and was ordained at Ebenezer in 1883. Since then he has served several churches as pastor and many were converted
REV. J. R. WALL.
and joined the church under his ministry. He has been called on frequently to aid other ministers in conducting revivals and in this way contributed much to the progress of the church. He owns a good farm and lives in com- fort among his neighbors, near Union Grove church in Rocky Creek district.
379
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Rev. J. T. Jones.
The compiler of this book asked Rev. J. T. Jones for a brief story of his life. It is given below without change :
"In giving to the public a short history of my life as a minister, I do so with a feeling of humility, as my
REV. J. T. JONES.
manner of life has ever been retiring and my spirit not egotistic ; yet I feel proud to state that, after being im- pressed for many years, I finally took up the work and am trying with all the power of my soul to fulfill the great commission.
I was born and reared at Flowery Branch, Hall coun-
380
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
ty, Ga., obtained a good common school education in Flowery Branch High school, and afterwards attended N. G. A. College at Dahlonega, but on account of ill health was not able to complete my education.
"My life as a minister is short. I have been preach- ing but little more than two and a half years. Yet events in my ministerial life have been rapid and God has greatly blessed my labors.
"I gave my first appointment to preach on Friday night before the fourth Sunday in August, 1908, at Zion Hill church and preached to a crowded house from the text 'He must increase but I must decrease.' On the fifth Sunday following at 11 o'clock I preached my sec- ond sermon to as many people as could pack in Zion Hill church, from the text, 'Ye are witnesses of these things.'
"On the following Saturday, which was Saturday be- fore first Sunday in September, I was liberated by Zion Hill church to preach.
" On the following Saturday, which was Saturday before second Sunday in September, Antioch church called me to the care of their church as pastor and I was ordained to the full work of the gospel ministry No- vember 28, 1908, only about two months from the time I had preached my first sermon.
"Perhaps I can say what few ministers can say, and yet not in a boasting spirit, that I was called to pastor churches when I had preached but twice.
"I served Antioch for two years. Am now on my second year's services at my home church, Zion Hill.
P. L. KEOWN, Leader in Christian Church, Lawrenceville.
J. H. McGEE, Leading Baptist Layman.
J. A. SMITH, M. E. Layman.
382
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Am also pastor of Hog Mountain and Friendship churches for the present year. On account of ill health, I have been hindered from taking full care of churches, so am serving only three churches at present.
"Since being ordained I have baptized only eight, married nine and preached about twelve funerals.
"My churches at home and the people among whom I was brought up have stood by me wonderfully and helped to make me what I am spiritually, and especially has my own church given me great encouragement to battle for the Master.
"My greatest wish and prayer to God is that He may bless my labors, and though weak in body, I may be a power for God in spirit."
Rev. C. P. Ewing.
Rev. C. P. Ewing was born in Gwinnett county on September 8, 1865, and attended the common schools, such as we had in the 70's and 80's. He is a farmer, and a citizen of great respectability and usefulness.
Ewing's Chapel, a new Baptist church in Harbins district, owes its organization for the most part to him. The church was named in his honor, and its every inter- est finds a strong supporter and friend in him. He was ordained at Ewing's Chapel November 25, 1910, and has served one church as pastor.
383
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
Rev. J. M. Skelton.
Among the young men of Gwinnett county who are making good in the ministry, special mention should be made of Rev. J. M. Skelton.
He was reared in the eastern part of the county, his parents being Mr. and Mrs. Jim Skelton. He was born September 8, 1883, joined Appalachee church July, 1902, and preached his first sermon on the fourth Sunday after- noon in June, 1903. He entered Perry-Rainey Institute, Auburn, September, 1903, and was in school four years.
He was ordained in October, 1906, and for two years was pastor of churches in Clark county.
His next work was at Rochelle, and later was pastor of the Second church, Fitzgerald, for half time, and also the Marshall church in Dooly county, and Bethlehem in Ben Hill county.
Since then he has served churches at Mt. Vernon, Warwick, and Oakfield.
At present he is pastor of Mabel White Memorial church, Macon, Georgia. He gives all his time to this church.
He is now 27 years old; and during his five years of ministerial work, he has baptized 125 people.
The first church he served paid him $5 per month. His salary now is $85 per month.
Rev. John A. Pool.
Rev. John A. Pool was born in Cains district in Gwin- nett county June 18, 1866, his parents being Mr. and Mrs. John M. Pool, now of Winder.
384
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
He received his early training in the country schools of the county. Wishing to prepare himself for a wider field of usefulness, he entered Mercer University and graduated with an A. B. degree in 1892. He received the degree of Bachelor of Vocal Music and Harmony
REV. J. A POOL.
(B. M.) under Prof. A. E. Warren, of Sturgis, Mich., in 1890 ; Bachelor of Business and Shorthand (B. B.) under Prof. O. E. Anderson, now president Georgia-Alabama Business College, Macon, in 1890; and studied book- keeping by mail from the leading schools of the country. He attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky., in 1895-'96-'97, and 1906-'07, receiving the degree of Bachelor of Theology.
385
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
In addition to his exceptional collegiate training he has been a hard student at home, having acquired a knowledge of German, French and Spanish.
He began his work as a teacher in the common schools of the county. Later he was principal of Midway High School, Bibb county ; principal of Pounds Academy, in Alabama ; vice-president Perry-Rainey Institute, Auburn ; vice-president Martin Institute, Jefferson; principal of Rose Hill and Cooper Institutes, Mississippi; president of Bowden College, Bowden, Ga., president North Georgia Baptist College, Morganton, Ga., and at present is professor of Greek and Bible in Union Baptist Institute, Mt. Vernon, Ga.
He was ordained to the ministry at Mt. Moriah, in 1896. Among the churches he has served are Carl, Mineral Bluff, Morganton, Kesler, Edison, Arlington, all in Georgia, and Concord and Blackwater, Miss. He has baptized about 60 members into the church, and in his work with other ministers has been the means of leading to many baptisms.
While he has never given up the work of the ministry, getting much joy and many blessings from the work, yet, realizing that one of the functions committed to the early christian church was to teach, and that one of the functions of the Holy Spirit is to teach, his work has therefore been largely educational. By hard work and close application, he has prepared himself for any work along educational lines in high school or college.
On December 25, 1892, he was married to Miss Emma Ellis, of Macon. In the hard fought battles of life, she
386
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
has loyally stood by his side, and by her patient toil and consecration she has been a great factor in the marked achievements that have crowned his life. They have four interesting children.
Rev. N. D. Meadow.
The Rev. N. D. Meadow, pastor of the Christian churches at Auburn and Midway, is a native of Ogle- thorpe county, having been born October 14, 1866. In
REV. N. D. MEADOW.
1879 he moved to Gwinnett county and grew to man- hood on the farm. He attended the rural schools of the community in which he lived as well as the graded schools at Auburn and Winder. Later he attended Tran-
387
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
sylvania University, Lexington, Ky., and received a di- ploma from Dansville, N. Y.
For several years he taught school, and his name is perpetuated in the community known as Meadow, near Duluth, he having taught school there some years ago.
In 1896, he was married to Miss Mamie Stewart, daughter of Mr. Jesse Stewart, of near Winder.
It was the year of his marriage that he began regular ministerial work, and has been the pastor of the churches at New Hope, Hopewell, Auburn, Carter's and Omer in Gwinnett county, Loganville in Walton county, Gal- ilee, Statham, Gratis, Hoschton and Midway in Jackson county, and Bogart, Hebron and Antioch in Oconee county.
He has baptized 75, and received into the church otherwise than by baptism as many as 25, or perhaps more.
As a result of his work as teacher and minister, several young men and women are now devoting their lives to teaching or preaching.
Rev. W. E. Moore.
Rev. W. E. Moore was born in Gwinnett county, ten miles east of Lawrenceville in Harbins district on a farm and remained there until he was 19 years old. At this age he moved to Auburn with his father, Dr. R. B. Moore, where he still lives with his mother, his father having died in March, 1910.
He received his education at Perry-Rainey Institute, Locust Grove Institute and Hiawassee High School. In
388
GWINNETT CHURCHES.
five years after his conversion, he preached his first ser- mon at Carl, but he was not ordained until June, 1907. Immediately after being ordained, he became the pastor
REV. W. E. MOORE.
of Philippi church in Henry county, and served this church two and a half years, baptizing 18 converts into membership of the church. He has also served as pastor White Hall and Mulberry churches.
DATE DUE
₹
GAYLORD
PRINTED IN U.S.A.
BW4219.7.G9F5 Gwinnett churches, a complete history of
Princeton Theological Seminary-Speer Library
1 1012 00001 9549
Need help finding more records? Try our genealogical records directory which has more than 1 million sources to help you more easily locate the available records.