Georgia   Biographies Baptist  James Armstrong

File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by 
Barbara Winge barbarawinge@yahoo.com

http://www.usgwarchives.org/ga/gafiles.htm 
Georgia Table of Contents:



JAMES ARMSTRONG

     Among the early Baptist of Georgia, one of the most useful
was Rev. James Armstrong, who was born March 20th, 1776, in
Rockland county, New York.  When quite young he was left an
orphan, his father being one of the twenty three men who were
massacred by Indians, when assembled for divine worship.
Raised by Mr. Joseph Barber, a Presbyterian, young James
Armstrong, was educated for the Presbyterian ministry, by Rev.
Brinklehoff, of that denomination.
     At an early age he embraced religion and united with the
Presbyterians in his natvie county.  On attaining manhood he
moved to Savannah, Georgia, maintaining his Presbyterian
relations, and teaching the Male Academy in that city.  After a
while he accepted the position of cashier in a bank...   On the
27th of February, 1808, he was elected an elder in the 
Presbyterian church of Savannah, but, becoming dissatisfied
with the views of the sect on baptism, he investigated the 
subject for himself; and the result was his baptism by Dr. 
Henry Holcombe, on the 15th of May 1810, and his union with
the Baptist church of Savannah.  When the war of 1812 came
on he moved to Wilkes county, Georgia, and settled near 
Fishing Creek meeting-house, where he brought up a family in
the ways of piety and godliness.
     He was ordained a deacon July 6th, 1816, having been 
licensed two years previously to preach.  His ordination to the 
full work of the ministry occurred October 11th, 1821.  
Becoming pastor of Fishing Creek church, he held this relation
for fourteen years...
     Emphatically a worker, he was industrious and punctual, no
ordinary obstacle being allowed to prevent his filling an 
appointment.  Neither rains nor storms, neither swollen 
streams, deep snow nor severe cold, could keep him from the 
house of God at the hour set apart for worship.  Indeed, it was
this faithfulness that cost him his life.  Notwithstanding the
intense cold which was experienced in the winter of 1834-35, 
he prosecuted with ardor his labors as general agent for the
Georgia Baptist Convention, in securing the endowment fund 
for Mercer Institute.  The result was an affection of his teeth
and jaws, caused by the cold, which communicate itself to his
whole system and finally terminated his earthly existence, on
the 28th of August, 1835...
     In the Minutes of the Convention for 1836, we find tribute
to his memory, over the signature of Jesse Mercer...

Ref:  HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION IN GEORGIA:
WITH BIOGRAPHICAL COMPENDIUM AND PORTRAIT 
GALLERY OF BAPTIST MINISTERS AND OTHER GEORGIA
BAPTIST, 1881, Jas. P. Harrison & Co., Atlanta, GA, pp. 09-11




========================
USGENWEB NOTICE:  In keeping with our policy of providing
free information on the Internet, data may be freely used
by non-commercial entities, as long as this message
remains on all copied material. These electronic pages
cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other
presentation. The submitter has given permission to the
USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for FREE
access. ==============