Chambers County AlArchives Biographies.....McGinty, Rev. Basil Beasley June 19, 1890 - June 29, 1975
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Gerald K. McGinty, Sr. http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00021.html#0005198 July 4, 2005, 4:48 pm

Author: Gerald K. McGinty, Sr.

Rev. Basil Beasley McGinty
 
Submitted by Gerald K. McGinty, Sr.
 
Basil was born June 19, 1890. There is disagreement as to where he was born. 
Some records say that he was born in McGinty, Chambers Co., AL but other 
records show that his father and family were living in Dudleyville, Tallapoosa 
Co., AL until 1900, when they relocated to the farm owned by his grandfather, 
William Pitts McGinty in Chambers Co. Economic conditions at this time were 
such that Basil started working as a floor sweeper in the Riverdale cotton mill 
at age ten. He continued to work at the mill for fifty-six years, retiring in 
late 1955. At the time of his retirement, he was office manager, personnel 
director and paymaster. He studied in his spare time and earned his high school 
diploma later in life, after he was already a father. Despite his lack of 
formal education, he was known as one of the most learned men in the area and 
was also a fine speaker.
 
He was twice married, the first time to Etta B. Suggs of Thomaston, GA in 1910. 
They produced two children, Elmo Leon and Mildred Shanks. Elmo, born in 1911, 
joined the Navy in WW II and died in Seattle of a heart disease in 1944 (Elmo 
left two baby girls, Laura Jeannette and Mary Maxine. Later in life they both 
became PhD's). Mildred was born in 1915 and recently died in Mississippi. Wife, 
Etta died in 1922 and is buried in the First Christian Church cemetery in River 
View. In 1924, Basil married Mary Melissa Hand of Gold Hill, Clay Co., AL. They 
produced two daughters, Mary Sue, born in 1927 and Jane Berry, born in 1933. 
Sue Newberry lives in Columbus, GA and Jane Alford lives in North Carolina. I 
am very fortunate to have acquired some of his original notes and research from 
his daughter, Sue Newberry. 
 
Basil studied the Bible from a very young age. He used to take a page to work 
with him so that he could study it when the boss wasn't looking. In 1914 he 
became an ordained minister at the Bethlehem Missionary Baptist Church. He 
began to serve rural churches as their pastor in addition to his full time 
position at the mill. These churches included Cussetta, Farmville, Rock 
Springs, Antioch and Waverly. He also served as moderator of the East Liberty 
Baptist association for seventeen years. Few men have been more successful as a 
pastor. He wrote a wonderful book, History of the East Liberty Baptist 
Association, and was a long time column writer in the Valley newspaper.
 
In the 1950's, Basil purchased part of the old McGinty land that was then known 
as the Scales farm. This included the home site where his grandfather, William 
Pitts had lived. He rebuilt a new, modern brick home on this site, using some 
of the original, hand hewn timbers. The house still stands today and his 
daughter, Jane, owns the property. The house has been unoccupied since Mary's 
death in 1994. Basil's notes show that he and Mary had to borrow $4,000 to 
finance the construction of the new house. He got a loan at 4% interest from 
Fred Finch. There was no formal mortgage, only a gentleman's agreement. To pay 
off the loan, Miss Mary bought some more milk cows and milked from five to 
seven of them everyday for seven and one half years. Basil would deliver the 
milk on his way to work every morning. They paid off every dollar right on 
schedule. While Basil was frequently found in the house reading and studying, 
Miss Mary would be out in the field on her tractor, both doing what they 
enjoyed the most. I visited this house in June 2003. I was particularly 
impressed by the row of huge and very old cedar trees in front of the house. It 
takes three men, holding hands, to circle one of them. Because of their size 
and age, they would have been planted by William Pitts or perhaps were there 
even earlier. This site is steeped in McGinty history.
 
Basil felt a deep responsibility to his ancestors and in 1973, had the grave 
marker of Levin Moore, his maternal great grandfather, moved from what had 
become a junkyard behind the property owners house, to the McGinty plot at the 
Fairview cemetery. After his death in 1975, and as one of his final wishes, 
wife Mary also placed a grave marker by an old cedar stump in Fairview Cemetery 
where Basil's paternal great grandfather, George Washington McGinty was said to 
be buried. This grave had never had a marker. Basil died June 29, 1975 and 
wife, Mary passed away August 21, 1994. They are buried, together with son 
Elmo, in the McGinty plot at Fairview cemetery, just down the road from their 
home. 

Recognition from one of his churches in 1953 reads, "When God called B. B. 
McGinty to his gospel ministry, he seemed to have endowed him with a heart big 
enough and a love broad enough to include a greater field and a larger 
constituency than that afforded most ministers. No association of churches, or 
brotherhood of preachers, ever had a more faithful friend, leader, counselor 
and pastor than this brother-beloved." Basil McGinty was a loved and respected 
man.
 
 
 


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