Biography of John T. Boone, Jacksonville, Duval County, FL

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Transcribed from:  The History of Florida:  Past & Present, The Lewis Publishing Co., Vol. 
II, page 91, 1923.

BOONE, Rev. JOHN T.  Included in the ministry of the Christian Church are men of broad 
education, religious zeal and enlightened views, whose example and precept exercise an 
influence for morality that has earned recognition as one of the great factors in advancing 
any community.  Not alone is the Christian pastor a spiritual guide to his people, but he 
must also possess a large measure of the practicality which will help him to advise and 
teach in the ordinary events of life and to protect the interests of his parish while also 
promoting its temporal affairs.  Much, in fact, is demanded of those who choose the unselfish 
life of the Christian pastor.  Not all, as in other walks of life, are fitted by nature for 
the same sum of responsibility, and perhaps few under the same circumstances would have had 
such success as that which has attended the efforts of Rev. JOHN T. BOONE, pastor of the 
First Christian Church of Jacksonville, and one of the prominent Masons of Florida.

Reverend BOONE was born in Smith County, Tennessee, a son of JAMES NORTH and SARAH (BARRY) 
BOONE.  JAMES NORTH BOONE, a descendent of the famous frontiersman, DANIEL BOONE, was reared 
in Wilson County, Tennessee, but in young manhood removed to Smith County, where he married, 
established a home and settled down to agricultural pursuits, in which he spent the remainder 
of an honorable and useful life.  His wife was a daughter of Mr. And Mrs. JAMES BARRY, who 
removed from Virginia to Smith County, Tennessee, in their early married life.  JAMES N. and 
SARAH BOONE became the parents of nine children, of whom only two survive:  JOHN T.; and 
E.O., of Tallahassee, Florida.

JOHN T. BOONE attended a country school in Smith County as a child, and later was sent to the 
Masonic Academy at Alexandria, Tennessee.  In childhood he had settled it in his own mind 
that he would become a minister, but kept the matter a secret in his heart for many years, 
and it was not until he was approaching young manhood that, on a certain Sunday night, he 
greatly surprised his parents by making known his wish to attend college for the purpose of 
entering the ministry.  His wishes being readily granted, he first attended Larimore's College 
at Florence, Alabama, afterward went to Transylvania University, Lexington, Kentucky, and 
finally pursued a course at the Chicago University, where he completed his preparation.  Prior 
to his advent at Jacksonville he had done little preaching, the greater part of that being 
at St. Louis, Missouri.  While there he was united in marriage with Miss LIZZIE BLATTNER.  
A call from the First Christian Church of Jacksonville came in 1898, on December 1st of which 
year Reverend BOONE and his wife arrived in this city, bringing with them their tiny babe, 
BRACE.  Two other children have since come to the home: PAUL DRYDEN and CAROLYN MARIE.  
BRACE graduated from Bethany College, Bethany, West Virginia, in June, 1922.  PAUL DRYDEN 
graduated in June, 1921, from Vanderbilt University, and is now in the Government employ 
as a chemist at Washington, D.C.  CAROLYN MARIE is attending Christian College, Columbia, 
Missouri.

At the time of Reverend BOONE's arrival the First Christian Church had seventy-four members, 
meeting in a small wooden structure at Main and Bever streets.  This was destroyed in the 
great conflagration on 1901, following which there was erected the handsome stone structure 
at the corner of Hogan and Monroe streets, which at the present time has over 1,200 members.  
In addition to the First Christian Church, as an outgrowth of the first congregation there 
are the Central Church, located on Ninth, between Main and Laura streets;  the Riverside Church, 
the Evergreen Avenue Church, the St. Nicholas Church of South Jacksonville, and the Murray 
Hill Church.  Reverend BOONE took a very active part in the building of the Florida Christian 
Home for the Aged at Murray Hill.  This institution can accommodate about 100 persons.

Reverend BOONE, as before noted, is prominent in Masonry, being a past chaplain of Temple Lodge 
No. 23, F. and A.M., in which he served several terms; and past eminent commander of Damascus 
Commandery No. 2, K.T., of which he has been prelate for several years.