Biography of J. Dean Adcock, Orlando, Orange County, FL

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

ADCOCK, Rev. J. DEAN, pastor of the First Baptist Church of Orlando, has been in the Baptist 
ministry for over twenty years, and his work as pastor and in other organizations of the 
church has made him one of the best known in that denomination in the South.

He was born on a farm near Milan, in Carroll County, Tennessee, July 10, 1876, son of ALFRED 
M. and CAROLINE (MILLS) ADCOCK.  He is of Scotch-Irish ancestry.  His father, born and reared 
in Tennessee, was of North Carolina lineage.  The mother of Rev. Mr. ADCOCK was of Virginia
stock and was born in Spottsylvania County.  ALFRED M. ADCOCK was a farmer and stock raiser,
and served as a Confederate cavalryman under the brilliant leader, General Forrest.  He died 
in 1892, surviving his wife two years.

Rev. Mr. ADCOCK spent the first fifteen years of his life on a farm.  After the common schools 
he attended Union University at Jackson, Tennessee.  Just before he completed his literary 
and theological courses a severe illness made it impossible for him to graduate with the 
class of 1901, although the university recognizes him as a member of that class of graduates.
Soon after his ordination to the ministry he accepted his first pastorate at Marianna, Arkansas.
Subsequently he was pastor at Mansfield, Louisiana, Leesville, Louisiana, and for one year 
was state secretary of the Kentucky State Baptist Sunday School work under the State Baptist 
Missionary Board, with headquarters at Louisville.  He soon sought an opportunity to resume 
pastoral service, and accepted a call to the Nicholasville Baptist Church in Kentucky.

Mr. ADCOCK came to Florida in 1911 to accept a call to the Baptist Church at Tallahassee.  
His prosperous and congenial labors at Tallahassee continued for eight years and in 1919 he 
took the pastorate of the First Baptist Church at Orlando.  His service as a churchman has 
been constructive in every sense, including the strengthening of church associations and 
work and the building of a number of church edifices.  The Baptist Church of Tallahassee, 
built during his administration, is regarded as one of the best in the state.

Mr. ADCOCK is Florida member of the Board of Trustees of the Bible Institute at New Orleans,
Florida member of the Executive Convention of the Southern Baptist Church, is a director of 
the state paper of the Baptist Convention, the Baptist Witness.  Socially he is a Knight 
Templar Mason, Knight of Pythias and is the minister member of the Orlando Rotary Club.

In 1904 he married at Mansfield, Louisiana, Miss FRANCES RIVES, of the old RIVES family of 
Virginia.  They have two daughters, FRANCES RIVES and EMMA CAROLINE ADCOCK.