HIRAM POWELL

Rev. Hiram Powell, was born June 6th, 1797, in Edgefield
district, South Carolina.  When about two years of age, his
parents moved to Georgia and settled in what is now Twiggs
County.  His father was an irreligious man, but his mother
was remarkable for her deep piety, and made a lasting
impression for good on her son in his early childhood.  In
1818 or 1819 he united with the Stone Creek church, in
Twiggs county, dating his conversion back to his boyhood,
and was baptized, probably, by Rev. Charwick Tharp.  He at
once became an active, useful member, and was a valuable
accession to the church.

In 1821 he moved to Crawford county, which was then very
thinly settled.  There were no churches, or schools in this
county at that time, which was a source of deep regret to
Mr. Powell.  Accordingly, in a few weeks he invited his
neighbors to assist him in building a house in which to
worship God.  With what slight assistance he could procure,
he went into the woods, cut down pine trees, and soon a
rough log house was completed.  The Sunday following its
completion, divine service was held in it, and on that day
the subject of this sketch preached his first sermon.  Soon
afterwards, a church was constituted and named Mr. Zion.  He
was called to be its pastor, and was ordained to the
ministry.

In 1825 he moved to Talbot County, and for seventeen years
his labors were confined principally to that section of the
State.  In 1843 he returned to his old home in Crawford
County, where he remained until December, 1859.  During this
time he served Benevolence Church, in Crawford County, and
Travellers’ Rest Church, in Macon County,  In 1859 he moved
to Early County, where he remained till the day of his
death.

He was in the ministry about forty years, and during that
time never failed to keep his appointments with his
churches, unless providentially prevented, notwithstanding
he had almost invariably to travel by private conveyance to
do so.  If there was a section of country within his reach
which was destitute of preaching, no sacrifice was too great
for him to make to carry them the Gospel.  He probably
baptized more persons, and built up more churches in widely-
scattered communities, than any other minister in Georgia,
of his day.  He assisted in organizing the Rehoboth
Association, and never failed to attend a single session of
this body from the date of its organization until his death.
He was one of the presbyters who ordained Rev. T. A. Reid
and Rev. J. S. Dennard as missionaries to Africa.  He also
assisted in the ordination exercises of Rev. J. S. Murrow As
missionary to the Creek Indians.

He was twice married; first in 1818, and again in 1841.  He
raised sixteen children, all of whom became church members
when young, two of them being Baptist ministers.

Mr. Powell was a great lover of his country.  Though he was
never regularly mustered into service, he was a first
lieutenant of a volunteer company.  He believed that the
South had a constitutional right to secede from the Union,
and was one of the first fathers in the country to send his
sons to the front in defence of the cause which he believed
to be right.  It was his intention to join them in Virginia
in the autumn of 1861, and offer his services as a volunteer
chaplain, but the great Captain of our Salvation called him
to a higher post of honor, on the 18th of August, 1861.

Ref:  HISTORY OF THE BAPTIST DENOMINATION IN GEORGIA, 1881,
Atlanta, GA, pp. 429-430.
     



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