Georgia - Biographies - Baptist - Rev. William Jesse Barton ********************************************************************************************** USGENWEB ARCHIVES NOTICE: These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or presentation by any other organization or persons. Persons or organizations desiring to use this material, must obtain the written consent of the contributor, or the legal representative of the submitter, and contact the listed USGenWeb archivist with proof of this consent. The submitter has given permission to the USGenWeb Archives to store the file permanently for free access. http://www.usgwarchives.net ********************************************************************************************** This file contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by Charlene Parker" Sep 2002 From "History of Bethel Association Including Centennial Meeting", by Alexander Lee Miller REV. W. J. BARTON 1857 - 1927 William Jesse Barton, born at Canton, Georgia, September 16, 1857, was the oldest son of Wilson and Martha Daniel Barton. When a farmer boy of seventeen he was converted and joined the country church near his home. In 1885 he was ordained to the ministry by the Marietta Baptist Church. For several years he preached and traveled for King Hardware Company, Atlanta, but finally gave up everything to the ministry of preaching. He served the following churches during his forty two years of ministry; Taylorsville; Seventh Baptist, Atlanta; Beach Spring; McRae; Ocilla; Nashville; Abbeville; Ailey; Hazelhurst; Cornelia; Homestead, Fla.; Leary; Salem; Edison; and back to Abbeville the second time where on the night of November 7, 1927 he bade farewell to his last field of labor and fell asleep in Jesus to await the "Great Day of Coronation." Brother Barton was married three times and is survived by his widow, Mrs. Alice York Barton, and a child by his first and second marriages, Mr. Edgar Speer Barton of Florida and Mrs. T. L. W. MacDonald of Abbeville, Georgia, and several grandchildren. Brother Barton was like the hills in which he was reared--granite-like in purpose, towering to reach great spiritual heights; and yet gentle and long suffering with his fellowman, quick to forgive and eager to return good for evil. He built thirteen churches during his years of preaching and raised large sums for missions and education. Having very few educational advantages spurred him on to fire the ambitions of the youth of his congregations to obtain an education at any price. He was greatly interested in young people and so wound himself around their hearts that at the memorial service held for him in Abbeville, the place of his passing, the spokesman from the B.Y.P.U. called him the youngest member on their roll. He led his people to see a vision of a lost world and a saving Christ and never let them lose sight of their responsibility toward the program of our God and His Christ. In 1919 Brother Barton came to the Bethel Association as pastor of the Edison and Leary Baptist Churches. He brought with him to this task his faithful helpmeet, Mrs. Alice York Barton. Under their leadership the church moved on to greater things and the two modern church houses at Leary and Edison are a monument to his sacrifice and labor. The church grew in other ways. It went from two to three Sundays per month and increased in power, spiritually and financially. Brother Barton's insistence upon Christian Stewardship was its chief source of growth. He was a happy Christian warrior--always fighting, always happy. He left Edison in March 1925. The church was completed, but before the indebtedness was paid he felt the call back to his old pastorate at Abbeville. However God was good and before he left his earthly home he had the pleasure of returning to Edison and preaching the dedication sermon of the new church in March 1926 during the pastorate of Brother Jones. Brother Barton was the sixth pastor of the Edison Church and also preached at Salem during the last few years of his work at Edison. He beckons us on by his love and his Christ-like example to take up the cross and march on to certain victory, promised to those who are faithful to the end; never faltering, but trusting, praying, loving and giving. "Let us press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus." following notes added by Debra Crosby Georgia Death Index Name: Wm. J. Barton Death Date: 07 Nov 1927 Gender: County of Death: Wilcox Certificate: 28598-I 1920 Federal Census Calhoun County Georgia Edison City E. D. 12 sheet 4b 82/91 Barton, W. J. 62 Ga Sc Ga Baptist Preacher Alice 58 Ga Ga Tn Georgia Marriages Cherokee Co. BARTON, Wilson M. - DANIEL, Martha J. Date: June 24, 1852