Unknown County GaArchives Biographies.....Whitten, James 1785 - 1859 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/ga/gafiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00001.html#0000031 February 4, 2005, 4:27 pm Author: J. H. Campbell JAMES WHITTEN. This worthy and useful minister of the gospel was born In Spartanburg District, South Carolina, January 26th, 1785, and died in Columbus, Georgia, the 17th of November, 1859, in the seventy-fifth year of his age. He was married in 1809, to Miss A. E. Thompson, a devotedly pious lady, whose influence tended to strengthen religious impressions of which he was already the subject. But the cares of his family and other worldly interests predominated for a time. Before he had attained his thirtieth year, he was elected to a seat in the Legislature of his native State, and at other times he held other important offices of honor and trust, conferred upon him by his fellow-citizens. About this period of life he had severe struggles of soul. Worldly honors and successes failed to satisfy the longings of his immortal nature, though attained by honorable means, and in part to gratify the wishes of his friends. In the thirty-second year of his age, he obtained pardon and peace through faith in Christ. After having experienced much distress and perplexity on the subject of a public profession of religion for six months, he finally united with the Baptist church at the Cross-roads, in Greenville District, South Carolina, and was baptized by Rev. N. Jackson. He henceforth relinquished the world, and devoted his life to the work of doing good. To honor God and relieve the wretchedness of suffering humanity, engaged all the energies of his being. Every good and benevolent enterprise received his hearty support. He was licensed to preach in March, 1823, raid after laboring with much acceptance for nearly two years, in December, 1825, he was ordained at the request of the church with which he first united. That winter he removed to Hall county. Georgia, and soon thereafter became the pastor of Yellow creek church; and giving himself almost entirely to the ministry during the ten years of his residence in that neighborhood, he was greatly blessed in. his labors of love. His name is, even to this day, like a household word in the circles in which he moved in those days. The loss of his first wife about this time, the mother of ten children, was an irreparable loss. Soon after this sad event, he removed to the neighborhood of Whitesville, Harris county, where his ministry was also highly appreciated, and where many recognized him as the instrument of their conversion. Here he married a second time, and here, also, his second wife soon died. After her decease, he removed to Columbus, and spent his remaining days in the family of one of his daughters In this field of labor, by his unostentatious piety and untiring devotion to the work of his divine Master, he secured the warmest Christian affection of all his associates, and the respect of the entire community. As a missionary among the factory population, and the pastor of the African Baptist church, he was eminently useful. During the thirty-eight years of his ministry, he baptized upwards of one thousand professed believers. Having accomplished his work, in accordance with a prayer which he frequently uttered, he was "gathered as a shock of corn fully ripe," and "died in sight of heaven," at peace with God and all mankind. He was "a good man, and full of the Holy Ghost and of faith." By no act of his life did he ever bring reproach on the cause of Christ. On the contrary, he glorified Him in all things. Few men were more familiar with the sacred volume, or could wield the weapons of warfare which it furnishes, more effectively. Verily was he "a good minister of Jesus Christ." Additional Comments: From: GEORGIA BAPTISTS: HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL BY J. H. CAMPBELL, PERRY, GEORGIA. MACON, GA.: J. W. BURKE & COMPANY. 1874. Entered according to Act of Congress, in the year 1874, by J. H. CAMPBELL, In the office of the Librarian of Congress, at Washington. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/ga/unknown/bios/gbs742whitten.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.org/gafiles/ File size: 4.5 Kb