Nansemond County Virginia USGenWeb Archives History.....Johnson, Rev. I.W., D.D., 1948 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/va/vafiles.htm ************************************************ "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 25, No. 64, Fri., June 18, 1948, p. 1 I.W. Johnson to Mark 50 Years Of Service to Chuckatuck Church Fifty years of service to church and comunity will be observed Sunday when Dr. I.W. Johnson the "marryin' parson," often called, celebrates a half century of progress at Oakland Christian Church in Chuckatuck. Dr. Johnson has spent those years looking forward and the theme of his address at the morning service will be simply "Looking Forward." Coming to Oakland Christian Church fresh from college on June 17, 1898, Dr. Johnson has seen the church grow from 134 to 410 members. His "looking forward" has brought the Sunday School from 60 to 300 members. Two weeks ago the Sunday school had an attendance of 384. From a little chapel Oakland Christian has grown to a large church, that is even now contemplating a $12,000 addition. A $17,000 auditorium and Sunday School building was erected in 1924. Dr. Johnson is one minister who is well qualified to handle the finances of his church. Since 1924 be has been president of the Bank of Whaleyville. His father-in-law persuaded him to buy three shares of stock in the bank in 1906. Soon he was elected to the Board of Directors. In 1917 he was elected vice-president of the bank. The investment increased over the years until at the present time Dr. Johnson owns 57 shares in the bank. Dr. Johnson observed that congregations expect a measure of financial ability in their pastors and that his bank experience has been invaluable to this end. When he isn't preaching from the pulpit or attending to financial affairs, Dr. Johnson emerges as one of the best clock repairers in this area. His particular forte is the repairing of ancient clocks. During the war he was the only person in this area capable of making repairs on the older timepieces. "Marryin' Parson" has been applied to many a minister before, but Dr. Johnson qualifies for the title with a record of having tied the knot on 2,736 occasions. Marriages have come to Dr. Johnson, however, not he to them. His feelings are that any two people old enough to get married have sense enough about what they are doing, and he marries them without question. Originally Dr. Johnson was pastor not only of Oakland Christian, but of Isle of Wight, Windsor and Holland Christian congregations as well. However, his charge has been modified to include only churches in Nansemond County. He now serves as minister to Berea and Liberty Spring Churches as well as Oakland Christian. Music during Sunday's services will be by the Young People's Choir. Jack and Newman Byrd will sing a duet of "Why Should He Love Me So?" and Holy Communion will be administered by Dr. N.G. Newman. Rev. Frank H. Lewis of Portsmouth will deliver the address at the anniversary service at 1:30 o'clock with Mills E. Godwin, Jr., presiding. Dinner will be served on the church grounds between the morning and afternoon services. Special music will be rendered by Ray Hollowell, J.N. Megginsen, Claude Staples, and Wallace Wilson, with Mrs. Velma Holland as accompanist. Mrs. Ray Hollowell and Megginsen will join in a duet. Talks will be made by R. Emmett Rogers on "What Dr. Johnson Means To Liberty Spring"; Russell T. Bradford on "What Dr. Johnson Means To Berea" and Mrs. Asa B. Johnson on "What Dr. Johnson Means To Oakland." ****************************************************************************** "Suffolk (VA) News-Herald," Vol. 25, No. 66, Mon., June 21, 1948, p. 1 Half of Congregation Married by Its Pastor More then half the congregation stood up yesterday at services honoring Dr. I.W. Johnson's 50 years of service at Oakland Christian Church in Chuckatuck when a call was issued asking all who had been married by Dr. Johnson to stand up. Dr. Johnson has married 2,736 couples in his half century at Oakland. Between ceremonies he has found time to be president of the Bank of Whaleyville and one of the finest repairers of old clocks in this area. After preaching the morning service himself, Dr. Johnson sat down and heard members of the congregation and many others praise him for his achievements in church and community. During these services Dr. Johnson was presented with a silver pitcher, while his wife was given a silver bowl. Minister at Oakland Christian for 50 years, Dr. Johnson has also served at Liberty Spring Church for 45 years and Berea Christian Church for 42 years. He will retire from the ministry next October. Dr. Frank H. Lewis, pastor of the Sheldon Memorial Church in Portsmouth, delivered the main address, praising Dr. Johnson's loyal and sincere service to God and to his church. Mrs. Laura Murphy, 86 and one of the 20 members of Dr. Johnson's original congregation still alive, was presented with a gift as the oldest member. Members of this congregation present at the services were Mr. and Mrs. A.L. Beale, Mr. and Mrs. J.T. Brock, Mrs. Grace T. Chandler, W.C. Gayle, Mrs. Curtis Griffin, Mrs. J.W. Holland, Mrs. Lillie M. Mathews, Dr. N.G. Newman, Mr. and Mrs. C.H. Pitt, Mr. and Mrs. Leroy Pope, and Mr. and Mrs. E.E. Wagner. Absent members of this group were Mr. and Mrs. Fletcher Luke and the Rev. C.E. Newman. Rev. Isaac Walter JOHNSON, D.D., Oakland Christian Church, Chuckatuck, 50th anniversary, 20 Jun 1948 Dr. JOHNSON (1874 - 1955) is buried in Whaleyville Methodist Church Cemetery. Whaleyville list, an extension of the Southampton County Historical Society {SCHS} Cemetery Project: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/cemeteries/whaleyvl.txt His obits ("Suffolk News-Herald," Apr. 26 & 28, 1955) are posted at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/obits/j525i8ob.txt Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by File Manager Matt Harris (zoobug64@aol.com). file at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/va/nansemond/history/j525iw.txt