The Roanoke daily times. (Roanoke, Va.) 1895-1897, 1896-11-07
BLACKSMITH AND PREACHER.
An llliterate Tennessee Evangelist Who
Has Had Great Success
(FrOm the Knoxville Tribunel


The Rev. Tom Sexton, the blacksmith
preacher, who is known to thousands of
people throughout East Tennessee. has
been preaching the gospel for eight years
and never went to school day in his life
This man has an interesting career; in
fact, it is remarkable. He is now just
forty years old, and during the coming
winter he is going to take II study course
and some day he will doubtless be one of
the Leading evangelists Of the country
His home is in Maryville, where he has a
wife and II family of little ones.
Few people who are natives of Blount
county and who saw Tom Sexton grow
up to manhood ever dreamed that he
would be Il minister of The gospel. He
was horn near Clarksville Ga. and is the
son of John Sexton, who WAS veteran
blacksmith.
In 1870 the Sexton family located in
Blount county, and the old man opened a
small blacksmith shop alongside the
Knoxville and Augusta railroad track,
about three miles beyond Rockford. Here
he remained until Il few years before his
DEATH which occurred seven years ago
'SeXton' shop was know n far and wide;
in fact 1t was the only one i'll that neck
of the woods for several years. Tom grew
up around the shop, and about all he
learned was the trade of his father. When
he became of age he was married, and
soon after opeEed shop for himself at
Maryville, but later moved to Rockford,
where he spent ut least ten years of his
life. He was known over the country as
IN habitual drunkarl, and was often in
trouble, neglecting his business to great
extent.
One day he had been to Knoxville booz-
hn0 liz ,trl.f tl,. frnt
had left him, so he attempted to walk
home. Out near the Knoxville and Au-
gusta junction he sat down upon a cross
tie and when the train came along he re
FUSED to get up, and the consequence was
That he was knocked into Il ditch but not
seriously hurt, and was picked up and
taken to his home, which then was Il little
frame hut just beyond the Rockford de.
pot. Another time he was going home
late one night, riding horseback, and rode
his horse off. into ii ditch, the animal fall
ing on him, and neither was able to get
up until Il man came along and took the
animal off the man. Another time he
drove blind mule Into the river, having
IN the buggy his wife and children, but
it happened none of them was killed.
Eight years ago Tom proiessed religion
and determined to lead IL better life He
concluded that he had been "calc, to
preach, and so at Morgantown, in Lou.
don county, he preached his first sermon,
and from that day to this he has kept
constantly Mt it. In Knoxville he has held
four reyivals and had $50 conversions.
During all his life of drunkenness he saws
his good wife prayed for him, and never
did he doubt her religion, and since he
became preacher she has taught him to
read and write. Since then he has had
strong desire to attain more knowledge.
but has never had the time nor the
means. lie is now preaching throughout
East Tennessee to get money enough to
support his family for three months dur
ing the winter, while he puts in that time
studying. some of the college professors
ut Maryville have agreed to give him in
structions and to hear him recite. While
i'll the city one day last week he said that
he was just going to cast off all care and
do nothing but study Early in the fall
he will open big revival in Knoxville,
and what money he can make will go TO.
ward keeping his family while he is
studying.