The Norfolk Virginian. [volume] (Norfolk, Va.) 186?-189?, 1897-10-20
DR,OWEN INTERVIEWED
His Future Course Will Depend Upon the
Action Of His Congregation.
SKETCH OF AN INTERESTING CAREER
Born In This state Sixty Years Ago
Thirty-Six Years II PRstor-Twrnty-
FiSc Years With Court street
Church-Growth OF tho Church
Under Ills n1inistrations. a-.

Iue elCllOU OIL the OelCOnS or Court
Street Baptist Church, Portsmouth, In
demanding the resignation of Rev. a. L.
Owen, d. d., continues TO be the scnsa-
ton OF the hour. OH both sides Of the
river, and all day yesterday the resi-
dence of the divine was thIonged with
members of his congregation and friends
on the outside OF the flock who came to
offer their sympathy and TO tender ex-
pressions Of regard and confidence. DR..
Owens himself hardly realizes the blow,
1t has been 80 great. and meets all his
friends with smile and a genial word
as was always his wont, his manner
giving little Indication Of the grief that
Is MT his heart.
Among his callers yesterday was 4 Vir-
gilman representative, whom he received
very graciously. but refused to talk
about the letter which has brought him
SO much trouble. beyond saying that
he did not understand why it should
have been written; that IL was unde-
served. and cruel; 1t hurt him worse
than anything that had ever happened
to him. He said lie was going ITO leave
the matter to God and his church. He
was careful to say that he bore no i'll
will toward any of the deacons. There
were Years in his eyes and his voice
broke when he said that he had thought
any ono lhfltt!l1FpgHllTFohld have died for
him.; as he would have shed his last
drop of blood for any of them.
Asked as to what his future course
would be, DR.. Owens said he did not
know. 1t would depend upon what his
church did Sunday. If II, gave him
vote of confidence he would stay-for
awhile, anyway. He was going to fight
this thing. and did not intend to allow
his reputation TO be swept away in q
single day.
Rev. A. p. Owen Is one of, the best
known and most poular Baptist
preachers in the State. He was born in
Powha!tan county, Va, on September q,
1887. His father was Richard johnson
Owen, q carpenter, and his mother was,
before her marriage, Miss Narcissus
! Langsdon, q lady of Hugenot extraction.
her family having come over to this
country in 1855. Dr. Ovens grand
Gather Elisha Owen, was brave sol
dier in the Revolutionary war, and was
in the operations against Yorktown.
DIR. OWENS brother, William Thomas
Owen, was killed in the battle Of Dru-
ry'H Bluff In the late war.
A. u. owen was n poor fboy-very
poor. He left home when he WINS sixteen
years old. and spent four years work
ing ut various trades. In 1857 he en-
tered Richmond College as ministerial
STUDENT, leaving there in the spring OF
1861 and taking charge OF several
churches IN Brunswick. In the ten
years that followed he had charge OF
the following churches: Reedy Creek
Brunswick county: Malones. Mecklen-
burg county; Fountains Creek. and
Ilcksford, Greensville county: High
Hills and Antioch, Sussex county; WILL
sons. Dlnwiddie county; and Hebron, in
southampton.
On December 6, 1866 he was married
TO Miss Henrietta MARY Hall, daughter
of Clement Hail.. g prominent farmer
In December, 1871, he was called to the
pastoratc Of the CouN Street Church,
IN Portsmouth, 81 and has had that
charge ever slnce:y twenty-s!x years In
ell. In that time the congregation has
grown from about 300 to $40, no.with-
standing that 1t has sent out two new
churches with a membership of about
800 each. 1T has sent out seven preach
ers in that time from Its congregation,
has been repaired extensively four
times. andAhhS S{fe' OF the finest lecture
rooms in the State comparatively re-
cent addition. The congregation is now
one Of the wealthiest and most liberal
In this section.
Dr. Owen received his degree Of D. d.
about twelve years ago from Baylor
University. Texas. He is trustee OF
Richmond College, OF I3yland Institute,
Vice president of the Foreign Missionary
Society for Virginia, and corresponding
secretary of the STAKE Board of Foreign
Missions. He has seven children, three
OF Whom are married. He has the rep
utntion Of having dedicated more
churches than any one else in the State
except Rev w. e. Hatcher, D. D., of
Richmond.