Clarke courier. [volume] (Berryville, Va.) 1869-1997, 1906-10-17
sam" Jones is Dead.

vile. Ga, died early Monday
morning of heart failure in sleep
ing car on train No. 1 OF the Rock
Island Railroad near Perry, Ark.
Mr.. Jones had been conducting
revival at Oklahoma City, /. r.,
and left there Sunday night for his
home in Georgia. He desired to
attend a family reunion Tuesday
il being his dfty-ninth birthday.
Mrs. Jones and his daughters,
Mrs. Annie Pyron and Miss Julia
Jones, were with him when he
passed away.
Mr.. Jones arose from his berth
in the sleeper about O'Clock and
complained of nausea. He drank
4 glass of hot water and immedi-
ately afterward collapsed. Rev.
Walt Holcomb, who had been as
sociated with Mr.. Jones for a
number of years, took the dying
man in his arms and i'm a few min
utes the evangelist breathed his
last.
The body was embalmed and
was sent To Cartersville for inter-
ment.
Samuel Porter Jones was un-
doubtedly the most discussed char
acter iu the religious field this
country has produced in many
years. He was born in Chambers
county, Alabama, October Is, 1S47.
and was the son of Capt. Jones, a
soldier in the Civil War. When
u years old his parents removed
to Cartersville. Ga, where he
studied for number ofyears under
8 private tutors and at boarding
schools. At the age of % years he
was admitted TO the Georgia bar
and began the practice of law with
bright prospects, having made a
lasting impression on the public
by his keen insight into legal COM
plications from the start.
In few years, however, his
health failed, presumably on ac-
count of close application to his
duties, and the young lawyer
plunged into dissipation. Nervous
dyspepsia developed and his down
ward career soon caused Mr.. Jones
TO lose his professional standing.
This riotous life continued until the
death of his father, whom he
promised, while on his death bed,
to reform and live an honorable
career.
In 1872 Mr.. Jones fired with re-
solution, determined to fulfill his
promise, and subsequently he was
converted. He at once selected
the ministry as his future vocation
and began his new work on a small
circuit near Covington, Ga. Bis
hop Key, of the Methodist Epis-
Ocpal Church South, was the high
est official under whom the young
minister labOred.
After three years the Bishop,
having noticed the peculiarly i'm
pressivemanneri which the young
preacher uttered unusually vigor-
Gus thoughts, suggested that a
revival meeting be held at little
church about 90 miles away and
that the young preacher from the
\ pine woods be given a chance, as
he seemed to possess some ability. :"
Rev. Mr.. Jones was sent to the
little church, and, although his
preaching almost turned the small
village upside down, his reputation
only reached the nearby towns.
For five years more he worked
at his post until he was called to
Cincinnati to conduct series of
meetings. This was the first time
the public eye was attracted to the
man whose name later became so
familiar to the Masses of Ameri-
cans.
lie was known to 4 large num-
Der of people in this section, hav-
ing been present at the White Post
Chatauqua, the Front Royal Cha
tauqua, and meetings in Winches-
Ter, on several occasions.