Louisiana AHGP

Part of the American History and Genealogy Project

G. W. Griffin

Dr. G. W. Griffin served as pastor of Homer Baptist Church and Mt. Lebanon church from 1889 to 1891. Dr. Griffin was born in Southhampton County, Virginia May 9, 1827. He attended Richmond College, Richmond, Virginia and soon became a Baptist minister. He worked as a teacher and itinerant preacher in Virginia for several years, then moved to Columbia, Tennessee to become pastor of the Baptist church there. He later moved to Knoxville and Lebanon, Tennessee as pastor of Baptist churches in the area.

Dr. Griffin married Miss Ella H. Bailey in 1858 and produced a large family, W. H., George W., Jr., Ed. W., Irving Manly, Samuel Chester, Cora, Florence, Eolin and Ella. Mrs. Griffin was much admired for her own educational attainments, since she received an education from Chowan College and Richmond Female Institute and graduated with honors. Soon after his marriage, Dr. Griffin became president of Lebanon Female College and served in this position until 1860. At this time he entered the Confederate army as chaplain of the Fifth North Carolina Infantry Volunteers and served until the end of the Civil War.

Dr. Griffin was known as a prolific author and philosopher and was well-known for his on-going philosophical debate with the distinguished philosopher Ewing. His publications included From Death to Life, a theological work designed for young people. He began his service as a teacher in Louisiana as a professor of logic at Mt. Lebanon University and became president of that institution in 1889 while pastor of our church. He was vice-president of the Louisiana Baptist Convention in 1891 delivered the introductory sermon to that body the following year. Dr. Griffin was well-known for his statement, "When I left school I had learned enough to know that I did not know anything." He was a proponent of life-long education and was known as a thoughtful and able pastor.

After leaving Homer, he moved to San Diego, California and became pastor of First Baptist Church of Quanah, Texas in 1913. While in Quanah, he began the largest building program that church has been involved in. 22

Biographical Sketches| Claiborne Parish | AHGP

Source: Author's Notice: I hereby give permission for the free dissemination of any and all material included within the book and permit any non profit use of that material. Should any agency wish to use the material in a profit context, permission must be secured from the church body of First Baptist Church, Homer, LA 71040.  By Barbara Smith, Homer, Louisiana.