Louisiana AHGP

Part of the American History and Genealogy Project

John L. Mays

John L. Mays served as pastor from 1861 to 1863. Brother Mays was one of the early settlers in the Downsville area, having arrived from Arkansas in 1845. He was pastor at the Lower Pine Hills Church of Downsville for eight years. He was born November 4, 1813, probably in Georgia and moved to Alabama while young. He had often expressed a wish to die while preaching and did, indeed, suffer a fatal heart attack in 1866 while delivering what was described as a "fervent address."

Brother Mays is buried in the cemetery of Pleasant Grove Baptist Church near Choudrant. Brother Mays was perhaps one of the busiest preachers of the time. He became a supply preacher in Claiborne and Union parishes in 1850. Soon he was to serve Bethesda, Saline, Antioch, Mt. Moriah, Vienna, Pleasant Grove, Walnut Creek, Bayou Bartholomew and Pisgah Churches as pastor. This was possible because many churches had regular services once or twice a month only. 13

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.