JONES, GEORGE WILLIAM made confession of his faith in Christ by uniting with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South at Myrtle Grove, Florida (near Pensacola, Florida) in August 1880. Four years later he dedicated himself to the ministry and was licensed to preach at a quarterly conference on the Warrington, Florida circuit held in November, 1884. In December of the same year he was admitted on trial in the Alabama Conference, the session being held at Opelika, Alabama. He passed his studies promptly and two years later was received into full connection at the conference held in Montgomery, Alabama.

George William Jones was admitted in the Alabama Conference of the Methodist Episcopal Church South during the fifty-third Conference held at Opelika, Alabama December 17 - 22, 1884. He was 21 years of age.

The grandchildren called him Pa.

After forty-five years of faithful and sacrificial service, Rev. Jones retired from the active ministry at the 1929 conference meeting in Montgomery, Alabama.

Pa and Mama moved to Louisville, Alabama where he had been a pastor when his daughter died and were joined by their widowed daughter Mrs. Lurline Gay. They built and established a home which was a joy of this declining days. Jim, John, Judith, Betty, and George, their grandchildren, loved to visit Pa, Mama, and Aunt Ene. We had happy times there. Their home was full of love, it was a home away from home.

Pa and Mama celebrated their Golden Wedding Anniversary on Monday, April 18, 1938. I can remember how beautiful the reception was.

Appointments of George William Jones from 1885 to 1929.

Grand Bay (1885), Pleasant Valley and Creola (1886), Girard (1887), Rembert Hills (1888), Bay Minette (1889-90), Briar Hill (1891), Shady Grove (1892), Pine Level (1893), Cambellton (1894-1895), Bell's Landing (1896, 97, 98), Enterprise (1899-1902), Hartford (1903-1904), Suggsville (1905-1906), Arlington (1907), Castleberry (1908-1911), Louisville (1912-1914), Eclectic (1915-1916), Fort Deposit (1917-1920), Plantersville (1921-1924), Verbena (1925-1926), and Ramer (1927-1929).

Information supplied by Granddaughter Judith McCrary, daughter of Floy Jones McEachern.

Finished high school in Escambia County, Florida.

The A.C.A. 1-21-1943 Obituary for Rev. G. W. Jones

On Tuesday morning at 7:30, January 5th, Rev. George William Jones passed to his heavenly home. His health had been bad for several years, but his death came as a shock to his many friends. He had been a member of the Alabama Conference for 57 years, although he retired from active service in 1929. He made his home with his daughter, Mrs. J. H. Gay, Louisville, Alabama. Funeral services were conducted from the Methodist Church with Dr. W.M. Curtis, Troy District Superintendent, in charge, assisted by Revs. A.B. Tanton, W.H. McNeal, L.W. Tubb, S.R. Jones, C.P. Roberts, and J.O. Grogan. Surviving him are: his wife; daughters, Mrs. J.H. Gay, Louisville; Mrs. J.D. McEachern, Brundidge; and son, Louis R. Jones, Marianna, Florida. To all the relatives and friends the Advocate extends sympathy.

Submitted by J. McKnight-Aug. 2009 - Contact J. McKnight

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GAY, LURLINE JONES was the daughter of Rev. George William Jones and his wife Bettie Martin.

 

Lurline Gay married James "Henry Gay" in the Fort Deposit Methodist Church by her father Rev. George William Jones on July 8, 1919. Henry Gay served in World War I and died as a result of the effects of the gas attacks. They were only married a year. She wore a locket with his photo in it until the day she died.

Lurline Gay never remarried after her dear husband Henry Gay died. She was an excellent seamstress and a great cook. She was a wedding coordinator and did everything from sewing the dresses, decorating the church, arranging the flowers, and making the wedding cakes. She was dearly loved by all of her nieces and nephews. Aunt Lurline treated the children as if they were her own.

I called her Aunt "Ene". I remember the beautiful baby clothes that she sewed by hand for me. I loved going through my baby clothes and looking at the smocking and needlework that she did. I received beautiful clothes from her for my Barbie dolls that she made.

When I was very young I can still remember climbing under her sink and pulling out the pots and pans and playing with them. She never scolded me. Aunt Ene even convinced me to walk. My Mother said that I still wasn’t walking when I was 18 months old because I was a really chubby baby. We went to visit Aunt Ene and she told me that if I was going with her, I’d better come on. Mother said I ran out the door after her. I’m sure that was a big relief for my Mother who had been carrying me around.

As I got older I loved to sit on her porch swing and try and catch the feral cats in her back yard.

Submitted by J. McKnight-Aug. 2009 - Contact J. McKnight

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