J. W. GRIFFITH

The following bio was taken from page 219 of the book entitled "Rusk County History" compiled and edited

And used with permission of the Rusk County Historical Commission.

Transcribed by Shirley Koym

Submitted by Gloria Briley Mayfield, Cemeteries of TX

Mae and I were both born in East Texas. She is a native of Oak Flat Community in Rusk County and never lived outside the community until we were married. She is the daughter of the late Robert R. Chapman and Bessie Lyles Chapman, both native Rusk Countians. Great-grandfather James Chapman came to Rusk County from Arkansas and was the first deacon in Smyrna Baptist Church, organized in August 1873. Mae graduated from Mt. Enterprise High School.

I was born in Panola County, the son of W. G. and Ethel Heaton Griffith, native Panola Countians. My grandfather, Wyatt M. Griffith, was born in Mississippi, where his father died of disease while engaged in the defense of Vicksburg during the Civil War. His mother brought the family to this area during the 1880’s, some of them settling in Rusk County and some in Panola County. My father was a Missionary Baptist preacher for over fifty years and pastored nine churches in this county. Most of this time he commuted from his home near Gary, but he lived for several years at Oak Flat and Grandview while pastoring the churches in these communities.

Mae and I became acquainted as grade school children at Oak Flat. After my family moved back to Panola County; I remembered her as a shy little girl with raven-black pigtails. We became reacquainted when I returned to the community in 1945 to begin my school teaching career. I had graduated from Gary High School in 1941, subsequently attended Hillsboro Junior College, Hillsboro, Texas, qualifying to teach school under the emergencies granted teachers without college degrees during and immediately after World War II. I finally graduated from Stephen F. Austin State College in 1949.

My school teaching began at Sulphur Springs in southern Rusk County, where my brother was principal. Mae and I began seeing each other quite frequently, became engaged, and were married in August 1946. For the first year of our marriage, I taught school in the Chapman Community of Rusk County. After this we lived for four years in San Augustine and Angelina Counties where I taught school.

I was ordained to the ministry by the Nacogdoches Missionary Baptist Church in 1952. I entered Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary that fall, and have been in Henderson ever since. I received Bachelor of Theology, Master of Theology, and Doctor of Theology diplomas from Texas Baptist Institute. After my first level of graduation, I became a student teacher and was for over twenty-four years treasurer. At present I am registrar and instructor in Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary.

Mae has been faithfully by my side through all my career, and what has been my accomplishment has been fully shared by her and our four children. Except for my first pastorate at Nacogdoches and almost five years with the First Baptist Church, Arp, we lived in Henderson and commuted to pastorates at Avinger, Marshall, Carthage, Zion Hill in Rusk County, and Jacksonville. Presently I pastor the Smyrna Baptist Church of Oak Flat Community. This is Mae’s home church and was my second home as well. The people are wonderful to us, and we are now in our sixth year with them.

Submitted by J. W. Griffith