James Bruton Gambrell

James Bruton Gambrell (1841–1921) was an American Confederate veteran, Southern Baptist minister, editor and university president. He served as the President of Mercer University from 1893 to 1896, and as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1917 to 1920.

James Bruton Gambrell
Born	August 21, 1841 Anderson County, South Carolina, U.S.
Died	June 10, 1921 (aged 79) Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Resting place	Oakland Cemetery, Dallas, Texas, U.S.
Alma mater	University of Mississippi
Occupation	Preacher, university president, editor
Spouse(s)	Mary T. Corbell
Children	9
Parents	Joel Bruton Gambrel (father) Jane Williams (mother)
Signature

Early life

James Burton Gambrell was born on August 21, 1841 in Anderson County, South Carolina.[1][2][3] He grew up in Mississippi.[1]

During the American Civil War of 1861-1865, Gambrell served in the Confederate States Army.[3] He graduated from the University of Mississippi.[3]

Career

Gambrell became a preacher at the Oxford Baptist Church in Oxford, Mississippi.[3] In 1877, he founded The Baptist Record, a Baptist publication, in Clinton, Mississippi.[4] He served as the president of Mercer University, a Baptist university in Macon, Georgia, from 1893 to 1896.[5]

Gambrell became the editor of the Baptist Standard in 1910.[3] He was the chair of Christian Ethics and Ecclesiology at the Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary in Fort Worth, Texas from 1912 to 1914.[1][3]

Gambrell served as the President of the Southern Baptist Convention from 1917 to 1920.[2] During his last year, he visited Baptist churches in Europe with Edgar Young Mullins.[2][3] Back in Texas, he gave talks about Christianity.[1] For example, he was invited to speak on William B. Slaughter's ranch.[6]

Personal life

Gambrell married Mary T. Corbell on January 13, 1864.[1][5] They had nine children.[3]

Death

Gambrell died on June 10, 1921 in Dallas, Texas.[1][2] His funeral was held at the First Baptist Church of Dallas, and it was conducted by George Washington Truett.[2] Gambrell was buried at the Oakland Cemetery in Dallas, Texas.[2]

See also

• List of Southern Baptist Convention affiliated people
• Southern Baptist Convention
• Southern Baptist Convention Presidents

References

1. "Dr. Gambrell, Prominent Baptist Educator and Divine Died in Dallas". Corsicana Daily Sun. Corsicana, Texas. June 10, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved November 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
2. "Baptist Leader Dies At Dallas. James Bruton Gambrell, Preacher-Educator-Editor, Dead". The Waco News-Tribune. Waco, Texas. June 11, 1921. p. 1. Retrieved November 30, 2020 – via Newspapers.com.
3. Summerlin, Travis L. (June 15, 2010). "GAMBRELL, JAMES BRUTON". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
4. "About The Baptist Record". Mississippi Baptist Convention Board. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
5. "Mercer University Presidents". Mercer University. Retrieved January 8, 2016.
6. Anderson, H. Allen (June 15, 2010). "SLAUGHTER, WILLIAM BAXTER". Handbook of Texas Online. Texas State Historical Association. Retrieved December 31, 2015.

External links

• Works by or about James Bruton Gambrell at Internet Archive