THE MEN BEHIND THE PULPIT (RICHMOND HILL BAPTIST CHURCH, YADKIN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION) - NCCF. November June 1901

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1 ,, THE MEN BEHIND THE PULPIT (RICHMOND HILL BAPTIST CHURCH, YADKIN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION) - NCCF REVEREND J. T. KIRK November June 1901 April 11, July 7, 1905 Rev. John Thomas Kirk was Richmond Hill's third and sixth pastor. He was the first of three men to serve the church twice. He was born in Yadkin County near Smithtown on October 16, He was one of six children born into the home of James Martin and Martha Poindexter Kirk. Growing up he attended Union Grove Baptist Church where he made his decision for Christ. Upon finishing his schooling at Smithtown school, he entered Wake Forest College where he began studying to become a school teacher. To help pay for his education he sold Bibles and tombstones. It was while in college he began sensing God's call to preach. Upon finishing college he married Lucy Jane Miller on June 11, Eight children were born to them. After his graduation he began teaching at the Rockford School, later becoming principal. While teaching at Rockford he lived in the Richmond Hill community. In the late 1890's he became actively involved in pastoral work in the Yadkin Baptist Association. He pastored numerous Baptist churches and served on several Associational committees. He served as Associational Clerk from He pastored churches in the Yadkin Association for over 20 years. From his two pastorates at Richmond Hill he served a total of three years. He was a gifted and able speaker, throughout his life teaching elocution to speakers and debators. After leaving Richmond Hill in 1905 he moved to Siloam where he taught school and pastored in the Surry Association. Around 1910 we find him living in the Lewisville-Clemmons area where he taught school and pastored Enon, Yadkin Valley, Clemmons First, and Lewisville Baptist. He left the Lewisville-Clemmons area in 1923 and moved to the eastern part of the state pastoring and teaching school in the Rocky Mount area.

2 In 1938 his wife died. He remarried in He and his wife moved to Gainsville, Florida. Though now in his 70' s, he continued to be involved in pastoral work. Even at his death he was pastoring a small church in Starke, Florida. He enjoyed a ministry that spanned over 50 years. After a brief illness, he died on August 10, He was 81. He is buried in Gainsville, Florida. Described as a man well respected by all who knew him, friendly, likeable, and a man children loved to be around, he influenced many lives for Christ. Much of the information about Rev. Kirk was given to me on February 4, 1989 by his daughter, Mrs. Lillian Reich, who is 91 years old and living in Durham, North Carolina.,. (

3 I REV. JOHN THOMAS KIRK 'Third Pastor Becks January September 1923 Rev. John Thomas Kirk wae born October 16, 1867 to James Martin Kirk and Mattie Columbia Poindexter Kirk, both of Eaet Bend, N. C. in Yadkin County. He attended school at Richmond Hill near Rockford in Yadkin County, Forbush and others. He attended Wake Forest Colle~e and was ordained to the gospel ministry at the Wake Forest Baptist Church around He was married to Lucy Jane Miller on June 11, She was also a teacher at Booneville and daughter of Henry and Catherine Jackson Miller of Randolph County. She died August 23, children, four of whom are still living. 'They wer~ the parents of eight Mrs. Treva K. Hinshaw of High Point Rest Home, Mrs. Lillian K. Reich of Durham, N. C., Mrs. Allene K. Tally of Winston-Salem, N. C. and Mrs. Bessie K. Wood of Dallas, Texas Rev. Kirk taught school for a livelihood. students for debating and speaking contests. He was an orator and trained His teams.most always won a medal. To help pay for his education, he was a barber, carpenter, farmer on a small scale, salesman of Bibles and tombstones which he also erected. kept boarders. Mrs. Kirk Among them were Mr. J. N. and EgLert Davis who are well known in Winston-Salem. Rev. Kirk, living then in Rockford, became pastor of Becks in January 1909 and served through September This wa~ hie lonp,est paetorage /4 yrs. He also served the following churches: ; Clemnona, Lewisville, Enon, Haynes Grove, Oak Level, Macedonia, Stoneville, Red Banlt, Goodwill, Booneville, Rockford, Yadkin Valley, Halifax, Fort Barnwell, Dover and F.ndfield in eastern part of state which was considered Home Missions, and others. in Cove City, Virginia. His last pastorate was

4 Rev. Kirk was married again three years before his death to a lady resemb~ing his first wife. She was a wonderful companion, Rev. Kirk passed away in his sleep on August 9, 1948, at 81 years of age, after three weeks of serious illness, in a Gainsville, Florida Rest Home. He is hurried in Dyal Cemetery in Starke, Florida.,,I

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