Obituary of John Jones Stargel Born July 13, 1813 Among the precious saints- whose deaths impoverishes earth and enriches Heaven-the departure of the Rev. J.J. Stargel- sustains a permanent place. His Christian life and happy death have but few parallels. He was born in Haywood County, N.C. on the July 13, 1813. His father died, leaving him an orphan when 3 years old. In his youth he came to Georgia. On the 28th of Jan 1836- he was married to his dear companion whom he has left a widow. In the year 1839- he professed Christianity and joined the Methodist denomination- he was soon after licensed to Exhort in that denomination- having become a teacher in Christianity he devoted his time to the study of the Scriptures- which resulted in a change in his denominational views- where up on he left the Methodist and joined the Baptist in 1846. And was licensed to preach in 1849. In 1850 he was ordained to the great work of the ministry in which he faithfully labored for more than twenty years- when his constitution became so imparied that he was compelled to give up the work to some extent. During his ministerial career- he was afflicted with a lung disease, nevertheless he labored earnestly and faithfully even in affliction. We feel confident that a motivated Christian and faithful Minister, has never labored in this part of the vineya of Christ. The Baptist temperance and powerfully labored, he was a warm friend to education- a great lover of good books- a fine reader-and able Biblical scholar-able divine and powerful Exhorter- many of the noble Baptists of this Court were led into the water and received Baptism at his hands. We now come to his last sickness which lasted about six weeks when death releived the sufferer. He died with congestion on the lungs of him- we may safely say- he fought a good fight- kept the faith- and is gone to Glory.
Lumpkin County, Georgia December 1874
Rev. C.W. Stargel
Submitted by Robert Lee Stargel Jr.