Biographical Sketch of George Watson Hemry


Text from Book, William Henry (editor), The Indiana Pulpit, Cincinnati: Standard Publishing Company, 1912. Pages 93-94. This online edition © 1998, James L. McMillan.

Born: McComb, Hancock County, Ohio, circa 1876
Died: Paris, Illinois, November 21, 1924

The minister of the First Christian Church, South Bend, Indiana, who bears the above name, was born near McComb, Hancock County, Ohio. His boyhood and early youth were spent on his father's farm and in the district and village schools.

His father was a minister of the gospel, having been instrumental in the organization of a number of congregations of the disciples of Christ in that part of Ohio.

At the age of seventeen the subject of this sketch obeyed the gospel, being baptized by Evangelist M. L. Blaney, and immediately began preparation for the ministry. He spent three years at Angola, Indiana, graduating in the classical course of the Tri-State College in June, 1896, receiving the degree of A.B.

For two years he was pastor of the Christian Church of Ashley, Indiana, closing his work there in August, 1898. For the three months following he filled the pulpit of Charles S. Medbury, the Angola pastor, while that brother was acting as chaplain in the Spanish-American War.

He then took charge of the First Christian Church at Warsaw, Indiana, which pastorate he held until August, 1902. During that period he studied two quarters in the Divinity School of the University of Chicago.

After resigning at Warsaw he spent a brief time in Kentucky University, Lexington, Kentucky, whence he was called to take charge of the West Street Christian Church, Tipton, Indiana. During the three years of his work with this church he studied two full years at Butler College, taking both the degree of A.B. and A.M. He secured the subscriptions for the first

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twelve thousand dollars for the new church at Tipton, and when he resigned, the plans for the new building were definitely under way.

Since August, 1906, Mr. Hemry has been pastor of the First Christian Church at South Bend, Indiana. He has developed a thorough and active organization of the forces of the church, has added largely to the numbers of the congregation, and has completed a new church at a cost of nearly fifty thousand dollars. This building is one of the most commodious and attractive buildings among the Christian Churches of Indiana. Mr. Hemry has always been active in the co-operative enterprises of the church, serving frequently as president of the various conventions, both State and district. In his own city he is aggressive in all campaigns for civic righteousness, and participates in all interchurch activities.


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