History of the Restoration Movement


Albert Elisha Holt

1916-1988


Biographical Sketch On The Life Of Albert E. Holt

Albert E. Holt was born May 4, 1916 in East Point, Georgia. The great East Point Church of Christ was established during Holt's youth, and he grew up to be exposed to the preaching and teaching of such great men as S.H. Hall and B.C. Goodpasture. When he was twelve years old he heard the preaching of Pryde E. Hinton, and was baptized by him.

Albert was the son of Elisha Calvin "Lisha" Holt (1872-1951) and Mary Magdalene Banks (1878-1959). He married Annie Crayton Knott, also of East Point, on March 20, 1938. To them were born four children who grew to adulthood, John; Richard; Mary Ann; and Herbert. Two sons, James David, died in infancy, being born and dying on January 9, 1939, and Benjamin Calvin was born and died on August 12, 1949.

From his youth he was trained by the leadership at East Point. Men such as Roy H. Welch, long-time elder in the congregation, educated Holt in basic Bible and leadership teaching. He preached his first sermon there in 1939. He attended Florida Christian College and received his B.S. degree in 1950. While in the region he attended Florida State University. He then went to Oklahoma State University, earning M.A. degree in English Literature. He continued working toward a PhD at Texas Christian University and the University of Oklahoma.

During World War II he served in the U.S. Army Air Corp reaching the rank of 1st Lieutenant. Late in the war, his plane was shot down while on a bombing mission out of England. When captured by German soldiers, he spent a short time in a prison camp before being released by American soldiers. (More on this episode in his life is explained below in a letter he wrote home after the incident.)

After the war, Albert Holt preached for churches in Florida; Dade City, 1947-1948; Avon Park 1949,1950, and Quincy in 1950. While in Florida he had a weekly radio program on WHBO, Sulfer Springs.

The Holts then moved to Oklahoma. He preached at Blackwell from 1950-1955; Northwest Church of Christ, Lawton, 1955-1957. He moved to Texas in 1957 and served the Oak Cliff Church of Christ in Dallas for a short time. Then he and his family moved to Sherman, Texas in 1958 and served the Walnut St. church until 1961. He returned to Oklahoma in 1962 preaching in Norman. He returned for a while to Denison, Texas in 1968. He preached Gospel Meetings in Tampa, Florida; Winfield, Kansas; Chickasha, Oklahoma; Lawton, Oklahoma; and Dallas, Texas. During his ministry he did extensive radio and television work. He was one of the first panelists on "Know Your Bible," a TV program in Lawton, Oklahoma, then Sherman, Texas. He also taught English and Bible at Fort Worth Christian College in 1961 and 1962. Later he appeared on one of the first lectureship programs conducted on the campus of Central Christian College while it was located at Bartlesville, and later taught some classes at Oklahoma Christian College.

For many years he worked in Norman, Oklahoma. Albert passed from this life January 8, 1988. His remains were brought back to the home of his youth where he was buried in New Hope Cemetery, Fayetteville, Georgia.

Sources: Most of this information came from Preachers Of Today, Vol. II, ed. Batsell Barrett Baxter & , Gospel Advocate, c.1959, page 205; Vol. III c.1964, p.200; Vol. IV, c. 1970 p.153, also personal information from family sources. Also, The Minsiter's Monthly Vol. VIII, No.12, August, 1963.

Webmaster's Note: I never knew Albert Holt personally, but I have known and worked with some of his relatives for many years. Albert's brother Marion attended Fayetteville until his death. Marion's daughter Shirley, and her husband David Lee also attended the Fayetteville congregation where David once served as an elder. Most of the children of Cliff and Jewell Holt Nash, Albert's sister, attended at Fayetteville including Albert's nephew, Wayne and his wife, Betty Jo Nash. Wayne served many years as one of the elders of the church there. Other family members included, nephew David and his wife Jill Nash; niece Carlene Nash Biles, and her husband Ron; and niece, Sharon Nash Burdette and her husband Steve, who attended at Fayetteville along with the numerous other descendants. As of this update most all these have now passed to their reward. It was my privilege to work with the Holt/Nash family as the Fayetteville church minister from 1996 to 2006. However, my knowledge and relationship with many in this family goes back to the years of my youth. To this day many Holt/Nash descendants are faithfully leading in churches of Christ.

-Scott Harp, Updated: 01.2024


1970


Source: Ancestry.com

 

Letter From A Rescued Soldier To His Bride

France
April 20th, 1945

Dearest Darling,

This is your ol' man again after so long a time and very thankful that I have the opportunity of writing again.

You have probably been notified by the War Department that I was missing and I hope by now that they have sent you word that I am safe. I am writing this in hopes it will reach you OK and put your mind at ease. There is so much to tell you that it is hardly possible to put it all in a letter but I'll try to give you enough so you will understand what happened.

We were on a mission about two weeks ago over a pretty rough target and we got shot down. At the time we were hit we were on the bomb run and still had our bombs. We only had a few seconds to go before reaching the target so we stayed with the formation and dropped our bombs. By that time the entire right wing was on fire and just about off so we dropped out of formation and began bailing out. I know for sure that five of us got out OK but I still haven't found out about Sam, Williams and Lareth, I only saw four other parachutes besides my own, but I am living in hope that they did make it.

As I neared the ground I saw the Germans coming and I knew I had to choose between tumbling & getting shot or coming down with my hands up & getting hurt. I chose the latter of the two & hit the ground with my hands up. The wind was blowing strong so I sprained my hip, but it isn't anything serious it will just take a little time I think. Anyway the time I hit, the Germans were on me. They booted me in the rear a few times, so I finally got up. They walked me back to a small town about 2 miles. I don't know how I walked but I did. Every time I would slow down they would boot me again, so that helped me along a little. I was so mad by that time nothing mattered any more so I sat down & refused to get up. I can't figure out why they didn't shoot me but they didn't. They sent up and got three enlisted men that they had brought in and they carried me into town. They put us in an old barn and in a little while they brought in the Bombardier. They had shot him through the neck, stomach and leg. He was in a pitiful condition. He lived about 2 hours and begged them all that time to shoot him. I really felt sorry for him but couldn't do anything. About dark they had the enlisted men carry me to a prison camp on the opposite side of town. Then they carried them on farther some place. I haven't seen them or heard from them since so I don't know.

I stayed in this camp for a week, then the Americans came, took the town and got me out. I was sure glad to see them. I was the only American there and couldn't speak Russian with the other prisoners so I was out of luck on that score.

There isn't much more that I can say now except they flew me back to France. I am now getting good care, good treatment and best of all food. This sprain isn't serious so don't worry about it. I'll be out of here in another week or so, I think.

I would really like to hear from you but you can't write here. Anyway, I'll be back at the base in England before very long and then I hope to have some mail from you.

There is a lot more I'd like to tell about the prison camp and other things but they will have to wait.

I'll close for now Darling, be sweet and take care of yourself for me.

Yours with all my being,

ALBERT

P.S. Don't write any of the boys families the things I have told you until you find out for sure about them.

Love,
Albert

Added 01.15.2024 - Source: - The letter above was from a type-written message sent from a French hospital during World War II from Albert Holt to his wife. The letter is self-explanatory. This was sent to us from Greg Nash a great nephew of Albert, and long time friend of mine. It was found while cleaning out a desk belonging to his late father, Wayne Nash, of Fayetteville, Georgia. Many thanks to Greg for contributing.


Obituary Of Albert E. Holt


The Atlanta Constitution, Atlanta, Georgia
Wednesday, January 13, 1988, page 40

Location Of The Grave Of Albert E. Holt

Albert Holt is buried in south metropolitan Atlanta, Georgia, in the city of Fayetteville's New Hope Cemetery. Many of Holt's relatives were buried in this cemetery, and when he died his body was brought back to be buried at the home of his youth. Traveling south on I-75 take the Riverdale Exit, State Hwy. 85 (Not to be confused with I-85). Travel south on State Hwy. 85 through Riverdale, the next town south will be Fayetteville. In Fayetteville pass the Fayette Pavilion and turn right on New Hope Road. Cross West Fayetteville Rd. (Hwy. 314) and continue on New Hope Rd. After little over a mile you will see New Hope Baptist Church on the right. Just across the street on your left is the New Hope Cemetery. Enter the first driveway and stop the car, the grave faces the road and is only a few markers in from the driveway on the east side of the cemetery.

GPS Location of the grave of Albert Holt
33°29'30.0"N 84°28'18.8"W
or D.d. 33.491678,-84.471901

HOLT
Albert E. - May 4, 1916 - January 8, 1988
Ann C. December 22, 1917 - June 8, 2005

Albert E. Holt
1st Lt US Army
World War II
May 4, 1916 - January 8, 1988

Webpage Produced 07.25.2008, edited 01.15.2024
Grave Photos Taken 01.25.2003

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