James Marshall Allen
James Allen: Man Of God
James M. Allen was born December 3, 1932 in Lecanto, Florida. He was
baptized by James C. Ledford in 1947. James was married to the former
Margie Nell Mullins on May 13, 1954. The Allens were blessed with three
children, James Jr., Juanita Allen Cochran, and then another son, Stan.
Brother Allen began preaching in 1953 in Elmore, Alabama. He
attended Alabama Christian College in Montgomery, Alabama receiving his
B.A. Degree in 1954. Later he attended Harding Graduate School, where he
earned the M.A. in 1962.
His life's work has included working with a number of good
congregations of the Lord's church. His early years of ministry found
him working initially in Texas, and then in the state of Mississippi. In
1954 he served the Center Point church in Mt. Pleasant, Texas. Then
moving east he served the Skyline church in Tupelo, Mississippi. Then he
worked with the Belmont, Mississippi church from 1956-1858. He left
there and spent the last two years of the 1950s at Sardis. From
1960-1964 he worked with the church in Ripley, Mississippi.
Toward the end of the 1960's he and his family moved to Holland
Park, Brisbane, Queensland, Australia to do mission work. During nearly
three years there he evangelized and strengthened the body of Christ in
that nation.
He and his family returned to the U.S. in 1970 to live in the
city of Nashville, Tennessee where he worked with the Brookmeade
congregation for three years. In 1973 he and his family moved to
Starkville, Mississippi where he preached for the church there for five
years. In 1978 he moved to Belmont, Mississippi and worked there for two
years with the Liberty congregation. He then moved to Jacksonville,
Alabama serving the congregation there for a time.
Through the years he preached in various gospel meeting efforts,
preached on lectureship programs, and on the radio. For a while he
served as a panelist on the West Tennessee television program, 'Know
Your Bible.' He enjoyed writing, producing weekly bulletins, and even
produced a book entitled, 'The Pauline Doctrine of Atonement,' though it
was never published.
He spent the last years of his life in West Tennessee. He worked
with the church in Middleton and lived in the community. In 1995 the
Lord called his faithful servant home on the last day of July. His body
awaits to coming of the Lord in the Middleton Cemetery.
'Sources: Preachers Of Today Vol 2. p.4 c.1970, Vol. III, p.7, Vol. V.,
p.4.
Directions To The Grave Of James Allen W.F. Etheridge was buried in the graveyard at Middleton, Hardeman County, Tennessee. From Memphis: On the east side of Memphis take I-40 to Exit 10 (I-240) and head south. Go seven miles and head SE on Hwy 385 (Nonconnah Pkwy.) Go to dead end into Hwy. 72 and head east out of the metro Memphis area. Stay on Hwy. 72 into Mississippi until you get to the community of Walnut. Then head north out of Walnut on Hwy. 15. Head into Middleton and the cemetery will be on your right. Enter the central part of the cemetery and head to the rear of the cemetery. The grave will be facing the opposite direction that you will be looking, so go to the back and turn around and look back toward the front. The grave marker should appear on the first row. From Nashville: Head west on I-40 to Jackson, Tn., Exit #80 and head south (45 Bypass). Head into the city and bear right on Hwy. 45 heading south toward Henderson. Just south of the city, take Hwy. 18 southwest toward Boliver. At Boliver head due south on Hwy. 125 to Middleton. When passing through Middleton you will see the cemetery on your left. Enter the central part of of the cemetery and head to the rear of the cemetery. The grave will be facing the opposite direction that you will be looking, so go to the back and turn around and look back toward the front. The grave marker should appear on the first row. From Birmingham: Head northwest on Hwy. 78 into Mississippi. After passing through Tupelo you will come to New Albany. Head north on Hwy. 15. When you cross into Tennessee it will become Hwy. 125. Head into Middleton and the cemetery will be on your right. Enter the central part of the cemetery and head to the rear of the cemetery. The grave will be facing the opposite direction that you will be looking, so go to the back and turn around and look back toward the front. The grave marker should appear on the first row Note: While in the Middleton Cemetery be sure to visit the graves of two other gospel preachers: W.F. Etheridge, and John W. Sasser
GPS Coordinates
Special Thanks: To Tom Childers for assisting me in bringing to light and helping me to locate and visit the grave of James M. Allen. I visited the grave in June, 2007 will involved in a series of meetings at Austin's Chapel Church of Christ in Scott's Hill, Tennessee. Many thanks to Tom and his inspiration to continue producing sites like this honoring those who have blazed the trail of godliness. His site has some of this information as well as further info on the life of J.M. Allen. |