Rev. James Jamieson

REV. JAMES JAMIESON.

THE picture in the first group, over the name of Jamieson, represents to us a face of a benignant old man, and with marks of native endowments of intellect. The lineaments of the Scotch are there. In the meridian of life the features must have been assuring to an audience of a strong, sensible, sermon.

While a student in a classical school near Waynesboro, under the management of Rev. James Wilson, a Presbyterian minister, Mr. Jamieson, professed religion and joined the Presbyterian Church. In the early part of 1827 he took charge of a school in Patrick county, Virginia. While residing there he decided, after much reflection and prayer, to enter the ministry. Believing, after a careful examination of the doctrines of the Methodist -Episcopal Church, that they harmonized more fully with the teachings of the Scriptures than those of any other church with which he was acquainted, he joined the Methodist Episcopal Church, 1828. 

In 1833 he was stationed in Charlottesville and Scottsville. At that time there was no Methodist church in Charlottesville; but by the kindness of the Episcopalians he was allowed to. occupy their church during the year in connection with Rev. William Hammett, then chaplain at the University of Virginia. They started a subscription which resulted in the erection of a Methodist church. In 1834-5 he was stationed in the city of Raleigh, North Carolina ; 1836 he was sent as Presiding Elder to Newbern, North Carolina; in-1837 when the Conference was divided, he was sent as Presiding Elder to the Newbern District, and thus became a member of the North Carolina Conference, in which he remained until he was transferred with the Danville District, 1858, to the Virginia Conference ; 1841 he was sent to the Raleigh District; 1845 to the Danville District; in 1848-9 he was connected with Greensboro' Female College as one of its instructors; in 1850 he travelled on the Greensboro' District; in 1851 he was stationed in Greensboro'; in 1852 in the city of Wilmington. The next two years he spent on Franklin Circuit; 1855 he was appointed President of Danville Female College, and remained in charge of that institution until 1862. The College, under his administration, enjoyed a high degree of prosperity till the war broke out in, 1861. In 1862 he bought a farm and settled in the county of Mecklenburg, and by the advice of Bishop Early, he remained on his farm without any regular work till the close of the war. In 1865 he had charge of Patrick Circuit, where he spent a pleasant year among the friends and pupils of his early manhood. Many of his former friends had passed over the river to the promised land. 1866-7 he was Chaplain at Randolph Macon College. The next four years he was on the Danville District. In 1872 he had charge of the Boydton Circuit; the three following years he was stationed in the town of Boydton; 1876 he was sent to Clarkesville, and is now there his third year.

He was a member of the General Conference, 1840, in the city of Baltimore, also in 1844 in the city of New York, and in 1846 in the city of Petersburg.

During his long and active ministry he has been in many revivals, and has seen many precious souls converted and brought into the fold of Christ.

Source:  Sketches of the Virginia Conference, Methodist Episcopal Church, South.  by Rev. John J. Lafferty Richmond, Va., Christian Advocate Office 1880.

Related Links:

• Virginia Conference Ministers in 1880
• Virginia Conference Site
• Jamieson Surname Genealogy

The above biography is held at Genealogy Finds.  Permission has been granted to republish here.