"A HISTORY OF THE DAVIESS-McLEAN BAPTIST ASSOCIATION IN KENTUCKY, 1844-1943" by Wendell H. Rone. Probably published in 1944 by Messenger Job Printing Co., Inc., Owensboro, Kentucky, pp. 387-388. Used by permission. [Warren] JOHN WESLEY TYLER GIVENS: This eminent pastor and denominational leader was born near Glenville, Daviess County, Kentucky, on January 22, 1870, and is a direct descendent of Captain George Givens who emigrated from Virginia to Kentucky after the Revolutionary War to take a tract of land in Lincoln County, Kentucky, given him for "valiant services" during that war. His mother and father were Phoebe Ann Tyler and Joseph Simpson Givens. After attending the schools at Glenville from 1876 to 1887, he attended Bethel College. Russellville, Kentucky, where he graduated with the A.B. Degree in the year 1893. From there he went to the Southern Baptist heological Seminary and took the English Course. He was married to Miss Myzella May Robertson of Cleopatra, McLean County, Kentucky, on September 19, 1895. One son and one daughter blessed this union. The son, Edwin Tyler, died in 1928. The daughter, Mabel Grace, is still living and is married. Bro. Givens was converted at an early age and was baptized into the fellowship of the Glenville Baptist Church by Elder A. G. Davis. He was licensed to preach by this Church on August 24, 1887, and was ordained on December 28, 1888, by the same Church. We are uninformed as to the names of the ministers who composed the ordaining council. From first to last he has served the following Churches during his ministry of over fifty years: Green River, 1891-1893; Whitaker's Grove, 1894; Milton, 1894; White's Run, 1895-1896; Worthville 1895-1896; Elloree, S. C., 1897- 1898; Corinth, S. C., 1897-1898; Walnut Street, Owensboro, Kentucky, 1898-1900; Salem, Hopkinsville, Kentucky, 1900-1904; Washington Avenue, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma, 1904-1905; Princeton, Missouri, First, 1905-1907; Joplin, Missouri, Second, 1907-1911; Carthage, Missouri, First, 1911-1915; Greenville, Kentucky, 1915-1917; Princeton, Kentucky, First, 1917-1921; Slater, Missouri, First, 1921- 1923; Marion, Kentucky, First, 1924-1927; Greenwood, Bowling Green, Kentucky, 1927-1940; Morgantown, Butler County, 1931-1940; Burton Memorial, Warren County, 1927-1929. About the middle of the year 1940 he became the Missionary of the Ohio County Baptist Association and served in this capacity until the ill health of his wife caused him to resign the work. He now makes his home at Bowling Green, Kentucky, and fills the pulpits of fellow pastors occasionally as a supply. Brother Givens served as Trustee of the Oklahoma Baptist College, Blackwell, Oklahoma, in 1894-1895; as a Trustee of Bethel College, Russellville, Kentucky, in 1923-1924; as President of the Trolley League Ministerial Association of Southwest Missouri, in 1914-1915; as clerk of the Warren County Baptist Association in Kentucky, in 1930-1934. He also served on the State Mission Boards of Kentucky and Missouri Baptists in 1931-1934 and 1912-1914 respectively. During his active ministry he has baptized over 1,750 persons into the fellowship of the Churches he has served and held revival meetings with other pastors in which over 1,500 were baptized. For one year he served as an evangelist. He edited the "Walnut Street Evangel" in 1898, and labored in the publication of the "Green River Baptist" at the same time. He is the author of a tract "Evidences of Conversion" published in 1891. His poetical and hymn-writing ability has also been noted and one of his poems, "Albert Stone and Mabel Grace: A Legend of Love" is outstanding and was published in 1902. He has also written numerous articles for religious periodicals. Even though he is now seventy-three years of age and has been in the ministry for almost fifty-five years, his activity in the cause of Christ is still unabated. Kentucky Baptists have been blessed by the life and labors of John Wesley Tyler Givens. Givens Tyler Robertson Davis = Daviess VA Lincoln-KY Russellville-Logan-KY Cleopatra-McLean-KY SC Milton-Trimble-KY Worthville-Carroll-KY Hopkinsville-Christian-KY OK MO Greenville-Muhlenberg-KY Princeton-Caldwell-KY Marion-Crittenden-KY Morgantown-Butler-KY Ohio-KY http://www.rootsweb.com/~kygenweb/kybiog/warren/givens.jwt.txt