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| Rev. James Tillman Brattin |
| JAMES TILLMAN BRATTIN Born: Mar. 12, 1859 Died: Dec. 2, 1936 J. T. BRATTIN MODERATOR COUNTY ASS’N. 34 TIMES Baptist Minister Who Died in Freeman Hospital, Joplin December 2, Had Married 480 Couples and Conducted More Than 1000 Funerals |
| "Funeral rites
for James T. Brattin, one of the best known Baptist ministers in Southwest
Missouri, who died December 2, were held Sunday, December 6, at the Community
building in Cassville. An immense crowd of people attended the services.
Elders Siler, J. A. Curtis, Oscar Higgins and Charles Vanzandt conducted the impressive services. The Barry county Baptist ministers attended the funeral in a body. Masonic honors were given at the grave. Floral offerings were beautiful and profuse. Burial was in the Oakhill cemetery at Cassville under direction of Blankenships. Pallbearers were Rev. Otis Cox, Cassville; Rev. Ab Edie, Purdy; Rev. E. Linebarger, Cassville; Rev. Loren Lauderdale, Purdy; Rev. Verdayne Dodson, Cassville and Rev. Al Bennett, Purdy. James Tilman Bratin, son of John W. and Matilda Brattin, was born March 12, 1859 near Fayetteville, Ark. When he was about two years old his parents moved to Barry county and settled near the present location of the Cassville grade school where they resided during the Civil war. Here he grew to manhood and with the exception of five years lived in Barry county the rest of his life, all but a few years, were spent in Cassville. On April 10, 1883, he was married to Minnie L. Sills, daughter of the late Rev. J. C. Sills, a pioneer Baptist minister of Barry county. To this union six children were born, four of whom preceded him in death. He is survived by his wife, Mrs. Minnie Brattin, one daughter, Mrs. Calvin Henderson of Cassville, one son Morris W. Brattin of Pontiac, Mich., seven grandchildren and three great grandchildren. He was converted December 23, 1885. During the same meeting his wife also was converted and they both united with the Cassvillle Baptist church and were baptized by Rev. J. C. Sills. Immediately after his conversion he began active Christian work, and in just a few years began preaching. He preached his first sermon at Antioch Baptist church September 1, 1889 and before the end of the year had preached 31 sermons. He was ordained to the ministry in April 1892 by Antioch church. This church he was serving as pastor at the time of this death. In the Barry County Association he has served as pastor of the following churches: New Site, New Hope, Calvary, Corinth, Shell Knob, Golden, Exeter, Purdy, Washburn, Wheaton, Jenkins, Arnhart. In other associations he held pastorate at Verona, Clear Creek, Ebenezer, Mt. Olivet, Kings Point, Round Grove, Mt. Olive, Cartersville, Seneca, Racine, Prosperity, and was pastor at Grove, Okla., for two years. In addition to his years of pastoral service, he served Barry County association as missionary for four years. Rev. Brattin was honored by Barry County association in being elected moderator 34 times, the first time being in 1901. The only exceptions were in 1927 and 1928, when he was in Grove, Okla. This position he filled with credit to himself and to the association. His home church, Cassville Baptist church, called him as pastor three times. Few men who have given themselves so unstinted to the ministry, have enjoyed better health. November 1, 1936 he filled his appointment with the church at Golden where he was pastor. Rev. Brattin had always kept an accurate record of his work but at the present time these are not available. However, it is known that he married 480 couples, had witnessed thousands of conversions, had baptized thousands of persons, and had conducted more than a Thousand funerals. He contracted a severe cold during the recent illness and at the death of his brother, the late L. D. Brattin, who passed away October 24, 1936. Soon after returning from Golden he was stricken with the illness which took him to the hospital. He was recovering from the operation in a fine way, when pneumonia seized him and only a few hours could his weakened body withstand the attack. From the Freeman hospital, he departed this life and its toils, December 2, 1936, to go to his heavenly home and its glories. He leaves a great host of true friends, many of whom he led to Christ and had baptized and comforted in times of sorrow and encouraged with his strong Bible sermons. Of him can it be truly said “He was mighty in the scripture.” |
| Date: Dec. 1936 |
| Resource: Frances Albert's papers and family history |
| Submitted by: Frances Griffith Albert |
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