Asa Ansley

The Advocate newspaper, May 1884

Brother Asa Ansley "Uncle Asa Ansley was killed by the storm" has been carried from one to another until the sad fact is widely known; but those of us who knew him best know more than that. he was ready to change worlds by fire, or water, or storm in a monumnet. Nearly all of his long life he followed Jesus. A faithful preacher of His pure gospel in these ends of earth for forty years.

Sixteen hours before his death many of us worshipped with him in the house of God. His deep earnest responses, to the powerful; gospel which we heard, made us know that he was on a high point of spiritual vision, and the Lord with him. The writer took a definite impression, vivid as lighting, that Bro. Ansley was on the border of his eternal home; but felt that his dear Saviour was as indispensable then as the beginning. How grandly did he illustrate it sixteen hours after? The feeble old colored woamn trying and failing to lift the timbers off his body, he said, "Then I commend my spirit to my Saviour," and spoke no more. The Lord took him. Not withstanding the confusion that existed on account of the storm,a large congregation assembled at benevolence Church, to pay him affectionate tribute. A beautiful memorial service was held, led by the pastor, Rev. J. R. Littlejohn, and lovingly participated in by Rev. J. T. Turner, D. G. Rogers, Col. T. M. Furlow and the writer. Col. T. M. Furlow, after reviewing his spotless character, and what he had done for Benevolence Church as its founder, moved that as part and parcel of that memorial service, the name of bethel Church be changed to Ansley Chapel. it was heartily endorsed, and became the crown of that love monumnet which we erected to his worthy name.

T. H. Stewart

Family links:

Parents:

 Abel Ansley (1761 - 1822)

 Lydia Harrison Morris (1765 - 1838)

Spouse:

 Rebecca Wade Ansley (1808 - 1872)

Children:

 Elbert Oxford Ansley (1827 - 1865)*

 James Russell Ansley (1834 - 1912)*                                                                                                                    https://www.familysearch.org/tree/person/details/2W31-9BT                                                                                    https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/34727000/asa-ansley