Background
Samuel Porter Jones was born on October 16, 1847 in Oak Bowery, Alabama. His father, John Jones, was a lawyer and real estate entrepreneur John Jones. His mother, Queenie Jones, was a homemaker.
Samuel Porter Jones was born on October 16, 1847 in Oak Bowery, Alabama. His father, John Jones, was a lawyer and real estate entrepreneur John Jones. His mother, Queenie Jones, was a homemaker.
Upon his return, Jones studied the Law, and he was admitted to the Georgia bar in 1868.
In his sermons, he preached that alcohol and baseball were sinful. He was known for his admonition, "Quit Your Meanness."
His great-grandfather was also a Methodist preacher. In 1855, when he was twelve years old, his mother died, and he moved with his father to Cartersville, Georgia.
During the American Civil War of 1861-1865, Jones served in Kentucky.
However, Jones was a notorious drunkard. After his father died, he agreed to quit drinking and focus on his Methodist faith.
He preached in the Van Wert circuit, a group of five churches spread over four counties. In 1885, he headlined a revival in Nashville, Tennessee, where he converted Thomas Green Ryman, who went on to build the Union Gospel Tabernacle, later known as the Ryman Auditorium (home to the Grand Ole Opry).
Meanwhile, Jones fundraised for the Methodist Orphan Home in Decatur, Georgia.
He went on to preach not only across the South, but also in New York City and even in Los Angeles, California. Over the years, it is estimated that Jones preached to three million Americans. In his sermons, Jones preached that alcohol, but also baseball, dances, and the theater, were sinful.
He became known for his admonition, "Quit Your Meanness."
On October 15, 1906, Jones was returning home from a revival when he died.
His body was first laid at the rotunda of the Capital in Atlanta. He was buried at the Oak Hill cemetery in Cartersville, Georgia.