 T. Elmer Mahan, |
Thomas Elmer Mahan (1891-1976) moved to his brother J. Paris
Mahan's home in Williamsburg from his father's farm in Garrard County.
Paris and his wife May were already active members of First
Baptist Church. Elmer made a
profession of faith and was baptized by Dr. E. F. Wright, pastor of
First Baptist, in February 1914. Through the years, he
served First
Baptist as Sunday School superintendent (1927-1932, 1945-1966)
and as a church trustee (1953-1976). A profile of him was
featured in the Western Recorder,
the state Baptist newspaper, in 1951.
The photograph of one of the fine laymen of the First Baptist Church, Williamsburg, Kentucky, is carried on the cover page of the Western Recorder this week. He is Mr. T. Elmer Mahan, a Deacon of the church. Most of the folk at Williamsburg know him as being the Superintendent of their Sunday school, a position he has filled since 1945.
Brother Mahan is a native of Williamsburg. though he had his rearing in Lancaster, Ky., on the edge of the Bluegrass. Following his elementary and high school he forsook his "exile" and returned to his native heath to enter Cumberland College at Williamsburg. After that he graduated in law at the University of Kentucky, in 1913.
Dark clouds were hoovering over the eastern
continent just when
he
should have been hanging out his shingle and getting established in a
legal career. The eventualities of World War I took him away from the
practice of law far off on a military siding. He served as a lieutenant
and later was promoted to captain. He found himself taking another
military jaunt during World War II, at which time he was promoted to
the rank of major. Briefly he served as legal advisor for the Selective
Service.In December 1918 Mr. Mahan married Miss Una Gatliff, youngest daughter of Dr. and Mrs. Ancil Gatliff. Dr. Gatliff was moderator of the General Association of Baptists in Kentucky in 1916.
Mr. Mahan is a trustee of Cumberland College, located in his own home town. Besides his work as an attorney at law, he is in official of ice and coal companies, and is active in other civic and business interests. On the subject of taxation, he is an expert. Articles of appreciation of him were written by Thomas Taylor and his pastor, Dr. Herbert C. Gabhart, and were published in a recent issue of RENFRO REVELATIONS--A MAGAZETTE a house organ published in Williamsburg.
Brother
Mahan is vitally interested in every activity of his church,
and especially its Sunday school. "Anything my church and Sunday school
want, and are for, that I want and will stand for," he is quoted as
saying. Also, he aptly says, "The church is far bigger than any one
man," His love for Cumberland College is no less than that which he
gives to his church.Kentucky is proud of all of its fine laymen who see the job that needs to be done and are quick to place their own shoulders under the burden.--Western Recorder, February 1, 1951
In
recognition of his service to the institution as a trustee
(1950-1970) and college attorney, T. Elmer Mahan received an honorary
Doctor of Laws degree from Cumberland College in 1967.
Sources include: Western Recorder (Feb. 1, 1951),
First Baptist Church Roll Book, federal census records,
To
Win the Prize by
Chester Raymond Young, A Bright
Shining City Sit on a Hill by James H. Taylor
Return to the Profiles
of the Past page.
Return to the home page for First Baptist Church of Williamsburg, Kentucky.
Updated June 25, 2006