Levi and Jewell Terrill Collection

Levi Maurice Terrill (1899-1971), a Baptist minister, educator, and active member of the General Missionary Baptist Convention was born in Moberly Missouri September 18, 1899. He was the youngest child of Mr. and Mrs. William Terrill, who were the parents of another son, Louis, and a daughter Lola. Terrill moved with his family to Kansas City, Kansas at a young age, was converted to the Baptist church, and baptized at the age of five. It was said he was dedicated to God by his mother before he was born and was preaching to chickens before he was baptized. He joined the Walnut Grove Baptist Church and remained a member there until he came to Atlanta, Georgia in 1922 to enter Morehouse College, receiving a B.A. in 1928. Before attending Morehouse, he completed elementary and high school in Kansas City, and received a degree from the School of Pharmacy in Moberly, Missouri. He practiced pharmacy in Atlanta at the old Gate City Drug Store while attending Morehouse to help with expenses. He furthered his education later in life, receiving a B.D. in 1950 from Morehouse College, and a M.A from Atlanta University in 1951.

He was ordained into the ministry in Athens, Georgia at the First Baptist Church. His first pastorate was the Tremont Temple Baptist Church, Macon, Georgia from 1928-1936. While at Tremont Temple he was called to the Union Baptist Church in East Macon for a few months. He moved to the First Bryan Baptist Church in 1936 and served there until he was called to the Zion Hill Baptist Church in 1943. He remained at Zion Hill until his death, January 31, 1971.

His activities aside from the active pastorate included serving as Vice President of the General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia for twenty years and as President from 1959 until his death. He was also the first Director of the Morehouse School of Religion for several years, and Professor of Baptist History and Polity at the Interdenominational Theological Center from 1953-1962. He was elected Vice President of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A, Inc. in 1969, a promotion from assistant secretary- a position he held for many years.

Jewell Evelyn Middlebrooks (1907-1984) was born March 4, 1907 in Griffin, Georgia to James M. and Victoria Middlebrooks, and was baptized by Reverend William Bivins, pastor of Mount Zion Baptist Church in Griffin at an early age. During her developing years she was a pianist for the Sunday School and the Baptist Young People’s Union, eventually being brought in as pianist with the Senior Choir, a position she held from 1919-1929. She attended the Normal School at Atlanta University where she graduated with a certificate and attended Savannah State College for one year.

On January 12, 1929, she married Levi Maurice Terrill, who was then the pastor of Macon’s Tremont Temple Baptist Church. They went on to have three children and many grandchildren. For forty two years she was a pastor’s wife, the first lady of the Tremont Temple Church, Savannah’s First Bryant Church and Atlanta’s Zion Hill Baptist Church. For twelve years she was the first lady of the 500,000 member General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia, Inc. She established a strong record of service, while serving as president of the Women’s Department of the Atlanta Baptist Association; eleven years as the President of the Women’s Department of the Original Metropolitan Baptist Association; eight years on the faculty of the National Baptist Sunday School and B.T.U. Congress; Lecturer in the Young People’s Department of the General Missionary Baptist Sunday School and B.T.U. Congress; assistant recording secretary of the Women’s Auxiliary of the National Baptist Convention, U.S.A, Inc.; Secretary of Fraternal Council of Church Women; President, 5th district, Women’s Division of the General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia, Inc.; and President of the Georgia State Association of Minister’s Wives, Interdenominational. Her husband (January 1971) and daughter Victoria (October 1978) preceded her in death. She died in 1984.

Levi and Jewell Terrill had deep ties to Black Baptists in Georgia, which has been the largest African American religious group since the late 18th century. This group started when travelling preachers first brought the Baptist message to Georgia during the American revolution (1775-1783). Worship was mixed at first, but quickly became segregated, leaving Blacks to worship clandestinely, only becoming organized and independent during reconstruction. A Georgia convention was organized in 1870 and is perpetuated in some degree in the General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia (GMBC) and the New Era Baptist Convention. Founded in 1870 in Augusta, Georgia, The General Missionary Baptist Convention of Georgia is the largest organization of African Americans in the state of Georgia. The original purpose of the Convention was to bring Black Baptists together for Christian education and fellowship throughout the state. GMBC is affiliated with the National Baptist Convention, USA, Inc. which represents over 8.6 million Black Baptists throughout the world.

References: Biographical materials in collection http://okra.stanford.edu/transcription/document_images/Vol03Scans/367_14-Sept-1956_To%20L%20M%20Terrill.pdf