Rev. Robert James Harp was born
in Lawrenceburg, Tennessee on April 29, 1829. He felt the call to preach
at the young age of fourteen. He was licensed and preached at the same
age. His ministry was to last for seventy-one years. He transferred to
the Louisiana Conference in 1846, when he was appointed to the Caddo Circuit.
He started Shreveport's first temperance society. He moved southward, serving
Alexandria and Baton Rouge before being appointed to Thibodaux. While pastoring
a church in New Orleans, he married Miss Agnes Pennington on September
23, 1869. They had three daughters.
Rev. Harp had been working on
the history of the Methodists in south Louisiana. Unfortunately, all of
his notes were burnt in a fire. If not for that fire, we would have an
extensive history of 19th century Louisiana Methodism from someone who
was there. |
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| He was a true example
of the itinerant minister, having served around the state over a distinguished
career. He was an intelligent, unselfish, and gentle man. One of his family
said that he could not even think evil. He lived the thirteenth chapter
of first Corinthians. It was said that if Methodist ministers could ascend
to sainthood, Rev. Harp would be placed at the head of the line. He passed
away in Shreveport on July 24, 1914. |
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