James Henry Garnett
Reverend Dr. James Henry Garnett, a distinguished clergyman and educator, was born on Carter Plantation in Gordon County, GA, in 1847. He was the sibling of James K. and Levina (Carter) Garnett. On August 18, 1888, he married Ida Lee Drake, and the union brought forth two children, Ida D. and James Malcolm.
Dr. Garnett's educational journey included an A.B. from Oberlin in 1887, a B.D. from Morman Park, Illinois Theological Course in 1886, a D.D. from Selma University in 1891, and an LL.D. from Arkansas Baptist College in 1926. His leadership roles in academia were diverse, serving as the President of Arkansas Baptist College in Little Rock, Arkansas (1886-1887), the President and Co-founder of Guadalupe College in Seguin, Texas (1887-1891), and the President of State University (Simmons University) in Louisville, Kentucky (1891-1895). Subsequently, he served as the President of Houston College in Houston, Texas (1895-1899) and Chairman of Languages (Greek and Latin) at Lincoln University in Jefferson City, Missouri, for nine years.
After a successful career in business in Gary, Indiana, focusing on real estate and insurance until 1922, Dr. Garnett assumed roles in academia again. He served as the Dean of Theology and Chaplain at the Kansas Industrial and Educational Institute in Topeka, Kansas, from 1922 to 1925, and as a Teacher of Systematic Theology and New Testament Greek at the American Baptist Theological Seminary from 1924 to 1928. He further held the positions of Dean of the Seminary from October 28, 1927, to 1939 and Acting President from April 8, 1930, to April 12, 1932.
Although Dr. Garnett never held the elective office of President, the credit and honor for the standing of the American Baptist Theological Seminary as a beacon-light today are due to his efforts. Through his leadership, many administrative challenges were resolved. His memory endures through the annual Garnett-Nabrit lecture series, a testament to his lasting impact on the institution.
References
Powell, Ruth Marie. Lights and Shadows: The Story of the American Baptist Theological Seminary 1924-64. 1964.