Tomlinson, A. J. (Ambrose Jessup), 1865–1943
Person
Biography
Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson was born to a Quaker family in Westfield, Indiana on September 22, 1865. After marying Mary Jane Taylor in Fayette, Indiana in 1889, he worked as a Bible salesman and home missionary which brought him to Appalachia in the mountains of southwestern North Carolina. He operated a children's home, school, and farm in Culberson, North Carolina. In 1903, he joined with the Holiness Church at Camp Creek, North Carolina alongside R. G. Spurling and W. F. Bryant. He quickly ascended to leadership in the group and in 1909 was selected as the first general overseer of the group that had been renamed the Church of God. He served in that office until 1923 when he became the leader of the group now known as the Church of God of Prophecy.
Tomlinson was instrumental in moving the Church of God from the mountains into a growing city of the New South, Cleveland, Tennessee, which enabled the movement to utilize tools of modernity to spread the Full Gospel. He was a prolific publisher having steered the publication of the periodicals, Samson's Foxes, The Way, Church of God Evangel, The Faithful Standard, and later the White Wing Messenger. He also wrote The Last Great Conflict and other stand-alone works. He was an orphanage director, pastor, Bible college superintendent, and denominational leader.
Tomlinson passed away on October 2, 1943 after serving as a church leader for four decades. He and Mary Jane had four children, Homer, Milton, Halcy, and Iris.
Gender
- male
Occupations
Found in 170 Collections and/or Records:
“5 Volumes of Autograph Diaries” / Microfilm, Negative, 1901 – 1943
Item — Box: M0015-2
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
This collection consists of business and personal items belonging to members of the Tomlinson family spanning the years 1900 to 2015. The items have been divided into series according to family members, and organized chronologically within each series. The first series contains photographs, papers, books, and artifacts relating to the patriarch of the family, Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson. These items trace Tomlinson’s early work in the Church of God and the birth of the Church of...
Dates:
1901 – 1943
“5 Volumes of Autograph Diaries" / Microfilm, Positive, 1901 – 1943
Item — Box: M0015-2
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
This collection consists of business and personal items belonging to members of the Tomlinson family spanning the years 1900 to 2015. The items have been divided into series according to family members, and organized chronologically within each series. The first series contains photographs, papers, books, and artifacts relating to the patriarch of the family, Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson. These items trace Tomlinson’s early work in the Church of God and the birth of the Church of...
Dates:
1901 – 1943
1900 Census Cherokee County, North Carolina, Microfilm [A.J. Tomlinson is in Natla Township], 1900
Item — Box: M0015-2
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
This collection consists of business and personal items belonging to members of the Tomlinson family spanning the years 1900 to 2015. The items have been divided into series according to family members, and organized chronologically within each series. The first series contains photographs, papers, books, and artifacts relating to the patriarch of the family, Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson. These items trace Tomlinson’s early work in the Church of God and the birth of the Church of...
Dates:
1900
“A Life of Faith in God: Band for Evangelation [sic]—Anywhere in the World the Lord May Direct”, circa 1910
Item — Box: M0015-3, Folder: 3
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
This collection consists of business and personal items belonging to members of the Tomlinson family spanning the years 1900 to 2015. The items have been divided into series according to family members, and organized chronologically within each series. The first series contains photographs, papers, books, and artifacts relating to the patriarch of the family, Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson. These items trace Tomlinson’s early work in the Church of God and the birth of the Church of...
Dates:
circa 1910
A Peculiar Treasure, ca. 1916
Item
Identifier: 00904
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
This accruing collection includes pamphlets not in the online catalog system shared with Squires Library. Series 1 includes pamphlets published by Church of God (Cleveland, Tenn.) agencies and authors. Series 2 includes other Pentecostal groups and individuals. These series are housed in the Dixon Pentecostal Research Center in Collection PU0005, by assigned "Identifier" number. Series 3 is housed in the Church of God Publications Building Storage, Aisle 4, in Collection PU0005 boxes, with a...
Dates:
ca. 1916
A.D. Evans's copy of The Last Great Conflict, 1913
Item — Box: M0015-10, Folder: 20
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
This collection consists of business and personal items belonging to members of the Tomlinson family spanning the years 1900 to 2015. The items have been divided into series according to family members, and organized chronologically within each series. The first series contains photographs, papers, books, and artifacts relating to the patriarch of the family, Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson. These items trace Tomlinson’s early work in the Church of God and the birth of the Church of...
Dates:
1913
A.J. Tomlinson Family Biography, 1965
Item — Box: M0015-2, Folder: 35
Abstract
Includes 1939 Family Portrait
Dates:
1965
A.J. Tomlinson’s Main Highway Map of Indiana, Rand McNally, 20” x 28”
Item — Drawer: Oversized Photos, 7
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
This collection consists of business and personal items belonging to members of the Tomlinson family spanning the years 1900 to 2015. The items have been divided into series according to family members, and organized chronologically within each series. The first series contains photographs, papers, books, and artifacts relating to the patriarch of the family, Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson. These items trace Tomlinson’s early work in the Church of God and the birth of the Church of...
Dates:
1900 – 1943
A.J. Tomlinson’s ministerial credentials and certificate of ordination, signed by R.G. Spurling, photocopy. Camp Creek, North Carolina, June 13, 1903 [credentials likely created after date of ordination]
Item — Box: M0015-3, Folder: 38
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
This collection consists of business and personal items belonging to members of the Tomlinson family spanning the years 1900 to 2015. The items have been divided into series according to family members, and organized chronologically within each series. The first series contains photographs, papers, books, and artifacts relating to the patriarch of the family, Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson. These items trace Tomlinson’s early work in the Church of God and the birth of the Church of...
Dates:
June 13, 1903 [credentials likely created after date of ordination]
Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson, 1900 – 1943
Series
Scope and Contents
From the Collection:
This collection consists of business and personal items belonging to members of the Tomlinson family spanning the years 1900 to 2015. The items have been divided into series according to family members, and organized chronologically within each series. The first series contains photographs, papers, books, and artifacts relating to the patriarch of the family, Ambrose Jessup Tomlinson. These items trace Tomlinson’s early work in the Church of God and the birth of the Church of...
Dates:
1900 – 1943