John Courtney was born in 1744. His family was Virginian and Episcopalian, but through a Separate Baptist preacher the Lord saved him, and in time called him into the ministry, after which he became the first pastor of the Rehoboth Baptist Church in King William County.
After serving as a Chaplain in the Continental Army, in 1788 he became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Richmond. Thirty-six years later, on the day of his death, the church had 820 members.
Pastor John Courtney was a unique and interesting character. At the beginning of his ministry in Richmond, the state church and its ministers were still receiving tax support, while the Baptists, Presbyterians and other were basically preaching illegally. So Brother Courtney received no salary, but the deacons would stand at each of the doors of the auditorium, and the congregation would drop money into their hats. That became the pastor’s support for the week. Also, because the Church of England pastors were wealthy enough to own fancy houses, Courtney refused to own his own home, often quoting the couplet: “No foot of land do I possess, Nor cottage in this wilderness.”
When the British were marching up the James River toward Richmond during the War of 1812, 68-year-old Courtney pulled out his old musket from the previous war and resolutely walked to the south edge of town ready to defend his city and his church. Later, when he became too old and feeble to mount his horse without difficulty, he would get someone to help him up and then he would ride about town making visits, calling on people to come out of their houses to visit with him while he was still on his horse.
Elder John Courtney died on this day in 1824.