Pearson, William Wesley

Pearson, William Wesley a minister of the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, was born in Morgan County, Ala., Sept. 27. 1837. His father, Edmund Pearson, was a minister; hence his son was brought in daily contact with religious example in his boyhood, and early led to seek an interest in religious topics. At the age of sixteen he connected himself with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South. He was educated at Sarepta and Pontotoc; afterwards taught school a while, but becoming impressed that God had called him to the work of the ministry, he entered the itinerancy in the Memphis Conference about 1860. He filled eight regular appointments in the Conference; then, his health failing, he sustained a supernumerary relation one year, and the last two years of his life he was superannuated. tie died Nov. 3,1872. Pearson was a good practical preacher. His sermons were plain, earnest, and forcible. His life was an example of uniform, unpretending piety, and in death he testified that all was well with him. When he found that his end was near, he said, "My preparation for death was made long ago. All is well; I shall rest in heaven." See Minutes of the Annual Conferences of the Meth. Episc. Church, South, 1872, p. 707.