Sloss, James Long

Sloss, James Long, a Presbyterian minister, was born in the parish of Bellaghy, County of Derry, Ireland, March 13, 1791. He enjoyed good opportunities for early education in his native country, emigrated to the United States with his father's family in 1803, and settled in Lexington, Va. He was apprenticed to the printer's trade for seven years; after this he pursued his studies under private instruction, at the same time teaching as an assistant, and completed his preparatory course for the ministry under the care of Rev. Dr. Moses Waddel, of Willington, S.C. He was licensed by the Presbytery of South Carolina Nov. 18, 1817; the next day received a commission as a missionary through portions of Georgia and the newly formed settlements of the then Alabama Territory; and was ordained Oct. 3, 1818. Subsequently he became pastor of the following charges: The Church at St. Stephens, Clarke Co., Ala., for three years; the three churches of Selma, Pleasant Valley, and Cahawba, three years; at Somerville, Morgan Co., six years; at Florence, Lauderdale Co., eleven years, where he died, Aug. 5, 1841. Mr. Sloss was a man of fine intellectual abilities — every exercise of his mind evincing a clear, logical, and discriminating judgment. As a pastor he had few, if any, equals, being always intensely devoted to the spiritual interests of his people. See Sprague, Annals of the Amer. Pulpit, 4, 581. (J.L.S.)