BlankI came across the following passage recently and I wondered specifically about the sentence near the end about Elder Repass moving to Schley county (presumably near Phillippi) to be near the "academy" for the education of his children. Does anyone know what academy (in late 1859) this may have been? Philippi is in northern Schley County near the Taylor and Marion Co. lines. Harris Elder John Richard Respess was a Minister and the publisher of The Gospel Messenger in Butler, Georgia form 1879 to January 1896. Born Oct. 2, 1831 in Upson County to Nathan Respass and Louisa Williams. Louisa Williams was the daughter of John B. Williams and Susanna Mourning of Crawford County, Georgia. He was a received his law degree from the University of Georgia in 1852. He set up law practice in Butler, Georgia in 1854 but left Butler when there was an outbreak of small pox in 1854. During his departure from Butler he became a Primitive Baptist minister and did not return to Butler for 30 years. He joined the Ebenezer Primitive Baptist Church in Upson County in 1856 and was baptized by Elder John Dickey. Ordained as an Elder in the Primitive Baptist Churn in 1858 by Elders John Dickey, William Crowell Cleveland and Samuel Bentley at the Ebenezer Church. Elder Respass moved his family to Schley County, Georgia in late 1859 to be near the academy to for the education of his children. Elder and Mrs. Respess joined the Phillippi church and remained members for over 20 years. Elder Respass and Mrs. Respass are buried in the Butler Memorial Cemetery.