Payette Enterprise
Thursday, June 27, 1912
G. L. Surber was born near Somerset, Kentucky, August 13th, 1837. At the age of fifteen he became a Christian and soon afterwards began to prepare himself for the ministry. He was educated in Translyvania University, then at Harrodsburg, Kentucky, now at Lexington. After completing his education and being ordained to the ministry he went as a missionary to Australia where he labored for seven years in and around the city of Melbourne. Returning to America in 1872, he located at Harrodsburg, Ken. taking the pastorship of the church of that place. In December 1875 he was married to Miss Jennie Givens of Stanford, Kentucky, who has ever since been his constant and loyal companion. He labored six years in Texas and strengthed the cause both at Waco and Dallas building a church at the latter place. Leaving Texas he took charge of the church at Mt. Sterling, Kentucky, one of the leading missionary churches of the state. Later he moved to Lexington where he lived eight years a part of which time he was engaged as state evange list and the remainder of the time he acted as financial agent for the Bible Collage. In this last capaity he seured a large part of the funds for the erection of the beautiful Bible Collage building which at present is a leading feature of Translyvania University. From Lexington he went to Nashville Tennessee where for two years he superintended the Southern Christian Collage. The last fourteen years of his life were spent in Southern Idaho where he has been an active force in establishing the Christian cause at Boise, Payette, Emmett an other places. He continued in active service until about five months ago. Deer Flat being his last charge. Since the first of the year he had been living quietly on the ranch with his daughter near Fruitland.
His most lasting work perhaps was his missionary work in Australia. From his headquarters at Melbourne he established a number of mission stations all of which are prosperous churches to day. Many sons of the families whom he led to Christ have come to (unreadable) and educated themselves for the ministry and are now preaching the Gospel in their own and other countries. He was urged many times to return to Australia but conditions did not favor his return.
He was the father of two children Elwood L. Surber and Mrs. Hattie May Ady both of whom live near Fruitland. On the 29th of May he was stricken with paralysis from which he did not recover. He quietly passed away on the morning of June 19th at the age of 74 years, 10 months and 6 days. His widow an children together with a brother and sister will be joined with a host of children in the faith and friends here and beyond the sea in lamenting his death.
B. F. Clay of Homedale, Idaho, an intimate friend of the family for some thirty years, assisted in the funeral services which were held at the Christian church. He was buried in the Payette cemetery.
