ROBERT BROWN ALSTON SR | Aged Colored Minister Answers Last Summons – Rev. Robert Alston, an aged minter, died Sunday night, February 25, 1918. Funeral services were conducted by Revs. W. H. Alston and R. B. Johnson. His death was caused from a cancer on his left hand.
He was born in North Carolina, July 4, 1830, and was brought to this county by his white master in the early period of life, and settled on the Alston plantation, where he remained until after the civil war. In 1861 he professed a belief in Christ in a prayer service held at the above named place. There being no church at that period among colored people, he joined the white Missionary Baptist church, and remained there until 1867, at which time he was ordained by a white minister, Rev. Bibbs, to preach the gospel. He organized the first Baptist church among the colored people in Tipton county. That church is located in the 4th district, and is known as Mt. Pisgah, he serving as pastor for a number of years. During this time he organized churches in other places and ordained ministers over the work.
He was an active and faithful minister until stricken down by the dreadful disease that caused his death. He was patient in his affliction. The oldest minister in the county, white or colored.
(ROBERT BROWN ALSTON SR | Aged Colored Minister Answers Last Summons; The Covington Leader; Covington, Tenn; 28 Feb 1918; Pg 5)