University of Virginia Library

---

147

HENRY WISE TRIBBLE

Henry Wise Tribble was born in Caroline county on February
8, 1862, and was educated in Richmond College and in the
Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, Louisville, Ky. He won
the Frances Gwin Philosophy Medal at Richmond College at
the time of his graduation in 1884, and on June 15, 1885, he was
ordained to the Gospel ministry in Carmel Church, Caroline
county.

His first charge was in Appomattox county, Va., where he
served Liberty and Hebron Churches for one year before his
graduation from the Seminary. Upon graduation he became
pastor at Jackson, Tenn., where he remained until 1895 when he
became the pastor of First Baptist Church, Charlottesville, Va.
Here at the seat of the University he duplicated the splendid
work he had done in the college town of Jackson.

After five successful years at First Church, of Charlottesville,
Dr. Tribble led in the organization of High-Street Baptist Church
which he subsequently served as pastor for eight years. During
this period High-Street Church grew from a congregation of fifty
to three hundred and fifty, and acquired an excellent house of
worship. During the High Street pastorate Dr. Tribble had upon
his shoulders the additional burden of the presidency of Rawlings
Institute, which school he kept full of students and in flourishing
condition. While in Charlottesville he frequently preached in
the University Chapel, whose pulpit is filled from Sunday to
Sunday by distingushed men of all States and all denominations,
and was regarded by the University community as the peer of the
ablest visitors.

After thirteen years in Charlottesville Dr. Tribble became
President of Columbia College, Lake City, Florida. While
serving in this capacity he attended the Florida Baptist Association
at Ocala, and, returning home by way of Rodman, Florida,
where he was preaching in connection with his college work, he
met with the tragic accident which resulted in his death. An
auto truck, using the tracks of a logging road, crashed into the
rear of a logging train which had no lights, and crushed Dr.
Tribble's leg from which injury he died on February 6, 1912. He
was buried on the campus of Columbia College, Lake City, Florida,
on February 8, 1912. His wife was Miss Belle Estelle Rawlings,
of Augusta county, who, with six children, survived him.