George Hill

George Henry Hill was born in humble beginnings in McNairy County, Tennessee on April 24, 1913. He received the Holy Ghost in 1927 under the Ministry of D.A. Sipes then began his ministry in 1928 at the age of 15. In 1931 he traveled to North Mississippi and during these evangelistic travels he met another zealous young Evangelist, Manie A. Sartin. She was born April 15, 1913 near Red Bay, Alabama to sharecroppers. She received the Holy Ghost in 1923 at the age of 10 under the Ministry of Jim Jones at Happy Hollow in Prentiss County, Mississippi. She began preaching and evangelizing shortly after receiving the Holy Ghost.

As each of them begin their ministry in different areas, they traveled by horse and buggy and sometimes by train preaching in Brush Arbors, homes or in the yards of homes; always drawing large crowds. Sister Manie preached a revival in Richmond Community in Lee County in the front yard of the Wilemon Family in 1931 which ultimately became the Richmond Pentecostal Church.

Many received the Holy Ghost during this revival and needed to be baptized. George Hill was invited to travel down from Tennessee to do the baptizing. August 19, 1933 George and Manie were married in a simple wedding by Walter L. Cole in Booneville. On that Sunday afternoon for their honeymoon, they traveled to Tupelo to begin a tent revival that evening. It was in this revival that Jack Raper received the Holy Ghost. Their ministry covered a broad spectrum that took them from Tennessee to Mississippi and Alabama to Michigan, Indiana, Arkansas, Missouri, Georgia and Florida. They pastored churches in Mississippi, Missouri, Alabama, Florida and Tennessee. On some occasions they pastored two churches at a time and even for a while four churches at the same time. He would preach at one location and she at another. Their combined ministry impacted congregations and communities as they traveled extensively in the south preaching, baptizing, setting up and pioneering some 26 churches. In 1950 they started and shared a radio broadcast on WELO in Tupelo, and later WTUP. During the years Brother Hill had several debates and defended Oneness, Baptism in Jesus Name.

In the late 1930’s, Brother Hill became pastor of the Nettleton Pentecostal Church. He served as pastor 5 different times for approximately 66 years, with the most recent pastorship beginning in 1953 through 1992 when he became Bishop until his death on January 21, 1999. During this tenure, the church went through several building programs. Brother & Sister Hill Ministered in Lee county, Nettleton, and surrounding areas for approximately 70 years. Bro. Hill served as a Mississippi District presbyter for some thirteen years. His interest in foreign missions resulted in a Bible School being built in his honor – The G.H. Hill Pentecostal Bible Institute in Honduras. A replica of the first church built in Nettleton is built on the Mississippi District Campground to house the district’s memorabilia and history and is known as the G.H. Hill Historical Center.

In 1993 the State of Mississippi House of Representatives and Senate passed the House and Senate Concurrent Resolution No. 515 to honor him and passed a bill recognizing his work in the church, the community and the state. Following his death, the Mississippi Senate and the House of Representatives and State Supreme Court adjourned the day’s business in honor of him.

Sister Hill not only worked beside her husband but backed him in his Ministry. Their home and the Nettleton Church became a home away from home to Pentecostal Bible Institute students. Many ministers and missionaries stayed in their home. She served for many years as the Ladies Auxiliary President and Secretary for Section 2 Mississippi District UPCI. She died January 7, 2010 after having suffered dementia for several years.

To the union of G.H. and Manie was born 4 children. Bob, who died in 1990, Coy, Bishop of the Bethel Apostolic Church in Amory, Larry, Bishop of the First Pentecostal Church in Tupelo; Debbie who assisted her husband, Larry Davis as Bishop of the Nettleton Pentecostal Church in Nettleton. They have 9 grandchildren, 24 great grandchildren and several great, great grandchildren of which several are pastoring and assisting in the Ministry.

“A good report of them that are without” (I Timothy 3:7) was surely confirmed in the lives of the G. H. Hills. Their ministry, life and prayers have touched untold lives.