Albert Gordon Louton
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Albert Gordon Louton (born August 13, 1902 -- November 26, 1985) was an American missionary, who worked in South Africa from 1951 until his death in 1985.
Early life
Albert Gordon Louton was born on August 13, 1902 in Hot Springs, Arkansas. He was the son of William Blevin "Blev" Louton and Willie Ann (Rucker). He was one of 13 children, and had a twin sister. Though they owned 51 acres of land, his parents were unsuccessful in farming, and had little income despite their solid assets.[1][2][3]
Louton and an elder brother moved to Oklahoma around 1919. During this time, he worked as a cowboy on a cattle ranch. In the early 1920s, he moved to Detroit, to work for his brother, Floyd Alva Louton, a successful drycleaner.[4]
Marriages and family
While working at his brothers' company, he met Louise Rettinger (1904 - 1967), a daughter of Jakob Rettinger and a granddaughter of Adam Oster. Under her influence, he became an Evangelical christian. Despite their differing backgrounds and classes (her being from a far more cultured, affluent family), they wed in 1929.
In 1931, their first daughter, Evelyn (later Grams), was born,[5] followed by Edgar Louton (later a prominent missionary) and Lois Joy Louton in 1950 (later a Johannesburg socialite and an employee of the Johannesburg Stock Exchange)
After Louise’s death from heart failure in 1967,[6] Albert married Doral Healy, who preceded Louton in death.
Ministry
Louton became a minister in Detroit during the 1930s and 1940s. In 1951, he sailed for South Africa as a missionary, settling in Pietersburg in the Northern Transvaal. He first replaced Dr. Charles Mason, an American missionary who he had come to know, at a mission station outside the city.[7]
Later, he moved into town and began building churches, particularly in the Coloured community, where he became greatly respected. After his death, the family was involved in a dispute over the leadership of a church which Louton had built with members of the local community.
During his ministry, he frequently returned to the United States, where he became a known and well-received Christian speaker and relayed events of his work in South Africa.[8][9][10]
Death
Louton died in a traffic accident in 1985, near Bela-Bela, while traveling to visit his youngest daughter in Johannesburg. The driver, and a housekeeper for Louton, were in the car, though the housekeeper survived. His funeral was attended by a large number of people, including members of his churches, and many other missionaries.
References
- ↑ "Albert Gordon Louton" at Geni.com. 2016-12-08.
- ↑ "MOUNT, ELVIE - Hot Spring County, Arkansas. ELVIE MOUNT - Arkansas Gravestone Photos".
- ↑ "U.S., General Land Office Records, 1776-2015"
- ↑ Grams, Rollin G. (2010-07-01)). Stewards of Grace: A Reflective, Mission Biography of Eugene and Phyllis Grams in South Africa, 1951–1962. Wipf and Stock Publishers. ISBN 978-1-4982-7336-7.
- ↑ "Evelyn Phyllis Grams" Greenlawn Funeral Home
- ↑ "Nov 01, 1967, page 31 - Detroit Free Press at Newspapers.com"
- ↑ "Albert G. Louton".
- ↑ "Oct 10, 1963, page 12 - Canarsie Courier at Newspapers.com"
- ↑ "Jun 10, 1948, page 3 - News-Record at Newspapers.com"
- ↑ "Oct 10, 1963, page 24 - Canarsie Courier at Newspapers.com"
Further reading
- Stewards of Grace by Louton's maternal grandson, Rollin G. Grams of Gordon–Conwell Theological Seminary, provides details about Louton's ministry, as well as that of two of his children. Published by Wipf and Stock in 2009.
