Freed-Hardeman Connections
Researching the Restoration Movement in Mississippi and West Tennessee
Fred W. Chunn --
1891-1975
Fred W. Chunn went to be with the Lord January 3, 1975. In my early childhood Fred Chunn influenced me to want to be a gospel preacher. I knew him about forty years. Every time I heard him preach, he did an excellent job.
Fred Chunn and Mabel Joyner were married June 1, 1919. She survives him. Brother Chunn once sent me the following message about her. "She has been a great help to me in my work, and has made many sacrifices, and spent many lonely hours that I might go here and there preaching the gospel."
In 1913 brother Chunn moved to Henry, Tennessee. He lived there until he died; he lived there more than sixty years. He preached for the church in Henry regularly for fifteen years and preached there also in ten gospel meetings.
Brother Chunn preached regularly for many churches in the West Tennessee and West Kentucky area while living in Henry. He preached in gospel meetings all over that area. He preached in twenty meetings at Burrus Chapel in Lake County, Tennessee. He did not keep complete records of how many he baptized, but obviously the number is great.
The words of Henry Ward Beecher at Horace Greeley's funeral are so very appropriate as we think of the death of Fred Chunn. Beecher said:
"Oh! How sweet the way that leads to the grave, when that grave is God's golden gate to immortality! How blessed are the dead that die in the Lord!" "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them." (Rev. 14:13.) My son Timothy went to be with the Lord January 3, 1974. Fred Chunn went to be with the Lord January 3, 1975. Hope tells me they are enjoying each other and all the other saints whose spirits rest in God.
How sweet the lines and well wrought the words by Emerson that say:
"Good-bye proud world I'm going home:
Thou'rt not my friend, And I'm not thine.
Long through thy weary Crowds I roam;
A river-ark on the Ocean's brine,
Long I've been tossed like The driven foam;
But now proud world I'm going home!
Basil Overton, The Editor, The World Evangelist, Feb. 1975, 3.
A Man Who About 4,000 Funerals
Harvey L. Elder, Evangelist
Professor, Murray State University Murray, Kentucky
Brother Fred W. Chunn, who preached the gospel for a period of more than fifty eight years, passed from this life on January 3, 1974. On a Sunday morning in October, 1970 brother Chunn suffered a stroke in the meeting place of the Paris, Tennessee church, where he had gone to begin a gospel meeting. He was active in bath regular work and in meetings past his seventy-ninth birthday.
Fred Chunn was born April 20, 1891 on a farm in Calloway County Kentucky. Old records of the Antioch church in Graves County show that he was baptized in July, 1908 by Brother H. A. Brown. In 1912 he preached his first sermon at Antioch. He is survivied by his wife of fifty five years, Mable Joyner Chunn, of Henry, Tennessee. Sister Chunn has very faithfully attended to Brother Fred during the more than four years he has been an invalid. Brother Chum is also survived by two sisters, Flossie Andrus of Farmington, Kentucky and Birdie Harrison of Royal Oaks, Michigan, as well as several other relatives. A nephew, James Shocklev. preaches regularly for the church at Cuba, Kentucky.
Funeral services were conducted in Paris, Tennessee on Sunday afternoon. January 5, by James Shockley, John Dale, and the writer. Burial was in Hillscrest Memorial Cemetery in Paris. Billy Nicks led a prayer at the cemetery.
Outlines of a few of Brother Chunn's sermons were used as a basis for some of the remarks made at the funeral. A part of an article written by Basil Overton concerning Brother Chunn several years ago was also read. A large crowd, including several gospel preachers, attended the services.
In addition to preaching, brother Fred taught school at Henry, Tennessee for a number of years. For a while he served as principal there. Most of his preaching was done in West Tennessee and in West Kentucky. He was dearly beloved by his brethren and held in high esteem by many outside the church. Sister Chunn says that he conducted approximately 4,000 funerals. In a variety of ways brother Chum touched the lives of multitudes and influenced them for good. Though dead, he yet speaks. Surely the good work he has done will manifest itself in the church for many years to come.
A Tribute to Fred W. Chunn
Bill Nicks, Evangelis
Paris, Tennessee
"A prince and a great man has fallen." These words seem appropriate to describe brother Fred Chum. There is nothing more beautiful than a life well spent. Think of the many lives influenced by this good and godly man, the many who obeyed the gospel, the many whose tears were assuaged by his comforting words, the many young who were encouraged to "remember thy creator in the days of youth," the many who were stumbling in middle age, but were led back to the path of rectitude and right.
His life is not heralded among men as are military or political heroes, but their lives cannot compare, in eternal good accomplished, to the life of this simple Henry Countian, who traveled not very far from home, but saturated the path he traveled with Christian faith, hope, and love. I am reminded of this fact: God had but one Son, and he was a preacher.
Fred Chunn is buried in Paris, Tenn. GPS - N 36* 16.998' W 088* 17.980'
Fred W. Chunn went to be with the Lord January 3, 1975. In my early childhood Fred Chunn influenced me to want to be a gospel preacher. I knew him about forty years. Every time I heard him preach, he did an excellent job.
Fred Chunn and Mabel Joyner were married June 1, 1919. She survives him. Brother Chunn once sent me the following message about her. "She has been a great help to me in my work, and has made many sacrifices, and spent many lonely hours that I might go here and there preaching the gospel."
In 1913 brother Chunn moved to Henry, Tennessee. He lived there until he died; he lived there more than sixty years. He preached for the church in Henry regularly for fifteen years and preached there also in ten gospel meetings.
Brother Chunn preached regularly for many churches in the West Tennessee and West Kentucky area while living in Henry. He preached in gospel meetings all over that area. He preached in twenty meetings at Burrus Chapel in Lake County, Tennessee. He did not keep complete records of how many he baptized, but obviously the number is great.
The words of Henry Ward Beecher at Horace Greeley's funeral are so very appropriate as we think of the death of Fred Chunn. Beecher said:
"Oh! How sweet the way that leads to the grave, when that grave is God's golden gate to immortality! How blessed are the dead that die in the Lord!" "And I heard a voice from heaven saying unto me, write, Blessed are the dead which die in the Lord from henceforth: Yea saith the Spirit, that they may rest from their labors; and their works do follow them." (Rev. 14:13.) My son Timothy went to be with the Lord January 3, 1974. Fred Chunn went to be with the Lord January 3, 1975. Hope tells me they are enjoying each other and all the other saints whose spirits rest in God.
How sweet the lines and well wrought the words by Emerson that say:
"Good-bye proud world I'm going home:
Thou'rt not my friend, And I'm not thine.
Long through thy weary Crowds I roam;
A river-ark on the Ocean's brine,
Long I've been tossed like The driven foam;
But now proud world I'm going home!
Basil Overton, The Editor, The World Evangelist, Feb. 1975, 3.
A Man Who About 4,000 Funerals
Harvey L. Elder, Evangelist
Professor, Murray State University Murray, Kentucky
Brother Fred W. Chunn, who preached the gospel for a period of more than fifty eight years, passed from this life on January 3, 1974. On a Sunday morning in October, 1970 brother Chunn suffered a stroke in the meeting place of the Paris, Tennessee church, where he had gone to begin a gospel meeting. He was active in bath regular work and in meetings past his seventy-ninth birthday.
Fred Chunn was born April 20, 1891 on a farm in Calloway County Kentucky. Old records of the Antioch church in Graves County show that he was baptized in July, 1908 by Brother H. A. Brown. In 1912 he preached his first sermon at Antioch. He is survivied by his wife of fifty five years, Mable Joyner Chunn, of Henry, Tennessee. Sister Chunn has very faithfully attended to Brother Fred during the more than four years he has been an invalid. Brother Chum is also survived by two sisters, Flossie Andrus of Farmington, Kentucky and Birdie Harrison of Royal Oaks, Michigan, as well as several other relatives. A nephew, James Shocklev. preaches regularly for the church at Cuba, Kentucky.
Funeral services were conducted in Paris, Tennessee on Sunday afternoon. January 5, by James Shockley, John Dale, and the writer. Burial was in Hillscrest Memorial Cemetery in Paris. Billy Nicks led a prayer at the cemetery.
Outlines of a few of Brother Chunn's sermons were used as a basis for some of the remarks made at the funeral. A part of an article written by Basil Overton concerning Brother Chunn several years ago was also read. A large crowd, including several gospel preachers, attended the services.
In addition to preaching, brother Fred taught school at Henry, Tennessee for a number of years. For a while he served as principal there. Most of his preaching was done in West Tennessee and in West Kentucky. He was dearly beloved by his brethren and held in high esteem by many outside the church. Sister Chunn says that he conducted approximately 4,000 funerals. In a variety of ways brother Chum touched the lives of multitudes and influenced them for good. Though dead, he yet speaks. Surely the good work he has done will manifest itself in the church for many years to come.
A Tribute to Fred W. Chunn
Bill Nicks, Evangelis
Paris, Tennessee
"A prince and a great man has fallen." These words seem appropriate to describe brother Fred Chum. There is nothing more beautiful than a life well spent. Think of the many lives influenced by this good and godly man, the many who obeyed the gospel, the many whose tears were assuaged by his comforting words, the many young who were encouraged to "remember thy creator in the days of youth," the many who were stumbling in middle age, but were led back to the path of rectitude and right.
His life is not heralded among men as are military or political heroes, but their lives cannot compare, in eternal good accomplished, to the life of this simple Henry Countian, who traveled not very far from home, but saturated the path he traveled with Christian faith, hope, and love. I am reminded of this fact: God had but one Son, and he was a preacher.
Fred Chunn is buried in Paris, Tenn. GPS - N 36* 16.998' W 088* 17.980'