Birthday Surprise (1907)
Rev. T. J. GOODALL, the acting pastor of the First Baptist Church, East Nashville, was given a surprise party at the residence of Mr. and Mrs. John EZELL, Eighth and Georgia streets, Tuesday night, Jan. 15, in honor of his birthday, he being twenty-three years of age. The party was given by the young ladies and gentlemen of First Baptist Church, Misses S.A. EZELL, Mattie EZELL and Mr. A.E. BENNETT were leaders of the movement.
At nine o’clock Rev. GOODALL was sitting talking to Mrs. EZELL when they heard the singing of “On Christ the Solid Rock I Stand,” in the front yard. The parlor doors were opened and thirty beautifully dressed young ladies and gentlemen entered the house and informed him that they were giving him a surprise birthday party.
At 10:30 frappe was served, and at 11 o’clock cream, cake and fruit were served. At 11:30 the party returned to their hames. Those who participated were as follows: All the young men of the Lecture Bureau except Dr. MORTEN, who is not able to be out; Mr. Thomas COHN, Dr. BRIGHT, Dr. WOODSON, A. BENNETT, Will DAVIS, George FOBBS, Andrew BROWN, John BROWN, Robert SUMMERS, Sam WHITESIDE, Will ALEXANDER, R.C. GOODALL, Leroy WILLIAMSON, Walter EZELL, Misses S.A. EZELL, M. EZELL, Anna MATTHEWS, H. BINGHAM, Mary BATTS, Henrietta HIBITT, Louise SMITH, Minnie CRUMP, Fannie HOCKETT, Richard RIDEOUT, Ada DUNLAP, Verna DUNLAP, Hattie CLAYBROOKS, Mrs. M. ALEXANDER, Allie ROBINSON, Letha McCAGE, Benella WILLIAMS, and Addie J. DAVIS.
Source: Nashville Globe. 18 January 1907. Available online at Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers