The subject of this sketch was the oldest son of Zachariah P. and Elizabeth Martin Pearson, and was born September 8, 1852, in a log cabin on Dou's Hill, Coosa County, Alabama. His mother died when he was ten years old, and soon after his father joined the Confederate Army. The children were then scattered out among friends and relatives, John William being placed under the care of Dr. Jas. A. Kelley, a famous physician of that country. Here he remained until after the war, attending school and reading medicine under Dr. Kelley.
In 1869 his father came to Texas and settled on a farm in Brazos County, where he lived till he was twenty-one years of age. At nineteen he professed religion under the ministry of Rev. Jonathan Mitchell, and at once joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church in preference to the Baptist Church, although his family had been Baptists for several generations back. Soon after joining the church he was ordained an elder, and at the age of twenty-two was impressed with a call to preach. At Wickson's Creek, in the spring of 1871, he joined San Jacinto Presbytery. At once he began studying for the ministry, but under a cloud of discouragement he "played Jonah" until 1879. The "Woe is me if I preach not the gospel," was so great that he took new courage and entered Old Trinity University at Tehuacana. Four years were spent there under the care of Dr. W. E. Beeson and Dr. S. T. Anderson, taking the A.B. degree in 1883.
Brother Pearson was called to a pastorate near Georgetown, and spent four years in Williamson County, supplying various churches. A year before he was through school he was ordained by Little River Presbytery. He was married to Miss Kate George, a daughter of Ruling Elder Thomas George of Tehuacana, in 1886. They reared a family of three children. The years of his life at that time were busy ones. He was financial agent for Trinity University, pastor for three years of the church at Tehuacana, and engaged largely in revival work. His voice broke down from speaking in open air, and he was forced to enter a business life. It was sixteen years before he was able to preach again.
When the proposition was made to move Trinity University he opposed it with all the energy of his being. In 1884 he espoused the cause of prohibition and from that time has never cast a vote that did not favor it. In 1904 he was placed on the prohibition ticket for Lieutenant Governor, with W. D. Jackson of Waco, as running mate. In 1906 he headed the prohibition ticket for Governor, with Thomas Brown as Lieutenant Governor.
In 1904 he took his letter from the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, owing to persecution over the moving of Trinity University, and placed it in the Congregational Church at Dallas, and remained a member of that body till after the attempted union. When he saw that his persecutors had left the Cumberland Church he returned to his first love, and took the pastorate of the Dallas and Richardson churches. During this pastorate a good house of worship was built at Richardson. In 1911 Brother Pearson was elected President of Cumberland College, at Leonard, Tex., which position he held till 1913. He is at present pastor of Gainsville Church.
[Source: Our Senior Soldiers: The Biographies and Autobiographies of Eighty Cumberland Presbyterian Preachers. Compiled by The Cumberland Presbyterian Board of Publication. The Assistance of Revs. J. L. Price and W. P. Kloster is Greatfully Acknowledged. Nashville, Tenn.: The Cumberland Presbyterian Board of Publication, 1915, pages 92-94]