He was born in western North Carolina in a place called Jugtown on October 18th, 1901. He grew up with a wide variety of educational opportunities from his early days at the Hog Hill schoolhouse to his college years at Catawba College, Wake Forest University, and the Moody Bible Institute. He also benefited from the overnight visits of circuit riding preachers who stayed at his

He was born July 10, 1920 in Wilmington, North Carolina, the son of a railroad employee. His father was a loving family man who died when he was only eight years old, scarring him emotionally and leaving him in the care of a hostile, troubled mother who met his physical needs but was incapable of giving him the emotional support he needed. She often spurned