"During the years just prior to the Civil War the denominational Board was investigating various countries as possible locations for a new effort in foreign missions. A majority of the Board members favored China, but Dr. Cossitt strongly favored Japan. However, in 1859, the Reverend J. C. Armstrong requested that the Board send him to Turkey to open a field. His request was granted and at the meeting of the General Assembly in May, 1860, he was commissioned as a missionary to Turkey.

Unfortunately, soon after his arrival there disaster struck. Before he could begin his actual missionary work, the Civil War broke out, cutting him off from all support and even communication with the Mission Board in Lebanon, Tennessee. His difficulties were compounded when he became ill with typhoid fever. Left without Church support, Armstrong was forced to borrow money from the American Board of Commissioners for Foreign Missions for passage home. On July 11, 1862, Armstrong and his family sailed from Constantinople, thus aborting the only Cumberland Presbyterian attempt to begin a mission on the continent of Europe."

[Source: from Hearth and Chalice: The Story of Cumberland Presbyterian Women and World Mission. by Rev. James W. Knight. Memphis, Tenn.: The Board of Missions of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1980, page 11]

A postal card from the Rev. F. J. Tyler, dated Birmingham, Ala., Aug. 3, brings this brief but sad message: "The Rev. J. C. Armstrong died to day at 1 P.M. He has been ill for several months."
[Source: The Cumberland Presbyterian, August 9, 1888, page 4]

1850
J. C. Armstrong was a student at Cumberland College in Princeton, Kentucky.

1851
J. C. Armstrong was a student at Cumberland College in Princeton, Kentucky.

1852
J. C. Armstrong was a student at Cumberland College in Princeton, Kentucky.

1853
J. C. Armstrong was a student at Cumberland College in Princeton, Kentucky.

1854
J. C. Armstrong graduated from Cumberland College in Princeton, Kentucky.
[Source: Beard, Richard. "Sources and Sketches of Cumberland Presbyterian History. No. V." The Theological Medium. A Cumberland Presbyterian Quarterly. April 1876.]

1856
In 1856 the board commissioned the Rev. J. C. Armstrong to go as missionary to the North-west. It was Mr. Lowry's wish that the missionary should begin his work at Prairie du Chien. Taking letters of Introduction, this young man, just out of the theological school, set out for his first field of labor. The Rev. J. M. B. Roach, who was appointed to accompany him, failed in health, and Armstrong went alone. On his arrival at Prairie du Chien, he found little but ruins. The town and Fort Crawford were gone. The church where General Zachary Taylor had regularly attended Mr. Lowry's preaching was gone. Only a few settlers remained.

A citizen of Iowa, named P. C. Balsinger, was a sporting gentleman, who kept race-horses, and who was wealthy. Armstrong had a letter of introduction to C. C. Balsinger, and, supposing this person to be the one intended, he presented his letter. Mr. Balsinger read it with a look of scorn and wrath, then tossed it back to Armstrong, saying: "Sir, I am not the man; this man lives away down on Turkey River." Armstrong, after some further conversation with him, set out for Turkey River. He found the right Balsinger this time, and met a most cordial welcome. This man was the father of the horse-racer, and was a Pennsylvanian who had been converted at one of John Morgan's meetings.

The missionary appointed a camp-meeting at Mr. Balsinger's. When this meeting began the races at Colesburg were going on. Great crowds of people passed the encampment, going to the races. Armstrong, though without ministerial assistance, went bravely on with the daily services. Monday, the fourth day of the meeting, a strange scene was witnessed. Loaded wagons began coming in from Colesburg, and kept coming. All these wagons brought tents, provisions, and families, coming to attend the camp-meeting. Among others who came was the sporting gentleman, P. C. Balsinger, with his family. When the call for mourners was made, Mr. Balsinger, the horse-racer, rose and made a talk. He said he had been under conviction ever since he read Armstrong's letter of introduction, and was now determined to seek his soul's salvation. Then, turning to his seven sons who had come with him to the camp-meeting, he asked the people to pray for him and his boys. He found the Savior that day, and his conversion gave new life to [339] the meetings. A great revival followed. The converted horse-racer was a man of great liberality. Each day he would mount the pulpit and invite everybody to come and eat with him at his tent.

Out of this meeting grew the Hopewell church, which Armstrong organized, making P. C. Balsinger an elder therein. This elder made a large-hearted and faithful worker for Jesus. At this meeting the wife, daughter, and two sons of a Roman Catholic were converted. Almost at the risk of their lives by the enraged drunken husband and father, they joined the Cumberland Presbyterian Church.

On an Indian pathway, at some springs in the prairie, there had grown up a little village called Waukon. Thither Armstrong next directed his steps. His work there was owned of Heaven, and many souls were converted. In September, 1856, he organized the Waukon church with thirty-one members. When the missionary left this field in 1859, Waukon congregation had built a house of worship, and paid for it.

In July, 1857, through Armstrong's importunities, the Rev. P. H. Crider was sent by the Missionary Board to his assistance, Armstrong guaranteeing missionary money enough from Iowa to meet the salary. In this arrangement his trust in the pioneers was not disappointed. The following letter gives a glimpse of Mr. Arm- strong's labors in this field:

Waukon, Iowa, September, 15th, 1856.

The prospects are still bright here. My strength failed after I wrote last, and I closed the meetings. But as the interest was still great in the town, I afterward resumed the work, and we had meetings four nights, resulting in five conversions, making in all twenty-nine. Our little band, organized the 21st of August, now numbers forty-four members. Owing to the want of a house, we have not had our meetings regularly, but will resume them again tonight.

On Thursday next I will start again for Colesburg, sixty miles distant, and will hold a meeting in that town. ...

Waukon is improving very rapidly. Our Sabbath School is ably conducted. The number in attendance yesterday was 114, with increasing interest. The Maine Law is enforced to the letter in town. The Temperance Association has 200 members. We have a joint stock of seven thousand dollars to enforce the Liquor Law. Nearly sixty houses were built in all in 1856.

[340] Colesburg is a larger town than Waukon, and much older, but Satan has had almost supreme dominion in that community. The Protestant churches there are not much mole than a name. They have been daubed with untempered mortar. The truth startles them, enraging some, and breaking down many. Members of the different churches were seen crowding to the anxious seat, and crying for mercy at our late revival. Pray for us, for we are a needy few, often assailed and persecuted.

J. C. ARMSTRONG.

In 1857, Armstrong and Crider, and the Rev. Joshua Loughran, of Wisconsin, organized the Colesburg Presbytery, extending from forty degrees north latitude to the North Pole. In 1858 the Rev. D. A. Houghton came into the Cumberland Presbyterian Church from the Congregationalists, and took charge of the upper Iowa mission.

In these missions the pioneer preachers suffered many privations, and were often exposed to danger. Once Armstrong was shot at while in the pulpit preaching. At a camp-meeting a mob came to kill him, but others gathered to his defense and he was unhurt. He says he often went where there was danger of being killed, but God took care of him. He was never harmed. The pioneers contributed liberally to his support.
]Source: McDonnold, B. W. History of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. Nashville, Tenn.: Board of Publication of Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1888.]

1857
Northern Iowa.--Rev. J. C. Armstrong, the Missionary, was appointed to this field less than a year ago. His labors have been blessed. The good cause has prospered through his ministry, and the work of God revived. He has organized two churches; and is now sustained by them, without aid from the Board. One of these churches is calling for a proposing to sustain a pastor.
[Source: Report of the Board of Missions in the Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1857, page 36]

1858
Northern Iowa.-- Rev. J. C. Armstrong was appointed to this field, some two years ago. He has been abundantly successful. The good cause has prospered through his ministry, and in addition to other labors, he has organized two Churches, which sustain him without aid from the Board.
[Source: Report of the Board of Missions in the Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1858, page 58]

1859
NORTHERN IOWA.--Rev. J. C. Armstrong was appointed to this field some three years ago. He has been abundantly successful. The good cause has prospered through his ministry, and in addition to other labors, he has organized a church which sustains him without aid from the Board.
[Source: Report of the Board of Missions in the Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1859, page 64]

1860
J. C. Armstrong
Minister - Iowa Presbytery
Commissioner to General Assembly
Ottoman Empire, European Turkey.--Rev. H. [sic] Armstrong and wife will sail in a few days for their distant but promising field of labor. (Report of the Board of Missions]
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1860, pages 4 & 45]

1868
J. C. Armstrong, Owensboro, Ky.
Minister - Ohio Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1868, page 106]

1869
J. C. Armstrong, Owensboro, Kentucky
Minister - Ohio Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1869, page 86]

1870
J. C. Armstrong, Owensboro, Ky.
Minister - Ohio Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1870, page 81]

1871
J. C. Armstrong, Hartford, Ky.
Minister - Ohio Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1871, page 81]

1872
Not in list

1873
Armstrong, J. C., Charlotte, Tenn.
Minister - Charlotte Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1873, page 96]

1874
Armstrong, J. C., Charlotte, Tenn.
Minister - Charlotte Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1874, page 95]

1875
Not in list

1876
Armstrong, J. C., Charlotte, Tenn.
Minister - Charlotte Presbytery
Commissioner to General Assembly
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1876, pages 5 & 85]

1877
Armstrong, J. C., Stated Clerk, Charlotte, Tenn.
Minister - Charlotte Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1877, page 80]

1878
Armstrong, J. C., Trenton, Tenn.
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1878, page 102]

1879
Armstrong, J. C., Birmingham, Ala.
Minister - Elyton Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1880, page 85]

1880
Armstrong, J. C., Birmingham, Ala.
Minister - Springville Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1880, page 123]

1881
Armstrong, J. C., Birmingham, Ala.
Minister - Springville Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1881, page 95]

1882
Armstrong, J. C., Birmingham, Ala.
Minister - Springville Presbytery
Commissioner to General Assembly
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1882, pages 4, 124]

1883
Armstrong, J. C., Birmingham, Ala.
Minister - Springville Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1883, page 133]

1884

1885
Rev. Jas. C. Armstrong - Birmingham, Alabama
Minister present - Alabama Presbytery
"A new congregation, named Clanton, organized by the Rev. J. C. Armstrong, was, on motion, received, and Elder W. S. Duke enrolled as its delegate."
[Source: Minutes of the Alabama Presbytery of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, December 5, 7-8, 1885, pages 3, 4, 8]

1889
Mortuary
J. C. Armstrong - Alabama Presbytery
[Minutes of the General Assembly of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church, 1889, page 167]