Born in 1901, Jelks Barksdale recived his B.S. and M.S. degrees from the University of Alabama, and his M.A. and Ph.D. degrees from Columbia University. He worked as a chemical engineer for the U.S. Bureau of Mines from 1922-1927; as a staff geologist for the Alabama State Geological Survey from 1927-1930; and as a research chemist for Carleton Ellis Laboratory (1935-1937), the National Lead Company (1937-1942),and the United States Quartermaster Corps (1942-1946). He then worked as a chemistry professor at Auburn from 1946-1956. He published a variety of books on chemistry and religion over the course of his career.