USA > Missouri > Cooper County > History of Howard and Cooper counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, towns, and villages : together with a condensed history of Missouri, a reliable and detailed history of Howard and Cooper counties-- its pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens, general and local statistics of great value, incidents and reminiscences > Part 81
USA > Missouri > Howard County > History of Howard and Cooper counties, Missouri : written and compiled from the most authentic official and private sources, including a history of its townships, towns, and villages : together with a condensed history of Missouri, a reliable and detailed history of Howard and Cooper counties-- its pioneer record, resources, biographical sketches of prominent citizens, general and local statistics of great value, incidents and reminiscences > Part 81
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Article 1. We believe in one only living and true God, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost, and these three are one.
Art. 2. We believe the Scriptures of the old and new Testament to be the written word of God, and the only rule of life and practice.
Art. 3. We believe in the fall of man and his utter inability to recover himself from that lost estate.
Art. 4. We believe the doctrine of particular election, especial calling, believers' baptism, and the final perseverance of the saints, through grace.
Art. 5. We believe in baptism by immersion, and the Lord's Supper, and that true believers are the only proper subjects of the same.
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Art. 6. We believe in the resurrection of the dead and a general judgment.
Art. 7. We believe the joys of the righteous and the punishment of the wicked will be eternal.
Art. 8. We believe in the imputed righteousness of Christ.
Art. 9. We believe it to be our duty to support the gospel and defray the expenses of the church.
This church was located in the settlement south of Boonville, and gave name to the Concord Association in 1823. In June of the year 1817, at the second meeting of the church, she chose Elder Luke Wil- liams as her pastor, who continued in this relation until his death, about six years afterwards. This left the church in a very destitute condition. The membership was small, very few of whom were males. Such was the gloomy state of affairs when Elder Kemp Scott came among them, a year or two after the death of Elder Williams. He was chosen pastor, and for a time the church was greatly pros- pered. The first fourteen years of its history show that the church gradually grew, receiving members both by baptism and by letter every year, but at the same time dismissing many members to join other churches, and sometimes to go into new organizations. During this period its numerical strength ranged from twenty to forty-five. There are no authentic records of the church from 1833 to 1846, a period of thirteen years. On the 26th of December, 1846, a reunion was formed with a neighboring church, known as " The Vine." This event added considerable strength to the old church, which to this day stands as " a city set on a hill."
Mount Nebo Baptist Church - The first meetings of this church were held one mile north of Bunceton, the date being about Jnne, 1820. The list of early members numbers sixty-three. The first name upon this list is that of Lydia Corum, whose name was recorded about June 3, 1820. With hers, and on the same date, was recorded the name of Jordan O'Bryan. Then follow the names of Abraham and Nancy Woolery. The first regular pastor was the Rev. A. P. Williams. The first house of worship was built in 1838. The present building, which is located about half a mile west of the old church, was erected in 1856. It was dedicated by the Rev. E. S. Dulin and Robert H. Harris. Present pastor, I. B. Dotson ; present member- ship, 125.
We could get but a few of the names of the constituent members of old Mount Nebo. The Concord Association was formed on Satur- day before the third Sunday, in October, 1823, at Mount Nebo church.
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Big Lick Church - which was a constituent of the Concord association, was organized August 24, 1822, under an arbor, near Judge Ogden's Spring, about one mile north of where the church edifice was afterwards built. Elders John B. Longan and Jacob Chism composed the council. Its original members were sixteen. Elder John B. Longan was the pastor from 1822 to 1845; Elder Tyree C. Harris from 1845 to 1851 ; following him were Robert H. Harris, B. G. Tutt, J. B. Box, J. D. Murphy and J. S. Palmer. Two extensive revivals were enjoyed by this church : the first in 1838, under the labors of A. P. Williams, the other in 1847, during the pastorate of T. C. Harris, when the church reached its maximum, numbering about 350 members.
Pisgah Church - But little is known of the early history of this church. It was organized prior to 1823, from the fact that at the Mount Pleasant association, which was held in October, 1823, at Mt. Nebo church, there were eight churches admitted into the association, one of these being Pisgah church.
Mt. Pleasant Church - This church was also organized prior to to 1823, but little is now known of its early history.
Providence Baptist Church - Organized November, 1879, at Prairie Home Institute, by Rev. B. T. Taylor. The constituent men- bers were : Miss E., Miss R. and Miss J. McLane, A. Slaughter, Mrs. L. W. Slaughter, Mrs. M. Simmons, W. E. Watt, Mrs. L. F. Watt, William Simmons, Mrs. Lizzie Simmons, Mrs. Saline Smith, A. J. Hornbeck, Jeremiah Hornbeck, Mrs. E. Hornbeck, Mrs. Josie, Miss Sallie, Miss Nevada, Miss Fannie, Miss Minerva, Miss Nannie, Miss Henrietta and C. C. Don Carlos, Miss N. J. and Mrs. Mary Adair, Mrs. Mary, Miss Laura, Miss Lillie and Miss Mattie Taylor, Thomas F. and Mrs. Sallie B. Hall, Gabriel, Miss Nancy, Miss M. A. and Miss D. J. Hale, Mrs. Sarah C. Wilson, Mrs. Sarah Stemmons, Miss Sudie and Miss Nannie Stemmons, George W., Mrs. Mary and Clara Carey, Mrs. Melinda Dungan, Miss Jennie and Amanda Maxwell, and Bettie Hudson. Church erected in 1881 ; dedicated October, 1881, by Rev. J. B. Box; cost $1,000; present pastor, Rev. J. B. Box. Services first Sunday in each month ; pres- ent membership, fifty ; house located in the northeast corner of sec- tion 18, township 47, range 15.
First Baptist Church of Jesus Christ, Boonville, Cooper county, Missouri -Organized December 30, 1843, by Reverends A. M. Lewis and A. B. Hardy. Names of original members : Reuben E. McDan- iel, Alfred Simmons, David Lilly, Lawrence B. Lewis, Jordan
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O'Bryan, Elizabeth Dow, Sarah Gates, Maria Elliott, Eliza Ann Hick- man, Susan D. Conner, Delia McDaniel, Elizabeth N. Richardson, Jane E. Richardson and Francis B. Major. Church was built in sum- mer of 1847, of brick. Names of pastors : Tyra C. Harris, Robert Harris, John W. Mitchell, Spencer H. Olmsted, X . X. Buckner, M. M. Padelford, Charles Whiting, J. L. Blitch, G. W. Rogers, M. L. Laws, S. F. Taylor, A. W. Chambliss, G. W. Hyde, A. Machette, now in charge. Number of present membership, 127.
First Baptist Church at Otterville - Organized in 1866, by J. W. Williams and Brother Parish. Names of original members : George I. Key, James Shackelford, Samuel Swearingen, William H. Bowdin, Martha L. Key, Sarah Willard, Catherine L. Key, Angeline Cook, Mary C. Golladay, Josephine Butler, Mahala Price, Jane Trimble, Margaret A. Shackelford, Temperance E. Swearingen, Mary A. Bowdin, Sophia Cook and Sarah Ellison. The church was bought in 1874 from the Cumberland Presbyterians. It is frame, and cost $360. Names of pastors : William Pastors, John K. Godby, T. V. Greer, W. N. Phillips, E. T. Shelton, pastor at present. Number of present membership, thirty-nine.
Mt. Ilerman Missionary Baptist Church - Located on section 36, of Clark's Fork township. It was organized Jannary 3, 1868, by Jehu Robinson. Original members : Mrs. Margaret Reid, Sarah Cartner, Lucy Brown, Margaret Cartner. First pastor, Jehu Robin- son ; present membership, 100. The first organization was at the Concord school house. Present church was built in 1879, and ded- icated in June of the same year ; cost, $1,800. Sabbath school su- perintendent, James H. Rennison ; number of scholars, fifty.
Pilot Grove Baptist Church - Organized in 1876. Names of orig- inal members : Rev. N. T. Allison and wife, J. R Jeffress, A. N. Spencer, J. Tomlinson, B. F. Chamberlain and wife, L. L. Chamber- lain and wife, Miss Rebecca Massie, Miss Millie White and Mrs. Sarah Kaley. The church was built in 1876, is frame, and cost $1,000. It was dedicated in 1877 by Rev. William Ferguson. Names of pastors : N. T. Allison and I. B. Dotson. Number of present membership, thirty-four.
Second Baptist Church ( colored) -Located on Morgan street, Boonville -Organized 1865 or 1866, by Rev. W. P. Brooks. Names of original members - Richard Taylor and wife, William Jackson and wife, Dilcey Thomas, Rebecca Sharp, Hannah Alexander, Wash- ington Whittleton, Minerva Smith, Jane Smith, Duke Diggs and wife, G. Fowler and wife, Jane Douglass, Ellen Woods, Abbey Smith,
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Green Smith, Cynthia Nelson, P. Watkins, P. Wilson. Number of present members, 216. Pastors - Rev. Granderson Roberts, Rev. Reuben Nelson, A. Nelson, Rev. Poindexter, Rev. H. Robert- son, Rev. H. Smith, Rev. J. H. Burton, Rev. C. Vaughn and Rev. J. W. Miller, present pastor. The church was built in 1870, is frame, and cost $1,600. Number of Sunday-school scholars, 100. Super- intendent, Robert Humphrey. Organized by Rev. W. P. Brooks, who has done much for the cause of the colored Baptists in the state.
Sixth Baptist Church ( colored ), Boonville- Organized June 1, 1874, by Rev. S. Bryant. Names of original members : Green Wil- son, William Jackson, David Watson, Paul Donaldson, Smith Barnes, Rebecca Sharp, Martha Tibbs, Clacy Waller, Esther Rollins, Clara Johnson, Dilcey Thomas, Sarah Jackson, Arrena Watson. Present membership, 100. First pastor, Rev. Reuben Nelson ; second, Rev. J. J. Moore ; third, R. M. Vernon ; fourth, Tinley T. Lucas ; fifth, Rev. James Powell ; present pastor, Freeman Jones. Built in 1876 ; cost, $1,000; number of Sabbath school scholars, fifty ; superin- tendent, Frank Harris.
Methodist Episcopal Church South, Boonville. - Rev. John Scripps, a Methodist minister, was among the pioneer preachers in Cooper county. Religious services were held by him at a private house in Boonville in 1817, and in September, 1818, the church was organized by Rev. Justinian Williams, who was a brother of Marcus Williams, the first mayor of Boonville.
There were six members present at the formation of this church, to wit : Justinian Williams and wife, Frederick Houx and wife, and two other persons, whose names we did not succeed in getting. From the fall of 1818 till the fall of 1834 the class was part of what was known as the Lamine circuit. In 1834 it was called Boonville cir- cuit ; in 1818 W. R. Jones was appointed preacher and Jesse Walker presiding elder. He was followed in 1819 by John Scripps, Jesse Haile, presiding elder ; 1820, Levin Green, Samuel H. Thompson, presiding elder ; 1821, John Blaisdell, Samuel H. Thompson, pre- siding elder ; 1822, Frederick B. Leach, David Sharp, presiding elder ; 1823, Stephen R. Beggs, David Sharp, presiding elder ; 1824, Benjamin S. Ashby, Jesse Haile, presiding elder ; 1825, Uriel Haw, John Dew, presiding elder ; 1826, John Harris, A. Monroe, presid- ing elder ; 1827, Cassell Harrison, A. Monroe, presiding elder ; 1828, W. W. Redman, Jesse Greene, presiding elder ; 1829, E. T. Heery, Jesse Greene, presiding elder ; 1830, William Crane, Alex. McAllis- ter, presiding elder ; 1831, Justinian Williams, Joseph Edmondson,
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presiding elder ; 1832, W. W. Redman, Jesse Greene, presiding elder; 1833, John K. Laey, Jesse Greene, presiding elder ; 1834, John L. Irwin, Jesse Greene, presiding elder ; 1835, J. Prior, W. W. Redman, presiding elder; 1836, Ben R. Johnson, W. W. Red- man, presiding elder ; 1837, R. H. Jordan, Jesse Greene, presiding elder ; 1838, Thomas Wallace, Jesse Greene, presiding elder ; 1839, Thomas Wallace, Jesse Greene, presiding elder; 1840, Lester James, Jesse Greene, presiding elder ; 1841, John Thatcher, James Jamison, presiding elder ; 1842, Thomas Johnson, James Jamison, presiding elder; 1843, N. Westeman, Thomas Wallace, presiding elder ; 1844, Thomas T. Ashby, Thomas Wallace, presiding elder ; 1845, George C. Light, Thomas Wallace, presiding elder ; 1846, Joseph Boyle, Thomas Wallace, presiding elder; 1847, Joseph Boyle, Elijah Perkins, presiding elder ; 1848, James Mitchell, Eli- jah Perkins, presiding elder ; 1849, John Henning, Joseph Boyle, presiding elder ; 1850, J. F. Truslow, John A. Henning, presid- ing elder ; 1851, W. H. Lewis, James Mitchell, presiding elder ; 1852, W. H. Lewis, James Mitchell, presiding elder ; 1853, W. M. Prottsman, James Mitchell, presiding elder ; 1854, Warren Whar- ton, James Mitchell, presiding elder; 1855, Warren Wharton, D. A. Leeper, presiding elder; 1856, A. A. Morrison, D. A. Leeper, presiding elder ; 1857, A. A. Morrison, D. A. Leeper, presiding elder; 1858, J. W. Lewis, D. A. Leeper, presiding elder ; 1859, J. W. Lewis, W. M. Prottsman presiding elder ; 1860, J. R. Hall, W. M. Prottsman, presiding elder ; 1861, J. R. Hall, W. M. Prottsman, presiding elder ; vacant for a while; 1863, W. M. Pugh, Josiah Godbey, presiding elder; 1864, W. M. Pugh, Josiah God- bey, presiding elder ; 1865, W. C. Godbey, Josiah Godbey, pre- siding elder ; 1866, W. J. Brown, J. A. Murphy, presiding elder ; 1867, G. W. Hern, M. M. Pugh, presiding elder; 1868, M. G. Williams, M. M. Pugh, presiding elder ; 1869, C. P. Jones, M. M. Pugh, presiding elder; 1870, C. P. Jones, M. M. Pugh, presiding elder ; 1871, W. F. Camp, W. M. Prottsman, presiding elder ; 1872, C. C. Woods, J. R. Bennett, presiding elder ; 1873, C. C. Woods, J. R. Bennett, presiding elder ; 1874, John A. Murphy, J. R. Ben- nett, presiding elder ; 1875, John A. Murphy, C. C. Woods, presid- ing elder ; 1876, C. H. Briggs, C. C. Woods, presiding elder ; 1877, C. H. Briggs, C. C. Woods, presiding elder ; 1878, C. H. Briggs, C. C. Woods, presiding elder ; 1879, C. H. Briggs, P. Philips, presiding elder ; 1880, W. M. Poage, P. Philips, presiding elder ; 1881, G. W. Hern, P. Philips, presiding elder ; 1882, G. W. Hern, P. Philips,
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presiding elder. In 1832 the Missouri conference met at Pilot Grove, in September ; Bishop Soule presided, and John Glanville was secre- tary. On September 26, 1838, conference met at Boonville, Bishop Soule presiding, W. W. Redman, secretary. Conference was held there in 1858, 1870, and will meet there September 26, 1883. The old church was begun about 1832.
Bell. Air M. E. Church South - The church organization was effected in 1850. Some of the original members were James Bell and wife, Thornton Bell and wife, and Jacob G. Shutler and wife. The present building was erected in 1870, and dedicated by Rev. D. K. McAnally, of St. Louis. Present membership about fifty. Rev. John Given is now preaching for the church. .
Prairie Home M. E. Church - Organized in 1881 by Rev. Van- diver. Church built in 1880-81. Dedicated August, 1881, by Rev. Phillips. First pastor, Rev. Vandiver ; second, Rev. Cross ; present pastor, John Anthony. Original members, Sarah Tompkins and Mrs. Eleanor Huff. Soon after the church was organized with the two members above named, the following persons united : William Kirschman and wife, James Wilson, wife and family, James Jones and wife, Alonzo Meredith, Mrs. Kate Smith, Samuel Jones, Andrew Rankins, Mrs. Kelly M. Hobbs and Miss Jessie George. Present membership, thirty-five. Value church property, $1,500.
Pilot Grove M. E. Church South -Organized 1826 or 1827. Names of original members : Samuel Roe, Sr., is the only name among the original members that we could get. Church was built in 1850, rebuilt in 1879 ; is a frame building. Cost $1,200. Dedicated by Rev. Preston Phillips, October, 1879 (new structure). J. C. Given is present pastor. Number of present membership, 125. In September, 1832, Bishop Soule held annual conference at this church.
M. E. Church South at Bunceton-In April, 1879, Rev. C. H. Briggs ( then stationed in Boonville), by request of Mrs. Maria Stephens, was solicited to come to Bunceton and organize the few members of the M. E. church south into a society. He did so, and enrolled the following membership : Mrs. Maria Stephens, Captain S. P. Tevis, George Dorsey, James Moon, Mrs. Jane Moon, George Dameron, Mrs. Lucy Dameron, O. F. Arnold, and Mrs. M. E. Arnold. During the remainder of the conference year, this church was attached to the California circuit, with preaching monthly by Reverends J. C. Given and F. A. Briggs, alternately. In the spring of 1880, subscription lists were circulated, and money raised to erect a church. For a site, Dr. H. C. Gibson, of Boonville, donated
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an acre, and the building was completed the following autumn. The membership now numbers about twenty, and, besides the ministers above, has been served by Reverends L. M. Phillips, and W. F. Wright, the present pastor.
The German Methodist Church, at Boonville, Missouri - Was organized in 1850. Names of original members are : H. Gaus, Helena Gaus, J. H. Reckmeyer, Emilie Reckmeyer, Peter Birkenbeil, Eva M. Birkenbeil, Henry Muhlenbruck, Mina Muhlenbruck, John Otten, Johanna Otten, H. Blum, Theresia Blum, Carl Vollmer, Henriette Kuhl, Maria Hausam. Names of pastors : Reverends A. Klippel, Jacob Feisel, John Hausam, H. Lahrman, William Schreck, C. Stein- ley, P. Hehner, John P. Miller, M. Dewein, H. Muhlenbruck, J. A. Reitz, J. Koelle, George W. Reitz, John Wilhelmi, H. Balke, Ed. Pfaffenberger, Kurt Franz, J. G. Kost. In 1852 the church ( brick ) was built ; cost $1,200. Sunday school numbers forty. Superintend- ent, C. Wassman.
Presbyterian Church at Boonville - On the 27th of August, 1876, Rev. O. W. Gauss delivered an historical sermon in Boonville, giving a history of the church above named. He said :-
"On the 28th of April, 1821, this church was organized under the name of the Franklin church, by the Rev. Edward Hollister, with twenty-three members. The year of its organization is the same year in which Missouri was admitted into the Union as a state. The reason it bore the name of Franklin at the beginning, is that it was situated in Franklin, since known as Old Franklin, to distinguish it from the subsequently built New Franklin. Franklin was then the chief town west of St. Louis, but it was built on the sands, and the floods of the Missouri river have swept it away. As Franklin went down, Boonville, laid out and incorporated in 1817, directly opposite, on the other bank of the river, was built up, and, being founded on a rock, stands to-day, while scarcely a vestige of her predecessor re- mains. It was but natural in this state of things that all business and social interest should tend over to this side, and we find that the church soon moved in the same direction.
"In 1825 Rev. Augustus Pomeroy, who taught school in Franklin, preached regularly there and in Boonville. The same was true in Mr. Cochran's ministry, and probably also, at least, in the beginning of Mr. Chamberlain's (W. P. Cochran, Hiram Chamberlain ). The fact that there seems to have been these two regular preaching points for the Franklin church, shows that the church was preparing for a complete removal to this side. Consequently, at a meeting of the
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presbytery in this place in 1830, nine years after the organization of the church, one year before the erection of the synod of Missouri, the name of Franklin church was changed to Boonville, and so entered on the roll.
" I have not been able to find any list of the names of the twenty- three original members, or of the officers with whom the organization was formed. The earliest list I have is one furnished me by Dr. Thomas Parks from memory, giving me the names of members and elders in 1828 ; these are all absent from ns, most of them dead. The session at that time consisted of John Dickson, William C. Porter and Colonel Chambers, clerk of courts of Saline county ; in 1829 the session was increased by the addition to it of Dr. Parks. In the fall of 1836 Dr. Parks left Boonville, and about the same time Mr. John Dickson also removed ; previous to this Mr. Porter and Colonel Chambers had died, and so it came about the church was without any elders. It remained in this condition nearly two years from the fall of 1836 to the summer of 1838, when Rev. R. L. MeAfee ordained and installed as elders of the church, Josiah Dickson and Joseph N. Laurie. Robert Brent was elected at the same time with these, but was not installed until later. From the year 1838, the time of her re-organization, the church steadily progressed up to the present time, under the almost unintermitted ministrations of the Gospel. Rev. W. P. Cochran, of Pennsylvania, succeeded the Rev. Pomeroy in 1827. Rev. Hiram Chamberlain came in 1828, and remained until 1834. There was no settled minister here then until 1840, During this interval there was a Mr. Rennie, a Scotchman, from South Carolina, and Mr. Reynolds, a man of New School principles, each of whom remained here for a short time, preaching for the church.
On the 20th of August, 1832 there was a meeting of the citizens of Boonville at the school-house, for the purpose of taking measures to erect a Presbyterian church. At this meeting a board of five commissioners was appointed, consisting of Rev. H. Chamberlain, James Patton, David Adams, A. W. Pollard and Charles H. Smith, whose duty was to devise plans, to select a site and make all necessary arrangements in connection with the erection of a building. On the 23d of April, 1833, the commissioners purchased the lot upon which the building now stands. The building was completed in 1841, at a cost of $4,500.
In 1840 Rev. William G. Bell was elected pastor, and installed in May of that year, and resigned the pastorate in October, 1854. He preached the first and last sermon in the old church. Rev. H. M.
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Painter succeeded Mr. Bell. He remained until 1862, when he was succeeded by Rev. James Morton as stated supply for three years.
In 1867 Rev. B. H. Charles, of Chester, Illinois, filled the pulpit, and was succeeded by the present pastor, Rev O. W. Gauss, in August, 1875.
The present building was erected and finished in 1871-72, at a cost of $12,618.65. It is built of brick, and is the largest Protestant church in the city.
New Lebanon Church, C. P. - Is possibly the oldest Cumber- land Presbyterian church in Cooper, having been organized in 1820. The minister officiating upon that occasion was Rev. Finis Ewing, who was the founder of the Cumberland Presbyterian Church. It was called "New Lebanon, " because a majority of the original members belonged to a church of the same name, in Logan county, Kentucky, whence they had just come.
The names of the constituent members were Robert Kirkpatrick and wife, Thomas Ruby and wife, Alexander Sloan and wife, John Wear and wife, James L. Wear and wife, Hugh Wear and wife, Robert Allison and wife, John Miller and wife, and Mr. Stone and wife.
The first elders were Robert Kirkpatrick, Alexander Sloan, John Miller and Thomas Ruby. The old log church was built in 1821. The present brick house was erected in 1860. The first temperance society that was formed in Cooper county, held its meet- ings in the old log church in 1824. About the same time, Rev. R. D. Morrow commenced a school in the neighborhood, for the benefit of young preachers. Some of the early and most useful ministers of of the C. P. church, attended that school ; such men as Rev. Robert Słoan, J. B. Morrow, Robert and Henry Renick, David Kirkpatrick, John Linville, J. L. Wear and John Reed.
Mount Vernon C. P. Church -In the month of April, 1833, the presbytery of New Lebanon established a church called Mount Vernon in the neighborhood of Pilot Grove, and about one mile southwest. The organizing members were William Houx, John Miller, James Deckard, John Houx, Sr., Frederick Houx, Gideon B. Miller, Benjamin Weedin, Daniel Weedin, Jacob Houx, William Miller, Charlotte Houx, Anne McCutchen, Harriet L. Mccutchen, Christina Deckard, Ellen B. Crawford, Regina Houx, Mary Miller, Sr., Mary Miller, Jr., Catherine Weedin, Mary Weedin, Elizabeth and Rachel Weedin, Ann Rennison, Elizabeth H. C. Berry, Margaret Houx. William Houx and John Miller were the elders. The present elders,
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are Judge J. M. Mccutcheon, Dr. William B. Harriman, Abraham Brownfield, and Thomas Brownfield. Among the early preachers who officiated in the pulpit of this church were Samuel C. Davidson, Rob- ert Sloan, Archibald McCorkle, William Kavanaugh and Finis Ewing. The pulpit is not now supplied by any regular minister. Rev. J. T. HI. Henderson was the last pastor of this church. The church now numbers thirty members.
Highland Church, C. P. - The Cumberland Presbyterians or- ganized a church at Highland school house, February 20, 1867. The Rev. A. M. Thompson, assisted by Warren Compton and W. D. Ma- han, officiated at the organization. The church was erected in 1870; dedicated February 12, 1883, by Rev. C. W. McBride. It is a frame building and cost $1,600. The original members were John Fluke, Joseph Knikshire, Wm. E. Clayton, Andrew J. Roberson, Margaret Knikshire, Nancy R. Durnil, Louisa Fluke, Elizabeth Edwards, Mary L. Duncan, Isaac Henry, Frederick Fluke, James D. McFall, James Bankston, Jane Tucker, George Fluke, Frank Guthrie, Dow Vaughan, Sallie Messicks, Julia Fluke, Lavina Clayton, Wm. E. Clayton, Jr., Elizabeth Duncan, Patsey Henry. Present membership, sixty-nine. First pastor, Rev. A. M. Thompson ; present pastor, W. H. Wilson ; first deacons, Andrew J. Roberson and John W. Williams ; present deacon, John W. Williams. First clerk, James D. MeFall ; present clerk, I. M. Tucker. First elders, John Fluke, Wm. E. Clayton and Dow Vaughan ; present elders, Wm. E. Clayton, Geo. Fluke, Wmn. Rayland and I. M. Tucker. Services once a month.
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