USA > North Carolina > Cabarrus County > Short history of Coldwater Baptist Church of Cabarrus County North Carolina > Part 1
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Short History of
Coldwater Baptist Church
of Cabarrus County North Carolina
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Digitized by the Internet Archive in 2013
http://archive.org/details/shorthistoryofco00mill
The drawing on the cover was done by Mrs. Edith Lewis Faggart and is of the Old CHurch believed to have been constructed in 1886.
THE EARLY CONGREGATION
One of the most widely accepted facts about Cabarrus history is that the county was settled in the eastern part by Germans who were Lutheran or Reformed and in the western section by Scottish Presbyterians. However, also in the area at an early date was a much smaller group of peo- ple who were neither German, Scottish, Lutheran, nor Presbyterian. They were Welsh-English Baptists who settled the middle ground on Coldwater Creek, one of the tributaries of Rocky River. These were the founding fathers of Coldwater Baptist Church, the oldest Baptist congregation in Mecklenburg or Cabarrus counties-and we know too lit- tle about them. The early Baptist families have been replac- ed over the years by other names, but in writing a church history, it is fitting that they be recalled.
There is no roll of the congregation for that early period; but there are ways to compile a tentative list of church members. One way to approach this is through the early deeds where some property owners are referred to as being "on the draughts of Coldwater" or "on Nobody's Branch" and begin the roster. Another way is to secure the inventory of the estate of one of these men when neighbors and kin- folk bought personal property at the sale of the deceased. Still another way is to see whom they married, who witness- ed their deeds and wills, who served as executors of their wills and guardians of their orphans, who went on their bonds; and finally to study the census records of 1790, 1800, and 1810 where they are grouped in this area. After having used the above methods and excluding some settlers who are known to have belonged to Rocky River Presbyterian or "Rake" River Lutheran (St. Martin's) there are three groups: some proven Baptist families, some families that probably belonged to Coldwater, and some families that may possibly have been there.
The Corzines, Fergusons, McGraws, and Voyles were most certainly ranking members of the church. The Corzine fami- ly was especially outstanding early and furnished the first known members of the congregation, Levi and Nicholas Corzine. Then in the 1830's and 1840's the Corzines joined the exodus from Cabarrus; so by 1850 there were two Cor-
zine families left, while twenty-one were in Illinois. The oldest graves in the church cemetery belong to Corzines; and as late as 1888 W. M. Corzine was church clerk. James McGraw was the first of that name to secure land on Col- dwater Creek; while it was from William, possibly son of James, that the first known deed to church property was conveyed in May, 1819. The McGraws moved westward also; they were in Illinois in 1850 with four families remain- ing in this county. The Voyles (Voiles) families with a State Grant on Coldwater Creek and property adjoining McGraw, Corzine, and Chamberlain were Welsh Baptists who went to Indiana as early as 1814 leaving the family of Allison Voyles behind. Some of the Ferguson family, which first belonged to the Rocky River Presbyterian group, married Corzines and bought land near Coldwater. Mckamey Wilson Ferguson and his son John Calvin Ferguson, both buried in the church graveyard, were the last of several generations of this name to support the church loyally. There are Fergusons of this family in Cabarrus but not at Coldwater.
The Lee, Carlock (Carelock) Winchester, and Chamberlain families were in the vicinity intermarrying, selling land to each other, and so are strong candidates for membership in the church. the last group of possibles for this list were the Brians, Seals and Townsend families, who had ties to the community and to each other in the community a hundred and fifty years ago.
The Corzines, McGraws, Fergusons and Lees who remain- ed served as links between the church of 1790 and the church of 1890. When they faded from the picture at Col- dwater, Talbirts, Braffords, Fishers and Myerses took over their role as leading church families. The record of these later families along with others even more recent is in the church minutes and church roll, which come down in written form from 1880 to the present day.
NOTE
Misses Adelaide and Eugenia Lore of Concord very generously shared information in their files about the early settlers around Coldwater and Irish Buffalo Creeks. This material was supplemented by further research by Margaret Boylan Bost.
HISTORY OF COLDWATER BAPTIST CHURCH OF CABARRUS COUNTY, NORTH CAROLINA
In 1790 a very energetic Baptist, John Asplund, made a tour of all Baptist Churches on this continent and recorded his observations in the "Annual Register of the Baptist Denomination in North America." When he arrived at Mecklenburg County in November, he found one church, Coldwater, with forty members headed by James McCabe belonging to the Sandy Creek Association. He made no statement about the age of the church; but there was a real organization by that date. In December of the next year Levi Corzine, Nicholas Corzine, and George Ross attended a union meeting at Eaton's Baptist Church in Davie County as delegates from Coldwater. Then on April 3, 1793 at a meeting in the Jersey Baptist Church, Davidson County, a letter was considered which came from a sister church at Coldwater asking for help in the ordaining of Brother Culpepper. For the next seven years Rev. John Culpepper, formerly of Anson county, was a real leader of his con- gregation and of the community as well. This must have been one of the periods when the church flourished under wise guidance.
There is no further information about the church until May 1819, when William McGraw made a deed to the Baptist congregation or society for one acre of land on the Charleston Road and the west side of Coldwater Creek. The congregation paid four dollars for what is the present loca- tion of the church. If the church had another site at an earlier time, that place is not known. From a reference in the minutes of a later Association, it appears that Coldwater was a member of the Moriah Association during the 1820's.
"Sometime during 1832 a division arose in the church. The majority held to the fashion known as Hard Shells and claimed the property, the house being a log one. The pastor, a man by the name of Peacock, went with them and preached for them. Then followed the Hard Shell preachers Dunn and Philip Snider. Philip Snider had a brother Solomon who was a Missionary Baptist and who preached there off and on from about 1840-45. From about 1845 to about 1856 Calvin Ferguson and Mitchell Clark preached. Clark preach- ed once in awhile up to about 1885, being the last of the Hard Shell preachers." While this was going on the church was affiliated with the Bear Creek Primitive Baptist Associa- tion and reported at the annual meeting of 1839 that it had a membership of thirty-five. The migration to south and west, which affected many churches of the area beside Col-
dwater, was especially strong from the 1830's to the 1850's and took its toll. The church roll dwindled.
"In 1863 Rev. Joe McClure and Rev. Silas Fincher, Mis- sionary Baptists from Union county assisted by Davis and Whitehead held a revival in the grove. Under the leadership of Rev. Joe McClure a church was organized, for which he preached until his death in 1868 (?). Rev. E. C. Williams preached occasionally. Rev. W. M. Johnson preached from 1872 until 1884." Since the main group of worshippers had become Missionary Baptists, the church now joined the Brown Creek Association, where they reported a member- ship of twenty-three in 1868 and sent M. Ferguson and Milton Ferguson as delegates when the meeting was held at Mt. Olive, Union County. By 1870 Coldwater had joined the Rocky River Association and remained there for fifteen years.
"In 1880 the Hard Shell Church objected to the use of the house by the Missionary Church and locked it up on them. Therefore the Missionary Church worshipped at the house of J. C. Corzine until 1884." This disagreement with the Primitive Baptists about the use of the church property was resolved when W. J. Brafford. J. W. Fisher, J. C. Corzine bought the Coldwater Church lot-one acre more or less on the Camden Road from the trustees of the Bear Creek Association for thirty-five dollars. The deed dated Sept. 1886 was recorded March 1922. From 1886 to the present day the church first known as Coldwater, then Old Field, again as Coldwater, has been Missionary Baptist.
"In 1880 the church book was lost. The scattering record from then to now I (J. O. Alderman) transfer to this book." One statement from the church book as recorded by Rev. Alderman is worth quoting. May 1880: "We, the members of Old Field Missionary Baptist Church, met according to previous appointment for the purpose of gathering up all the members of the church. We first inquire about the church book. No one present could give any account of it. We propose to have a new one. To this we all agree. We then enroll the following names Male (2 listed) Female (6 listed)." Coldwater was barely surviving. Then in 1884 Rev. Alderman says that "Rev. R. H. James and Rev. A. C. Davis being appointed by the Board (for $25.00) held a meeting of days and reorganized the church." The board which paid the two ministers must have been a Baptist State Convention Board which seemed to begin to take a hand in the affairs at both Coldwater and the newly emerging Baptist congrega- tion in the town of Concord. After 1886 Coldwater and the
First Baptist Church, Concord, shared the same ministers for a number of years; these usually were students at Wake Forest or were graduated from there. Along with an interest in securing educated ministers the Board must have provid- ed some money; because the report from the Rocky River Association of 1885 indicates a large outlay of funds, $600.00, proposed for 1886, when there was a congregation of only 19 males and 29 females. This could have been when the old log church was replaced by the frame church which remained until 1955. The church was in a much better position in 1890 with its own land, in a new building, and with ministers who shared a circuit with nearby congrega- tions.
The Mecklenburg-Cabarrus Association was organized in 1886 with Coldwater as the host church. Formation of the first Sunday School occurred in 1892; the next year certain "Rules of Decorum" were adopted; and in this connection a temperance pledge was taken by a number of members. By 1900 concern about lack of space in the cemetery was evi- dent; so W. H. Brafford and T. V. Talbirt were appointed to see about the purchase of an acre for enlarging it. In 1903 one acre and a pole on the road, with the line of the church property were sold by the School Committee of District 13 to the trustees of Coldwater Baptist Church. In April of that year the church met at the schoolhouse on this land.
This church like many rural churches had services once or twice a month. The monthly Sabbath service was frequently preceded by a Saturday congregational meeting when the business of the group was attended to. The "meeting of days", protracted meeting, or revival was held annually in August or September with one late in July or early in Oc- tober on occasion. The only reference to a baptismal place comes in the church book and refers to a special meeting at the home of Jacob McGraw on Rocky River and a baptism in the river; this could not have been the regular location. The same uncertainty surrounds the site of the early graveyard; there is a distinct possibility that family cemeteries were us- ed such as an old graveyard on Irish Buffalo Creek in which Culpepper Lee was buried around 1848. An article in a local newspaper mentions that he was the last to be buried there. The first grave at the Coldwater site is that of Jenny Corzine in 1855.
The church records between 1904 and 1914 were not kept in any detail; so there is little information which helps to understand the church family of that time. During the years
1914 to 1927 the doors of the church were closed, but would not remain silent.
In the year 1927 the church was reopened. The Rev. Mangum Luther Ross was called as its pastor. He and his wife, Zelma Connell Ross, were with the church until 1929 when he accepted the call to Miami Baptist Church.
The Rev. E. Clark Thompson served as pastor from 1930- 1932 coming from Matthews, North Carolina. During the depression years the church continued to grow and had fifty-one members.
For the next six years 1933-1939 the Rev. Adam Alexander Hathcock (wife, Cora Justine Smith Hathcock) was pastor. It was during his ministry that the church membership increas- ed to almost three times its size and additional Sunday School rooms were built from timber cut on the church pro- perty. Because of this continuing growth, Coldwater he!d services every Sunday instead of the once or twice a month services. By this time Coldwater had joined the Cabarrus Association which was organized on October 8, 1935 and held its first session on October 1, 1936.
Then in 1940 a young minister, Rev. Dennis T. Wright, and his wife, Lois, came to Coldwater and served during the dif- ficult years of World War II. Their children, Wendell, Judy, and Patricia were born while their father was serving as our pastor. Rev. Wright's pastorate ended August 3, 1947.
On November 30, 1947 the Rev. Ray Isom Billings was called as pastor. During his leadership a Baptist Training Union was organized as well as a Vacation Bible School (Ju- ly 7, 1948). A Women's Missionary Union and a Brotherhood were also started. Before March 8, 1951 Rev. Billings and his family, wife, Nancy ("Clyde") and sons Dallas and Jimmy (daughter, Retha, was married) had moved into the first church parsonage which was constructed beside the church and was completely paid for. Rev. Billings continued as pastor until August 10, 1952.
The Rev. Farrell Lee Shimpock and family, wife, Doris, son, Eddie and new baby daughter, Karen, came to Col- dwater on December 1, 1952. Daughter, Angela, was born while the Shimpocks were at Coldwater. The church membership had continued to grow; and there was a great need for a new church building. The ground-breaking was in March 1955; and the present church building was com- pleted by December 1955. The old church building was sold
to the highest bidder who moved it after the completion of the new sanctuary, which had been placed immediately beside the old structure. Also the Mt. Carmel Mission was organized on September 4, 1957 and became Mt. Carmel Baptist Church by January 1958. Rev. Shimpock served Col- dwater until June 18, 1961 when he accepted a call to Southside Baptist in Salisbury.
It was in November of 1961 that Rev. Rex Wilson West and his wife, Ellamae, their son, Jerry and daughter, Ann (one son, Jimmy, was already married) came to Coldwater. And it was during his ministry that the church would have for the first time printed bulletins for the Sunday worship services. Also on February 6, 1963 the first church library was organiz- ed and named the Rev. Thompson Cornelius Stallings Memorial Library. Rev. Stallings and his wife, Fannie, were active members at Coldwater until his death on July 23, 1962. Well-known in Cabarrus County Rev. Stallings helped organize the Cabarrus Baptist Association and served as in- terim pastor several times at Coldwater.
While serving as pastor at Coldwater Rev. West also was a representative for the Cabarrus Association of the Baptist Children's Homes in Thomasville. On January 11, 1964 Rev. West died suddenly of a heart attack, ending a faithful ministry that began with his ordination in April 1951.
The Rev. Ray William Harrington accepted the call to Col- dwater in October, 1964 and remained as pastor until March 19, 1972. His family included his wife, Ora Lee, who was church choir director, daughter, Derenda, and son, Ray Jr.
For a number of years prior to Rev. Harrington's coming to Coldwater there had been periods of disagreement among the church membership over a difference in beliefs. On August 13, 1967 a large number of the members were given their letters of dismission and later formed another church.
During Rev. Harrington's ministry two major building pro- jects were completed; the pastor's study was built upstairs in the parsonage, and the church fellowship building was completed by April 1968. On June 6, 1971 a Baldwin Organ was purchased which has added so much to the worship ser- vice. One enjoyable event that was started during the Harr- ington ministry was the Sweetheart Banquet; the first one being held at A. T. Allen School before the church fellowship building was completed. Rev. Harrington resign- ed February 20, 1972 to accept a call to Corinth Baptist Church in Monroe, North Carolina.
Coming as pastor in June 1972 was the Rev. William Ellis Pope whose wife was Pauline West before her marriage. During his ministry the church roll was revised and several church directories were printed. He served Coldwater as pastor until his resignation on April 7, 1974 because of ill- health.
Dr. Floyd Ray Rummage, Jr. and his family: wife, Teresa, young daughter, Kristen "Krissy" (son, Matthew, was born while they were at Coldwater) came on November 17, 1974, and he remained as pastor until December 25, 1977. During these years the Baptist Young Women and Mission Friends were organized and choir robes were used for the first time. Under his leadership two extensive remodeling projects were completed. The sanctuary was carpeted and two Sun- day School rooms were added at the front of the church; also the church basement was fully carpeted and the Sun- day School rooms were remodeled.
A men's softball team was organized with "Speck" Simp- son as coach; this was another good means of fellowship for the church. Also, Coldwater would have for the first time a church pictorial directory which was most helpful to new families coming into the church. Dr. Rummage's last Sunday was on December 25, 1977. He accepted a call to the First Baptist Church in Maiden.
The Rev. Jesse Thomas Yarbrough, his wife, Belinda, and daughter, Shelley, came on April 30, 1978. Under his leadership a church council has been organized and the church is being prepared for a discipleship ministry. The Baptist Men (formerly the Brotherhood) has been reorganiz- ed and is very active. The church fellowship building remodeling project was begun and is now completed.
Coldwater Church was the first Baptist Church in Cabarrus County. Today, as a missionary-minded church its goal and aim are to continue to witness and to grow.
NOTE
The material within quotation marks is taken from the "In- troductory Sketch of Coldwater Baptist Church" written by the Rev. Jacob Oliver Adlerman from the notes of the Rev. John E. McManaway. This one page historical summary, completed in 1892, should be regarded as a real treasure by this or any congregation. The history which has been written is a combination of the Alderman information and other research which has been done by Mr. J. K. Rouse. After 1880 the church records along with letters written and inter- views conducted by Amnaris Faggart Miller are the bases of the history.
1832
PEACOCK PASTORS
1790-1792 1793-1801 1802-1831
1832-1844 1844-1849
1849-1863
1863-1868 Reold NO MONEY 1868-¥872 1872-1884
October 4, 1884 November 14, 1886
January 1888 June 25, 1891
September 3, 1891
May 15, 1891 November 6, 1892
September 1, 1894 September 13, 1896 February 25, 1898 January 26, 1902
August 28, 1904 1905-1907 1907-1910 1911-1914 1914-1927 1927-1929 1930-1932 1933-1939
August 1940-August 3, 1947 November 30, 1947-August 10, 1952 December 1, 1952-June 18, 1961 November 1961-January 11, 1964 October 1964-March 19, 1972 June 1, 1972-August 31, 1974 Nov. 17, 1974 - Dec. 25, 1977 April 30, 1978
James McCabe (Licentiate) Rev. John Culpepper No Church Records Elder Dunn Elder Philip Snider Elder Solomon Snider
Elder Calvin Ferguson
Elder Nathaniel Mitchell Clark LAST P. BAP.
Rev. Joe McClure-(UNION CITY )SILAS FINCHER Rev. E. C. Williams HELD REVIVAL. ORG. CHURAS Rev. W. M. Johnson Rev. A. Cul Davis @ REV. R.H. JAMES ORE CH
Rev. George P. Bostick Rev. Jefferson Davis Newton
Rev. J. E. King Rev. John E. McManaway Rev. Jacob Oliver Alderman Rev. Adolphus Williamson Crabtree Rev. A. Cul Davis Rev. John Jerome Payseur
Rev. B. Lacy Hoge
Rev. Joseph Edwin Smith
Rev. W. R. Davis
Rev. Robert Hughes Herring
Rev. S. N. Watson
No Church Records
Church Closed Rev. Mangum Luther Ross Rev. E. Clark Thompson Rev. Adam Alexander Hathcock
Rev. Dennis T. Wright
Rev. Ray Isom Billings Rev. Farrell Lee Shimpock
Rev. Rex Wilson West
Rev. Ray William Harrington
Rev. William Ellis Pope Dr. Floyd Ray Rummage, Jr. Rev. Jesse Thomas Yarbrough
INTERIM PASTORS
Rev. Bob Gardner Rev. Thompson Cornelius Stallings Rev. Eddie Jones Rev. Arthur Plummer Rev. Vernon Connell
..
GROWTH OF THE CHURCH
Year
Church Members
1930
40
1935
80
1940
99
1945
111
1950
205
1955
252
1960
338
1965
378
1970
313
1972
1975
Revised Roll 197
IN 1880 The Hard Shell (Primitive) Baptist objected to the use of the house (log house,
by the Missionary Church and locked it up on them. Therefrom the Missionary Baptist Church (Coldwater) worshiped at the house of J.C. CORZINE until 1884.
Coldwater Baptist Church
Concord, North Carolina 28025
Coldwater has a rich heritage reaching to 1790 and pro- bably beyond. Such a record of endurance can only be ex- plained by acknowledging that the majority of the con- gregation must have embodied a bold spirit of mission that was in step with the times. Through the years the congrega- tion has selected pastors who made their special contribu- tion to build this bold spirit of missions. Each pastor had to be bold, pray boldly, and think boldly if there was to be growth. Also, the people had to catch his vision of boldness as they went forward on mission together.
It is my desire to take my place in this heritage and lead this congregation to dream again the dream of boldness in missions. We have before us a daring challenge to ask God what He wills Coldwater to be and do. Part of this is already coming to light; for we are witnessing the Holy Spirit mov- ing in the lives of young and old. There is a vision of church members being disciplined in the faith so as to multiply and bear spiritual fruit. There is a vision of each member hear- ing and obeying God's call to employ their spiritual gifts for the work of the ministry and the upbuilding of the body of Christ. It is my dream to be the Pastor/Teacher, to equip each member for their personal ministry and to help them find fulfillment, satisfaction and personal joy in that ministry. Along with help from many sources, I wish to help each member be a success in Christian living and service.
My dream is to help Coldwater communicate a vision of Bold Mission Thrust; to double baptisms by 1982; to double church contributions by 1982; to double all missions giving by 1982. The vision of Bold Mission is already moving from being a dream for it is here in the bud of reality. I long to see it flower into a never ending process of bold dreaming and bold action.
Jesse T. Yarbrough
FOR THE CONGREGATION
Completed April, 1979 Amnaris Faggart Miller, chairman.
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