USA > North Carolina > Alexander County > A history of beginning and conduct of ye Baptist people, of Jesus Christ, of Alexander County, North Carolina > Part 2
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Eaton's Meeting House in Rowan County also had a branch in Wilkes County, it grew into Beaver Creek Church in 1779. 4
It would appear that Lewis Fork Church was also a branch of Eaton's Meeting House in its beginning. 5
While no records are at hand it would seem logical to assume that Mullberry Fields Church had at least some part in the establishment of new Churches in the surrounding territory during its lifetime. The following are among the Churches that were established during its liftime in not too far off places: 6
Dutchmans Creek 1772
Mt. Pleasant
1775
Kings Creek
1779
Beaver Creek
1779
Briar Creek
1783
Grassy Knob 1790
Little River 1791 or before
Lewis Fork 1792
Mundy or Teagues
1797
1. Minutes in Wake Forest College Library.
2. J. E. Hodges thinks it was built in 1765.
3. G. W. Paschal, History of North Carolina Baptists, Vol. 2.
4. Green's Historical Papers. This church was probably in Peter Eaton's house or on his property, and was most likely known as Timber Ridge. See minutes of Yadkin Association for 1791.
5. Greens Historical Papers.
6. The time that Mullberry Fields Meeting House existed as a branch or Church appears to have been at most from 1769 to not later than 1825, or not over 56 years. Some 55 to 60 years after this Church was no more, Wilkesboro Baptist Church was constituted near the site of Mullberry Fields, and it continues yet a strong leading Baptist Church. See the writings of Dr. H. G. Duncan, J. F. Fletcher and others. Mullberry Fields Church was not a member of the Yadkin Association in 1791.
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"The zeal of those early Baptist ministers, McNeil, Baker and others, has scarsely been equalled in the annals of our Church.
The world has seen no such religious crusaders since the saints of the early days "went everywhere, preaching the word." These men did not wait untill a "living was assured them. They did not wait untill they found out if there were good roads and a good Church building, with a comfortable parsonage, and good schools for their children. They did not even stop to inquire if the people among whom they were going could house them comfortably, give them a feather bed to sleep on and provide ham, eggs, and chicken for breakfast. Believing in the promises of the MASTER, they took no thought of the morrow, but responded to GOD'S call, going wheresoever there was human need .-
He found his people living in log huts, usually of one room, and subsisting on rye bread, potato soup and bacon, varied occasional- ly with game from the forests."
On another page, something is said about Elders in the Early Churches in this section. Dr. B. H. Carroll in his "Interpretation of the English Bible" says: The only difference I see between the New Testament Churches and the Baptist Churches of the present time upon that subject is that at the present time Baptist Churches pay no sort of regard to any sort of Elder in their Churches unless he is their pastor. In the New Testament Churches the preachers of the Church, those that had been set apart as God's ministers, though only one of them could be pastor of the flock, yet every one of the others was treated as an officer of the Church of Jesus Christ and entitled to consideration.
1. See J. F. Flethcher's Baptist History, page 16.
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As had been the practice of Baptists from the beginning the Churches that were established up the Yadkin valley associated themselves with other Baptists in the interest of fellowship and the spread of the gospel. The body with which they associated with was the Strawberry Baptist. Association of Virginia. It was organized in 1776 .- In 1786 the Churches in the upper Yadkin valley began to hold yearly meetings of their own as a branch of the Strawberry Association, they sent up by their representatives yearly to this body a report of their delibera- tions for their approval or rejection, this continued untill 1790 when they sent up a petition to be formed into an independent and distinct association. This request was granted and the Yadkin Valley Churches belonging to the Strawberry Association were given letters of dissmission. The ministers connected with the Yadkin Valley Churches at this time were :< Elders, George McNeil, John Cleaveland, William Petty, William Hammond, Cleaveland Coffey, Andrew Barker and John Stone.
On August 28, 29, and 30th. At Eaton's Meeting House in Rowan County, North Carolina, the messengers from the Yadkin Valley Churches met and proceeded to organize themselves into an Association. They chose the name of "THE YADKIN ASSOCIATION, " the first sermon was preached by Elder Andrew Baker, he used 1 Cor. 1:30 for his text. Elder George McNeill was chosen moderator and Stephen Wood clerk. Fourteen Churches were represented as follows: Beaver Creek, New River, North Fork, Briar Creek, South Fork of Roaring River, Mitchell River, Head of the Yadkin, Roaring River, Timber Ridge, Jersey, Grassy Knob, Catawba, Hunting Creek and Rye Valley of Virginia. They met at ten o'clock on Monday morning and reported a total of 370 members. They transacted quite a bit of business and answered several Quarries and the moderator and clerk sent out a general letter in behalf of the Association.
They adjourned to meet in April of 1791 with Briar Creek Church, on the fourth Saturday.
1. See Benedict's History of the Baptists.
2. Elder George McNeil was born in Scotland in the 1720s, came to America and became a Baptist, he labored much in the Yadkin Valley. He died June 7, 1805, and lies buried near Stony Hill Baptist Church in Wilkes County. A marker was placed at his grave and a memorial service held on June 7, 1905. Eaton's Meeting House in Rowan County had a branch at Bro. McNeil's home which is assumed to have grown into Lewis Fork church. (See Green's Historical Papers. )
Elder John Cleveland was a brother of the hangman, yet famous, Col. and Judge Ben Cleveland.
3. For complete information about this first meeting, the business they transacted and the letter sent out, see the Minutes of the Yadkin Association for 1790.
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200 years ago (the first week in Nov. 1752) Bishop August Spangenberg, 1 of the Moravian Brotherhood at Bethlehem, Pa., with Mr. Churton, the general surveyor and others of his party were in what is now the western part of Alexander County in search for a suitable tract of land upon which to make a permanent settlement of the Moravians. After looking over much land they settled for a while at Moravian Falls, N. C., and it occurs that they were permitted by the Baptists to use- the house of worship at Mullberry Fields upon some occasions. They finally made the settlement at Salem, N. C.
When Bishop Spangenberg was here at that time he found two men here that he made mention of: Jonathan Barrett and Andrew Lambert. There may have been a few others in the eastern section of what is now Alexander County as there is no mention of his survey going much farther east than the present site of Taylorsville. To these early settlers others were continually being added and the population soon increased. There was a road made to Upper Little River by 1760 and Daniel Boon had a hunting cabin on Lamberts Fork. Settlers as has been previously stayed came up the Yadkin River and some of them came over the Brush Mountains and made their homes. 3 Some came up the Catawba Rivers, others came up the South Yadkin River untill by the late 1760s there was quite a group of people here when the Indians made their raid, and the Little River settlement continued to grow. There were Browns, Spradlings, Robinetts, Stevensons and other names among the early comers. Perhaps the oldest public cemetary here is the one of the Spraldings.
Itis well to recall the in the early days of settlers here that there was no Alexander County, this territory was in the late 1700s a part of Wilkes. This line run about one mile south, of Taylorsville. It was also a part of Iredell and Burke Counties.
With quite a number of settlers here prior to any record of public worship, and the fact that they came from sections where there were Baptist Churches, it appears that one might be safe in assuming that there was some central public meeting place for the settlers that we have no record of. At least at this time.
1. See Vol. 5 of Colonial Records, North Carolina Library.
2. J. E. Hodges.
.3. Information from local histories previously named.
4. See Historical Sketches of Wilkes by Crouch.
Note: Up untill about 1850 there was a wild pea vine that grew in the local forests that furnished much feed for livestock and wild animals. See 4 above.
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One of the possible sources from which an early meeting place in this County could have been was that the old Little River Church in Anson County (now Montgomery) had in the year of 1770 or near this date, four branch churches, and one of these was on Mountain Creek and there they had a Meeting House. 1
Another possibility is the the local Little River Church has existed longer than records show, that is prior to 1791 or April of that year. The minutes of the Association for that year do not say if it was a new church or not.2 It is interesting to note in connection with this that the old Dutchmans Creek Church, organized in March 1772, was also admitted to the Yadkin Association the same session that Little River was, and it would have been 19 years old then.
Still a third probability tho not so strong is that the old Mt. Gillead Church nearby (now extinct) could have been a meeting place far beyond our available records. The first mention about it is that it helped organize Antioch in 1826.3 Mt. Gillead was located on Wallace or Hines Creek.
In addition to all this speculation there may have been a meeting place even a Church that we know nothing about and no records of it left.
It is well to remember also that General William Lenoir in speaking of Mullberry Fields Meeting House in. 1775 says:p "Then the Mullberry Fields Meeting House was the only place of worship in said County. " He was speaking of Wilkes County and if he knew what he was talking about that would rule out any Meeting House in the northern half of our County prior to 1775.4
What to you think?
What do you know?
1. See History of Alexander County by W. E. White, page 42 he mentions a Mountain Creek here. (Of course there were many Mountain Creeks) . See G. W. Paschal's Baptist History, Vol. 1. There was a Mountain Creek Church in 1793 with 38 members in the old Strawberry Ass'n. 2. Minutes at hand of the 1791 session do not mention its age.
3. Or the organization which preceeded it. See minutes of Alexander Association for the year 1926, page 13.
4. From a letter of General Lenoir, written in 1824.
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The exact date of the organization of the local Little River Church or the complete list of charter members nor the Elders who established it can not be determined from records available to this writer at this time.
Conjecture can be made as to the source of its origin:
One fact is clear; there were several Baptist Churches already estab- lished in this section from which members, deacons and Elders could have come to organize Little River Church if it was not established until 1791 or near this date.
It could have been set up with out the aid of any other organized body at any date.
It may have come here as already organized from the old Little River Church in Anson County now Montgomery." This Church was organized about 1760, for it must be remembered that the pastor of this Church Elder Joseph Murphy, was also pastor at Shallow Fords and worked at Mullberry Fields (now Wilkesboro, N. C.). And that the old Little River Church had about 500 members around 1768 and that due to the troubles over and about Governor Tryon and the coming revolution, this group all left for other places by 1772 except 48 members. If they did not come here already organized it ould have been a simple matter to have perfected the organization after coming here. There were other Little River Churches at other places. Bishop Spangenberg named the stream in our County Little River and it occurs that this would be one reason for the local Little River Church having that name.
There may be other angles of this, what do you know?
Brinsley Barnes, Thomas Jones, Henery Herford and Elders John Swaim and Edward Teague were most likely among the charter members if it was constituted about 1791. 2,3
1. Se History of N. C. Baptists by G. W. Paschal, Vol. 1.
2. See W. E. White's History of Alexander County, also the Yadkin Association Minutes.
3. Alexander County's Little River Church was established before the last week in April 1791.
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Elder John Swaim makes it certain- that this Church was that which is now a member of the Alexander Association, and located in the northwest- ern part of Alexander County.
Always an active Church it remained in the Yadkin Association untill the formation of the Briar Creek Association in 1822 when with Elder John Swaim as one of its delegates it joined in the constitution of that body. 2
After the adkin Baptist Association had been constituted into a sep- arate and distinct Association and was meeting in its second annual session at Briar Creek Church on the fourth Saturday in April 1791, Little River Church was represented by Elder John Swaim and a Mr. Barnes (probably Brinsley) .
It was not represented at the 1792 session according to available records. In 1793 it was represented by Elders John Swaim, Edward Teague and Henery Heriford. In 1794 by Elder John Swaim and Richard Beall. In 1795 by Elders John Swaim and Edward Teague.3 In 1796 by Elder John Swaim. It was not represented again untill 1803.
In 1797 Elder Edward Teague and others left and organized Mundys or Teagues Meeting House, 4 not far from the present Antioch. It probably will never be known if this had any thing to do with Little River not being represented at the Association for the next 7 years.
It was represented in 1803 by Elder John Swaim, ? Solomon Davis and John Spreedling (or Spradling). In 1804 by Elders John Swaim and William Dotson.º Not represented in 1806 and 1807. In 1808 by Aaron Smith. Not represented again untill 1815 when John Swaim Jr. was its messenger.
1. See Paschal's Baptist History, Vol. 2.
2. See Green's Historical Papers.
3. See Yadkin Association Minutes.
4. See record of this organization on another page.
5. Solomon Davis live in the present Bethel section up the Cold Gap road on the property that W. C. Watts now owns. He was robbed by the notorious bandits about 1865.
6. Elder William Dotson is said to have been the first Baptist Preacher around here, if so this is the first public record of his presence. He came here from Virginia, lies buried at Three Forks cemetery, grave marked. Died April 1832. Born about 1737. He was Moderator of the Yadkin Association for 3 years. He lived in the Three Fork section.
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In 1816 Elder William Dotson ard Elder John Swaim were the messengers.
It was at this session of the Yadkin Association that the first record of Bethel Church is found. - Elder William Hines and John Gartney were the messengers.
In 1817, Elder William Dotson, James Watts and James Burns were from Little River while Bethel was represented by Elder William Dotson, John Gortney and C. Hutton.
Little River was represented in 1818 by Elders William Dotson, John Swaim and James Watts. Bethel by Elders William Hines,
William Dotson and B. Shelly. This meeting was at Bethel Church. Elder John Swaim and James Robinette were for the Little River in 1819, while Elder William Dotson and J. Redman were from Bethel. In 1820 Elder John Swaim, James Robinette and Archibald Brown were from Little River and Solomon Davis and John Redman from Bethel.
The 1821 messengers from Little River were: Elders John Swaim, James Watts and A. Brown. Bethel's were Elder William Dotson and son William Dotson and Elder William Hines. Bethel reported 74 members and 5 baptisms.
The next year, 1822, Little River joined in the formation of Briar Creek Association and remained with it untill it joined Lewis Fork. Bethel remained for many years with Briar Creek also, having taken the same step as Little River.
1. Although at present the date of the consitution of Bethel Church is set at the year 1800, in searching all available records, the writer has found no reference of any nature to any such date. The date of 1800 may be correct. But in this case without the slightest record of its existence prior to 1816, it appears best to call that its date of organization. However if any later information should be found it will be placed herein.
2. During all these years, since 1797, we have found no record of the church at Mundys or Teagues. And even then no public record.
3. The Yadkin Association met with Little River Church in 1806. Some- one has said that out of the territory covered by the old Yadkin Association, some 30 distinct Associations have been organized at various times.
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Although as previously stated the Church founded by Elder Edward Teague and located at what is now known as Mundys cemetery was constituted on June 7, 1797, no record has been found by the writer that it ever asso- ciated itself with other Churches in the cause common to all. No record whatever of its pastors other than Elder Edward Teague, who lieg buried at the site. No record of its members than that listed below.
The Meeting House burned down about 25 years after this Church was organized and it was not rebuilt. Some of the members were included in the consitution of Antioch Church nearby in 1826.
A paper found among those of Benjamin Austin, a member (and most likely the clerk) reads as follows:
"At a meeting held at the New Meeting House in Burke County middle Little River a presbytery being called for to constitute a Church and ordain officers and found prepared the members names as follows :
Edward Teague Ministers
Henery Holstslaw Benjamin Austin William Sherrill Deacons
Nathun Austin
George Pain, George Thompson, Excld. Jehu Barnes, James Oxford, Sarah Teague, Mary Austin, Dismist; Rebecca Austin, Elizabeth Thompson, excld Nancy Pain, Rebecca Foster, Ruth Pressly, Elander Dockery, Tabitha Spradlin, Elijah Austin, dismist by letter; Harry a Negro, deceased.
Feb. 28, 1798. On the reverse side of the document in a different handwriting, was written:
Richard Brown, Elijah Austin, Rachel Brown, Mary Austin Dismist, by letter about Oct. 1st.1
Thus ends the record of this Church.
As has been shown Elder Teague was a member of Little River Church in 1796, he came from Alamance County.
1. See the minutes of the Alexander Association for 1910. See W. E. White's History of Alexander County. See History of Alexander County by Steve or and W. C. Watts, this to be published later.
(Any error in copying these facts is purely unintentional. )
Note. These people already had a Meeting House when they were formed into a church.
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Mt. Gillead Baptist Church, located about 1 mile north of the present White Plains Church, on a knool near Mr. Isaac Sharpe's home, has been extinct since about 1866. Mr. Ben Hines who was clerk at that time gave letters of dismission to all the members at that time and four of them were charter members of, the Sulphur Springs Church which was constituted nearby. In 1867 .-
It appears from tradition that there was a division or serious trouble in this church internally as the reason for its dissolution at this time. It has been told the writer that some of the members tore down the house of worship and hauled part of it to the site of Sulphur Sprin Church, during the nights and that it was used in the construc- tion of a building there. <
Irrespective of the conditions of the members of this Church at the time of its dissolution, it did good in the community during its long existence and two fine Baptist Churches are now well established in the nearby community. 3
Elder William Hines, his wife and several other individuals lie buried in the well kept small burying ground at the site. 4
This Church, as records will show, was active in Associational work and it helped establish the present Antioch Church. 5
The first record that the writer has found of it was in 1826 when two of its members: Elder William Hines and Richard Wallace were on the presbytery that constituted Antioch Church above named.
"Wallace and Hines were members of Mt. Gillead Church or the organiza- tion which preceded Mt. Gillead situated on the greek later known as Hines Creek and now known as Davis Mill Creek. " 6
It is seen that this church or its predecessor was existing in 1826, and it most likely had been for some time, although the exact date of its constitution has not been found by this writer.
There was at this time or thereabout, four Baptist Churches in what is now Alexander County: Little River Mundays or Teagues, Bethel and Mt. Gillead.
"So mightily grew the Word of GOD and prevailed. " Acts 19:20.
1. According to Mr. Clark Sharpe.
2. According to Mr. H. C. Gryder.
3. White Plains, Supphur Spring and Hiddneite could be included.
4. Elder Hines died in 1859.
5, 6. See Alexander Association Minutes for 1926. Page 13. Mr. A. C. Payne, Historian.
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A report that was given at the 1826 meeting of the Briar Creek Baptist Association.
"The true ministers of the gospel of CHRIST are a set of faithful men, chosen of GOD, and sent out into the world to preach the gospel of CHRIST, to teach believers in their duty, and to warn sinners of their danger. Being chosen of GOD and set apart to that office they are bound from a love to GOD and their fellow creatures, to go out into the world and declare the counsels of GOD although they meet with many trials an the way.
They are like other men cumbered with things that impede their way through life, having the cares of this life to encounter with, they often go with much difficulty; their minds weighed with the cares of their families the scriptures declaring that theu which neglect their families are worse than an infidel and have denied the faith.
And again the cry in them is, 'Woe is me if I preach not the Gospel. '
Under these circumstances how careful should the followers of GOD be to untie their hands and make them more easily to go out into the world to spread the glad tidings of salvation to dying men.
I consider it the duty of every Church to pay strict attention to the situation of their preachers so that their families are well provided for and that they may go forth the better composed and have more time to read the scriptures.
The pastors ought to be self sacrificing men teaching by example as well as by precept.
Thomas Douglas
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Although there were four Baptist Churches that we have record of, in what is now Alexander County at this time 1822, one two of them have left any record that the writer has found that they were connected with Associational work. These two were as has been shown: Little River which joined the Yadkin in April 1791, and Bethel which was represented in 1816. Both of these Churches were represented in the organizational meeting, held at Briar Creek Church on November 23rd. 1822 Elder John Swaim was present for Little River and also James Robinette and Archibald Brown. Elder William Dodson, his son William, and George Gilreath were present for Bethel.
They elected Thomas Martin moderator and James Martin Clerk. The New Association was called Briar Creek and continues untill now.
In 1823 the Briar Creek Association met with Little River Church and Elder John Swaim and son John, with Sion Harrington and Archibald Brown were its messengers for Little River. Elders William Dodson, William Beach and Richard Wallace and William Dotson, Jr., were messengers from Bethel. Bethel reported 140 members and Little River 51.
The 1824 meeting showed Little River with 1 baptism and 68 members. It was represented by Elder John Swaim, Sion Harrington and James Robinette. Bethel reported 2 baptisms and 142 members and William Dotson, Jr. was its messenger.
1825 showed Little River with 64 members and Elder John Swaim and Sion Harrington were its messengers. Bethel reported 3 baptisms and 134 members. It was represented by William Dotson, Elders William Hines, William B. Beach and Jones Hays.
In 1826, Little River was represented by James Robinette. Bethel by William Dotson, John Redmon, Andrew Hendren and William Laws. It reported 2 baptisms and 128 members. Antioch Baptist Church was organized on July 29, this year.
In 1827 we find the last mention made of Elder John Swaim. Antioch was represented this year by its clerk Benjamin Austin and a deacon Nathan Austin, its pastor now was Elder William Dotson who was 90 years old at this time. They reported 28 members, 9 baptisms, 2 by letter and had dismissed 4. Bethel was represented by Richard Wallace, William Laws, Elders William B. Beach and William Hines. Bethel reported 106 members. Little River reported 1 baptism and 54 members. Its messengers were James Robinette, Austin Brown, Elder John Swaim.
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