USA > North Carolina > Alexander County > A history of beginning and conduct of ye Baptist people, of Jesus Christ, of Alexander County, North Carolina > Part 6
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Wade meanwhile had late in the evening following the execution, re- turned from the river and viewed the bodies of his comrades hanging from the stakes. Where he spent the night is not known by this writer. In the morning of the next day (May 20, 1865) he Wade, went down the river about a mile where he crossed to a friends house on the South side of the Yadkin. There he stayed for a while and in all probability ate breakfast. He told his friend Mr. Johnnie Davis that the execution had taken place and other things that had happened to his band, and that the men in searching for him had come within 6 feet of his head. He discussed things of common interest with Mr. Davis and then bid him farewell and so far as information is available, has not been seen or heard of in this section since.
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Fort Hamby cont., p. 6
There are other stories of things that were done in relation to Fort Hamby and this band of robbers, some may be true, some might be worth preserving. Some of the things related in this work may by chance be unintentionally in error. This writer has not purposed to include any falsehood in this report. One statement yet remains that he wishes left with you. That is it has been told him that one man who was connected with Wade's gang escaped with a bullet in his neck. This man lived in the Lewis Fork section and carried this bullet in his neck as long as he lived. An eyewitness who says he has seen this man many times relates this. He also says that descendentants of this man live now in an adjoining town.
1. See Elder J. F. Fletcher's Baptist History.
Sources of information relative to Fort "amby have been from the following other sources :
Mr. W. C. Linney ( Brother of James Linney) Mr. J. T. Linney (Son of Wells Linney)
Mr. J. L. Hodges
Elder W. E. Linney's "School of the Prophets"
Mr. John Crouch in his "Historical Sketches of Wilkes" Mr. M. G. Steelman
Mr. W. W. Scott in his "Annals of Caldwell County"
Personal observation, investigation and other sources.
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Mt. Olive Baptist Church 1865
Was constituted by Elders: Daniel Welborn, Peter Tritt and Jacob Crouch. On April 7, 1865. The charter members came from Walnut Grove and Little River Baptist Churches.
It was first called New Prospect. Was changed to Mt. Olive on motion of Isaih Lowe.
The first pastor was Elder Peter Tritt.
The first services were as was usual, held under a brush "ARBOR. "
The present meeting House was built in 1892.
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In 1866, Elder William Pool was moderator of Lewis Fork Association and David Downs was clerk.
The Meeting was at Maccedonia.
It was proposed and agreed upon by Lewis Fork and the United Associa- tion to meet at Three Fork Church on the Friday before the fourth Sunday in July 1867, to try and unite the two Associations into one. This however was not done until 1871.
Here is the first notice that we have of Charity Church. No records of the United Baptist Association.
Church
Association
Pastor
Baptized
Members
Little River
Lewis Fork
Wm. Pool
88
Antioch
Lewis Fork
Jacob Crouch
4
115
Maccedonia
Lewis Fork
Jacob Crouch
17
77
Pleasant Hill
Lewis Fork
Peter Tritt
7
30
Three Fork
Lewis Fork
J. B. Powell
93
Charity
Lewis Fork
Jacob Crouch
10
58
Mt. Olive
Lewis Fork
Peter Tritt
5
33
Bethel
Briar Creek
W. G. Brown
3
175
Pilgrim
Briar Creek
R. W. Wooten
74
Mt, Gillead
Dover
Liberty Grove
Taylorsville
Concord
Center .
Taylor Spring
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1867 Lewis Fork and Briar Creek reports include:
Churches
Association
Pastor
Baptized Members
Little River
Lewis Fork
Wm. Pool
184
Antioch
Lewis Fork
W. G. Brown
199
Maccedonia
Lewis Fork
Jacob Crouch
22
102
Pleasant Hill
Lewis Fork
Jacob Crouch
13
45
Three Fork
Lewis Fork
W. G. Brown
1
94
Charity
Lewis Fork
Jacob Crouch
16
79
Mt. Olive
Lewis Fork
Peter Tritt
16
61
Sulphur Spring
Center
Taylor Spring
Concord
Taylorsville
Liberty Grove
Dover
Pilgrim
Briar Creek
R. W. Wooten
74
Bethel
Briar Creek
W. G. Brown
5 167
Mt. Gillead
(Dissolved)
Elder William Tucker died this year 1867, on June 27.
1. Sulphur Spring Church was organized in 1867, however it was after the association met.
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Sulphur Spring Baptist Church 1867
Was constituted on third Saturday in October 1867. The Elders were: James McNeil, J. Harvey West, J. B. Greene and Robert L. Steele.
There were 22 charter members, four of them coming from the old dissolved Mt. Gillead Church nearby.
Elder J. L. Davis was the first pastor.
This Church is located a short distance north from Hiddenite, N. C., and is near a paved road. Is close by the site of the Sulphur Spring School and the old Hotel site. This Church was first located a short distance from the present location.
A part of the old building of Mt. Gillead was used in the first build- ing here.
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C
In 1868, there was quite a stir in and about Alexander County by the Baptists, Lewis Fork met with Antioch Church, Briar Creek met with Bethel, while the United met with Dudley Shoal nearby. Records avail- able show these and other things:
Churches
Association
Pastor
Baptized
Members
Little River
Lewis Fork
Wm. Pool
18
96
Antioch
Lewis Fork
D. B. Brown
192
Maccedonia
Lewis Fork
Jacob Crouch
161
Mt. Olive
Lewis Fork
James Derley
60
Charity
Lewis Fork
Jacob Crouch
82
Three Fork
Lewis Fork
W. G. Brown
1
80
Pleasant Hill
Lewis Fork
Bedford Brown
13
60
Bethel
Briar Creek
Jacob Crouch
1
156
Pilgrim
Briar Creek
R. W. Wooten
13
184
Liberty Grove
United B.
R. L. Steele
7
33
Taylorsville
United B.
Isaac Oxford
1
33
Concord
United B.
Jacob Crouch
21
50
Center
United B.
J. Harvey West
19
Sulphur Spring United B.
R. L. Steele
3
36
Dover
Taylor Spring
United B.
J. B. Green
There was a colored Baptist Church in the Lewis Fork Association at this time, its address or location at or about Stony Point, N. C., and its name GUM SPRING, its pastor was B. F. Watts.
During this time and indeed before and long after, the pastors of the several Churches were paid very little if anything at all for their services. Yet they could not do as did Elijah the prophet, go forty days and forty nights without eating. (1 Kings 19:8). The preachers worked as other men for a living and preached and did all the pastoral work in addition.
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Some of the events and facts of 1869 Baptist work in the Lewis Fork, Briar Creek and United Associations were as follows:
Church
Association
Pastor
Baptized Members
Center
United B.
J. H. West
18
Taylorsville
United B.
Wm. A. Pool
31
Sulphur Spring
United B.
"m. A. Pool
10
51
Liberty Grove
United B.
33
Concord
United B.
Jacob Crouch
8
56
Taylor Spring
United B.
J. Harvey West
Bethel
Briar Creek
Jacob Crouch
8
159
Pilgrim
Briar Creek
Wm. A. Pool
8
92
Little River
Lewis Fork
J. T. Shell
5
104
Antioch
Dover
Pleasant Hill
Lewis Fork
James Kerley
1
57
Three Fork
Lewis Fork
Jacob Crouch
10
93
Mt. Olive
Lewis Fork
James Kerley
7
57
Maccedonia
Lewis Fork
Wm. A. Pool
91
Elder William Pool was moderator of Lewis Fork and Elder Robert Steele was moderator of the United Association.
The colored Church, previously named that was connected with Lewis Fork, was advised with other colored Churches to form an Association of their own. Here in all probability is the beginning of Associations among the colored Baptists.
Antioch and Dover Churches were neither represented in the Associations above named.
It was this year at the Lewis Fork Association that they adjourned one evening to meet at 82 o'clock the next morning.
The Lewis Fork Association appointed C. C. Pool to start Sabbath Schools in the Association during the year.
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Charity
Lewis Fork
The Lewis Fork Association met with Mt. Olive Church in 1870, Elder Wm. A. Fool was moderator. The session lasted two days.
Elder Robert Steele was moderator of the United Association. This session also lasted two days plus one making 3.
Taylor Spring Church asked for and was granted a letter of dismission from the United Association to the Briar Creek. This was done on August 20, 1870.
The United Association asked her sister Associations to help maintain the United Baptist Institute at Taylorsville, N. C.
The United Association gave #39.00 to Wake Forest College, the clerk was paid $4.00 and $21.00 was made up to be used for Indian relief. Elder J. T. Shell the Associational Sunday School missionary, reported and was paid $41.60. He had organized 8 Sunday Schools during the year.
Other items reported from the churches included :
Church
Association
Pastor
Baptized
Members
Bethel
Briar Creek
Wm. A. Pool
5
162
Pilgrim
Briar Creek
C. C, Pool
1.05
Taylor Spring
Briar Creek
E. N. Gyn
10
134
Little River
Lewis Fork
J. T. Shell
12
109
Antioch
Lewis Fork
Smith Ferguson
10
152
Maccedonia
Lewis Fork
16
103
Pleasant Hill
Lewis Fork
James Kerley
19
70
Three Fork
Lewis Fork
Wm. Fool
11
190
Charity
Lewis Fork
Jacob Crouch
1
94
Mt. Olive
Lewis Fork
J. Jolly
56
Sulphur Spring
United B.
Wm. A. Pool
20
78
Center
United B.
Smith Ferguson
18
Concord
United B.
Jacob Crouch
13
66
Taylorsville
United B.
G. D. Sherrill
1
34
Liberty Grove
United B.
33
Dover
Dover was not represented in either of the above named Associations. Note the large number of baptisms, a total of 118.
C. C. Pool, Sunday School worker of the Lewis Fork Association, reported that he had organized 16 schools.
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The 1871 meetings of Lewis Fork and the United Baptist Associations meant the end of both, inasmuch as they merged to stay, in the form of the Brushy Mountain Baptist Association later in 1871. The Brushy Mountain Association is yet going and going well. The United Baptist Associa- tion in its meeting with the Taylorsville Church on August 18, 1871, passed a resolution to this effect: This and the Lewis Fork Associa- tion both lie within the same territory, therefore, Resolved, That We, the United Baptist Association propose to the Lewis Fork a union of the two bodies in one.
Resolved, that if the Lewis Fork Association accede to this proposal, that then the Churches of this Association are advised to meet them by delegation at such time and place as they may appoint, with the view to effect said union.
Elder James McNeil was one of the corresponding delegates from the United Association to the Lewis Fork Association, which met at Pilgrim Church - on the appointed day in 1871. Elder W. C. Meadows who was at this meeting says: "In 1871 the Lewis Fork Association was held at Pilgrim Church, at which time the Rev. James McNeil came to us and pro- posed a union of the United Baptist with the Lewis Fork, stating that the differences which for many years had kept us divided had now been removed, which differences arose about 1850-55, over the order known as the "Sons of Temperance. " .... Time the great healer of differences, did its perfect work so that the Lewis Fork Association gladly accepted the proposition offered by Rev. James McNeil, and appointed delegates to meet with the delegates appointed by the United Baptist to meet at Three Forks Church, Alexander County, in November 1871. This Meeting resulted in the organization of the Brushy Mountain Association. "
This meeting was held at Three Fork Church on November, 24, 25 and 26, 1871. The record of this meeting is included on another page.
Elder Robert L. Steele was moderator of the United Baptist Association at its final meeting.
Elder William Pool was moderator of the Lewis Fork Association in its final year.
There are no records that the writer has been able to find of the meet- ing at Pilgrim of the Lewis Fork Association. Whether minutes were printed or not is not known. The clerk did not record the proceedings of this meeting as those of other years.
1. This Pilgrim Church was in Wilkes County.
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The records of the United Baptist Association and those of the Briar Creek for 1871, reveal the following and other things:
Church
Association
Pastor
Baptized Members
Taylorsville
U. B.
G. D. Sherrill
33
Sulphur Spring U. B.
1
90
Concord
U. B.
5
67
Bethel
Briar Creek
W. A. Pool
14
175
Center
U. B.
G. D. Sherrill
17
Pilgrim
Briar Creek
C. C. Pool
100
Taylor Spring
Briar Creek
E. N. Gyn 3
38
Little River
Dover
Three Fork
Maccedonia
Liberty Grove
Antioch
Mt. Olive
Charity
Pleasant Hill
With no records to be found, it is presumed that the last nine Churches were in the last session of Lewis Fork Association, if in any.
Thus closes the records of the United and Lewis Fork Baptist Associa- tions. They merged and formed the Brushy Mountain in 1871.
Mr. J. M. Downs wrote a line in the old Lewis Fork Minute Book as follows :
"When this you see, Think of me For this you can see, When you cannot see me. "
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It happened :
1. That Baptists ordained men to the ministry that did not do much preaching.
2. That some Baptist men did much preaching and were not ordained.
3. That at least one man was ordained as a deacon by a Church which had no authority from any sister Church to do so. The man was not a member of this Church, nor had he ever been a member of it.
4. That Baptists have received some people as members without letters, while rejecting others on same basis.
5. That Baptists have excluded many unjustly and unscripturally, while retaining some who were openly ungodly.
6. That some Baptist ministers have baptized new converts who had not applied to any Church for membership, and no Church had so authorized the minister to do.
7. That Baptists organized at least one Church with many charter members who had been excluded from another Baptist Church.
8. That Baptists have been excluded from Church fellowship for signing pledges to not drink liquors. Others for holding a bible in hand in Church. Others for not being able to attend services. Others for wanting to have Sunday School and support Missions.
9. That Baptist people have often heard the Gospel preached, without paying the preacher.
10. That at times Baptists have set up too much authority in the district Association.
11. That at least one Baptist minister said "that there were just about as many different kinds of Baptists as there was Baptist people. "
12. That Baptist Churches have at times had men for pastor who had not been ordained.
13. That a minister under the Baptist name said recentely "That he did not know if Christians went to Heaven when they died." Will you please read Luke 23:43 and 2 Cor. chapter 5. Philippians Chapter 1.
14. That upon one occasion when Dr. B. H. Carroll was asked if some certain Baptists were sound, replied : "That some of them are nothing but sound. "
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Material has been collected and is being assembled to bring this record up to the year 1952. : Indeed most of it is now prepared, especially through 1935.
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