USA > North Carolina > Historic sketch of the Reformed Church in North Carolina > Part 20
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The following have served as official members: Elders, Peter Finger, H. W. Link, Peter Rowe, Z. R. Whitener, John Robinson, J. S. Whitener, J. E. Wil- fong, D. W. Whitener and R. L. Whitener.
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Deacons: J. E. Wilfong, A. Whitener, D. W. White- ner, Wm. Abernethy, William Dietz, David Setzer, R. L. Whitener and D. H. Whitener. In addition to the official members mentioned above, Abel Sigmon, Jesse Killian, Jacob Shuford, Henry Whitener, George Whitener and others gave character and dignity to the membership, as well as proving faithful and con- secrated members. This organization has a - good record. The congregation has given to the church one minister, Rev. Julius H. Shuford. Milton White- ner was reared in this congregation, but moved into another community before he was confirmed.
Many of the members of this congregation have moved into the prosperous town of Hickory and united with the Reformed congregation of the town. These members have made an impress upon society.
The church building is situated on the road leading from Hickory to Lincolnton, in the midst of a prosper- ous community. The members are largely the de- scendants of the pioneer Henry Weidner, who settled in the South Fork Valley, and with such a sturdy citi- zenship, the prospects for the future of the congrega- tion are encouraging.
12. Corinth Reformed Church, Hickory.
Missions pay. No better evidence of this truth can be found in North Carolina than Corinth Church, Hickory.
Among the early settlers at Hickory were Henry.W. Link and A. L. Shuford. They came in the spring of
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1860 and, being members of the Reformed Church, soon invited the Rev. Jeremiah Ingold, who was pastor of churches in Catawba County, to preach for them. No church building being in the village, a stand was erected at which services were held during the summer months and in the winter services were held at the home of Mr. Link. Rev. Ingold continued to preach thus until the stand was burned, after which he preached exclusively at the home of Mr. Link, once a month in the afternoon, until the free Academy was built about the year 1868, by Rev. Jeremiah Ingold.
In this building the congregation was organized in the year 1869 by Rev. Jeremiah Ingold. There were twenty-one charter members as follows: H. W. Link, Catharine Link, Amidus Link, Peter Rowe, Adolphus Rowe, Andrew N. Rowe, Martha C. Rowe, Wm. L. Ramsaur, Caroline L. Ramsaur, Adolphus Shuford, Abel A. Shuford, Abel Whitener, Eliza Whitener, John Fry, Emaline D. Fry, Susan Whitener, Henry Fry, Isaiah Ingold, Wm. P. Reinhardt, Mary L. Reinhardt and Lovinia Killian.
After the list of members the following entry is made: "After the foregoing list was completed, the members proceeded to organize a congregation by electing the following officers: Elders, H. W. Link and Peter L. Rowe; Deacons, A. A. Shuford and Amidus C. Link, who were immediately ordained and installed. The election by request was conducted by E. P. Coulter."
The congregation worshiped in the academy build- ing until the year 1872, when H. W. Roninson gave a
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lot of 100 feet front adjoining the academy lot for a Reformed Church, and a subscription list was started to raise money to build a church. A. L. Shuford, H. W. Link and W. P. Reinhardt were appointed a building committee. The corner-stone was laid, at which ser- vice Rev. G. W. Welker preached the sermon, Rev. J. C. Clapp delivered the address and Rev. Jeremiah Ingold, pastor, conducted the liturgical services. Funds were scarce and the congregation was unwilling to assume the expense of a cupola and H. W. Link and W. P. Reinhardt personally assumed the cost and the cupola was built. The house was a wooden structure and was finished, except painting, in the spring of the year 1874.
In 1877 J. F. Murrill was elected Secretary of the Consistory and wrote the following relating to the congregation: "The town of Hickory is comparatively new and the church, recently organized under the pas- toral care of Rev. Jeremiah Ingold on missionary grounds, became a part of the Grace Charge. The congregation though weak both in a numerical and pecuniary way, by the encouragement of small contri- butions from distant friends and their own unfaltering efforts, succeeded in building a house of worship, the second in the town."
Rev. Jeremiah Ingold resigned the charge in 1874 and Rev. J. H. Shuford, then a student at Ursinus College, was called. Rev. Mr. Shuford remained pastor for two years. A convention of the Joint Consistories of the Grace and Catawba Charges was held in the Reformed Church of Newton on Good
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Friday, 1876, when a proposition to petition Classis to divide the ten congregations of the two charges into three charges was rejected and an informal arrange- ment was made with Revs. Clapp and Foil to supply the entire ten congregations. This arrangement con- tinued for one year and on Good Friday, 1877, Rev. J. A. Foil was called to the pastorate of Grace Charge. Dr. Foil preached for this charge for one year, and Classis at the annual meeting in 1878 rearranged the churches in this part of the Classis so that Corinth was made a separate charge and a call for the services of Rev. Jeremiah Ingold was confirmed. His time of service began June 1, 1878.
The history of the Corinth congregation has been one of frequent changes in pastorates and rearrange- ment of charges. The following ministers have served the congregation, either as pastor or supply: Jeremiah Ingold, D.D., 1860-1874; J. H. Shuford, 1874-1876; J. C. Clapp and J. A. Foil (supply), 1876; J. A. Foil, 1877; J. Ingold, 1878-1881; A. S. Vaughn, 1881-1883; A. P. Horn, 1883-1884; G. D. Gurley (supply), 1884- 1885; Lewis Reiter, 1885-1890; Joseph L. Murphy became pastor of the charge November, 1890, and is still in charge of the work at this writing.
The following persons have held the office of Elder: H. W. Link, Peter Rowe, W. P. Reinhardt, J. F. Mur- rill, F. D. Ingold, J. W. Robinson, J. M. Shuford, J. L. Ingold, L. R. Whitener, C. C. Bost, J. C. Fry and G. H. Geitner. The Deacons have been as follows: A. A. Shuford, A. C. Link, J. C. Fry, C. C. Bost, M. M. Bost, J. F. Abernethy and S. L. Whitener. J. F. Murrill
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was elected Secretary of the Consistory and held the office continuously until November 26, 1888. C. C. Bost was elected his successor and holds the place at the present time.
The first church building was burned on March 26, 1887. The congregation being left without a place of worship, the use of the Presbyterian Church was kindly tendered, which offer was accepted and service was held here until the present church building was com- pleted in the year 1887. The dedication services were not held for some reason until June 29, 1890. The sermon was preached by the Rev. P. M. Trexler, D.D., and the dedication conducted by the Rev. Lewis Reiter, pastor. Revs. C. B. Heller, Paul Barringer, J. Ingold, J. A. Foil and J. L. Murphy were present and took part in the services.
The congregation has taken much interest in educa- tion and especially the education of the girls of the church. At a meeting of the Consistory held in the home of Mrs. Livinia Wilfong April 24, 1880, she stated that she had the promise from Mr. and Mrs. H. W. Robinson of a part of the "Old Hickory Tavern Lot" as a donation for a new church. This was accepted and a motion carried that a new church be built and that the present church be converted into a school building for girls. It was also moved that a competent lady teacher be employed to co-operate with the Messrs. Blair and Ivey, who were then con- ducting a mixed school in part of the church building. This was the beginning of Claremont College, for on the 10th day of July, 1880, the Consistory met at the
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home of Mr. A. L. Shuford for the purpose of consider- ing a proposition from Rev. A. S. Vaughn to return to North Carolina and build up a female school of high grade in the town of Hickory. At a meeting of the Consistory held in August of the same year Rev. Mr. Vaughn appeared before the Consistory and spoke freely and fully in favor of the enterprise, and his desire to spend the remainder of his days in the cause of Christ and female education. At this meeting a committee of arrangements made a report. This com- mittee consisted of the following persons: J. F. Murrill, A. L. Shuford, A. A. Shuford, A. C. Link, Rev. J. Ingold, W. P. Reinhardt, M. L. McCorkle, S. T. Wil- fong and J. W. Robinson. Six others making fifteen in all were to be chosen from other denominations as provided in the charter. We note the fact that the conception of the school was in the Consistory, that it was the Consistory that invited Rev. Mr. Vaughn to North Carolina, that the plan of arrangement was reported to the Consistory and that three-fifths of the Trustees must be members of the Reformed Church. This is important as it shows the relation of the school to the church. It is safe to say that Clare- mont College owes its existence to Corinth congrega- tion. The Consistory has continued to fill vacancies in the Board of Trustees as such vacancies have oc- curred from time to time.
In the spring of 1901 this congregation began mission work at the. Brookford Mills, a cotton mill community two miles from the town of Hickory. A nice chapel was built and the first service was held in
CLAREMONT COLLEGE, HICKORY, N. C.
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it on May 12, 1901, but on the 16th the building was struck by lightning and burned. The house was re- built and dedicated on the 3d of November, 1901, Rev. J. C. Clapp, D.D., preaching the sermon. The entire cost of the two buildings was borne by the Cor- inth congregation and the building belongs to this congregation. The building committee was A. A. Shuford, L. R. Whitener, S. L. Whitener, G. H. Geitner, J. F. Abernethy and Rev. J. L. Murphy. The work is under the care of the pastor of Hickory Church. Re- cently a congregation (March 5, 1905,) has been or- ganized at Brookford and has now about twenty-two members.
The membership of Corinth congregation is of a very substantial class of citizens. They are prominent in matters of Church and State. A. A. Shuford has held the office of Deacon for thirty-six years and is still faithful in the discharge of his duties. Rev. W. W. Rowe, the pastor of the East Rowan Charge, was reared in this congregation, and Dr. Paul Ingold Murrill of London still holds his membership at this place. The congregation has been prosperous during the last few years and has a membership of two hundred and four. The congregation has outgrown the present building and will soon consider the erection of a new church.
13. Mt. Bethel Reformed Church, Blowing Rock.
As early as 1882 and 1883 several families of Re- formed people moved from Rowan County and else- where to the mountains of Watauga County and located in the vicinity of Blowing Rock. This section has
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since become a famous resort, visited annually by hundreds of people. Rev. John Ingle visited this settlement in December, 1882, and while there he preached at the residence of Mr. Jacob Kluttz. In April of the following year Mr. Ingle moved his family to Blowing Rock and made the place his permanent home. He at once began to hold services in a school- house at the location of the present village and organ- ized a Sunday School. At the meeting of Classis in 1884 the Rev. Mr. Ingle called the attention of Classis to this mountain section as a desirable mission field. He was authorized to organize a congregation to be called the "Watauga Mission." At the same time he was instructed to secure the assistance of one of the nearest ministers. The church was organized the fourth Sunday in July, 1886, by Revs. J. C. Clapp and John Ingle in a building called the "Estes school- house." The officers were Jacob Kluttz and George Thomason, Elders, and S. E. Bollinger and D. F. Trexler, Deacons. The following names were en- rolled: James Holshouser, Mrs. Eliza Jane Holshouser, Mrs. Sallie Holshouser, Jacob Kluttz, Mrs. Mary L. Lentz, Crawford A. L. Holshouser, David F. Trexler, Mrs. Mary Trexler, W. C. Lentz, Mrs. S. R. Lentz, Mrs. Mary A. Ingle, Thornton Ingle, Minnie E. Kluttz, George Thomason, S. L. Bollinger and Mrs. Martha J. Bollinger. The church was dedicated the first Sunday in November, 1894. The sermon was preached by Rev. J. L. Murphy.
This congregation has been irregularly supplied from year to year by the following ministers: Revs.
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John Ingle, J. C. Clapp, Lewis Reiter, P. M. Trexler, J. L. Murphy, J. A. Foil, H. E. Sechler and possibly others. Since October, 1903, it has had the regular pastoral care of Rev. W. H. McNairy, the missionary at Lenoir, who goes to Blowing Rock once each month.
14. Memorial Reformed Church, Maiden.
One of the young and influential congregations of Classis is the Memorial Reformed Church at Maiden. The town of Maiden is a monument to the enterprise and business tact of Franklin Carpenter and his sons, L. A. and D. M. Carpenter, who laid out the town and embarked in the cotton mill industry, beginning work on the first mill in 1881, which turned its first spindle in April, 1883.
At that time there were only six residence houses within the corporate limits of the town, with but twenty-five or thirty inhabitants.
The building in which the first services were held was an old store building belonging to Franklin Car- penter, Sons & Co., and stood at the corner where Newton Street intersects Main Street. Rev. J. L. Murphy, D.D., has the honor of delivering the first sermon ever preached in Maiden, though Rev. J. C. Clapp, D.D., of Newton, and Elder Murrill of Hickory had made several temperance speeches previously. After this store building was removed services were held in the public school building.
On Sunday, September 19, 1886, Rev. J. L. Murphy, pastor of the Lincoln Charge, assisted by Rev. J. C. Clapp, D.D., began a series of meetings which contin-
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ued until Thursday night, September 23d, when a congregation of 29 was organized, 12 of whom were received by confirmation and 17 by certificate from St. Matthew's.
This new Reformed organization being the only church in the village and the Reformed pastor having the field all to himself, the growth from the beginning was remarkable, so that at the close of Rev. Murphy's pastorate in 1890 the membership was 112. The character of the membership of necessity made the permanency of the congregation a little uncertain. The factory element soon moved away; others came in, and other denominations built churches, and these denominations being more in harmony with the former church life of these people, the factory people naturally drifted into these churches, so that by 1906 the number was only 119, notwithstanding the fact that 43 mem- bers were received during the short pastorate of Rev. C. B. Heller.
The church building was erected in memory of Perry Albert Carpenter, the junior member of the firm of Franklin Carpenter, Sons & Co., who died July 9, 1886. He was a most exemplary young man, industrious, pious, consecrated. He loved his church and was anxious to do some special work for her. To his memory the Carpenters decided to erect a sub- stantial brick church building; hence the name, "Memorial Church." The building was begun July 25, 1887, and the first service held in it April 8, 1888. The first Communion was held May 13, 1888. The church was dedicated September 16, 1888, the sermon
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being preached by Rev. G. W. Welker, D.D., from Haggai 2: 7: "I will fill this house with glory."
For the building of the church, D. M. Carpenter furnished the brick; P. J. Kluttz, M.D., paid for haul- ing the brick; L. A. Carpenter paid for putting up the walls; J. P. Rabb gave twenty-five dollars. The re- mainder of the expense, amounting to about six hundred dollars, was contributed by Franklin Car- penter. The contractor was Salathial Bolick. The new congregation was constituted a part of the Lincoln Charge, and a parsonage was built and completed a short time previous to the erection of the church. The ground connected with the church and parsonage con- sists of two acres, towards the cost of which, including parsonage, Franklin Carpenter paid one thousand dollars. Each of the four congregations constituting the charge, Memorial, Matthew's, Salem and Daniel's, holds one-fourth interest in the parsonage and land. The pastors have been those mentioned in connection with Matthew's Church beginning with Rev. J. L. Murphy.
North Carolina Classis met in this church in 1890. Rev. P. M. Trexler, D.D., President.
The family names now appearing on the church roll at Maiden are as follows: Carpenter, Boyd, Hols- houser, Lattimore, Bolick, Setzer, Maginnis, Cook. Taylor, Ramsaur, Deal (Diehl), Finger, Kluttz, Gall, Williams, Correll, Costner, Ikerd, Starr, Beard, All- good, Sigmon, Whitener (Weidner), Harris, Foil, Rogers, Bumgarner (Baumgartner), Hartsoe and Josey.
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15. Trinity Reformed Church, Conover.
This congregation was organized by Rev. J. C. Clapp, D.D., August 20, 1892. Most of the members were transferred from St. John's Reformed Church. They built a neat and substantial brick church almost wholly without outside help, after having contributed their share to the large union church at St. John's.
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The congregation has been served by Revs. Dr. J. C. Clapp from its organization until about 1893; H. A. M. Holshouser, from 1894 to 1897; Rev. Riedesel, from 1898 to 1900; Henry Sechler from August 1, 1901, to August 1, 1902; Samuel W. Beck from October 1, 1902, to May, 1905; Milton Whitener since September 1, 1906, when the Catawba Charge gave St. Paul's con- gregation to the new South Fork Charge, and was enrolled as a mission under the Board of Home Missions.
16. Zion's Reformed Church, Lenoir.
In the year 1893 Mr. J. P. Rabb moved his family from Maiden, Catawba County, to Lenoir, Caldwell County. In the same year Mr. C. H. A. Rupp, a mem- ber of a Reformed Church in Lehigh County, Penn- sylvania, located in Lenoir and entered into business. A little later G. R. Boyd, J. F. Bost and J. J. Gall, all members of the Reformed Church, took up their resi- dence in Lenoir. Their love for the church of their fathers would not allow them to enter another denom- ination. But they also saw that it was an auspicious time for the Reformed Church to establish a mission in Lenoir. Rev. J. L. Murphy visited them Novem- ber 30, 1896, and preached for them. The following
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spring they asked Classis to provide preaching for them at least once a month. The Rev. Mr. Murphy was instructed to take into his care the interest of the Reformed people at Lenoir and organize a congrega- tion if it seemed advisable. He was also to have the assistance of the ministers teaching in Catawba Col- lege. Services were held regularly in Mary's Chapel about a mile and a half out of town. May 8, 1898, a congregation was organized by Rev. P. M. Trexler, D.D., with the following members: J. P. Rabb, Mrs. S. A. Rabb, I. G. Rabb, J. P. Rabb, Jr., George F. Thomason, Mrs. George F. Thomason, G. R. Boyd, C. H. A. Rupp and John F. Bost. J. P. Rabb and George F. Thomason were elected Elders, and C. H. A. Rupp and G. R. Boyd, Deacons. At the meeting of Classis soon afterwards the interest of the new congre- gation was committed to Rev. Dr. Trexler.
A congregational meeting was held January 8, 1902, when it was decided to build a church in town. A lot was purchased on College Avenue. Rev. J. C. Clapp, D.D., held the first service in the new church May 10, 1903. The house of worship is a neat frame building costing a little over sixteen hundred dollars, and was dedicated August 9, 1903, the sermon being preached by Rev. J. C. Clapp, D.D. Rev. J. L. Murphy, D.D., conducted the service of dedication. The ministers already named served the congregation from the first of its history until October, 1903, when it was enrolled by the Board of Missions. Rev. W. H. McNairy was ยท commissioned as pastor, and this relation continues to the present time.
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