USA > North Carolina > Chatham County > History of Mount Zion M.E. Church, South of Chatham County, North Carolina > Part 2
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Prims Catechism; Mary Petty, 5th and 6th sec- tions in Prims Catechism; Cynthia Petty, 3 verses of Hymn; John B. Clegg, 1st chapter of John, 4 verses; Andrew Petty, part of section in 2nd Cate- chism; Newton Petty, part of section in 2nd Cate- chism; Walter Brooks, part of 6th section of 1st Catechism. Two Catechism classes containing Lydia Gean, Eliza B. Clegg and Sallie S. Gean.
First Sunday in July, 1865. H. L. Clay, 1st and 4th lessons in 2nd Catechism; Lizzie Brown, 1st in the 2nd Catechism; Addie Clegg and Cynthia Petty, part of the 5th section in 1st Catechism; Antonette Gunter, 25 lessons in Primes Catechism and 20 verses of hymns; Addie Clegg, 2 verses in Sabbath School Book; Andrew Petty, Rufus Clegg and John Clegg, repeated 2nd lesson in the M. L. L. Book; Thomas Gunter, 3 lessons in Primer Catechism; Adolphus Brown, a verse in scripture; David Clegg, 1st and 2nd sections in 1st Catechism and 6 verses of 1st chapter of John; John Clegg, Rufus Clegg and Andrew Petty, had part of the 2nd section in the 2nd Catechism; Wm. Brown, part of section in 1st Catechism; Walter Brooks, 6th and 7th verses in 1st Catechism; Oscar Brown, 3rd section in 1st Catechism.
Sunday School, 2nd Sunday in July. The M. L. class recited with Alvis Petty, Andrew
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Petty, Henrietta Petty, Jenie M. Petty, Esther A. Clegg, with the 5th and 6th chapters in class. Sometimes several would have a poem and 4, 5 and 6, and each repeated a verse. Some would repeat a hymn alone. Well, in the war times it was hard to keep a true record. The Moores' the Bynums', nearly all dead and moved away, but Mr. Luther Clegg, getting old, held out for many years. Then his son, R. B. Clegg, was superin- tendent for quite a number of years.
CHAPTER VIII
PREACHER SENT OUT
From 1868 to 1869 I cannot tell, as I was off most of the time teaching in the upper part of Moore County. In 1876, 1877, until 1879 it was opened up in the spring and in the fall Thomas Mansfield made the proposal to get a stove, so several agreed to help and that winter there was a stove in the church. Sunday School was kept up, that is if the weather would permit. John A. Hornaday was appointed superintendent. He was three or four years later given license to preach and joined the North Carolina M. E. Con- ference; then about a year after Thomas W. Mansfield was given license to preach in the same church. Preached his first sermon just before the Conference was divided. The annual conference was held in Greensboro, the Bishop made a talk and asked for volunteers for the mission field. Thomas Mansfield said he would go; he came to bid his people goodbye; he could hardly talk. Betty Harmon commenced the song, "God Be With You Till We Meet Again;" he broke down and many shed tears. He went, spent two years; his health got so bad he was called back to North
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Carolina. For the next year or so served the Hot Springs circuit. His father was dead, but his mother, six brothers and three sisters, attended the Sunday School and church at Mt. Zion. The girls and three brothers professed and joined the church there, until they left Chatham they re- mained members there. Lucy Gean was a teacher of the women's class. Her class was held in the women's Amen corner. The last one of the class has been called Home. Mrs. Tilley Ann Clegg, wife of Luther Clegg, was burned to death; she lived one day and night after she was burned. She said she was willing to go home to be free from suffering.
Since the writer left North Carolina in 1866, and did not return until 1868, she can not give work during that time.
Sunday School reopened 5th Sunday in April, 1868. Luther Clegg, Superintendent; Teachers, Eliza B. Clegg, Lucy Gean, Martha A. Brown, Anne E. Clegg, Dr. Norman Melton, Harrison H. Harmon, for the summer of 1868. Names of scholars. Males: Isaac N. Petty, Rufus B. Clegg, William C. Melton, Marion Boon, Harrison Boon, Willie Brown, Thomas W. Gunter, Peter R. Hatch, Charlie C. Hatch, Wm. Pendergrass, John T. Gunter, Bertram Gunter, Wm. Sanders.
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Females: Cora Melton, Mary Melton, Eliza Boon, Cynthia Petty, Mary Petty, Emma Petty, Rosa Pendergrass, Ellen Gunter, Lizzie Brown, Fannie Hatch, Addie Hatch, Gertie W. Poe.
May, 1868. Sunday School opened with the reading of a portion of the scripture and prayer. Names of females: Cora A. Melton, Mary Mel- ton, Eliza Boon, Cynthia J. Petty, Fannie Hatch, Addie Hatch, Gertie Poe, Lizzie Johnson, Addie Clegg. Males: Isaac N. Petty, Rufus B. Clegg, William C. Melton, Harrison Boon, William Brown, Thomas W. Gunter, John Gunter, Boston Gunter, Peter Hatch, Charlie Hatch, William Pendergrass, William Sanders, Andrew Caudle, Alonzo Caudle, Alfred Pendergrass, Charlie Pen- dergrass, Walter F. Brown, William E. Poe.
1879-80 and 81. The Sunday School was in- teresting. John A. Hornaday, Superintendent; Rufus B. Clegg, Assistant; Albert Mansfield, Sec- retary. They had no catechism then, but R. B. Clegg or Albert Mansfield would call the names of each scholar and each would rise up and repeat a verse of scripture. That was the rule for quite awhile.
Roll of Sunday School scholars in 1881: John A. Hornaday, Superintendent; L. Clegg, R. B. Clegg, Sophie Hannock, John Hannock, John
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Gilmore, Thomas Griffin, Cornelia Griffin, Leo- nedus Griffin, John M. Boon, Harrison Harrison, F. B. Morrison, John R. Harmon, William W. Penington, William Harper, W. B. Harper, W. N. Straughn, T. Freddie Johnson, Graham John- son, P. M. Johnson, Freddy Tilley, C. T. John- son, C. M. Clegg, Joseph Hannock, C. J. Petty, Mary Petty, Claudius Gilmore, Savannah Wil- liams, Betty Petty, Emma Tilly, Viola Tilly, Fannie Tilly, Martha Pendergrass, Mattie Gil- more, George Harmon, Mary Harmon, Edward Gilmore, Albert Manfield, Alexander Jones, Emily J. Williams, Isaac N. Petty, Fratis B. Petty, Everett Petty.
Now comes Christmas of 1881, with a tree all dressed in the north-east corner, or the women's Amen corner, John A. Hornaday, leader. The names of the scholars: First, L. Clegg, C. M. Clegg, C. J. Petty, Samuel Hunt, Robert L. Hornaday, Freddy Johnson, Savannah Williams, Thomas C. Cox, W. B. Harper, Joseph Harmon, Mary Harmon, Henry C. Crutchfield, Annie Hunt, Andrew N. Hunt, Viola Tilly, Bettie Petty, Adellade Ellis, Mattie Tilly, Annie Tilly, Lillie Harmon, Bettie G. Harmon.
CHAPTER IX
INCIDENTS OF THE YEARS
While Gattis was pastor there was a great stir about tearing away the old church. Now we will tell about the moving of Mt. Zion, Chat- ham and Province to put all in one church on the road that led from Pittsboro to Haywood. Well, it was agreed to let each church have a right to have something to say. When it came to Mt. Zion, Gattis had a short sermon. It was allowed that the members could have a say. He had talked himself and a few had said something. Mr. Gattis was for putting the three in one. Lucy Gean, one of the oldest members, asked permission to speak. It was given and she did. She said in one of her talks, that she would not ever give up for Mt. Zion to be torn down. "My father," she said, "haulded with his wagon and team the first sills and sleepers to start the foundation of this church, and my father and mother never failed to help support it in any way, and both of their bodies are resting in this sacred ground. I will never give up." Addie Clegg sat behind Lucy and more than once would say, "Talk on Lucy, I am to your back if I cannot talk, I am with you, and if they tear
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it down, we'll stay if we have to build us a brush arbor, won't we." Well, Mr. Gattis went on with his report, told them that he had been whipped out and would give it up, so no other pastor has ever tried to tear down any of the churches.
The family of M. P. Leighton had moved in the neighborhood. The mother was a Mansfield. Of the Mansfields were six brothers, and three sisters; the three girls with three brothers, all pro- fessed in Mt. Zion Church in 1879, 1880, 1881.
The Leighton family attended the Sunday School during these twelve or fourteen years stay in the neighborhood and there was gotten up a missionary society with three classes; one ten cent class, one nickle, and one penny, to meet every 3rd Sunday. Some little tots wanted to join. These lived with their aunt. She wanted to train them to earn something, so she told them to get in wood and kindling, she would give them a penny. Well, they did and on Sunday when the roll was called, each little child would go and lay her penny on the table. Callie Clegg was secre- tary; Cordie Harmon, treasurer. One little boy only four years old, when his older sister and brother were called, watched them go lay their penny on the table that was inside of the alter. When the little fellow went to put his on, Cordie
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thought he was so little she'd take it; he drew back very much insulted, he showed it, and laid his on the table with a bang and went back to his aunt. Most everyone saw him and was amused.
Mrs. Leighton and one little girl died and their bodies are sleeping in the church grave yard. The little boys who were members of the penny class are now grown men and also Christian sol- diers.
Mr. George Harmon, who lived and died in the Mt. Zion neighborhood, was the father, grand- father and great-grandfather of a great many of the Harmons of this neighborhood. His first wife, who was a Polk of eastern Virginia, died and left eight children, four sons and four daughters. They all joined the Methodists. He died more than seventy-five years ago; left his last wife who was a Baptist. There were four children, Mary who married James W. Chadwick, went to Ala- bama. Elizabeth married Nathan Boone, who died or was killed in the Civil War and left her with three children. Harrison, who married Antonette Gunter, and Julia who married John Roberson. The four children all attended the Sun- day School, the only one they ever went to. They all went to the Baptist Church.
Grandmother selected the text she wanted her
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funeral preached from. It was: "If the right- eous scarcely be saved, where will the ungodly and the sinner appear?" The place Mt. Zion, the preacher a Baptist, William Lineberry, known bet- ter as "Uncle Billie." Her requests were all com- plied with. God rest them all. Not one of the family is living.
Mr. Isaiah Collier moved from Goldsboro, with his wife and her sister, his three sons, Billy Tomie and Preston. They were quite good peo- ple; their church faith was Free-Will Baptists; there was no church of that faith and order in our part of the country so they all joined our Sunday School, attended preaching regularly, and were a great help. The two women were sweet singers, alto and soprano. Mr. Collier, his wife, sister, and son's wife, are all sleeping in the church ceme- tery. His preacher from Goldsboro came and preached his funeral in Mt. Zion Church.
CHAPTER X
LIST OF PASTORS
Mt. Zion is said to be the first M. E. Church in Chatham County, built not many years after the Revolutionary War. It was built of logs. The writer, a small child, remembers seeing old logs which the old people told her were logs of the old church.
It is hard to give a correct record of the pastors in the early days.
When the Pittsboro Circuit had seven or eight churches, just four of the churches had Sunday preaching by the pastor. That was Haywood, Brown's Chapel, Pleasant Hill and Mt. Zion. In 1850, 51 and 52, the first that I can remember Heflin served three years, then came Archer. Two local preachers in Pittsboro, William Taylor and John Tinnin, would come sometimes and preach and take part in the protracted meetings. Most all the peoople seemed to love each other and did not fail to show it, and give a good hand shake and tell to others that they were happy and loved God and all the people.
Hefflin was the circuit rider-1850, 1851 and 1852; then came Archer; Peter Doub, was the
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Presiding Elder. A station preacher was in Pitts- boro, Oscar Brent, and then come Rev. R. S. Webb. At the commencement of the war between the North and the South, he joined the Southern Army and went as a chaplain with the Chatham Rifles that went out from Pittsboro. Shockley D. Adams was the circuit rider and went from there to Carthage in 1862, then come H. H. Gib- bons, who was there until 1866.
Richard Webb, the station preacher in Pitts- boro, would come out in the country and help in protracted meetings. He was with H. H. Gibbons at Mt. Zion in a meeting that was one to be remem- bered. There was a great ingathering of many souls, young and old. One old man and his wife, Mr. David Johnson and wife, went to the alter and knelt side by side; both were converted and joined the church. They lived many years after and both died in the faith.
No preacher was more beloved. He would not miss shaking hands with every child; little children would crowd around him and, many times, one would have one hand and another the other hand. He believed in the old time way of a good warm hand shake. No one that has never tried it can know the good it has done some poor child, girl or boy, that has but few kind or
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loving words. Try it, reader, and note the change of the face, and you will not then say, there is no good in a hand shake. A few kind words has won a poor convict that repented and lived true. Remember I am telling what has proven true not so many years ago and not so very far away.
J. B. Martin served four years. Then came C. C. Dodson, a humble good man, who spent but two years. Then R. T. N. Stephenson served three years. The conference was divided. He went to the Western Conference. Then came Roberson. He got crippled and W. W. Rose was sent here to fill out the year. He was in charge four years, then came J. Sanford, who was on the circuit two years and moved from there to Siler City, at which place he was taken ill in the pulpit while on his knees and died. Then came V. A. Royal for four year. . Then James H. Frizzelle. Next J. J. Boone, who served four years and did well. Then came Charles M. Lance, who is now serving his fourth this 1928. May God go with him where ever he goes from the Pittsboro Circuit, is the prayer of many for himself and all his family, especially the writer.
CONTENTS
I THE EARLY DAYS 3
II A CHURCH IS BUILT 6
III SUNDAY SCHOOL KEPT GOING . 8
IV GENERAL CONDITIONS IN CHATHAM . 14
V A GREAT ENTERTAINMENT 16
VI SUNDAY SCHOOL IN 1856 19
VII WAR BETWEEN THE STATES 22
VIII
PREACHER SENT OUT
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IX INCIDENTS OF THE YEARS 33
X LIST OF PASTORS . 37
1910
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