USA > Virginia > City of Norfolk > City of Norfolk > History of Norfolk County, Virginia and representative citizens, V.1 > Part 36
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Port Norfolk Baptist Church
Is located in the northernmost suburb of Portsmouth,-Port Norfolk. It was organ- ized in 1898 as a mission from Calvary Bap- tist Church. Rev. A. B. Dunaway, D. D .. was the first pastor and continues to this date. The church building cost over $5,000. and there are 124 members.
South Norfolk Baptist Church
Is a mission of the Berkley Avenue Baptist
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Church, located in the suburbs of Berkley. It was organized in 1893. has 115 members, and the building is worth $2,000. Rev. S. S. Rob- inson is the present pastor.
Park Fiets Baptist Church, Portsmouth,
Is located on Hatton street. Portsmouth. It was organized in 1899. has 115 members, and the church building is valued at $6,000. Rev. W. P. Hinessis pastor.
Gilmerton Baptist Church
Is located in the village of that name, at the mouth of the "new cut" of the Dismal Swamp Canal. on the Southern Branch of the Eliza- beth River and at the end of the trolley line south of Portsmouth. It was organized in 1895 under Rev. F. H. Martin, who served the church until 1898, when he was succeeded by Rev. E. E. Dadley, who remained until 1899. when Rev. J. T. Riddick assumed charge of the flock. It has ;I members and the build- ing is valued at $1.500.
Calvary Baptist Church
Is an offspring of the Court Street Baptist Church in Portsmouth. It is located in the suburb called Scottsville and was organized in 1889. The first pastor was Rev. J. W. Daugh- erty, who served several years and was suc- ceeded by Revs. R. W. Baylor. F. H. Martin, P. C. Davis and Samuel Saunders. The church building and parsonage are valued at $3,000. It has 233 members.
Burrows Memorial Baptist Church
Is located at Lambert's Point. suburb of Nor- folk and the seat of the great coal piers of the Norfolk & Western Railway. It was organ- ized in 1894 and has 138 members. Rev. R. H. White was chosen pastor in 1895 and he was succeeded by Rev. G. W. Cox. The church property is valued. at $2,500.
Park Avenue Baptist Church, Norfolk.
On May 24, 1885, the Park Avenue Bap- tist Church was organized, with Rev. R. W. Cridlin as its first pastor. He was succeeded in turn by Rev. D. W. Gwin. D. D .. who served the church from 1889 to 1893, and was succeeded then by its present pastor, Rev. James J. Hall. The church has a membership of over 700, and is now in a sound financial and spiritual condition. The present hand- some edifice is situated on the corner of Park and Brambleton avenues, Brambleton Ward, Norfolk, the erection of which was begun un- der its present pastor in 1895.
Central Avenue Baptist Church, Norfolk.
This church, which is located in Atlantic City Ward. Norfolk. at the corner of Central and Fort avenues, is about to erect a hand- some edifice on Olney Road, at a cost of about $20,000. Its former pastor was Rev. T. A. Hall, who was succeeded by Rev. E. E. Dud- ley, who is still serving the church. It has 189 members.
Grace Baptist Church, Norfolk,
On the corner of Princess Anne avenue and Church street, is an offshoot of the Cumber- land Street Baptist Church. The following named ministers have served as pastors: Rev. Vernon I'Anson. Rev. W. S. Leake and Rev. Lundy R. Wright. Rev. Dr. A. E. Owen is the present pastor. The church is growing in numbers and has 193 members.
Spurgeon Memorial Baptist Church, Norfolk,
Was organized in 1892 .- a colony from the Park Avenue Baptist Church. Rev. J. J. Wicker was the first pastor, and he was suc- ceeded in 1896 by Rev. F. H. Martin, who was succeeded in 1898 by Rev. L. R. Christie. It has a membership of 196 and its property is .worth $3.000.
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Pleasant Grove Baptist Church.
This church. the outgrowth of the North West Baptist Church, was constituted in 1845. !
located in Norfolk County. Its organization is due to the indefatigable labors of Deacon Thomas Jefferson Harrison, a pious and in- fluential Baptist, then living in the neighbor- hood. It was through his efforts also, and that of John Cooper and Mr. Warden, that the house of worship was built. Mr. Warden, though not a member of any church. was a warin friend of the then feeble church, and gave liberally of his means to its support.
The first pastor was Rev. G. A. Exall. a teacher in an academy about two miles from the church. His pastorate was of short dura- tion, being called away upon some important business. His place was immediately supplied by Rev. E. F. Dulin, of the same academy. From 1846 to 1848 the church was without a pastor, but was supplied by pastors of other churches, among whom were Revs. Thomas Hume, Sr., Jeremiah Hendren and Robert Gordon, and David Riggs, of Pungo.
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In 1848 the church called Rev. Lemuel Sanderlin, of North Carolina, who entered upon his duties in April. Rev. Mr. Sanderlin continued to labor acceptably until the close of summer ( August) . 1854, when he was re- moved by death. The church was then with- out a pastor until September, 1855, when Rev. Joseph H. Womble became the minister. Upon Rev. Mr. Womble's resignation, Rev. Abner Berry was called to the pastorate, and served in that capacity until near the close of his life, -- May, 1858. After his death Rev. William D. Pritchard became pastor and served 14 years,-an evidence of worth and appreciation. During his pastorship Rev. Thomas G. Wood, a member of this church, was licensed to preach, and subsequently or- dained at a union meeting of the lower district of the Portsmouth Baptist Association, by Revs. A. Paul Repiton. D. D., William D. Pritchard, J. A. Speight and R. W. Cridlin.
In December, 1871, and subsequently, the
church dismissed 45 members (nearly one- half ) to constitute the church at Centreville. This left them in a very feeble condition, so that they had to apply to the state board for aid. The state board, through the union meeting of the lower district, sent Rev. J. A. Speight, the then missionary of the lower dis- trict, to preach for them one Sabbath in a month.
Rev. Samuel Saunders succeeded Rev. Mr. Speight in January. 1873. and served seven months. leaving to go to the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. Rev. N. M. Munden, the present pastor, commenced his services with the church in October, 1873. In 1874 the church was remodeled. It now numbers 121 members.
Lake Drummond Baptist Church
Is located in Norfolk County, 20 miles from Norfolk, and three miles east from the Dis- mal Swamp Canal. It was constituted July 27, 1850, Revs. Thomas Hume, Sr., and J. G. Councill officiating. At the time of the or- ganization there were but nine members -- five males and four females, who had taken let- ters from the North West Baptist Church. In July, 1851, the new house of worship, built on a lot donated by Michael Sykes, was dedi- cated. and the same year the church was ad- mitted into the Portsmouth Baptist Associ- ation.
From the time of organization Revs. Will- iam Gates Thompson and Evan Forbes served the church as pastors, during which time there were seven added to the membership. From 1856 to 1857 the church with difficulty main- tained an existence.
In the winter of 1864 and 1865 the colored people. led by one Johnson Hodges, took pos- session of the house of worship, but were promptly ejected by the Federal forces. In 1866 they again attempted its occupancy, but were dispossessed by the civil authorities.
During all these years the church was sup- plied irregularly with preaching, respectively.
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY
by Revs. Lemuel and Dorsey Sanderlin, Will- iam D. Pritchard, Absalom Cherry and J. F. Deans, and Joseph Lassel, of the Methodist Church.
In February, 1867, the church again called a pastor, and was served until 1873 by Revs. William L. Fitcher, Jesse Wheeler and William D. Pritchard, during which time 58 persons were added to the membership. For the next four years, 1873-1876, inclusive, Rev. J. M. C. Luke, "goes in and out among them ;" 23 members were added to the church, and much material progress was made. Next in the pastorship was Rev. Q. T. Simpson, who served the church for one year. At the ex- piration of this time Rev. J. F. Tuttle was installed. -
The church at present is in a healthy, vig- orous condition, is in co-operation with the general work of the denomination. Rev. D. G. Lancaster is the present pastor and there are IIO members.
Salem Baptist Church
Was originally called Tanner's Creek and is situated about five miles northeast of Norfolk. Dr. Howell said it was brought into existence under the following circumstances: On Tan- ner's Creek, some six miles from the city of Norfolk, in the direction of Hampton Roads, was a very fertile, wealthy and populous neighborhood. forsaken colonial meeting house, which their fathers had occupied before the Revolution. This house a Mr. Brown and others living near fitted up for service, and induced Jeremiah Hendren, of Norfolk, to hold there regular prayer and exhortation meetings. The congregation now became full, and the leaders made application to the Cumberland Street Baptist Church to license him to preach, which it did on July 2, 1828.
Early in the next year the brethren at Tan- ner's Creek purposed establishing a Baptist church there, looking to the services of Rev. Mr. Hendren as prospective pastor. For this
purpose they applied to the churches in Nor- folk and Kempsville for the appointment of a presbytery. The former sent Rev. R. B. C. Howell, the latter Rev. Smith Sherwood. Being assembled, this presbytery first consti- tuted the church, next they ordained Rev. Mr. Hendren to the full work of the ministry, and installed him as the pastor of the church, and then they ordained the deacons. Rev. Mr. Hendren continued to serve them as their pas -. tor until his death,-which occurred in Janu- ary, 1864, -- some 35 years.
This church was always a feeble body. Rev. Mr. Hendren, being engaged in mercan- tile business in Norfolk, was not dependent upon the church for support, but was enabled to preach for them almost gratuitously during the whole of his long pastorate.
In the year 1833 the Portsmouth Baptist Association met in this church, and was hon- ored with the presence of the illustrious John Kerr and Ira M. Allen, of Philadelphia. This session was a memorable one, on account of the strong and very decided ground taken by the body against the teachings of Alexander Campbell and his followers, which at that time were distracting the Baptist churches of Vir- ginia and the country.
In the year 1836 the name of this church was changed from Tanner's Creek to Salem. its present name. There are no records of the church prior to the Confederate War. The membership had run down very low.
In 1866 Rev. Edward Jordan was pastor. He was succeeded by Rev. R. H. Baylor in 1867. Of the next two years we have no rec- ords, but we are in possession of some facts concerning that period. The meeting-house was in a state of rapid decay, and the church well nigh extinct.
J. Hardy Hendren, of Norfolk, desirous of building some kind of monument in memory of his father, concluded that the best memorial he could erect would be to rebuild his father's old church, which he did, largely at his own ex- pense. Soon a spacious and neat house of worship was constructed out of the old one,
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and opened for public worship some time about
Sunday-school, with all the modern appliances and facilities, two regular pastors. Revs. A. Paul Repiton and J. A. Speight, with frequent baptismns. To help forward the cause, Rev. .A. B. Earle was invited to hold a meeting in the fall of 1871, which he did with only little success. For two or three years the church ran forward gloriously on the flood tide of prosperity, and then the ebb tide began.
October 10, 1872, Rev. T. G. Wood was elected pastor. In January, 1873, Rev. J. A. Speight was elected to the same office. So the. church had two pastors laboring jointly for a short time. In September, 187.4. Rev. A. Paul Repiton was again made pastor. Revs. J. A. Speight and J. F. Tuttle were joint pas- tors in 1876; Rev. Mr. Warren, of Norfolk, supplied the church in 1877; Rev. R. W. Crid- lin, in 1885 and 1886; Rev. W. P. Hines, in 1878-1888-1896-1897; Rev. J. J. Wicker, in 1892; and Rev. Kelly Hobbs, in 1899 and 1900. There are 40 members.
Deep Crock Baptist Church
Is called after the village of that name, situ- ated on the Dismal Swamp Canal, in Norfolk County, eight miles from the city of Ports- mouth. There were a number of Baptists in Deep Creek as far back as 1785. In that year 12 members were received from Deep Creek into the fellowship of the Shoulder's Hill Bap- tist Church. One of these, Jeremiah Ritter, subsequently became a preacher. and was for several years the pastor of the Shoulder's Hill Baptist Church. But there is no evidence of any regularly organized church at Deep Creek until the year 1830, when the Deep Creek Bap- tist Church was admitted into the Portsmouth Baptist Association, with Rev. Jeremiah Hen- dren for its delegate. The body was never again represented in the association: after being waited upon by a committee of the as- sociation, and borne with for several years, it was dropped in 1840.
The present church was organized August the year 1870. Soon he had a flourishing . 29, 1869, by Revs. N. B. Cobb, Harvey Hatcher and George J. Hobday, with 17 mem- bers. The first pastor was Rev. A. Paul Repi- ton, who filled the pulpit from April 24. 1870, until July 26, 1873, a little more than three years. Rev. Mr. Repiton was an attractive man and gave a fresh impetus and prestige to the Baptist cause in the village.
Rev. J. M. C. Luke was the next pastor. who occupied that position from January 4, 1874, to July 19, 1876, when lie resigned, hav- ing served over two years, not without a meas- ure of success. Rev. A. E. Owen, D. D., filled the pastorate of this church from November 1, 1877. until 188t. Then followed in succes- sion : Rev. J. F. Tuttle, Rev. J. A. Speight, Rev. W. V. Everton, Rev. J. W. Harris. Rev. W. F. Fisher and Rev. J. T. Riddick, the pres- ent pastor.
Vorthi West Baptist Church.
This church is located in Norfolk County, about a mile from North West River Bridge, near the North Carolina line. It appears on the minutes of the Portsmouth Baptist Association first as the North Upper Bridge, and then as the North West Upper Bridge Church. In 1820 it assumed its present name. It so happened that Baptist preachers, traveling from Shiloh, North Carolina, to Pungo, Virginia, preached at private houses in the neighborhood on their way. Rev. Edward Mintz, from Nansemond County, also paid them frequent visits and preached to the people. Out of the fruits of their labors the North West Baptist Church was constituted in 1782, and was received into the Kehukee Baptist Association at Shoulder's Hill in 1785. The records of this church from 1782 to 1800,-18 years .- were destroyed when the meeting-house was burned in 1818. A new church was built in 1821. The present house of worship was erected in 1895.
Rev. Jacob Grigg was the first pastor after 1800, and he served as such from 1802 to ISO5, a period of three years. Mr. Sample
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speaks of Rev. Mr. Grigg as "a preacher un- surpassed by any in Virginia for deep in- vestigation and for clear and lucid exhibitions of divine truth." Rev. Dempsey Casey be- came pastor in 1805, and continued to serve mintil 1814, a period of nine years, with only partial success. Rev. Peter Lugg succeeded Rev. Mr. Casey, and remained from July, 1814, to February, 1819, a period of five years. Rev. Reuben Dowdy served as pastor from IS21 to 1824; a period of four years. Rev. Matthias Etheridge, one of their own mem- bers, was next called to the pastorate, and held the office from 1825 to. 1837, 12 years. He was the father of Dr. H. S. Etheridge, of Wal- laceton, Virginia. Rev. William B. Dawley then followed, to hold the office only one year. Rev. Matthias Etheridge was again chosen pastor. and served a second term of three years.
To say nothing of others who filled the office of clerk, it is worthy of statement that Joseph Williams was elected clerk of the church in 1842, and served over 50 years.
Rev. Evan Forbes, of North Carolina, was made pastor in November, 1842, and served until September, 1848, a period of six years. October 5. 1844. about 20 members were dis- missed to constitute the Pleasant Grove Bap- tist Church. . Rev. Lemuel Sanderlin was chosen pastor in September. 1848, and served the church as such for several years. April 27. 1850, a number of members were dis- missed to constitute the Lake Drummond Bap- . tist Church. Rev: Joseph H. Womble was chosen pastor in 1854. and served the church two years. Rev. A. Barry was pastor in 1856. Rev. J. D. Elwell assumed the pastorate in January, 1857, and remained about six years. Rev. A. J. Lowe was pastor in 1864 and 1865. Rev. J. F. Deans had charge of the church in 1866. and baptized during the year 60 per- sons. Rev. N. B. Cobb was pastor two years, -- 1867 and 1868. Rev. William Fitcher served the church one year, in 1869. Rev. A. Paul Repiton was pastor from 1870 to 1872. Rev. T. Babb then took charge only for a few
months. Rev. J. A. Speight was pastor of this church from June, 1872, to the close of 1879, -about seven years and a half. Then fol- lowed Revs. O. C. Horton, J. A. Speight. W. V. Everton, J. B. Chittey and P. S. C. Davis, the present pastor. The church now has 213 members.
Centreville Baptist Church.
This church, located on the Great Road. about four miles from Great Bridge and 16 miles from Norfolk, is a branch from the Pleas- ant Grove Baptist Church, and was consti- tuted February 7, 1872, Revs. A. E. Owen, R. W. Cridlin and J. A. Speight, with brethren W. A. Smith, J. B. Howell. A. O. Lee and J. M. Sawyer composing the council. The house of worship had been previously con- structed, and was dedicated January 7, 1872. Rev. N. M. Munden officiating. The church was organized with 41 members, representing all the essential elements of efficiency usually found in the most highly favored country churches.
Rev. J. F. Tuttle was pastor in 1882. and was followed successively by Rev. J. A. Speight, Rev. W. V. Everton, Rev. J. M. Dun- away. Rev. P. S. C. Davis, Rev. J. B. Chitty and Rey. S. B. Overton. the present pastor. This church has 77 members and its building is valued at $1,200.
Mulberry Baptist Church.
This church is located near the Western Branch in Norfolk County, about six miles west of Portsmouth. It was constituted in December, 1849, by a presbytery consisting of Rev. Thomas Hume, Sr., and Rev. James G. Councill. the missionary of the lower district. The services were held in the public school- house, and six members entered into. the or- ganization. The church was erected in 1850. Rev. James G. Councill was the first pastor and served for four years, increasing the mem- bership to St whites and two colored. In
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September, 1857, Rev. Isaiah T. Wallace was ordained in the church. When the Confed- crate War broke out the members became dispirited and scattered. The church building was torn down by the Federal troops, and after the war the church membership was al- most extinct. The church edifice was rebuilt. but the membership becanie gradually reduce 1 to six, and in 1899 the church was dropped from the association.
Bethel Baptist Church
Is situated in Norfolk County, about 10 miles from the city of Norfolk. It was organized in 1889. Rev. P. S. C. Davis is the pastor. The building is valued at S1,500 and the church has a membership of 98.
Berkley Avenue Baptist Church, Berkley,
Was organized September 8, 1873. by the following presbytery, called together for that purpose, viz: Revs. A. Paul Repiton. D. D., R. W. Cridlin, A. E. Owen, N. M. Munden and William D. Pritchard. Only 16 members entered into the original constitution.
Rev. J. F. Deans immediately took the pas- toral oversight of this little flock, and preached for them until 1875. About this time Rev. E. M. Buyru came to Berkley, and astonished the people by liis pleasing elocution. but his stay was short. From 1875 to 1877 there was no regular preaching, except an occasional ser- mon on Sunday afternoons by the pastors of Norfolk and Portsmouth and Sunday night preaching for a few months by Rev. Reuben Jones, of Churchland. On July 16, 1878, Rev. Robert Vandeventer, from Crozer Thieo- logical Seminary, took the pastorate. The membership increased from 24 to 60. In 1881 they erected a house of worship, on a central and eligible lot, which was given them by Mr. Berkley. Rev. H. N. Quisenbury was pastor in 1892, succeeded by Rev. C. W. Duke in 1896, who was followed in 1898 by Rev. T. C. Skinner, the present pastor. This church has 337 members and the property is valued at $12,000.
Broadway Baptist Church
Is situated between Great Bridge and Kenips- ville in Norfolk County, about four miles from Berkley. It was organized in 1899, has a membership of 17, and its property is valued at $300. . Rev. S. S. Robertson is pastor.
METHODIST EPISCOPAL CHURCHIES, SOUTH.
There are, in all, 35 Methodist Episcopal churches in Norfolk County.
SEVEN IN NORFOLK.
Epworth 852 members.
Queen Street. 589 members.
McKendrec .580 members
Cumberland Street. .58; members.
Centenary 353 members.
Lekie's Memorial. .263 members.
Trinity
237 members.
FIVE IN PORTSMOUTH.
Monumental .650 members.
Central 603 members.
Wright Memorial. 432 members.
Owens Memorial. 240 members
Park View .213 members
SEVEN IN WESTERN BRANCH MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT.
Port Norfolk IO1 members.
West Norfolk 57 members.
Churchland 55 members.
Joliffs. Not reported.
Olive Branch. Not reported.
Not reported.
Brighton
Cottage Place. Not reported.
FOUR IN WASHINGTON MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT.
Chestnut Street. Berkley .. .425 members.
Liberty Street. South Norfolk. .. 175 members.
Oak Grove 7, members.
Oaklette 37 members.
FOUR IN .TANNER'S CREEK MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT.
Lambert's Point .215 members.
Huntersville 101 members.
Bethel 52 members.
Denby's Net reported.
THREE IN PLEASANT GROVE MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT.
Good Hope 154 members.
Bethesda 128 members.
Tabernacle Not reported.
THREE IN DEEP CREEK MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT.
Gilmerton Not reported.
Deep Creek . Not reported.
Indiana . Not reported.
TWO IN BUTT'S ROAD MAGISTERIAL DISTRICT.
Indian Creek 44 members.
Mount Pleasant Not reported.
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HISTORY OF NORFOLK COUNTY
Cumberland Street M. E. Church, South, . The total membership in the Norfolk district Norfolk.
The first Methodist Society founded in Virginia was organized in Norfolk in 1772, and is accredited to Rev. Robert Williams, who, on his arrival here, preached his first ser- mon on the Court House steps, which was on the site of the great dry goods store on Main street at the head of Market Square. History records that they owned no church edifice here before 1793 or 1794. Their regular place of worship until the Revolutionary struggle is supposed to have been the old shattered build- ing, the "Play House," referred to in the writings of Pilmoor and Ashbury.
The first church erected on Cumberland street was on the site where the present build- ing stands, and was completed in 1802.
In March, 1803, 97 years ago, Bishop Ash- buty preached in it. The present edifice is the third one built, the second building having been destroyed by fire on the night of March 2, 1848. The third church was finished in Janu- ary, 1849, and on the 8th of that month was dedicated by .Rev. John E. Edwards, D. D. The Methodists numbered at that time, white and colored, between 600 and 700 members.
In 1848 and 1849, such was the growth of Methodism that the time had ripened for the building'of a new church edifice, and measures were taken to accomplish the result, and the erection of the Granby Street Church was commenced under the leadership of Rev. Dr. John E. Edwards, and the building was com- pleted and dedicated by Dr. Edwards in 1850, who was its first pastor. From this church also sprang Centenary and McKendree, two influ- ential and self-sustaining stations. . Queen Street Church was the direct product of the Cumberland Street Church, as was also the Chestnut Street Church in Berkley. The Huntersville Church is. a child of the Granby Street Church, now Epworth. So that from the small number of 600 members, Methodism in Norfolk during the last 128 years has grown to nearly 4,000, with about 12,000 adherents.
is about 7,000; total value of church property in Norfolk, $265,000; number of pastors, eight ; local preachers, three.
Epworth M. E. Church, South, Norfolk,
Is one of the finest buildings in the South. It was formerly Granby Street Methodist Episco- pal Church, South, which was organized 50 years ago.
Dr. William A. Smith, while pastor of the Cumberland Street Church, saw the need of a new organization, and declared to his people that the interests of Christ's kingdom and of Methodism demanded that they build another church and organize a new society., Under the pastorate of Dr. J. E. Edwards, in 1848- 49, measures were taken to accomplish this result. A lot on the corner of Freemason and Granby streets,-a most eligible location, --- was secured, and the Granby Street Church was built. It was completed in 1850, and on the Ist of December of that year 116 members withdrew from the Cumberland Street Church and organized the Granby Street Methodist Episcopal Church, South. The church was dedicated on Sunday, December -, 1850, by Dr. John E. Edwards, who was its first pastor. The official board consisted of the following stewards: H. W. Williams, James Hicks, Nathaniel Nash, E. J. Griffith, G. W. W. Camp, C. F. Martin, E. R. Gale. Trustees : J. H. Nash, Benjamin W. Gatch, James M. Brooks, William P. Griffith, William Callis. E. H. Delk, William Taylor, Horatio N. Will- iams. Dr. John E. Edwards was the first pastor of the church, filling the station from 1850 to 1852. He was succeeded by Dr. D. S. Doggett.
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