Church and Family History Research
Assistance
for Callaway County, Missouri
CHURCHES:
SALEM
Salem Church was organized in 1820 or 1821. Some of the original members were James Coats and wife, John Watson and wife, and Edward Walker and wife. Elder William Coats was the first pastor, serving until his death in 1835. The first building was constructed of logs, and the pulpit was built by Elder Coats.
CEDAR CREEK
Cedar Creek Church was organized July 14, 1821, with nine charter members, viz., William Edwards, Sally Edwards, Virgil Edwards, Absalom Renfro, Chloe Renfro, Thomas P. Stephens, Elijah Stephens, Nancy Edwards, and Sooky (a slave). The presbytery was composed of Elders Edward Turner, Thomas Campbell, and Robert Dale, and brethren Samuel Brown, Shadrach Wren, George Burnet, Elias Elston, and Mason Moss. Most of these original members came from Mason's Fork Church (later called Liberty) in Garrard Co., Kentucky. The presbytery came from Bethel Church north of Rocheport, Mt. Zion Church south of Fayette, and Mt. Pleasant Church near Franklin in Howard County (which had been scattered by Indians).
In February 1822 plans began to be made for a log meeting house, with dimensions of 24 by 30. In April the work began; it included 600 feet of plank flooring. Two acres of land was also purchased. The first meeting was held in April 1824. They met again in May 1824, but then it burned down. Undaunted, they began again, and built another log structure, 24 by 32, twelve feet high, which was completed by April 1825. Much other work related to the meeting house was recorded in the records of the church. The Civil War came along, and the church was not able to meet due to the Test Oath, but by the fall of 1866 there was renewed interest, and in the early spring of 1867 a frame church building was planned, and the money was raised. The edifice was ready to worship in by August 1867.
There were a fair number of negro members in this church, including two who were preachers, James and Levi McGuire.
Pastors of the church included Elders Thomas P. Stephens (1838), J. E. Goodson (1876), James Bradley (1880), G. M. Thompson (1883), Frank Jenkins (1886), N. N. Morris (1887), Jonas F. Sutton (1893), J. T. S. Hinton (1896), S. A. Elkins (1897), Archie Brown (1912), G. E. Edwards (1923), J. H. Hardy (1933), and J. Bryan Adair (1939).
Deacons (all members of this church) included Absalom Renfro, William Edwards, Elijah Stephens, Isaac Black, Joseph Adair, Isaac Ford, John Rothwell, W. Ballew, Abe Turner, Allen McGuire, St. George Tucker, John W. Wigginton, W. H. Stephens, T. P. Stephens Sr., and T. P. Stephens Jr. Clerks included Absalom Renfro, Isaac Black, Elijah Stephens, Nicholas M. Stephens, Alan McGuire, Levi McGuire, Joseph K. Northcutt, Absalom F. Renfro, Thomas L. Stephens, W. P. Hocker, A. M. Rothwell, Elder W. E. Stephens, T. P. Stephens, Rolla Adair, Miriam Stephens, and Anna Stephens. Trustees included Absalom Renfro, Isaac Black, James Barnes, Levi McGuire, Nicholas Stephens, Payton T. Stephens, John Rothwell, W. H. Stephens, Michail Bright, W. E. Stephens, A. Rothwell, W. P. Hocker, B. H. Stephens, T. P. Stephens, and M. W. Stephens.
CONCORD
Concord Church was constituted at David Robonett's school house in August 1828, by the following members, viz., John R. Ward, Samuel Garner, Benjamin Barnes, William James, Clarisa Ward, Nancy Barnes, James Crowson, Millie Beaton, Eli Simes, James Barnes, Isaac Vincent, Robert Basnett, Elizabeth McClelland, Rachel Garner, Betsy Turley, Margaret Robonett, James Suggett, and Lazarus Wilcox. Elders Theodoric Boulware, Thomas P. Stephens and some deacons were present as a presbytery.
Pastors who served the church were Elders James Suggett, Theodoric Boulware, Thomas P. Stephens, James Barnes, and Jesse Duncan, Frank Jenkins, G. M. Thompson, N. N. Morris, David Utt, W. R. Johnson, W. J. Hardesty, Ira Turner, and W. L. Sappington.
In 1836 they built a large hewed log house near Millersburg. Peace and love prevailed, until new measures began to be introduced by some who believed in the mission system. The Primitive Baptists maintained use of this building after the division in 1840. In 1875 a new frame meeting house was built on the same ground. In 1899, this building was sold, and a new meeting house was built at Dixie, Missouri.
Names of members in 1908 were W. B. Martin, Mary Harris, Julia Sappington, Marietta Sappington, W. Gathright, F. B. Martin, Maggie Martin, Sallie Elly, L. A. Drinkard, Robert Gilliry, Mary Drinkard, Lycurgus Sims, Belle McGehee, Cretia Duncan, Sallie Martin, Willard Harris, W. L. Sappington, Beulah Sappington, Emma Gathright, B. V. Martin, G. H. Elly, Stella Elly, Cora Drinkard, Sallie Gilliry, Joe Longley, John McGehee, W. L. Moore, Olga W. Hubbard.
LIBERTY
Liberty Church, in Fulton, was organized in 1832, in the home of James McKinney, and named after Liberty McKinney (a son of James McKinney). The charter members included Theodrick Boulware and wife, Sam Martin and wife, and R. Shelley and wife. The first building was of brick and was erected in 1833-1834, at a cost of $3,000.
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