Church and Family History Research
Assistance
for Cape Girardeau County, Missouri
CHURCHES:
BETHEL (JACKSON)(1806)
The second Baptist Church organized in Missouri Territory was called Bethel, which was organized on July 19, 1806, near Jackson, in Cape Girardeau County, by Elder David Green, George Lawrence, and Henry Cockerham (the last two being deacons). The charter members were Thomas English, Leanner Green, Jean English, Agnes Blue (Ballou), William Smith, Thomas Bull, Edward Spear, Addison Rogers, John Hitt, Clara Abernathie, Catherine Anderson, Rebecca Randol, Francis Hitt, and William Matthews.
Minutes of the constitution of Bethel Church show that Thomas Bull was received by restoration as a charter member, with the following note of explanation by the transcriber: "Brother Bull was excluded in Kentucky by an arminian church for holding the predestinarian principles. The above constituent members being predestinarians considered his exclusion not valid."
The log building of Bethel Church was said to be the first Baptist meeting house west of the Mississippi and east of the Pacific Ocean. Here, in 1811, a great revival broke out under the labors of Elder Wilson Thompson, who was ordained by this church in January 1812. Between four and five hundred members were added to the church, and its "arms," in a period of eighteen months. As a result, several more churches were soon established in surrounding settlements.
In March 1809, Bethel Church resolved to unite with the Red River Association (of Tennessee and Kentucky). In June 1816, Bethel Church hosted the organizational meeting of the Bethel Association, the first Baptist Association in Missouri territory. In 1824, the church became a member of the Cape Girardeau Association. In 1840 Bethel and Hebron churches of the Cape Girardeau Association declared non-fellowship for the modern mission system. Twelve of the twenty churches in the association stood firmly in opposition to the innovations. A table has been prepared from the available minutes of the Cape Girardeau Regular (Primitive) Baptist Association, as shown below.
A transcript of the records of Bethel Church has been made, and a copy of it is held by us, from which the following list of surnames of its members has been made:
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Abernathie, Allen, Anderson, Baker, Ballou, Barton, Beasley, Bennett, Billings, Black, Blocker, Blount, Bobbett, Bollinger, Bowman, Brantley, Brooks, Brown, Buckner, Bull, Burns, Canterbury, Chapman, Cox, Crisp, Crump, Daniel, Daugherty, Davis, Deskins, Devalt, Devore, Dickson, Donnahoe, Dowty, Eastwood, Edwards, Ellis, English, Evans, Farrar, Fellingim, Fields, Fisher, Flinn, Ford, Fostenberry, Foster, Franks, Fry, Gallan, Garrett, Gile, Gipson, Going, Green, Griggs, Hail, Hale, Hall, Hanley, Hill, Hitt, Holcombe, Homesly, Hubble, Isbell, James, Johnson, Jordan, Keeney, Lacy, Lambert, League, Lewellan, Lockhart, Loder, Looney, Mabry, Massey, Masterson, Mathis, Matthews, McDaniel, McFarland, McKenzie, McMullin, Murphy, Neely, Parker, Penn, Pheelin, Poe, Preston, Purse, Randoll, Raney, Renfro, Reynolds, Rheine, Richey, Ridings, Robenes, Roberts, Rogers, Rowea, Rutter, Sanders, Scott, Scruggs, Seward, Sewell, Sheppard, Shields, Shumway, Sichner, Smith, Spear, Stacy, Stephens, Stout, Stricklin, Sulman, Surrell, Tanner, Tatum, Taylor, Thompson, Thorn, Tyler, Vanamburg, Waller, Ware, Watkins, Waugh, Weaver, Wheeler, White, Whitney, Wicker, Wilkinson, Williams, Wilson, Wright, Young.
APPLE CREEK (1820)
Apple Creek Church was formed as an arm of Bethel Church in April 1820. It was probably one of the original churches of the Cape Girardeau Association, and remained with the Primitive Baptists when that association divided, about 1840, over the mission system.
EBENEZER (IN THE BEND OF THE MISSISSIPPI)(1821)
Ebenezer Church, in the bend of the Mississippi, was organized in June 1821. Ebenezer Church was one of the churches of the Cape Girardeau Association in 1840 when a resolution of non-fellowship for the modern mission system was adopted. This church divided at that time; the part remaining with the Primitive Baptists were served by Elder A. L. Hollis.
HEBRON (1822)
Hebron Church was organized in May 1822. The following were among the charter members: Abraham Randoll, Rebecca Randoll, Benjamin Hitt, Sarah Hitt, James Randoll, Mary Randoll, Polly Green, Frances Holcombe, Susannah Williams, Matilda Williams, and Simon Poe. Hebron Church was one of the churches of the Cape Girardeau Association in 1840 when a resolution of non-fellowship for the modern mission system was adopted.
DRY CREEK
JACKSON (1824)
From the minutes of Old Bethel Church, it appears that seven members were dismissed in April 1824 to organize the church in Jackson. They were: William Surrell, Isaac Sheppard, John Daugherty, James Massey, Francis Thomas, John Juden Sr. and John Juden Jr. This church apparently united with the Cape Girardeau Association, which was organized in June 1824. At the time of the division over missions, this church went into the modern mission movement.
CAPE GIRARDEAU (1834)
The Cape Girardeau Church was organized in about 1834, and united with the Cape Girardeau Association, but at the time of the division over missions in 1840, this church went into the modern mission movement.
CROOKED CREEK
Red River Association (Tennessee & Kentucky)
1809 -
1810 - 1020 - Spring Creek - Anthony New - William Aingell - Josiah
Horn
1811 - Blooming Grove -
1812 - McFarland's Fork - Reuben Ross
1813 -
1814 -
1815 -
1816 - 23 - 1061 - Cave Spring - Reuben Ross - William Aingell -
Leonard Page
Table for the Bethel Primitive Baptist Association (Missouri)
Year - # of Ch. - Aggreg. Mem. - Host Church - Moderator -
Clerk - Introductory Sermon
1816 - 6 - -- - Bethel - Isaac Sheppard - Thomas Bull - James P.
Edwards
1816 - 7 - 230 - Bethel - Isaac Sheppard - Thomas Bull - Thomas
Donohue
1817 - 6 - 221 - Providence - Isaac Sheppard - Elliott Jackson -
John Farrar
1818 - 8 - 240 - Barren - Isaac Sheppard - Edward Hew - Thomas
Donohoe
1819 - 10 - 336 - Belleview - Isaac Sheppard - Hiram C. Davis -
William Street
1820 - 11 - 382 - Bethel - Isaac Sheppard - James P. Edwards -
James E. Welch
1821 - 14 - 217 - Providence - Isaac Sheppard - Elliott Jackson -
Thomas P. Green
1822 - 17 - 454 - Bethel - Isaac Sheppard - Elliott Jackson -
William Street
1823 - 20 - 493 - Providence - Isaac Sheppard - Thomas P. Green -
Thomas P. Green
1824 - 5 - 155 - Belleview - Wingate Jackson - Elliott Jackson -
Wingate Jackson
1825 - 6 - 149 - St. Francois - Felix Redding - Elliott Jackson -
Felix Redding
1826 -
1827 - 9 - 227 - Providence - Wingate Jackson - Simeon Frost - D.
Orr
1828 - 1834
1835 - Providence
1836 - 1850
1851 - Big Creek
1852 - Providence
1853 - 1883
1884 - 5 - 76 - Providence (Mo.) - J. P. McNail - William J. Baker
- R. S. Banks
1885 - 5 - 72 - Wolf Creek (Mo.) - R. S. Banks - William J. Baker -
R. S. Banks
1886 - Salem
1887 -
1888 -
1889 -
1890 -
1891 -
1892 - Big Creek (Reynolds Co.)
1893 -
1894 -
1895 -
1896 -
1897 -
1898 -
1899 -
1900 -
1901 - Leatherwood (Iron Co.)
Table for the Cape Girardeau Primitive Baptist Association (Missouri)
Year - # of ch. - Aggr. Mem. - Host Church - Moderator - Clerk
- Introductory Sermon
1824 - 10 - 259 - Hebron - Isaac Sheppard - Samuel B. McKnight -
Wingate Jackson
1825 - 10 - 288 - Clear Creek (IL) - Isaac Sheppard - Samuel B.
McKnight - Thomas P. Green
1826 - 11 - 356 - Barren - Isaac Sheppard - Samuel B. McKnight -
Jeremiah Brown
1827 - 13 - 350 - Jackson - Isaac Sheppard - Samuel B. McKnight -
James P. Edwards
1828 - 14 - 379 - Shiloh (IL) - Isaac Sheppard - F. J. Allen -
Benjamin Thompson
1829 - 12 - 355 - Ebenezer - Isaac Sheppard - Samuel B. McKnight -
James P. Edwards
1830 - 15 - 442 - Bethel - Thomas P. Green - Samuel B. McKnight -
J. Brown
1831 - 18 - 510 - Ridge (IL) - Isaac Sheppard - Samuel B. McKnight
- Thomas P. Green
1832 - 14 - 320 - Dry Creek - Isaac Sheppard - Samuel B. McKnight -
Henry McElmorry
1833 - 17 - Mt. Zion - Isaac Sheppard - John Juden - Benjamin
Thompson
1834 - 19 - 516 - Mt. Moriah - Isaac Sheppard - John Juden - James
P. Edwards
1835 - Black River - Isaac Sheppard - John Juden -
1836 - 14 - 377 - Apple Creek - Isaac Sheppard - John Juden -
Benjamin Thompson
1837 - 14 - 310 - Tywappity - Isaac Sheppard - William Johnson -
Peter Williams
1838 - 13 - 242 - Mt. Moriah - Isaac Sheppard - William Johnson -
Peter Williams
1839 - 11 - 291 - Cape Girardeau - John Kennedy - William Johnson -
Peter Williams
1840 - 11 - 140 - Apple Creek - Austin Hogard - William Johnson -
Benjamin Thompson
1841 - 8 - 205 - Bethel - Joel Ferguson - G. M. Thompson - R. B.
Newkirk
1842 - 11 - 300 - Ebenezer - Benjamin Thompson - G. M. Thompson -
G. M. Thompson
1843 -
1844 - 11 - 181 - Friendship - Abram L. Hollis - John Drum -
Benjamin Thompson
1845 - 11 - 177 - Clear Creek - Elisha Turner - Samuel Hunsaker -
Elisha Turner
1846 - 11 - 171 - Apple Creek - Abram L. Hollis - Elisha Turner -
A. L. Hollis
1847 - 12 - 153 - Dry Creek - Abram L. Hollis - Elisha Turner -
Elisha Turner
1848 -
1849 -
1850 - 13 - 131 - Apple Creek - Abram L. Hollis - Elisha Turner/H.
Hall - Walter Bridges
1851 - 11 - 120 - Dry Creek - Walter Bridges - H. Hall/C. D. Ford -
Walter Bridges
1852 - 1893
1894 - Buffalo (Mo.)
1895 - Macedonia (Mo.)
1896
1897
1898
1899
1900 - 6 - 84 - Providence (Ark.) - F. E. Alexander - James Reed -
G. W. Collins
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