Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Cooper County, Missouri
CHURCHES:
CONCORD (BOONVILLE)(1817)
Concord Church was organized May 10, 1817, by Elders Edward Turner, William Thorp, and David McLain, with the fourteen charter members, viz., Luke Williams, Polly Williams, William Savage, Mary Savage, Delaney Bolen, Judith Williams, Absalom Huff, Susanna Savage, Joseph Baze, Lydia Turner, Charles Williams, Patsey Bolen, Sally Baze, and Elizabeth Williams.
Note: it is claimed that this body was organized in the district of St. Charles, some distance above St. Louis, then called Upper Louisiana, in 1810, and Joseph Baker became its pastor. It was soon dispersed by the Indian war, whcih broke out in this country. We then hear of them in the Boon's Lick country, where they, with others who had settled in this then remote wilderness region, were reorganized in 1817.
The reorganized church was located in the settlement south of Boonville. In July 1818, it was one of the charter members of the Mt. Pleasant Association. In October 1823, it was the host for the organization of the Concord Association.
MT. PISGAH (1819)
Mt. Pisgah Church was organized June 19, 1819, at the home of Lewis Shelton, by Elders John B. Longan, William Jennings, and Jacob Chism, with the following twenty-one charter members: John B. Longan, Wm. Jennings, Jacob Chism, Priscilla Chism, David Jones, Tabitha Jones, James Maxey, William Howard, Leven Savage, Polly Savage, Joseph McClure, Elizabeth McClure, John Bivian, Mary Bivian, Rhoda Stephens, Izabelle Ponton, Sarah Woods, John Apperon, Sela Apperson, Jesse Martin, and Mary Martin. Eldr John B. Longan was pastor continuously for a period of 27 years. In 1846 the church agreed to call an assistant pastor due to the advancing age of Longan, but with the understanding that he would be pastor as long as he lived unless he should move to other lands.
MT. NEBO (BUNCETON)(1820)
Mt. Nebo Church was organized in a little log school house near Bunceton, Mo. The date was June 3, 1820. "Old Nebo Church," located about one-half mile north of the present site of Bunceton, near the residence of the late judge L. C. Stephens, at the place where the Dublin school house now stands, was built in 1820. It was built by subscriptions from the settlers; and as there was very little money in circulation in the country, each one contributed his share either in work or materials furnished. William Stevens and Joseph Stevens, Sr., now living near Bunceton, in this county, sawed all the planks for this church; others furnished the shingles and logs; and others still, assisted in putting up the house and other work about it. Its denomination was Baptist. The ministers, who, during the next few years, preached at this church, were Peter Woods, William Jennings, Jacob Chism, Luke Williams and John B. Longan. This church was very prosperous until about 1826, when there arose a division in it, on account of the difference of sentiment on the question of paying ministers and sending missionaries among the heathen nations. After considerable excitement, and several stormy meetings, the two factions separated. John B. Longan, who was leader of the faction who favored paying the ministers and sending abroad missionaries, drew off a minority of the members of the congregation, and built a church at Henry Woolery's mill, which was called "New Nebo Church." The opposing faction continued in possession of "Old Nebo Church," and held services regularly in it.
MT. PLEASANT (1823)
Mt. Pleasant Church was organized on the second Saturday in October 1823, by members dismissed for that purpose primarily from Pisgah Church. The charter members were George Houk, Stephen Howard, Jacob Chism,John Robertson, Lewis Shelton, William Allee, Burford Allee, Hannah Geet, William Birdsong, Priscilla Chism, Clender Litchwirth, James Hill, Thomas Scott, James Birdsong, Elizabeth Howard, Squire Deacons, Temple Allee, William Deacons, Nancy Allee, Windy Birdsong, Katy Houk, Anna Scott, Elisa Deacons, Nicholas Allee. The presbytery was composed of Elders John B. Longdan, William Jennings, and Jacob Chism.
Soon after organization, a church building was built on the farm of Mose Martin. Several years after that, Elder David Allee gave the church land on which they built a double log house, setting aside one corner for their Negro members.
BETHLEHEM (BIG ROCK), BOONVILLE/VERSAILLES (1827)
Bethlehem Church (later called Big Rock) was organized August 9, 1827, at the home of Elder Jacob Chism, with three charter members, viz., Jacob Chism, William Jennings, and Kemp Scott. They were soon joined by Permela Chism, George Chapman, Mary Hughes, and Isaac N. Bernard. Elder Jacob Chism was elected pastor and moderator of the new church.
In April 1828 it was decided to meet in The Academy in Boonville. In 1833 a group from Melford Church, Greenville District of South Carolina, became members, including John B. Thruston, Street Thruston, William R. Thruston, Sarah A. Thruston, Jeremiah Thruston, William S. Barnett, Minerva Barnett, William Scott, Priscilla Scott, and John and Mariah Harmon.
In 1836 it was agreed to move the place of meeting from Bro. Chism's to Versailles. For several years the places of meetings were irregular, sometimes in the Hardscrabble School. In 1847 a small building was purchased and moved to a site south of the last church, near an enormous rock formation, from which came the name of Big Rock. This building was used until about 1871. The site of the last building was purchased in May 1874, including ground for a cemetery, at the NW corner of SW 1/4 of SW 1/4 of Sec. 18, Twp. 42, R. 16, Morgan County. In 1886 the trustees built a larger house, 32 by 50 feet on this site, and the old building near Big Rock was sold.
Pastors included Elders Jacob Chism, Howard Jackson (1858), J. W. West (1861), Ephraim F. Gunn (1882), J. L. C. Woods (1893), J. J. Christean (1900), F. M. Robinson (1901), W. J. Hardesty (1902), W. S. Jefferies (1910), W. J. Hardesty (1910), Murray Jackson (1931), Loyd T. Sapp (1942), Frank E. Kays (1951-1958), Hugh Hall, Herbert Vogan, and Paul Christensen.
Deacons after 1858 included E. F. Gunn, W. P. Ross, S. A. Phillips, S. N. Madole, Nathan Kays, Hiram Madole, E. A. Gunn, James J. Kays, A. Cochran, and Marshall McKinley. Clerks included Francis L. Ross, Ephraim F. Gunn, Benjamin H. Jackson, S. N. Madole, E. A. Gunn, J. D. Pennington, E. A. Gunn, and Sudie Ferrin.
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