Church and Family History Research Assistance
for Macon County, Missouri
CHURCHES:
LITTLE ZION
Little Zion Church was organized on the second Saturday in July 1836, at the home of Abraham Dale, in Independence township, Macon County, with seventeen charter members, viz., Abraham Dale, Averillar Dale, Phillip Dale, Nancy Dale, John Smoot, Elizabeth Smoot, Charles Hatfield, Sarah Hatfield, William Shain, Catharine Shain, James Riley, Susan Riley, Thomas Williams, Elder William Sears, Jane Sears,(all from Silver Creek Church); and James Cochran and Anna Cochran(from Dover Church). The presbytery was composed of Elders James Ratliff and John Buster.
For several months meetings were held in the homes of members, but in October 1840 they agreed to construct a log house. The church first united with the Mt. Pleasant Association, but was a charter member of the Yellow Creek Association in 1845. In July 1879 the church exchanged its former property with a certain James Meeks for five acres a little more than a mile northwest of the original site. A frame building was constructed here between 1879 and 1882.
Pastors of the church included Elders William Sears, James Ratliff, William Davis, W. R. Mitchell, John E. Goodson Sr., Silas W. Sears, George E. Edwards, Fred Elmore, Walter Cash, G. E. Edwards, George W. Behymer, Morte H. Craig (up to 1936). Deacons (all of whom were members of the church) included James Riley, William Saling, George B. Cook, Isaac Gross, James Sears, John W. Gross, Martin Bloyd, Theodore C. Doggett, John Taylor, Noah Bunch, Fred Crawford, Robert Epperson, Roy Sunderland, Lon Epperson, and Charles Bealmer (up to 1936). Clerks included Abraham Dale, David Steel, Daniel Graves, Joseph Bunch, John E. Ellis, James Sears, William R. Riley, H. A. Doggett, S. A. Hardy, Fred Crawford, and Nettie Crawford.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
MT. SALEM (ATLANTA)
Mt. Salem Church was organized in 1838, with nine charter members, viz., Samuel Goodson and wife, Isaac Goodson and wife, William Saling and wife, John Silvers and wife, and Elizabeth Goodson. Elders James Ratliff and Archibald Patterson composed the presbytery. This was the first church in Jackson township.
For nearly fifty years, it is believed the church continued to meet in homes and schools, without a meeting house of their own. In 1886 the present building was constructed, on two acres of land which had been donated by Bro. A. C. Davidson. Bro. Luke Perry donated one acre of land joining the church on the south. Another half-acre of land was purchased from Bro. Davidson for a cemetery.
In 1886, Mt. Salem Church extended an arm to Mt. Tabor in Knox County, where a church was organized in 1889.
Pastors of Mt. Salem Church included Elders Archibald Patterson, James Ratliff, Chambers, William Priest, Abel Turner, J. E. Goodson Sr., James E. Goodson Jr., Samuel L. Pettus, J. Bryan Adair, and Raymond Webb. Deacons whose names are known included John Bunch, Noah Gross, William Robinson, A. C. Davidson, R. E. Briant, and S. H. Mears.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
CHARITON (CALLAO)
Chariton Church was organized on the fourth Saturday in July 1844, at the home of William Sears, with thirteen charter members (eleven of whom had been members of Little Zion Church), viz., John Bunch, Polly Bunch, Lewis Hull, Avrylda Hull, James Sears, Mary Sears, Thomas Sears, John Smoot, Elizabeth Smoot, Warren Smoot, Martha Ratliff, John F. Faulkner, and Jane Sears. The presbytery was composed of Elders James Ratliff, William Sears, and William Skaggs.
The church met at first in homes of members, or a nearby schoolhouse, until 1846, when land was donated by Elder William Sears, and a log building was erected just west of what is known as the old Chariton Cemetery. A frame house replaced it, 40 by 24 feet, in about 1856. The present meeting house was built in 1889.
Pastors of Chariton Church have included Elders James Ratliff, William Sears, Alfred Bealmer, Silas W. Sears, John E. Goodson Jr., Fred Elmore, R. A. Oliphant, Fred Elmore, Archie Brown, William Pollard, Morte H. Craig, E. Roy Barnes, Walter Acton, Talber Wayman, and Russel Key.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
BRUSH CREEK (GOLDSBERRY)
Brush Creek Church was organized on May 15, 1852, or earlier, as the oldest minutes now in existence begin at that date. Elder Calob Colyer was moderator and Martin Abbott clerk of that meeting. Thomas Bradley was chosen moderator at this meeting, and the church was named "Little Union." Elder Colyer (sic: Collier) served as pastor until 1855 when they decided to dissolve and gave one another letters, but it appears they did not give their letters anywhere else, and began meeting again in May 1858, at which time they called themselves "Brush Creek."
In August 1852 the church petitioned for membership in the Yellow Creek Association and was received. For several years it appears the church met at the Bradley schoolhouse west of Goldsberry. In 1880 the subject of building a meeting house was agreed upon by the church, and the first services were held in this "union church building" by February 1886, by Elder Silas Sears. In 1975 the church started a building fund, and first constructed a basement, which was completed by April 1980, and the building was completed by August 1983.
Pastors of Brush Creek Church have included Elders Caleb Colyer, W. R. Mitchell, A. Bealmer, Silas Sears, J. W. Bradley, W. J. Pollard, G. E. Edwards, S. L. Pettus, J. Bryan Adair, Clyde Johnson, B. L. Nay, Merle Willet, E. R. Barnes, S. L. Pettus, Floy Gross, and Kenneth Clevenger.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Abbott, Ashlock, Baker, Borron, Boydstun, Bradley, Brown, Cass, Cherry, Clevenger, Colyer (Collier), Cornelius, Davidson, Elam, Ford, Green, Greenstreet, Grimmet, Gutherie, Hawkins, Helton, Hogan, Holloway, Holmes, Hull, Humphrey, Hungerford, Knapp, Lile, Lynch, Mason, McCollum, Mingus, Mitchell, Moore, Morgan, Murry, Newkirk, Nickerson, Owenby, Phillips, Ratliff, Riley, Roan, Sears, Slack, Smith, Snyder, Stanley, Stephens, Taylor, Thomas, Thurman, Toombs, Troutman, Turner, Vamold, Wainscot, Wakely, Whisenand, White, Williams, Wright.
CALLAO (CALLAO)
Callao Church was organized in 1871 by members dismissed from Chariton Church, but dissolved after a few years.
ATLANTA (LATER KIRKSVILLE)
The Atlanta Church was organized on November 2, 1916, with six charter members, viz., Mattie Bealmer, Nancy Morris, W. N. Bledsoe, Myrtle Bledsoe, A. H. Doggett, and Edith Doggett. The presbytery was composed of Elders J. W. Bradley, S. L. Pettus, J. H. Hardy, and several deacons.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Bealmer, Bledsoe, Bloyd, Broadwater, Brown, Cupp, Doggett, Elliott, Frazee, Griffin, Hardy, Hodge, Johnson, Johnston, Lamme, Lay, McAfee, Magruder, Morgan, Morris, Mote, Nuhn, Owensby, Pettus, Sears, Steel, Stout, Symmonds, Talbott, Taylor, Terrell, Tillie.
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