Primitive Baptist Churches in the State of Idaho
As early as 1805, white men in the Lewis and Clark Expedition entered the territory which became the state of Idaho. Fur traders had established a fort by 1810. In 1834, Fort Hall amd Fort Boise were built. Primitive Baptists passed through the territory on their way to Oregon in the middle and late 1840's. Idaho became a territory of the United States in 1863, and in 1890 Idaho was granted Statehood, thus becoming the 43rd State in the Union.SALEM (WASHINGTON COUNTY)
Salem Church, at Weiser, was organized on the second Saturday in November 1887, by Elders W. C. Garrett and G. B. Barton. Meetings were held in homes of the members for many years. A meeting house was built in about 1925, at the corner of 5th and East Park Streets in Weiser.
Surnames of Members:
Attebery, Barton, Huff, Hughes, Jefferson, Jeffrey, Jones, Leddington, Peden, Robison, Stephens, Turnidge, Webb (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
MT. PLEASANT (BENEWAH COUNTY)
Mt. Pleasant Church, north of Genesee, Idaho (across the border from Garfield, Washington), was organized on July 17, 1890, by a presbytery composed of Elder James C. Turnidge and Deacon Samuel Crawford. W. H. Darland, Sister Orr, and Sister Hume were the charter members. Immediately upon being constituted, the doors of the church were opened to receive members, and W. S. Campbell, Rebecca Campbell, and Bro. Hume came forward and joined by relation. W. S. Campbell was ordained as a minister the same day.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Campbell, Darland, Hume, Orr.
PRIMITIVE BAPTIST (LATAH COUNTY)
A Primitive Baptist Church was organized in Latah County, on Saturday before the third Sunday in October, 1890, with six charter members, viz., Elder J. C. Turnidge, Sarah M. Turnidge, A. D. Morgan, Emma J. Morgan, Mary A. Gentry, and Eleazor Harryman. The presbytery was composed of Elders W. S. Campbell, and Deacons W. H. Darland and Samuel Crawford. Elder Campbell was chosen moderator, and Elder J. C. Turnidge clerk. It is believed that Elder Noah Showalter had moved here by 1896 and preached until his death in 1906.
Surnames of Members:
Gentry, Harryman, Morgan, Turnidge (very incomplete list due to loss of records).
CHARITY (NEZ PERCE COUNTY)
Charity Church, at Peck, is mentioned in the Siloam Association minutes of 1912, with Elder T. E. Attebery as pastor.
MT. TABOR (CASSIA COUNTY)
Mt. Tabor Church was organized in June 1915, at the home of Deacon Wilburn Hall, near Sublett (about fifty miles south of American Falls) with about twelve members, by a presbytery composed of Elder S. B. Moffett, moderator, and Elder Silas Hall, clerk.
HEPHSIBAH (ADA COUNTY)
Hephsibah Church, at Eagle (near Boise), was organized on February 15, 1920, four and one-half miles northeast of Nampa, by Elder Spencer F. Moore, of Florida, with eight members, viz., W. H. Tucker, Theo E. Tucker, Edna Hartley, Myrtle Snider, Maud Moore, Levi Moore, Effie Moore and Ruby Moore. The obituary of Elder Isaac A. Moore states that he was the pastor of the church at the time of his death, later in 1920. No other information about the names of members of this church has yet been obtained.
Surnames of Members:
Hartley, Moore, Snider, Tucker.
RUPERT (MINIDOKA COUNTY)
Rupert Church, at Rupert, was organized at the home of Brother A. H. Culley, on March 9, 1926, at 7:30 p.m. There were thirty-two charter members, thirty of whom were dismissed for that purpose from New Hope Church and the other two from Crossville Church, both of the Skillet Fork Association of Illinois. The presbytery was composed of Elder J. R. Arnold, of the Skillet Fork Association. A nice meeting house was erected, at 5th & G Streets, in Rupert. Pastors of the church included Elders James R. Arnold, W. B. Howard, Vertis Bixenstine, George E. Griffin, H. D. Fulmer, Leslie Henry, and Jimmy R. Fulmer.
Surnames of Members:
Akers, Anderson, Arnold, Bailey, Becker, Bixenstine, Bodkin, Cellan, Collins, Craven, Culley, Davis, Fields, Frasure, Freeman, Griffin, Harrell, Holmes, Knudsen, Maricle, Mayes, McCall, Merrill, Montgomery, Oldham, Schuster, Singer, Stone, Stuart, Vickers, West, York.
MT. ZION (BANNOCK COUNTY)
Mt. Zion Church, at Pocatello, was organized in March 1959 by nine members who were dismissed by letter for that purpose from the Rupert Church. The charter members were: William Akers, Martha Akers, Rasmus Knudsen, Lona Knudsen, Mindy Frasure, Elsia Belle Frasure, Margaret McCall, Minnie Bodkin, and Frances Frasure. The presbytery was composed of Elders George E. Griffin, H. D. Fulmer, Leslie Henry, Pleas Stark, and Deacons R. C. Minor, Millege Becker, and J. E. Barnes.
Most of the early meetings were held at the home of Brother and Sister Akers at Fort Hall, Idaho. In 1961 the church built a nice meeting house in Chubbuck, just off highway 191 at 401 Adams Street. A dedication service was held in June 1962.
Surnames of Members:
Akers, Barrett, Best, Bodkin, Cellan, Evans, Frasure, Fulmer, Godfrey, Hall, Henry, Knudsen, Lent, McCall, Mitchell, Newsom.
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