Primitive Baptist Church and Family
History
Research Assistance for Tallapoosa County, Alabama
DARIAN (1842)
Darian Church was organized on April 29, 1842, in Chambers County, in the vicinity of Cliatt's Ferry Road, near the Tallapoosa River. The church was originally called Double Springs. Some of the charter members were John L. Bibby, Richard Manley Sr., Elizabeth Manley, Martha Teal, Henry Gibbs, Nathaniel Bibby, Elizabeth Bibby, and Mary Bibby. In 1845 the members decided to move the church to a location east of Daviston, in Tallapoosa County, and changed the name to Darian.
SURNAMES OF MEMBERS:
Adams, Adamson, Allen, Ascue, Anderson, Bibby, Bryant, Bozeman, Bishop, Buzbee, Bailey, Beck, Barron, Bishop, Burkes, Busby, Cliatt, Causby, Carlisle, Carter, Crofford, Cowart, Chatham, Crofford, Champion, Cola, Cardwell, Coger, Duncan, Duke, Dunson, Dunelly, Davidson, Danelly, Dollar, Dun, Dingler, Dunaway, Embry, Echols, East, Edge, Finley, Fielder, Foster, Floyd, Fuller, Gibbs, Gilliland, Griffin, Grice, Gray, Gay, Green, Gunn, Griffin, Glenn, Hartsfield, Hughs, Hartsfield, Hand, Hadgers, Heedman, Hill, Hailes, Hearn, Hardnet, House, Hodnette, Jeter, Jennins, Johnston, Jinkins, Killibrew, Kendrick, King, Lowery, Lindsey, Loosier, Manley, Milam, Moore, Morgan, Morris, McCully, Meggs, McLane, Melton, Mann, Mattox, Norman, Orr, Ogles, Pearson, Pool, Piper, Ponder, Parker, Phillips, Quattlebum, Richards, Robertson, Ray, Robeson, Raney, Rotton, Redman, Stidham, Smith, Shelton, Stone, Simmons, Staples, Scofil, Stevens, Skipper, Stewart, Steele, Sims, Strong, Shaddix, Teal, Treadwell, Taylor, Truett, Willis, Watson, Woodley, Wood, Williams, Welch, Winggard, Yates.
SHARON (TALLASSEE)
Sharon Church was constituted June 15, 1839, near Blue Creek, on the Daleville Highway, and waas later moved near Soughachee Creek, on the same highway. They constituted with seven members, to wit: Deacon A. W. Adcock, Mahala Adcock, Yancy Thornton, Margarett Ray, Allen H. Gay, Hartwell Partridge, and Mary Gay. Members of the presbytery were Elders A. Black, I. I. Dickerson, and J. M. Pearson.
The following is a list of Elders in the order and length of time they served down to the present time: Elders I. I. Dickerson, J. M. Peavy, Hedpath, who did not serve, then E. Nelson served to August, 1841; J. W. Carter from November 1843 to September 1851; E. Nelson from November 1851 to December 1852; S. W. Atkins from May 1853 to October 1853; J. P. Sayers from July 1855 to April 1858; H. R. McCoy from April 1858 to March 1859; J. P. Sayers from March 1859 to November 1867; Jesse Fallin from November 1867 to February 1872. J. E. W. Henderson from February 1872 to October 1879; J. S. Baxley from December 1879 to May 1880, at which time he resigned, the church being in a confused condition over J. D. Meadows, and they had no pastor until January 1881; L. B. Porter was then called but did not agree to serve, they then called J. S. Baxley in April 1881 and served until December 1884 and then resigned.
Z. T. Thomas served from February 1885 to December 1885; J. J. Dixon from December 1885 to April 1887; R. B. Smith from July 1887 to August 1891, and then no regular pastor until December 1895; J. S. Baxley from December 1895 to March 1896; J. R. Munke from October 1896 to November 1896; R. B. Smith from October 1897 to September 1903. The church then moved across the creek near Lovelady Bridge, and J. P. Nobles served from January 1904 to October 1905, when he resigned because of poor health; J. R. Munke from February 1906 to August 1907; J. P. Nobles from September 1907 to July 1909; B. M. Jowers from October 1909 to October 1911; J. P. Nobles from March 1913 to November 1913; E. J. Green from January 1914 to March 1916; B. M. Jowers from January 1917 to August 1917; R. B. Smith from February 1918 to January 1920; (the first District of the Lower Wetumpka Association was formed at Sharon Church in July 1917); J. P. Nobles from March 1920 to December 1923; T. V. Price from January 1924 to October 1929, and then no regular pastor until they called Elder Roy Avery in September 1930, who served until December 1936; Elder R.F. Hyde from November 1937 until August 1943, and then no pastor until Elder F. M. Guy in December 1943, who served until August 1945; J. B. Williams from 1945 to the present (1954).
Clerks served Sharon Church in the following order: A. W. Adcock, to 1845; Yancy Thornton, to 1848; H. S. Wilkerson, to 1851; Williams W. Pough was chosen clerk and then served a few months, and then they had no clerk for a few months. Yancy Thornton served from 1852 to March 1857; T. C. Adcock, to 1859; Sam Webster, to April 1867; James E. Pough to May 1877; J. D. Meadows to February 1881; J. L. Webster to April 1905; H. B. Webster to May 1920; H. B. Golden to September 1946; O. F. Milner to January 1949; L. B. Milner to February 1954; and Raymond Webster is the present clerk (1954).
Those serving in the office of deacon were as follows: A. W. Adcock, Edward Ellis, George Vickers; W. H. Silmon was received by letter and was later excluded for failure to pay a debt; Sam Webster was ordained in July 1864; R. E. Renfroe was ordained in June 1877; B. J. Hornsby received by letter in February 1877; W. A. Adcock by letter; M. B. Merchant by letter in March 1883; John Hicks in July 1904; J. L. Webster was ordained June 1909, and H. B. Golden and O. F. Milner were ordained in April 1938; James Andrew Webster was ordained in July 1939, and Grady Hall was ordained in January 1953.
We note that in July 1853 a colored woman, who was a slave belonging to J. Ellis, joined, and after the slaves were freed she received her letter in 1867. She was received by experience. In June 1867 the church agreed to comune twice each year, but we do not know how long they continued to do so. We also note that in 1873 the church agreed to have all the preceding years' minutes read in conference.
The old church has suffered many extreme hardships in the one hundred and fifteen years of her existence and failed to hold services many times in that number of years. Even in June 1948 they felt that they were unable to go any further, and that it might be best to get their letters and disband the old church after so many years. But we are glad today that God, through His loving kindness and tender mercies, put it into the heart of Sister Clyde Milner to offer herself for membership on the day they discussed disbanding, and this was so encouraging to them that they did not want their letters. Her husband joined at the water the next day, and now the old church is thriving and enjoying some of the sweetest meetings of any church I know. At the time they met to disband, June 1948, they had a total of 17 members, most of which were cold and indifferent. They have a total of 27 members today, and have lost three of those they had in 1948. The members today are all active and wide awake, and are striving with all their ability to keep house for the Lord. In February 1952, the church agreed to build a new house and move to their present location, five miles east of East Tallassee, and they were in their new house within a few months. Elder Williams deserves much credit for the new building, as he took charge and went forward in the building with the help of the members, also from members of other churches and friends. - Written by David Bridgman, Tallassee, Ala.
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