Mount Carmel Blog

Baptist history award

2011-10-02T18:37:00.001-05:00

(I didn't realize it has been so long since I posted here.)

A History of Smyrna Baptist Church, 1873-2008, received a 2010 Baptist history award -- history of churches under 500 membership -- from the Texas Baptist Historical Society. This will be recognized at their annual meeting on October 24, 2011.

Smyrna Baptist History

2010-09-08T17:53:00.001-05:00

The history of the Smyrna Baptist Church, Rusk County Texas has been transcribed and is available online.

There are a few errors in the old book that were corrected in the reprinting about two years ago.

How many Rusk Counties?

2010-07-15T06:12:00.000-05:00

While researching regarding Rusk County, I started wondering how many Rusk Counties there are in the United States. There are at least two. Anyone know of more?

Rusk County, Texas founded 1843
Rusk County, Wisconsin founded 1901

A Texas church list

2010-06-05T18:09:00.000-05:00

Churches in Rusk County, TX - Texas State Church List

Bible Records of Rusk County

2010-05-22T19:01:00.001-05:00

Bible Records of Rusk County, Texas hosted by Gloria Mayfield at Lady Texian

Note: Gloria Mayfield passed away May 9, 2010

Rusk County music teacher

2010-02-03T16:17:00.003-06:00

I discovered the following news clipping online. Julian Hillary "Sharp" McNiel (1873--1911) was the son of George Thomas McNiel and Susan Wallace. He married Nettie L. Irby and they had several children. Sharp McNiel is buried in the old Gould Cemetery in southern Rusk County. I am guessing he originally lived somewhere between there and Cushing in Nacogdoches County. With Bernard N. Richards, he formed the McNiel-Richards Music Company. This company printed several (at least two, but probably more) seven-shape shape note songbooks in the early 1900s. Some of his titles can be found online HERE. In his song books he often gave his name with the musical sharp symbol -- "# McNiel".

Nacogdoches, Tex., April 24. - Sharp McNiel of Cushing, in this county, a well known citizen, died in the sanitarium here Sunday morning. The deceased was attacked by appendicitis while attending court here about ten days ago and was carried to the sanitarium, where he was operated on. The attack was so severe that little hope was had for his recovery during the operation.

Source: The Galveston Daily News, Galveston, Texas, Tuesday, April 25, 1911; Pg. 4

J. R. Box

2009-10-15T16:43:00.002-05:00

Following from an obituary of J.R. Box. He came from Alabama to Rusk County, TX as a boy, and after marriage moved to Van Zandt County.

Mr. J.R. Box, one of the oldest citizens of the county and a highly respected citizen of Hayden community, died at his late home last Tuesday afternoon, December 7, 1915, at 5 o'clock, and his remains were interred in the Myrtle Springs cemetery the following afternoon at 3 o'clock. Funeral services were conducted by Revs. K.W. Furrh, R. M. Wilson and E. D. Jeter, and a large concourse of relative and friends assembled at the grave to pay a last and sad tribute to this good man.

Mr. Box was born in Benton County, Alabama, July 28, 1835, and was 80 years of age at the time of his death. He came to Texas when a mere boy, settling in Rusk County, where he was married later to Miss Margaret Elliott, and they came to Van Zandt county in 1870. In 1871 Mr. Box settled on the farm where he died and has lived there continuously since that time. He enlisted in the Confederate army at the outbreak of the Civil War, serving in the 14th Texas regiment, General Ector's brigade, Capt. House's company. He served with distinction and honor throughout the four years of the war. He united with the Baptist church in 1876, being one of the original members of the old Myrtle Springs Baptist church, and was the last surviving male member so far as known, who joined when that church was organized, his widow being the only surviving member of the original organization. For many years he has been what might be termed the right arm of the Baptist church of this community, always taking an active and enthusiastic interest in church work as well as all other things for the up building of his community and the betterment of conditions generally. He was a good citizen in every sense of the word and his life was such as he thought the Master would have him live. A Pioneer citizen has passed to his reward and left the world better for his having lived.

Allen Birdwell, Baptist

2009-09-30T16:41:00.001-05:00

From Handbook of Texas Online:
A brief bio of Allen Birdwell, Texas legislator, farmer and early leader in the Mt. Zion Baptist Association.

Experience of B.F. Biggs

2009-08-10T19:18:00.001-05:00

ENGLEMAN, TEXAS, August 3, 1887.

Robert A. Biggs: My Son: By your request I now attempt to write to you of my hope in Christ. I was born June 20, 1818, in Tennessee. My father, Asa Biggs emigrated from N. C. before I was born; he was a Baptist preacher, and was in the division on the Mission question. Just before I was grown, there was a considerable revival of religion among the Methodists, and I went up to be prayed for, like others. A good many-made profession~ and so did I. From then on I tried to live strictly moral, so long as I was under that influence ~ but when I got away from there I was just what I was before. Shortly after this I married, and moved to Mississippi, where there was a revival among the Missionaries. A neighbor professed religion, and I thought he was a good man, and that if he could get religion I could too. So at it I went by trying to pray and reading the Scriptures; but I did not go up to be prayed for as others did; but as soon as the meeting was over, and the excitement ceased, I was just as I was before. Soon after this I moved back to Tennessee; and then in February 1841, to Texas. Here I heard Elder Daniel Parker preach; also Elder William Brittain. Here, in April, 1843, while plowing in my field by myself, something got hold of me, or in me, that caused me to mourn and shed tears; and when I got to the fence, I laid my arm on the corner of it and said, “Lord, have mercy upon me.” I then thought, if I can’t quit crying, I will plow to the other end of my row, and go off to the woods, but when I got to the other end, the first thing I knew, I was in the corner of the fence, crying for mercy upon me a sinner. I got up, went to the house, wiped my eyes as best I could, as I did not want my wife to suspect any thing, went through the house to the other door, and on the steps my knees gave way, and I fell on the ground and cried, “Lord, save, or I perish. Have mercy on me, a poor, helpless sinner.” My wife came to me, asking what was the matter. I told her I thought I was going to die. She ran to a near neighbor’s; he came; I asked him to pray for me, for I thought I should soon die; and he prayed for me. After awhile his wife came; then the news went all over the neighborhood. My father and mother came to see me, and I asked him to pray for me; he did so. I was still lying on the ground; and laid there from ten in the morning till about two o’clock in the afternoon when by help, I got in the house, and lay down on the bed. I got up about sunset, walked off about a quarter of a mile, sat down under a large tree, and mourned over my condition, as a poor sinner, condemned to die without God or hope in the world. By morning I was able to go to work, and did so.

And now, my son, to make a long story short, I will just say, I was in great trouble, going and coming, for eleven months. About that time I was taken sick with measles. I had made many vows and promises; had tried to pray; but it all seemed to avail nothing. I was going bowed down in sorrow and distress, and could not see how God could be just, and the justifier of such a poor, condemned sinner as I was. I had read the Scriptures a. great deal, and had read where the Savior was born in a manger. So I concluded in my distress to go to the stable, just as I was getting up out of the measles and just as I reached the place my troubles, sorrow, and grief all left me, and I was praising God with all my heart. Then I thought I could see how God could be just, and the justifier of such a poor sinner as I was, through the atoning blood of the Lord Jesus Christ. The next day I saw my father coming to see me. I thought I could tell him all about it, but I could not. I thought I would tell my wife, but could not. The next Saturday I went to preaching, not thinking of joining the church; they offered an opportunity for members; I got up, walked out about fifty yards, when this scripture came into my mind: “He that is ashamed of me and my words, of him will I be ashamed.” I then thought I was not ashamed; so I went back in the house; the invitation was still extended; I went, and told them a portion of this; was received into their fellowship; baptism was deferred a month.

My son, I saw more trouble in that month, seemingly, than in the eleven before. I thought I was deceived, and had deceived the church. But when the time came, I was willing to follow in the footsteps of my Savior. There were six baptized the same day I was, I think, and your mother was one of them. Then we enjoyed religion. Soon after this my wife died, leaving me with three children to mourn. Four months later your mother and I were married. About these times we had good meetings, and refreshings from the presence of the Lord; but this was followed by a difficulty in the church. Then came trouble, such as envy, hatred, evil speaking; and finally, dissolution; all for the want of strict discipline in the church. Jesus says to his disciples, “Take heed to yourselves: If thy brother transgress against thee, rebuke him; if be repent, forgive him. And if he trespass against thee seven times in a day, and seven times in a day turn again to thee, saying, I repent; thou shalt forgive him. And the apostles said unto the Lord, Increase our faith;” Luke xvii, 3--5.

Now, my son, and the household of faith, I think, from the above, that a brother is required to turn and repent; then you shall forgive. To turn means to change your course, and go in another direction. Repentance is a godly sorrow for sin. The apostle James has told us, “Keep yourselves unspotted from the world.” This may be done by keeping the commands of Jesus. Peter says to follow his footsteps. Paul says, “Be ye followers of me, even as I also am of Christ.” Jesus says, “If a man love me, he will keep my words.” Eternal life is the gift of God to us, through Jesus Christ our Lord. Salvation is by grace, through faith, and that not of ourselves. No man can say that Jesus is the Christ, but by the Holy Ghost. Then, the Holy Spirit quickens sinners into spiritual life; and when he commences a good work in them, he will complete it.

Now, what shall I render unto the Lord for I all his benefits unto me, but the fruit of my lips, in an orderly conversation? May God bless you, my son, together with the household of faith, is the prayer of your old father.

B.F. Biggs.

From The Primitive Monitor--October 1887

A Sheaf

2009-07-31T15:59:00.000-05:00

A Sheaf of Psalms and Hymns and Spiritual Songs is back from the printer and available to those who are interested. It contains 300 Christian hymns for worship or devotional reading. The cost is $11.99; the book is 4.25" x 7", 186 pages, spiral bound; Published by Waymark Publications in Mt. Enterprise, Rusk County, TX June, 2009.

Washington Wiggins Albritton

2009-07-09T15:37:00.001-05:00

Washington Wiggins Albritton (circa 1838- circa 1900) was the son of John F. Albritton and Mary (Polk) Albritton. Mary Polk was a sister of President James K. Polk. John and Mary had nine children; only Washington Wiggins came to Texas.

W. W. Albritton married Mary Ann Theresa Turner in Poplar Springs, Pontotoc County, Mississippi, in 1868. In 1869 they arrived in Texas and purchased 500 acres of land between Nacogdoches and Cushing. He was one of the first preachers at the Redland Baptist Church on Flowery Mountain (Nacogdoches County). First called Brewer's Mountain, Albritton renamed it for the multitude of wildflowers growing there. Washington pastored of Union/Old North Church in Nacogdoches, Mt. Carmel and Valley Grove in Rusk County and many others. W. W. and Mary Ann were the parents of seven children. "As the children became of school age, they moved to Alto and later, to Rusk so that the older children could attend Rusk College. Mr. Albritton was the Baptist district missionary in Rusk and died there in 1900."

Benjamin Jackson Albritton, son of W. W. and Mary Ann Albritton, was a well known educator in Jacksonville (Cherokee County). He was superintendent of public schools for sixteen years. He served as president of Jacksonville College for three terms -- 1903-1905, 1906-1908, and 1918-1937. He also served as a City Judge.

A composite of online information from various sources, including:
Bill Gawne on Rootsweb
Flowery Mountain on THSA

A minister who started in Rusk County

2009-06-25T17:14:00.000-05:00

Written by Elder R. A. Biggs, before his death in 1915: "I was born in Rusk County, Texas, June 2, 1849. My father, B. F. Biggs, was a native of Tennessee. My mother's maiden name was Alsa Jane Starr. She was a native of Illinois. My father was a farmer. I grew up during the War Between the States, and consequently had no opportunity to receive an education. Never attended school but very little, only enough to learn to read and spell imperfectly. I worked on the farm and took care of the family during the War.

"In my nineteenth year, I was married to Miss Kisiah Crauley, a native of Alabama. In the winter of 1867, we moved to Collin County, Texas, where we lived for eight years. Here I first saw myself a sinner in the sight of God. For two years I labored under a great burden of sin and guilt, trying every effort I could for relief; but like the woman we read of in the Bible who spent all she had with physicians, got no relief until she came in touch with the Savior. So I seemed to grow worse and nothing I did brought me any relief until one day in the month of March 1870, as I plowed along in the field in dark despair and under a heavy burden of sin and guilt praying to God to be merciful to me, a sinner.

"This was my condition as near as I can describe it. I did not see how God could remain just and save such a sinner as I was. The next thing I realized I was singing the song, 'Jesus Thou art the Sinner's Friend'. My burden of guilt that had rested so heavily upon me for the past two years was gone. I was happy and rejoiced in the hope of the glory of God, and for the first time was enabled by an eye of faith to see, as I humbly trust, how God could be just and save a poor sinner like me. My sins had been transferred to Jesus and he had borne them in his own body on the cross for me. And now righteousness was made over to me, and God, for His sake, had forgiven me my sins. So I realized that I had peace with God through Jesus, who loved me and gave himself for me. So I could sing with the poet 'E'er since by faith I saw the stream thy flowing wounds supply, redeeming love has been and shall be till I die'.

"In May following (1870) I presented myself to Orchard Gap Church in Collin County, and after relating my little hope to them, was received and baptized by Elder J. E. Dethrage. For awhile I felt easy and greatly enjoyed our meetings, but ere long that burning desire of my heart to tell others what a precious Savior I had found became a burden to me that I could not throw off. I was poor, imperfect and so unfit for such a high and holy calling that I could not be reconciled to it; so I thought I would move to other parts and perhaps get rid of this burden.

"In 1876, we moved to Erath County, Texas, but that burning desire and burden to speak in His great name followed me here. In July 1877, I took my first text and tried for about an hour to tell the people some of the wonderful works of God in the salvation of sinners, From this time on I had regular appointments, and the brethren and sisters gave me great encouragement, so I pressed on as best I could.

"About this time Damascus Church was organized in Erath County and wife and I became members of it, and in the winter of 1879, this church called for my ordination. It was with great reluctance that I submitted. In January 1880, I was ordained by this church by a presbytery composed of Elders W. S. Harris and F. London. Was soon called to the care of this church and other churches, and up to 1896 I served four churches most of the time.

"In the spring of 1881, I lost my wife by death, leaving me with five little children, the oldest a boy about ten years old, and the youngest an infant girl. A neighbor lady took my youngest children and took care of them for me while the three little boys stayed at home and finished our little crop. The following winter, 1881, I was married to a Mrs. Sarah E. Hackler, whose maiden name was McGee. She was a native of Texas.

"Up to 1900, I kept a record of all my ministerial work, but after my health gave way, I paid no further attention to that. Up to 1900, I had tried to preach 1,623 times since being ordained, assisted in the organization of 10 churches, assisted in the ordination of 8 ministers and 15 deacons, baptized 170 persons, and married 55 couples. Since the above date, I have assisted in the ordination of several, baptized some 25 or 30, and married several couples, but have no record of the number.

"In all my serving of churches none of them have had any serious trouble, most of them have prospered and built up in number, and I have enjoyed their services, The brethren, sisters and friends have been good to me, and have borne with my many short comings, imperfections and weaknesses, and have manifested that they have enjoyed my feeble efforts in trying to preach to them. I have tried as best I could to read and search the Scriptures for the truth contained in them, and not for the purpose of trying to bolster up some pet hobby, or vain speculations or theory of some man. I have tried to avoid hobbies and vain speculations, and have tried the best I could to present the truth of the Bible on doctrine, experience, and practical godliness. To what extent I have succeeded, those I have tried to serve are the judges."

On his web site, Brother David Montgomery writes, "Elder Biggs was a man of deep humility and wisdom. His labor for the peace of the Baptists in Texas in the early 1900’s was significant and far-reaching. He was held in great respect by all that knew him. He has many descendants in the Primitive Baptist Church, including my dear wife who is his great great granddaughter. Elder Biggs died at Santa Anna, Coleman County, Texas on June 1, 1915."

Born in Rusk County, TX

2009-06-14T16:10:00.001-05:00

TENNESSEE BAPTIST, June 15, 1861, p. 4, c. 3

Wyly Hollingsworth.

Son of G. P. [sic?] and M. A. Hollingsworth, aged 10 years, 1 month and 9 days, departed this life at this place at 20 minutes past six o'clock, P.M. on the 21st last. He was born in Rusk county, Texas, and a more dutiful, kind, loving child never lived. His disease was in his head, and seemed to baffle the skill of all medical aid. He was sick about six weeks, and for the last ten days his suffering was intense, yet he bore it without a murmur. His death has created a vacuum that never can be filled in the hearts of his parents, and the sweet notes of his voice are never again to be heard around the fireside. But we have the consolation to believe that that melody which was peculiarly his, is resounding amidst the angels who surround the throne of our blessed Jesus. S. P. H.

We sincerely tender our kindest regards to those citizens of Winchester, and particularly the ladies, for their kind services and attention during the sickness and death of our dear child.

S. P. Hollingsworth,
M. A. Hollingsworth.
Winchester, Tenn., May 24, 1861.

A History of Smyrna Baptist Church

2009-06-04T15:59:00.003-05:00

A recent addition to the history of Rusk County Baptists is A History of Smyrna Baptist Church, 1873-2008: 135 years in three southern Rusk County communities. This is a republishing and updating of J. W. Griffith's Centennial + 5 published in 1978. The book contains 116 pages, with history of the church, people and some additional pictures not in the 1978 work. The link above will allow a viewing of the first 20 pages of the book.

Smyrna Church and Holleman Cemetery annual homecoming will be held at Smyrna church building on Sunday June 14 (d.v.). Starts at 10 a.m.

A sketch of a Rusk County minister's life

2009-05-24T12:46:00.003-05:00

A sketch of his life

P. 1
Marshall Lewis Vaughn was born in Rusk Co Texas May 24 - 1858. He was born of the Spirit at the age of 18 and joined The Church [and was baptized by John Sparkman*] at the age of 19. On the 4 day of Dec 1881 he was married to Miss Martha Jane Sanders. To this union were born 9 children 5 boys and 4 girls. In Oct 1897 he was ordained to the work of a minister of the gospel and afterward served as pastor of the following churches. In Rusk Co Sulphur Springs, Glenfawn, New Salem, Cool Springs, Gumsprings, Rehobeth (At Buford)

P. 2
Pleasant Hill, Liberty, Shiloh, Isbels Chapel, Mt Olive Nacogdoches Co Union Springs, Bethany Panola Co Mt. Carmel, Corinth, Friendship. He has gone through heat and cold rain or shine to meet those churches, feeling that promptness was half the battle to success. He has gone when his breath would freeze on his beard and yet his financial support has been very scant but he was trying to lay up treasures in heaven which would endure forever.

P. 3
It was his delight to serve rather than be served and yet he was just a sinner saved by grace who claimed no merit or honor to himself but God be all the praise through Christ our redeemer. He was born and raised on the farm and made farming his ocupation in connection with his pastoral work but never obtained any wealth of this World though he did delight in contributing to the support of the gospel as far as he was able.

Written by M. L. Vaughn

* This was written in down the side of the page and appears intended to be inserted where I have placed it. “A sketch of his life” is written on the back of page three.
** This obviously intended as mostly a sketch of M. L. Vaughn's ministerial life. An obituary in the Baptist Progress gave Bullard as one of his pastorates. While that is possible, it more likely is the Buford mentioned above, which was located about 3 miles west of Henderson where the Rusk County Expo Center and Airport are now located. RLV

Obituary of a Rusk Co. Baptist

2009-05-05T16:06:00.001-05:00

TENNESSEE BAPTIST, November 9, 1861, p. 4, c. 5

Thomas G. Spear.

Died September 16th, 1861, Thomas G. Spear, son of B. B. and Mary Spear, age 47 years 9 months and 18 days; born Nov. 28, 1813, in Anson county, North Carolina; moved to Montgomery, Alabama, at the age of six years; professed religion in 1837; married E. A. Thurmond Jan. 15th, 1839; moved to Mississippi in 1840; baptized by Lewis R. Barnes into the fellowship of Fellowship Church, Kemper county, in 1844; moved to Texas in 1857, and joined the church at Belleview, Rusk county, of which he was a member at his death. Bro. Spear manifested during his long illness the evidences of a genuine Christian; he endured his sufferings with patience, and had clear views of his acceptance. Christ and his righteousness constituted his only hope. With this view he fell asleep in Jesus. He left a large and interesting family to mourn his loss. As a citizen and brother he believed in the Lord he is missed. Our loss is his eternal gain, and while his body rests low in the grave his spirit rests high up in heaven.

M. V. Smith.

Texas history on Baptist History Homepage

2009-04-20T14:05:00.001-05:00

The Baptist History Homepage has created a page for Texas Baptist history. Click HERE.

It doesn't contain a lot of information right now, but hopefully it will grow. There is a link to some Rusk County information from this blog site, plus history of neighboring Soda Lake Baptist Association by J. B. Link.

Frazier and Carmichael

2009-03-06T17:05:00.001-06:00

A little more information on three members of Mount Carmel church:

Martha (Irby) Frazier
Martha Frazier, while still unmarried, was baptized by Smyrna Baptist Church in Greene County, Georgia. In 1838, Smyrna Church met and held a ten days meeting the first of October; among those received by experience was Martha Irby, p. 58.
Jan. 1, 1842
"Sister Martha Frasier, once Irby, applyed for a letter of dismission which was granted." p. 73
Sept. 4, 1843
"continued the above meeting Ten days" among those received into the church was "by Letter Sister Frasier." p. 79
Sept. 3, 1853
Martha Frasier granted a letter of dismission, p 145

Reuben Carmichael
April 1, 1848
Reuben Carmichael received into Smyrna-GA by letter, p. 104

Sydney Frances (Parker) Carmichael
Feb. 6, 1847
"Sister Sydney F. Parker...was received by letter" into Smyrna-GA, p. 99
March 20, 1852
Reuben and Sydney Carmichael dismissed by letter, p. 135

In addition to these members of Mt. Carmel, visitor from Shiloh Foster Parker was also a member of Smyrna-GA. He united by experience when after Sept. 5, 1846 the church "continued the meeting for Ten days". He and some of his family were dismissed by letter Nov 30, 1850.

Smyrna Baptist Church was constituted December 19, 1828. It was an arm of White Plains Baptist Church of the same county.
From Smyrna Baptist Church minutes (Book 1)

Leila B. LaGrone Family History Center

2009-02-02T16:50:00.001-06:00

Leila B. LaGrone Family History Center in Carthage (Panola County) has several old records of Baptist associations, including the minutes of the first session of the Rusk County Baptist Association. It met in Henderson, November 23, 1901; W. H. H. Hays, moderator, C. E. Philips, clerk. During the church party/board party schism, Hays led a minority of churches out of the Mt. Zion Association and they organized the Rusk County Baptist Association. They merged with the Panola County Association circa 1928 to form the Rusk-Panola Baptist Association.

The Family History Center is located at 211 N. Shelby St. in Carthage, Texas, and is open Sunday 1:00 p.m.-5:00 p.m., Tuesday 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m., Wednesday 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m.

William Gaddy

2009-01-02T14:58:00.003-06:00

William Gaddy (1843-1915) was born in Mississippi and came to Txas after the Civil War, evidently living somewhere in the Shiloh/Mt. Enterprise area of Rusk County. He was, at least on occasion, a member of Shiloh Baptist Church. Before his conversion he lived a wild life. According to Charles I. Shindler: "This rare story brings out the influence the tender hand of a young maiden has over the heart of a man, begins with two saloon keepers, Bill Gaddy and his partner, in our neighboring town of Mt. Enterprise, Texas. In the late hours of the night when the two partners were alone in their place of business, and no doubt both having indulged in too mch rectified spirits with a real fight,and no one to prevent it being carried to a finish, the final outcome was Gaddy being knocked down utterly dead to the world, the partner sitting upon him with beer bottles in hand, proceeded to break them over Gaddy's head to his satisfaction (there being no resistance), and finally leaving him. After several hours he had a friend go down to see if he was still alive. Having sobered up some by that time he did what he could to remedy his error by having Gaddy carried to his (the partner's) home, receiving the best of care by the partner's wife and special nurse, the wife's sister. He too soon found that he had recovered. 'Tis the old story of the patient falling in love with the nurse." ("A Tribute to Reverend William Gaddy and Wife," Nacogdoches Weekly Sentinel, March 14, 1935, p. 2)

Gaddy was licensed and probably ordained by Shiloh Baptist Church and pastored several churches, including First Baptist (Nacogdoches County); Bethel, Mt. Hebron (Panola County) New Mt Sinai, Shiloh (Rusk County)

Uncle Ben

2008-12-15T16:03:00.001-06:00

This article was originally printed from the July-August 1993 issue of Away Here in Texas. It appears here with slight revision.

Benjamin Lewis Vaughn was born in the Oak Flat Community of southern Rusk County, Texas, on November 21, 1885. He was the third of nine children born to Marshall Lewis and Martha Jane (Sanders) Vaughn. Ben grew up on a 71-acre farm helping with such chores as milking cows, plowing fields, picking cotton, making syrup, and cutting wood. He attended school at Oak Flat School (District 44, Rusk County). At age eighteen he professed faith in Christ and united with the Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church of Oak Flat.

Ben's musical training began early in life. His father, a Baptist minister, was a Sacred Harp singer and taught all his children to sing. Ben's grandparents moved to Texas from Greene County, Georgia in the mid-1850s and probably brought The Sacred Harp with them. It is said that his great-grandfather, William Parker, was co-compiler of a 29-page songbook in 1818. Ben evidently took his knowledge of the rudiments of music and taught himself to play the pump organ, the autoharp, and the accordion.

Ben's later musical training seems to have been from two sources: singing schools and courses at Jacksonville College in Jacksonville, Texas. Ben studied seven-shape note music in several singing schools by Sharp McNeil of Cushing, Texas. He attended several Sacred Harp singing schools and had three terms under Prof. John W. Miller of Athens, Texas. Prof. Miller was President of the Sacred Harp Association of Texas. The music at Jacksonville College probably consisted of round notes. We have a textbook from his college days: Hymns and Hymns Tunes by David Breed.

Ben did not go to Jacksonville College to study music. Rather, he enrolled in the fall of 1909 to pursue a teacher's certificate. His brother Levi and cousin Tip enrolled at the same time. While in school, Ben served as business manager of the college Glee Club, of which he was a member.

Sometime before October 1909, Ben felt the call to preach, as is evidenced by his correspondence with his pastor, Elder J. F. McClendon (Elder McClendon was President of the East Texas Sacred Harp Singing Convention, 1890.) On September 17, 1910, he was licensed to preach the gospel by the Smyrna Church and exercised his gift before her on several occasions. Ben also began to teach singing schools—offering to teach the Sacred Harp or seven-shape or round notes if the community so desired.

After graduating from Jacksonville College, Ben was employed as a teacher at Oak Flat, Public School District No. 4 in Nacogdoches County. He taught there during the 1911-12 school year.

Ben was a talented singer and musician. He wrote at least two songs, both about death. The first, written very late in 1909 or early in 1910, was entitled "She Is Gone". It was dedicated to Mr. H. B. Woolverton, having been written after the death of his wife. Sharp McNeil published it in a small seven-shape songbook. The other song, "A Golden Crown to Wear," is dated July 17, 1910, and is found on page 521 of The B. F. White Sacred Harp. It was added to the book after Ben's death, probably submitted by his father, Elder M. L. Vaughn, or, more likely, his teacher, Prof. John W. Miller. Two of Miller’s songs were added to the book at the same time as A Golden Crown to Wear.

The chorus of "A Golden Crown to Wear" seems almost prophetic:

O time speed on and bring the hour,
When I shall meet with Christ in power;
Yes, let me then to glory rise,
And wear a crown beyond the skies.

Time sped on, and in a short time Ben was gone. He contracted typhoid fever and died on August 21, 1912. "All that was mortal of our brother was laid away by tender hands and weeping hearts, to rest in the Holleman Cemetery. Funeral services were conducted by his pastor, Elder J. H. Waller, from the text, 'A good name is rather to be chosen than great riches.'"

Thus his candle burned for only a short time, but burned brightly. In 26 years, Ben became singer, musician, licensed minister, public school teacher, singing school teacher, and songwriter. How he could have influenced his family, his church, and Sacred Harp singing in East Texas we can only wonder. Such consideration we must leave in the hands of a loving God who doeth all things well.

Connections update

2008-12-01T06:32:00.002-06:00

Update of Mt. Carmel connections based on information from White Plains Baptist Church minutes (Greene County, Georgia) and book source noted below.

Elizabeth Carmichael evidently united with Mars Hill Baptist Church, Clarke Co., GA (now Oconee Co.) on 9-10-1842 (no action is given in the minutes, just the name; but this was probably when she joined) Elizabeth Spinks m. Reuben 4-6-1842 in Clarke Co., GA. She was dismissed by letter from Mars Hill on 12-21-1844.

Reuben Carmichael received by experience by Mars Hill Baptist Church on 7-29-1844 (dismissed by letter 12-21-1844, according to DAR Book #240)

Source: History of the People of Mars Hill Baptist Church and Community by Amy Warren Sanders, Athens, GA: Family Puzzlers, 1999. Pages 36, 37, 38, 43, 105

Reuben Carmichael and wife Elizabeth united with White Plains Baptist Church by letter on March 15, 1845. Elizabeth died August 1, 1847 (according to White Plains membership roll records) and Reuben was dismissed by letter November 20, 1847.

Sydney Frances Parker united with White Plains Baptist Church by experience of grace on August 16, 1846, and was probably baptized by pastor John Harris. She was dismissed by letter January 16, 1847.

Historical Society

2008-11-20T16:44:00.000-06:00

A number of Rusk County Baptists have roots in Tennessee. The Tennessee Baptist Historical Society now has a web presence. Click HERE.

Obituary of Rusk County Baptist Ed Parker

2008-11-05T16:00:00.000-06:00

Obituary

E. S. Parker was born 1825, died 1904. Uncle Ed Parker, as he was affectionately called by those who knew him best, was born in Taliaferro county, Georgia, May 5, 1825. He joined the Missionary Baptist church at the tender age of 16 years, and was baptized by Eld. Jno. Harris at White Plains, his native state. He married in 1846, immediately moving to Green county, Ga. He came to Texas in 1853, settling in San Augustine county. Jan 9, 1855, he cast his lot with the good people of Rusk county, where he resided till his death, which sad event occurred four miles east from Minden, Oct. 13, 1904. A wife, three children, twenty-six grand children, and thirty great grand children, besides a host of more distant relatives survive him. He was in the Confederate service from 1862 till 1865, being detailed at Tyler, Tex., as a shoe maker for his company. Bro. Parker’s life was, indeed, the full ripe grain for the Master’s sickle. Yet, however often we may have witnessed the unerring aim of death’s fatal stroke; however often the sable wing may have darkened the sky of joy, still the uninvited guest always comes with awe in his mien, and pain in his touch. But we are grateful to the spirit of peace and life, for a faith and hope instilled into our natures that death is not the end of man, but only a sleep from which will spring new life and joy. The kind sun will again appear, the gentle moon will lend her smiles, the lovely stars – forget-me-nots of angels – will shed their effulgent beams. The body will be reproduced by the [process] of the Infinite, whose ways are past finite comprehension, but who doeth all things well. Hugo said: “The nearer I approach the end the plainer I hear the immortal symphonies of the world which invites me. The tomb in not a blind alley, but a thoroughfare which closes on the twilight to open on the dawn.”

During his long life of usefulness and honor, covering a period of nearly eighty years, he was ever a staunch friend, plain in manners, simple in speech, unpretentious in conduct, brave in thought and act, and conscientious in his dealings with God and man. No temptation or desire for advantage could cool his ardor or alienate his friendship. He was true amid all the changing vicisitudes of life. No disturbance could frighten, no storms drive away, and no darkness blind his trust in humanity.

“A combination and a form indeed,
Where every God did seem to set his seal
To give the world assurance of a man.”

Uncle Ed belonged to that brave and patient class of pioneers, whose heroism and glory in civil life, is equal to the historic renown of sailor or soldier; and who marched in the van of civilization, with axe and plow, to carve empires from forests, and to found and perpetuate states. He was recognized as a patriarch among his friends and neighbors. These times of busy strenuous living are inconsistent with the calm, quiet spirit and reverential ways of patriarchial life; yet at times, their walks among us, one so venerable as to claim this tribute of faithful affection, who possesses such a gracious authority of character, such purity of heart and affections, that all bow to him with instinctive love and veneration.

As we look upon the epitaph which the touches of his superb character have chiseled, we are reminded that words of praise are poor, when the spirit has been translated to “that bourne from which no pilgrim ever returned.” The whispered expressions are faint which strike, in vain, the deaf ear of dreamless silence of one who has joined

“The innumerable caravan, which moves
To the mysterious realm, where each shall take
His chamber in the silent halls of death.”

Bro. Parker was a marvel of tenderness and affection to his family and enjoyed in return the wealth of their unbounded love. His devotion was untiring. He watched their interests, guarded their rights, anticipated their wants, serving them with a fidelity as boundless as his industry was tireless. For everybody, he scattered generous deeds of goodness and gracious rays of sunshine, which he gathered from the infinite fountain of light and love.

With him, the noise and strife of earthly battles have died away. Peace and quiet have stolen into the heart. His eyes have read a mystic meaning which only the parting soul may know. Sounds from another world have beaten upon his listening ear. He hears the musical notes from the ocean of eternity and sees the lights of Heaven shining upon its waters, while living faith sings the song of glorious conquest. Cheered by the consolation of an assured faith, with the lofty confidence of Seneca, and the simple childlike faith of Paul, he approached the gate to the Eternal City.

LON A. SMITH

[Edwin S. Parker was baptized in White Plains, GA by Eld. John Harris. He joined White Plains Church by faith in August of 1843, moved to Texas circa 1853, and became a charter member of Smyrna Baptist Church in August of 1873. I received this as a copy some time ago, and am not sure from which newspaper it came. Words in the text are enclosed in brackets if the print and/or meaning were unclear. The author, Lon A. Smith, was from the New Prospect/Oak Hill area northeast of Henderson, the son of Mr. & Mrs. J. A. Smith. He served in several aspects of political life, including State Comptroller, Railroad Commissioner, and State Legislator. I am not sure of his connection with Ed Parker. rlv]

Redlands Church

2008-10-14T18:19:00.002-05:00

THIS CHURCH TRACES ITS HISTORY TO 1873, WHEN A SMALL GROUP OF WORSHIPPERS GATHERED TOGETHER AT CHINQUAPIN SPRINGS (ONE MILE EAST) TO BUILD A COMMUNITY CHURCH. A SMALL ONE-ROOM LOG STRUCTURE WAS COMPLETED ON AUGUST 16, 1873, AND WAS USED BY BOTH METHODIST AND BAPTIST CONGREGATIONS.

LAND AT THIS SITE WAS DONATED FOR CHURCH AND SCHOOL PURPOSES BY PIONEER SETTLER HUGH BLAIR. THE LOG CHURCH AT CHINQUAPIN SPRINGS WAS RELOCATED HERE AND USED AS A UNION CHURCH AND SCHOOL. THE BAPTIST AND METHODIST CONGREGATIONS CONTINUED TO SHARE THE FACILITY. BLAIR DONATED AN ADJOINING ACRE OF LAND IN 1887 AND A NEW FRAME SANCTUARY WAS BUILT.

THE BAPTIST CONGREGATION CEASED USING THE UNION CHURCH IN 1906, WHEN THEY MOVED TO OAK FLAT COMMUNITY AND BUILT A NEW CHURCH (NOW KNOWN AS SMYRNA MISSIONARY BAPTIST CHURCH). AFTER 1906 THE UNION CHURCH WAS KNOWN AS REDLANDS CHURCH AND WAS OCCUPIED SOLELY BY THE METHODIST CONGREGATION.

THE METHODIST CONGREGATION DISBANDED IN 1964 AND THE REDLANDS CHURCH WAS PURCHASED AT AUCTION BY A GROUP OF FORMER MEMBERS. THE BUILDING IS MAINTAINED BY A BOARD OF TRUSTEES AND IS USED FOR SPECIAL SERVICES SUCH AS MEMORIALS, FUNERALS, AND WEDDINGS.

Redlands Church. Texas Historical Marker. (1989)

NOTES:
The contents of this marker is typed in ALL CAPS to replicate that style on the marker itself.
The "S" on "Redlands" is a mistake. The church and community is REDLAND (singular).
The date of August 16, 1873 can be proven as the date of organization of Smyrna Baptist Church through her existing minutes. That the log church house was completed at that time is probably an assumption.
The Baptists removed to Oak Flat in 1907 rather than 1906.
The building has not been "well-maintained" because we have little money to do so. Anyone interested in supporting the ongoing maintenance of Redland Church/Community Center may contact me. The McCune Cemetery homecoming is held here each May, the Sunday before Memorial Day. A Christian Harmony Singing will be held the Saturday before the 4th Sunday in April.

Mt. Carmel location

2008-09-15T10:34:00.002-05:00

The following would probably apply only to an intended location of Mt. Carmel's building near the end of its existence.

John Sparkman's well. "Sat. before the 3rd Sun. in March 1868...By motion a committee of five was appointed to select a suitable location for Mt. Carmel church. The committee selected John Sparkmans well, which was agreed on by the church."

In 1870 John Sparkman and wife sold land in southern Rusk County to D. H. Wood (recorded Rusk County Book S page 45). In 1868 Mt. Carmel considered building a church building near "John Sparkman's well". I would assume this to be somewhere on the above mentioned parcel of land. I don't know enough about deeds, but it was in the Maria Soprona Gonzales league, about 15 miles south of the town of Henderson and "on the tributaries of the west fork of the Angelina River." None of that locates it too specifically, but it would have been between Laneville and Glenfawn. Some adjoining property owners mentioned are: Mrs. S. S. Buckner, Simeon Perkins.

John Sparkman. John Calloway Sparkman was born in Jasper County, GA, 1881. When he was 18 years of age, he professed faith in Christ and was baptized by Elder John Dodd into the fellowship of the Bethesda/Bethsaida Baptist Church. He later united with the Flint River Baptist Church in Henry County before moving to Texas. When he first came to Texas, the family settled in Pine Hill circa 1853 and joined the Holly Springs Church there. He was licensed by Holly Springs in 1860 and ordained in 1861, Elders William Gwin, George Washington Rogers and Merritt Matthew Melton forming the presbytery. He probably joined the Mt. Carmel Church when he became pastor there, then joined Zion Hill Baptist Church in 1870 (which he helped organize in 1868). He was moderator of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association from 1872-1881. "The Bible was his dictionary, geography, grammar, rhetoric and logic. He was a man of strong convictions, devotedly pious, and earnest and forceful as a speaker, carrying the masses with him in his plain, scriptural arguments, drawing his illustrations principally from the common field of nature, his leading theme being the doctrines of grace, while he was well posted in the distinctive principles of the denomination, and ably defended them when it became necessary." John Sparkman died in 1882. "He was afflicted with cancer of the face, about one year before his death. Amidst his great affliction, which confined him to his room almost continually, his faith was unshaken, and his principal conversation was upon the love of Christ and the fulness of His great atoning sacrifice."

* Link gives Bethesda, but this possibly should be Bethsaida. Robert G. Gardner, Georgia Baptist Historical Society and Senior Researcher in Baptist History, Mercer University, wrote, "The only Bethsaida church was in Fayette County, with J. S. Dodd as pastor in at least 1849-1853. His post office address was Fayetteville (1849-1850) and Fairburn (1852-1853)."

Smyrna, Georgia and Sandy Creek

2008-08-27T16:45:00.003-05:00

The Smyrna Baptist Church of Chinquapin/Redland/
Oak Flat is deeply indebted to a Georgia heritage through its earliest members. The first two pastors and over half of the charter members were born in Georgia – E. S. Parker, Rebecca Parker, Jasper Parker, Georgia A. Parker, M. T. Wells, William J. Parker, C. A. E. Parker, J. F. M. Reid, Robert P. Goldsberry, and Nannie E. Goldsberry. Two other families – Gallaways and McNews – lived in Georgia before moving to Alabama and then on to Texas. Edwin S. Parker is currently the only charter member whose time and place of baptism has been determined. He joined White Plains Baptist Church in Greene Co., Georgia by faith 27 Aug 1843. He was dismissed by letter 26 Oct 1853 – evidently about the time he moved to Texas. White Plains was constituted in 1806, probably from members of Powelton Baptist Church. E. S. Parker’s great-grandparents – Richard and Ann Parker – were charter members of Powelton Church, then called Powell’s Creek, in 1786. Powell’s Creek was organized by Silas Mercer, who was baptized by the Kiokee Baptist Church, the first Baptist church constituted in Georgia. Kiokee’s lineage traces back to the Sandy Creek Baptist Church in North Carolina, a “mother” of many southern churches.

Smyrna Church -- 135th anniversary

2008-08-13T14:55:00.000-05:00

Smyrna Baptist Church, a "daughter" of Mt. Carmel, will celebrate its 135th anniversary Sunday August 17, 2008. The church was organized Saturday August 16, 2008. Regular services will be conducted in the morning. Lunch at noon.

Afternoon services include:

Special singing 1:30 p.m.
Church history - Robert Vaughn
Recognition of long-standing families
Memories of Smyrna Baptist Church
Afternoon message - Matt Gholson

Extinct churches P-Z

2008-08-02T13:07:00.005-05:00

Pecan Grove was located near the Rusk and Nacogdoches County line, south of Sulphur Springs. I think it probably was in Nacogdoches County. Earlier there was a Hopewell Church in this vicinity, and probably also in Nacogdoches County.

Rhodes, possibly also known as Rhode's Chapel, met somewhere in the Shiloh area. Mentioned as late as the 1951 Mt. Zion Association minutes. After the BGCT and BMAT divided in 1900, the Shiloh Church divided into Missionary Baptist and Southern Baptist Churches. According to 50 Years in East Texas Pulpits by J. W. Griffith, a group met in the Rhodes School House (and later built a church house) north of Shiloh, and was a more progressive element of Missionary Baptists that left the old missionary Baptist division of Shiloh church.

Shawnee Village Missionary Baptist Church was organized as Stone Heights MBC after the ABA/BMA division of 1950. This group organized in 1952 with J. M. Stringer as missionary pastor, and met in the Stone Heights subdivision until building at 1714 US 79 South in Henderson circa 1964. El Cordero de Dios Church, an Hispanic Church related to the Southern Baptists, now meets in this building.

Shiloh Missionary Baptist Church -- off SH 315 in the Shiloh Community. Some who remember it say the building was at the intersection of crossroads, and the Southern Baptists had the building in front of the main gate. The present Shiloh Southern Baptist Church counts its organization to 1902, so evidently the Missionary Baptists were in the majority when the church divided. Tradition says a Baptist Church existed at Shiloh as far back as the 1840s, and it can be found in minutes of the Judson Association at least as early as 1856. In 1857 Shiloh was in the organization of the Mt. Zion Association. The Shiloh Cemetery dates in origin back to 1853.

Sweetgum MBC met in the Sweetgum Community, probably in the same building that was a school house. Link to online info about Sweetgum, click HERE.

Valley Grove near, possibly south of, the Sulphur Springs Community.

Extinct churches M-O

2008-07-16T12:22:00.001-05:00

Missionary Springs -- see Mission Springs; meets southeast of Henderson on FM 840.

Mt. Enon -- see Gum Springs; Mt. Enon was apparently the earlier name of the church that came to be known as Gum Springs, now located a few miles north of US Hwy 79 on Hwy 42.

Mt. Hope/Pine Springs -- see Roquemore; churches in this area known as Mt. Hope and Pine Springs are believed to be forerunners of the present Roquemore Missionary Baptist Church, though there is some question as to whether the earlier churches were Missionary or Primitive. Possibly met in the area of Hunt Cemetery.

Mt. Pisgah -- see Arlam, Garrison; the present Arlam Baptist Church was originally organized under the name Mt. Pisgah. According to Arlam's historical marker the Mt. Pisgah congregation began meeting in the Pine Flat schoolhouse (Nacogdoches County) in August 1897 and moved to a schoolhouse in Arlam (Rusk County) in 1898. Name changed circa 1951.

Mt. Carmel -- click link for the history of Mt. Carmel Church in south Rusk County.

Mt. Moriah was an original member of the Mt. Zion Association and evidently met somewhere near San Cosma/Laneville. In 1857 it was represented at the organization by M. M. Buckner, R. F. Galloway, and John Deason. Deason was listed as a licentiate minister with post office at Minden, TX. The church ceased to exist some time after the Civil War.

Mt. Zion was one of the older churches in Rusk County, located east of Mt. Enterprise where the Campground Cemetery is located. The building is supposed have been located in what would be inside the present cemetery fence. They evidently ceased to meet sometime between 1882 and 1889. In 1889 Allen Birdwell and Isaac Lawler offered the building to the Mt. Zion Association as a permanent meeting place, but the association declined. The Mt. Zion Baptist Association was organized here in 1857. Considering the Birdwell family's connection with this church, and their penchant for organizing churches in Alabama under the name Enon, an earlier Enon Baptist Church (Sabine Baptist Association) in this area may have been a forerunner of Mt. Zion.

Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church met in the Oak Grove Community south of Caledonia. The building was a short way down what is now County Road 3280. The building was on the right near the 90 degree curve. What's left of the cemetery is across the road.

New Hope -- south Rusk County; this church is listed in the 1856 minutes of the Soda Lake Baptist Association, and was located in the same general area as Mt. Carmel Baptist Church.

New Mt. Sinai -- somewhere in the Caledonia area of southeast Rusk county. May have been a forerunner of Mt. Zion/Oak Grove above. According to W. T. Parmer in Seventy-Five Years in Nacogdoches, the New Mt. Sinai Baptist Church was organized in the early 1870s under the leadership of William M. Gaddy and support of J.D. Smith. (p. 175)

Extinct churches H-L

2008-07-04T00:21:00.000-05:00

Harmony Hill -- there was a Primitive Baptist Church at Harmony Hill, near present-day Tatum. A Harmony Hill (missionary) Baptist Church is in the Mt. Zion Association in 1896. The only church presently in this community (that I am aware of) is the Friendship BC, a black missionary Baptist church.

Hickey/Gateway -- named after the community, possibly organized in the early 1900s; this church affiliated with the Rusk-Panola Association until around 1975 when they called Sam Glover and united with the Mt. Zion Association. The church name was changed to Gateway circa 1982 during the pastorate of Keith Cowee. The church may have reaffiliated with Rusk-Panola and returned to the name Hickey after the departure of Pastor Cowee (I have no record of these events and the memory is foggy). The building is now a business on US 79 S in the Hickey Community.

Hispanic Baptist/Iglesia Bautista (exact given name unknown) -- sometime after the Hickey Church disbanded, a Spanish speaking group met for a time in the old Hickey BC building.

Holly Springs still exists, but now under the name Pine Hill Baptist Church.

Isabel Chapel -- in the Sand Hill Community of southern Rusk County; mentioned as late as in 1951 in Mt. Zion BA; later in Landmark Association of Nacogdoches County. The building is still standing and is used for the annual cemetery homecoming.

Liberty -- located at 1817 US 79 S Henderson; see Grace in Extinct Churches E-G

Locklin church is mentioned in the Smyrna Baptist Church minutes as a church with whom she regularly exchanged visiting brethren in her early years. (Minutes & Centennial + 5: History of the Smyrna Baptist Church of Rusk County, Texas, p. 8)

Extinct churches E-G

2008-06-18T12:13:00.000-05:00

Ebenezer Baptist Church was a black church (probably missionary Baptist) in the town of Easton in the extreme northeastern corner of Rusk County. The building was still standing late in 2007 (I haven't been by there recently). There is an existing Baptist Church is in Easton. I do not know if there is any connection.

Enon was an old church in the Mt. Enterprise area. I believe it may have been a predecessor to the Mt. Zion Church where the Mt. Zion Baptist Association was organized.

Faith -- the church on US Hwy 64 named Tyler Road Baptist Church began under the name Faith Missionary Baptist Church under the leadership of Chuck Shirley. Faith is first mentioned in the Mt. Zion minutes in 1982, and last mentioned in 1987. In addition to Shirley, W. C. Dawkins and Thomas Beene also pastored there. Tyler Road is mentioned in the 1988 local mission report. I am not sure of the exact relationship of these two churches.

First Missionary Baptist Church was organized sometime after 1900, and disbanded circa 1980. It was not represented in the Mt. Olive Association after that time. The building still exists on FM 1798 in Laneville and is now part of the structures owned by the First Southern Baptist Church.

Forest Hill church is mentioned in the Smyrna Baptist Church minutes as a church with whom she regularly exchanged visiting brethren in her early years. (Minutes & Centennial + 5: History of the Smyrna Baptist Church of Rusk County, Texas, p. 8)

Grace Independent Baptist Church is one of several names of churches that met in the building at 1817 US 79 South in Henderson. If I remember correctly, after Grace it was called Liberty, and maybe briefly The Potter's House Baptist Church. I'm not sure whether some of these were just name changes, or some of them were actually different churches that met in the same building. Texas State Bank is now located on this property.

Extinct churches A-D

2008-06-02T00:00:00.000-05:00

Antioch Missionary Baptist Church met somewhere in the Compton, or Pone, Community.

Boll's Prairie -- this church is listed in the 1896 Mt. Zion Association minute I have. Its location is not given, so it may not even be in Rusk County. I mention it here in case someone is familiar with an old church or community by this name, possibly in Gregg, Panola, or Rusk counties.

Broom's Chapel Missionary Baptist Church is mentioned in the Mt. Zion Baptist Association minutes. Location uncertain.

Buford -- There was once a Missionary Baptist Church in the Buford Community. At present the only information I have on this church is from a brief memory written by my great-grandfather, Marshall Lewis Vaughn, listing it among the churches he remembered pastoring. The Buford community was just west of Henderson on FM 13, near the current Rusk County Expo Center and airport. I talked to former county commissioner Kimble Harris (who grew up there and has lived there for years) about it. He said that was the Buford Community, and there was once a school and a church building. The school building was on the north side of FM 13, and the church building on the south side, in what would now be the northwest corner of the airport property. The Free Will Baptists probably also met here.

Chalk Hill Primitive Baptist Church met in the Chalk Hill Community, in the building currently used by the Chalk Hill Community Church. Chalk Hill and Mt. Ararat (aka Mt. Homer) merged to form the Henderson Primitive Baptist Church, and they meet in the Mt. Ararat building west of Henderson on US Hwy 79.

Cool Springs is located west of Laneville off FM 1798 and at the end of CR 4181D.

Dewey MBC -- there was a Missionary Baptist Church brief at the Dewey Community, on CR 3206 west of Mt. Enterprise. Or, if not, at least Missionary Baptist preachers held revival meetings in the school building. My father remembers at least Ellis Woolverton and Raymond Scruggs preaching there. The school building was somewhere west of the intersection of CR 3206 and CR 3155, on the south side of the road.

Baptist churches in Rusk County, Part 2

2008-04-05T17:51:00.000-05:00

List of some existing churches in Rusk County

Antioch Oak Hill
Arlam FM 95 S Garrison
Arlem Grove 317 Monroe, Henderson
Bethel MBC Tatum
Bethel NBC CR 3173D, Laneville
Big Spring Good Springs Community
Calvary 410 N Marshall, Henderson
Calvary 401 S Commerce St, Overton
Carlisle SBC 9338 FM 13 W, Carlisle
Celebration 410 E Ragley, Henderson
Chapel Hill Oak Hill Community
Circle C Cowboy Church 1494 FM 348 S, Henderson
Concord, Concord Community
Corinth, Pine Hill/Longbranch
County Line Murvual
East Holly Springs Concord Community
Eastside 2300 East Main St, Henderson
Ebenezer Easton
Ebenezer 3754 FM 3310 S, Henderson
El Cordero de Dios 1714 Hwy 79 S Henderson
Emmanuel S Evenside Henderson
Fairview Church Hill
Faith 5473 SH 64, W Henderson
First BC 24698 SH 64 W, Wright City
First Free Will Richardson Dr, Henderson
First SBC 210 N Railroad Ave, Mt. Enterprise
First SBC FM 1798, Laneville
First SBC 207 W Main, Henderson
First SBC 5969 SH 322 N, Crim's Chapel Community
First SBC Off FM 1798, Minden
First SBC P O Box 837/Hwy 149, Tatum
First SBC 206 N Rusk St, Overton
Forest Home Danville Rd, Kilgore
Fredonia Tatum
Friendship SH 43 N, Oak Hill Community
Glade Springs 1313 Pope St, Henderson
Glenfawn Glenfawn Community
Good Hope 2114 FM 840 E, Mission Springs Community
Grace Herald Overton Hwy/SH 323, New London
Grandview FM 2276 & US 259 N, Henderson
Gum Springs SH 42, Gum Springs
Harmony US 259 Kilgore
Hickory Grove Crim's Chapel Community
Highland Park 2424 S Henderson Blvd, Kilgore
Independent Baptist Overton
Kilgore MBC in Rusk Co??? Kilgore
Laird Hill SBC Laird Hill
Lakeview 501 Hillcrest, Henderson
Landmark Gregg & W 1st St, Mt. Enterprise
Leveretts Chapel Leveretts Chapel
Liberty Frog Pond Community
London BC 855 S Main St, New London
Lone Star CR 371D north of Minden
Longview Drive 1907 Longview Dr, Henderson
Macedonia Oak Hill
Macedonia Overton
Maple Grove Off FM 95, Minden
Midway 555 CR 4131 N, Henderson
Millville Off FM 782 N, Millville
Mission Springs 2089 FM 840 E, Mission Springs
Mother Zion 403 Red Bud, Henderson
Mt Moriah CR 3285, Garrison
Mt. Ararat US 79 N, Henderson
Mt. Hebron 611 Webster Dr, Henderson
Mt. Olive FWB Compton Community
Mt. Rose US 79 N Pine Hill/Church Hill
Mt. Vernon 2993 Hwy 43 E, Oak Hill
Mt. Zion CR 3223, Laneville
New Beginnings 511 N Van Buren, Henderson
New Generations Good Springs (probably in Cherokee Co.)
New Home 23236 FM 850 (Rusk Co??) Overton
New Hope/Hillview 3949 Hwy 43 E, Oak Hill
New Liberty CR 3253 Caledonia/Egypt
New Life Mission 2424 S Henderson Blvd ?? Kilgore
New London SBC New London
New Prospect Tatum
New Salem 16244 FM 839, New Salem
Old Path 1360 N Van Buren/SH 323, Henderson
Old Prospect Sand Flat Community
Old Shiloh CR 3131/Off SH 315 N, Shiloh Community
Open Door 308 N Van Buren, Henderson
Overton MBC North St, Overton
Pine Grove CR 3206 & CR 3167, Dewey Community
Pine Hill CR 3114 at FM 1798, Pine Hill
Pleasant Grove CR 3203, Mt. Enterprise
Pleasant Hill Hwy 322, Overton
Post Oak (Gregg Co??) Kilgore
Potters House 11360 Hwy 323 W, Henderson
Primera Bautista 520 West Main St, Henderson
Prospect Minden
Providence SH 322, Crim's Chapel
Pryor Hill Church Hill
Reklaw SBC in Rusk Co???
Rocky Mount Kilgore
Roquemore 5405 FM 2867 E, Roquemore
Salem PBC in Smith Co???
Sardis CR 4182, Shakerag Community
SB Mission Church Jacksonville Dr, Henderson
Second BC 529 W Main St, Henderson
Smith Chapel FM 782 N, Oak Hill
Smyrna FM 2496 Oak Flat Community
Southside Old Nacogdoches Hwy, Henderson
St Clark 715 Dallas St, Henderson
St Johns Laird Hill
Stewart FWB 13664 FM 782 N, Tatum
Sulphur Springs CR 3227, Mt. Enterprise
Trinity 1100 Kilgore Dr, Henderson
Turnertown 9811 SH 64 W, Turnertown
Tyler Road US 64 W, Mt. Hope Community
Union Chapel CR 4504 Good Springs/Henderson
Union Grove 2001 S Evenside, Henderson
Union Springs Minden
West Main 1403 West Main St, Henderson
Zion Hill CR 368 & CR 3125, Minden

Baptist Churches in Rusk County, Part 1

2008-03-05T18:09:00.000-06:00

List of some extinct churches in Rusk County

Antioch Compton
Buford FM 13 Henderson
Chalk Hill PBC Chalk Hill
Cool Springs Laneville
Dewey MBC CR 3206 Dewey/Mt. Enterprise
Ebenezer NBC Easton
Enon Mt. Enterprise
Faith Now Tyler Road BC
First MBC FM 1798 Laneville
Grace IBC 1817 US 79 S Henderson
Harmony Hill PBC Tatum
Hickey/Gateway US 79 S Hickey Community
Hispanic Baptist Hickey Community
Isabel Chapel Sand Hill Community
Liberty 1817 US 79 S Henderson
Missionary Springs see Mission Springs
Mt Enon see Gum Springs
Mt Hope/Pine Springs see Roquemore
Mt Pisgah see Arlam, Garrison
Mt. Carmel south Rusk County
Mt. Moriah San Cosma/Laneville
Mt. Zion Mt. Enterprise
Mt. Zion/Oak Grove CR 3280 Caledonia
New Hope south Rusk County
New Mt. Sinai Caledonia
Pecan Grove near county line, maybe Nacogdoches Co.??
Rhode's Chapel ??
Shawnee Village/Stone 1714 US 79 S Henderson
Shiloh MBC Off SH 315 Shiloh
Sweetgum MBC Sweetgum Community
Valley Grove Sulphur Springs Community

Historical markers

2008-01-12T22:32:00.000-06:00

A list of Historical Markers in Rusk County, Texas. This includes several Baptist churches and/or the cemeteries adjacent to them.

Providence Baptist Church

2007-12-29T08:30:00.000-06:00

Click link for a brief view of the history of Providence Baptist Church in the Crim's Chapel Community of Rusk County, Texas.

Rusk County Baptist deacon passes

2007-10-30T19:12:00.000-05:00

September 14, 1913 -- September 26, 2007

Each of us have an appointment we must keep, a time when we will say to Death, "Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?" On September 26th at approximately 10:15 a.m., Charlie Leroy Vaughn passed from the walks of this life at the age of 94 years and 12 days. He had long, full and good life. He left it rejoicing in the hope of eternal life.

My Dad was a farmer, a carpenter, and a Baptist deacon. But many people who knew him, knew him as a singer. Of all the songs he sang and loved, he requested only two to be sung at his funeral -- "That Sweet Home", no. 549 in the Sacred Harp (Cooper edition) and "How Great Thou Art". He was a descendant of Vaughn and Parker Baptist families who settled in Rusk County in the early to mid 1850s. Some of them were associated with the Shiloh Baptist Church and some with Mt. Carmel. Some members of these families constituted the Smyrna Baptist Church in August 1873. My Dad united with this church in 1932 continued as a member until his death. He was ordained a deacon in 1955.

Cool Springs dedication ceremony

2007-10-11T18:55:00.000-05:00

On Saturday September 8, 2007, a ceremony was held honoring those buried at Cool Springs Cemetery, Rusk County, Texas. The ceremony was conducted by the New Salem Invincibles (Camp 2107, Sons of Confederate Veterans) and included a rifle salute, taps and the black rose ceremony by the Order of the Confederate Rose. Speakers addressed the lives of civilians and soldiers buried at the cemetery. A lemonade luncheon followed.

J. F. McLendon to B. L. Vaughn

2007-08-05T22:13:00.000-05:00

The following letter was written from John Franklin McLendon to Benjamin Lewis Vaughn. Elder McLendon was pastor of Smyrna Baptist Church, of which Vaughn was a member, and Vaughn was living away from the community in the city of Jacksonville, Texas (Cherokee Co.) attending college where he would get a degree to become a school teacher. Elder McLendon's envelope has a monogram which gives his address as Cushing, Texas (in Nacogdoches Co.) and a salesman for "Stewart's Iron Fence." The letterhead on his letter lists him as an agent for "The Stewart Iron Works of Cincinnati, Ohio" and also an agent for "Robson, Stewart and Jenkins Monumental Works, Shreveport, La." He was evidently selling tombstones and iron fences to go around them. The letterhead gives McLendon's address as Laneville, Texas (Rusk Co.). I would guess it more likely that he was living around Laneville in 1909, as he was pastoring at least two churches in that area. He was also moderator of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association at this time, and a former president of the East Texas Musical Convention.

Vaughn had evidently asked for McLendon's advice in the matter of preaching. To me it seems that Elder McLendon's advice concerning licensing by the church would have been a little unusual for that day, but I don't know that for certain. Whatever Ben Vaughn thought of the advice, the Smyrna Baptist Church liberated him to preach on September 17, 1910, about a year after the letter from Elder McLendon. McLendon served as pastor of Smyrna Church from October 1904 till August 1910.

10/18/1909

Mr. B. L. Vaughn Jacksonville Tex

My Dear Bro.

I have your favor of recent date and have noted its contents.

You say there are more calls for preaching than can be filled, and that when such is the case that you have a strong desire to go. Now my brother my advise (sic) to you would be for you to say here am I send me. You need not wait for any action of your church, but just go right along and tell the people that you are not a preacher, but, that you are there to help them all you can, and just fire in and give them the best you have got in your shop, and if they call it preaching that will be all right. If you will take this course it will relieve you of any embarisment (sic), as you will go without making any pretentions. If you should make a failure once in a while it will not be near so humiliating as it would be if you has a licens (sic) from the church, for in that case the people would expect something more perhaps than you could give them, while on the other hand if you go out as a lay brother, with a burning desire to tell the old story of Jesus and his love, I believe you would have greater liberty. I am sure to say the least of it, you could preach just as well as if you were liberated by the church.

Then again there is not a sylable (sic) of authority in the New Testament, that I have ever found, for licensing a man to preach. If I had my life to live over with my present views, I had rather start out as I have advised you. There is no law among Baptist to prevent any brother from preaching, if he can, and want to preach. And if he proves to be gifted as a preacher, it won't be long till the people will call on his church to set him apart to the full work. I would advise you to avail yourself of the first, and every opportunity to excersise (sic) your gifts, and don't hestitate for a single moment because your church hasn't taken any action.

These are my honest views on this matter, but if you think you would be better satisfied for the church to take action, I will bring it before the next conference.

If you wish you may show this letter to Brother Newburn and get his critisism (sic). Maybe he will endorse my views. If my advise (sic) is worth anything, it will be cheerfully given.

Yours in Christ,
J. F. McLendon

John Franklin McLendon

2007-07-22T22:21:00.000-05:00

In addition to the link below, here is a link on John Franklin McLendon and Josephine Holmes. After arriving in Texas from Alabama, McLendon evidently lived mostly in Panola County. He lived in the Laneville area of Rusk County for a period while pastoring in that area. Elder McLendon pastored churches in East Texas, was long-time moderator of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association, and served as president of the East Texas Musical Convention. I have a copy of a letter that he wrote around 1910 to my great-uncle, Benjamin Lewis Vaughn. I will try to post that when I have time.

Missing Rusk County Baptist

2007-06-26T07:55:00.000-05:00

Though the focus of this blog is Baptist history, I'm cutting in to post this on a missing Rusk County Baptist. My mother-in-law, Shirley Hunt of the Good Springs community, Rusk County, Texas, has been missing since Tuesday June 19, 2007.

Click here for online picture and information

Some ET Baptist preachers on the web

2007-06-24T19:30:00.000-05:00

Wallace Gary Caperton

John Franklin McLendon

William 'Choctaw Bill' Robinson

Elder William Brittain

2007-06-06T23:15:00.000-05:00

At this time I cannot document that William Brittain pastored in Rusk County. But he was a leading minister in the first United Baptist association in East Texas -- the Sabine Baptist Association (org. 1843). Sabine is often designated the "first missionary Baptist assocation" in East Texas -- as opposed to the Union Association (org. 1840), which was the first Baptist association in East Texas and considered "anti-missionary". Brittain's first fellowship with Texas Baptists was in the Union Baptist Association.

Facts about Sabine Association -- (1) most of the "descendant" churches did eventually become missionary Baptist; (2) the name "United" is associated with these churches, though not included in the official name of the association; (3) the association seems to have initially included a very mixed bunch of Baptists concerning mission methods; (4) in 1848 the association declared "non-fellowship for the Missionary Baptists" and Masonic Lodges; and (5) in 1849, after a motion to disband, many of these Sabine Association churches united to form the Eastern Texas Association of United Baptists.

William Brittain, a son of Nathaniel and Elizabeth Brittain, was born about 1772 in North Carolina and died 16 Sept. 1850 in Shelby County, Texas. He married Rosanna Wright about 1800. She was born about 1782 in Surry County, North Carolina and died 29 Oct. 1856, in Shelby County, Texas. William and Rosanna moved from the Carolina to Arkansas. They moved to Texas in 1837. They are buried in the East Hamilton Cemetery in Shelby County.

"...Rev. William Britton may be regarded as typical of the abler ministers that served the churches in this section of the Yadkin Association before 1840...The records of the Flat Rock Church indicate that Britton was a man of recognized influence and ability when he was received to the membership by experience at the August meeting, 1809...Britton manifested his gifts at once, by gifts meaning the ability to speak in church meeting and lead in prayer."

Paschal then excerpts the church minutes: "It was unanimously agreed that Brother Britton should go on in the freer use of his gifts as a preacher at any time or place where it may please god to call him...It was then agreed that application be made to the next Association for privilege of ordaining Bro. Britton as a preacher." (Sept 1809) According to Paschal, the Flat Rock church ordained Brittain in May 1810, with ministers from Deep Creek, Bear Creek and Grassy Knob helping. William Brittain assisted as pastor of Flat Rock beginning about this time -- Pastor Wiliam Cook being incapacitated. He was officially called in 1812, after Cook's death, and continued until 1823. He pastored Easton's Church from 1816 to 1823. "The last record of him is found in the minutes of the Yadkin Association for 1824, at which he was appointed to preach on Sunday...[he was] moderator for five years, 1819-1823."

Summary of Brittain and Flat Rock Church in Yadkin County, NC (constituted 1783): Received August 1809; "tolerated [licensed] to go on in the exercise of his gifts" in Sept. 1809; Ordained May 1810; Pastored 1812-1823. [from pages 91, 98, 123, 125 and 387 in the "Baptist History Collection" CD edition (Baptist Standard Bearer) of History of North Carolina Baptists, Volume 2, George Washington Paschal]

William and Rosanna united with the Pilgrim Church 8 September 1838. In 1841, John B. Roberts, William Brittain, Thomas Starr, Jeremiah F. White, John Wilkinson, Thomas (a black man), and Rosanna Brittain were constituted into church capacity by Daniel Parker's Pilgrim Church. The Brittains remained in fellowship with the Union Association until sometime probably between October 1844 and October 1845. The minutes of the fifth annual meeting of the Union Association, 11 Oct. 1845, record "We are informed by the Bethlehem Church that Elder William Britain is excluded from their fellowship, and retains his credentials."

Hamilton Baptist Church was established circa 1846 by Elder William Brittain and Asa Wright (evidently no relation to Rosanna) -- "We the united Baptist of regular Faith and order, have agreed to unite in a Church capacity...Asa Wright, William Brittain" [Hamilton Missionary Baptist Church, Book No. 2, Shelby County, Texas, compiled by George J. Brittain, Jr.] William Brittain served as moderator of the Sabine Association in 1847.

Note: genealogical info is a combination of various information found on the internet. The last name is spelled variously Brittain, Britten, Brittin, and Britton in different records. An interesting story connected with the Brittain family is the "Poisoned wedding supper."

M. M. Wallace

2007-05-31T23:37:00.000-05:00

One fairly early Rusk County Baptist minister was M. M. Wallace (Miles Milford Wallace 1810-?). M. M. Wallace preached in East Texas in the 1850s-60s. He came to Texas from Arkansas; was in East Texas as early as 1853, when he preached before a conference at Union Church, Nacogdoches County. He was pastoring in Rusk and Nacogdoches counties in 1856, and he is found in the Polk County (TX) census in 1860.

The following is from Pioneer Faith: The History of Missionary Baptist Associations and Churches in Arkansas from 1818 to 1920. It was published by the History and Archives Committee of the State Association of Missionary Baptist Churches of Arkansas in 1994:

From page 243:
"In June of 1848, Elder Miles M. Wallace...
"In his report of the results of these meetings, Elder Wallace reported, 'I assisted in the constitution of two Baptist Churches, one in Saline County and one in
Jefferson County...'
"Miles Milford Wallace was born February 6, 1810 in South Carolina. He became a Baptist in 1830 and was ordained in the Gospel ministry in 1832. By 1836 he was pastoring two churches in Greenville County, South Carolina...
"His first stop seems to have been Greene Co., Alabama where he pastored for several months and made many acquaintances. He later located some of these previous
acquaintances in Arkansas and organized churches in several places in the State..."

The footnote on page 267 states, "...Most of the information...on Miles Milford Wallace was supplied by Russell P. Baker, Deputy Director of the Arkansas History Commission."

In 1856 M. M. Wallace was a delegate to the Judson Baptist Association from the New Salem Baptist Church -- which is listed as in Nacogdoches County, but no post office is given. Other delegates from this church were: W. L. Eddins, A. H. Morgan and G. Petty. Wallace was the pastor. At this time Elder Wallace was also pastoring two churches in southern Rusk County: Cool Springs and Mt. Zion. Mt. Zion was about 3 miles east of Mt. Enterprise and Cool Springs was about 4 miles west of Laneville. He was also pastoring a New Hope in Rusk County in the Soda Lake Association.

Source: 1860 Census, Polk County Texas, Pct. 7, HH#159
M.M. Wallace, age 50, b. ca 1810 SC; Occupation:
Baptist Minister
J.S. Wallace, age 42, b. ca 1818 NC
William Wallace, age 23, b. ca 1837 SC
Byron Wallace, age 18, b. ca 1842 AR
Caroline Wallace, age 15, b. ca 1845 AR
George Wallace, age 14, b. ca 1846 AR
Aldax Wallace, age 9, b. ca 1851 LA (female)
Lucy Wallace, age 5, b. ca 1855 TX
Ann Wallace, age 7, b. ca 1853 LA

Free Will Missionary Baptist Association

2007-05-17T21:05:00.000-05:00

This post diverges from our Rusk County theme, but relates to a bit of information brought up in my last post.

Relative to the division in the Sabine Baptist Association, Z. N. Morrell wrote, "One extreme, if pressed persistently, usually begets another, and this furnished no exception to the rule. Antinomianism, founded on predestination and election, pressing the eternal purposes of God, without the proper consideration of the means leading to the end, drove some brethren to the opposite extreme, who, under the influence of Arminianism, waged a relentless war against their 'iron jacket' brethren. These opposing elements, both alike at war with truth, finally resulted in the dissolution of the Sabine Association, at its sixth or seventh session, held with Mount Olivet church, Cherokee County.1 The anti-missionary and free-will elements, went off into small and separate organizations....

"The extreme measures adopted by these brethren in their opposition to all mission organizations drove other brethren off to the other extreme, even into fanaticism, under the name of 'Free Will Baptists'.

"These gave man more to do than the Bible allowed, while the others placed less upon his shoulders than it required of him. The exact date of the organization of the 'Free Will Missionary Baptist Association' I cannot give, but the minutes of October, 1850, show that it met with the Ayish Bayou church, in San Augustine County, Elder G. W. Slaughter as moderator. The churches composing the Association in 1850 were four,-- Ayish Bayou, Bethel, Milam and Sardis. So zealously did these brethren advocate instrumentalities, that the following resolution appears in the minutes alluded to: --

"'Resolved, That this association recommend to the prayerful consideration of all the friends of the Redeemer, that, in place of building tents out of wood on such occasions, each head of a family make a tent of cloth, and take their wagon, with forage enough to feed their horses for a few days, and enough of light diet to feed their families, and approach the door of the sanctuary, as the Israelites did the tabernacle, and take God at his word, and lay hold of his promises, and see if he will not pour you out a blessing, that wilt fill your heart with gladness, and make you rejoice in place of mourn when you come to press a dying pillow.'

"Trembling under a sense of their responsibility, and aroused by the inactivity of their predestinarian brethren in their very midst, the messengers of these four churches passed a second resolution in favor of missionary combinations and extensive operations: --

"'Resolved by this association, That it is our prayerful desire to see three thousand six hundred missionary boards organized in our bounds, and see flowing therefrom, as a river, the streams whereof make glad the city of God, one hundred and seventy thousand itinerant preachers, such as Paul and Silas, going forth in the name of Israel's God, conquering and to conquer, till iniquity becomes ashamed and hides its head. Then will the church of the living God come together like Solomon's temple, without the sound of a hammer.'

"Distressed by what they termed illiberality on the part of the Regular Predestinarian Baptists, touching church order and the atonement, they aspired to an enlarged liberality, and passed another resolution: --

"Resolved, That the ministers and deacons of other associations are respectfully invited to be in attendance in all our churches and meetings that are convenient, and that all Christian ministers shall receive a cordial welcome in our stands, at any time, of every denomination.'

"But little progress was ever made by this organization. The leaders and followers alike possessed a zeal without knowledge, and if they have maintained an organization in later years, I have been unable to find any published statements of the fact."

-- Flowers and Fruits from the Wilderness by Z. N. Morrell (Boston, MA: Gould & Lincoln, 1872, pages 189-193)

Morrell terms the above group "Free Will Baptists". The name is given as the "Free Will Missionary Baptist Association." From the way he writes, it appears that he had a copy of the 1850 minutes. Other information puts the beginnings of Free Will Baptists in Texas in the 1870s.

Information on George Webb Slaughter (1811-1895) probably points us toward the right direction here. In 1850, Slaughter was the moderator of this association. The 1847 minutes of the Sabine Association list him as a "licensed minister", and other sources state that he left the Methodist Church and united with the Baptists circa 1842. Open communion was the official reason that Bethel, Bayou and Milam churches (3 of the 4 churches named by Morrell) were excluded from the Sabine Association in 1848 (p. 5). Slaughter is later connected to the Brazos River Association, the Brazos Institute in Palo Pinto County, and men like Noah Byars and Choctaw Bill Robinson. He evidently "re-entered" Southern Baptist life after his stint with the "Free Will Missionary Baptist Association." If I'm not mistaken, his son C. C. Slaughter was a major financier of Baptist General Convention of Texas causes.

The Free Will Missionary Baptist Association came out of the old Sabine Association and probably died out after a few years. It is very likely that they never had any connection with the Randall or Palmer branches of the Free Will Baptists. I think they probably should be considered Free Will Baptists only in the general sense.

Other Links
G. W. Slaughter, Handbook of Texas online
G. W. Slaughter, 1st married in Republic of Texas
Colonel C. C. Slaughter

1. The Sabine Association dissolved itself in 1849 at the meeting of the Mt. Olive Church Oct. 6-8, 1849. Many of these churches met together to form the Eastern Texas Association of United Baptists in November of that year. An almost complete set of Sabine minutes (1843-1845, 1847-1849) is available at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth, TX. (And Baylor also, I think)

Older Baptist churches in Rusk County

2007-05-10T20:00:00.000-05:00

The following notes suggest some of the older Baptist churches in Rusk County. These are preliminary and subject to reassessment, clarification and/or correction as I research all the Baptists in Rusk County.

African-American Baptist
Mother Zion, Henderson, 1869
Mt. Zion, Laneville, 1870
Information from Clyde McQueen's Black Churches of Texas: A Guide to Historic Congregations and Mt. Zion's cornerstone

American Baptist Association
Pleasant Hill, New London, between 1855 and 1859
Information from Mt. Zion minutes, 2003

Baptist Missionary Association
New Salem, New Salem, 1858
Information from Baptist New Service's BMAA Directory and Handbook

Free Will Baptist
Presently I have no information on Free Will Baptist beginnings in Rusk County.
According to the History of Free Will Baptist State Associations (Robert E. Picirilli, ed., 1976, Randall House Publications, Nashville, TN), the first Free Will Baptist Church in Texas was organized at Clayton in Panola County (Rusk County's eastern neighbor) in 1876. In contrast to this, Z. N. Morrell identifies a division of the old Sabine Baptist Association as the "Free Will Missionary Baptist Association" (org. sometime before 1850, with churches evidently in San Augustine and Sabine counties; p. 192, Flowers and Fruits from the Wilderness).

Primitive Baptist
[ext.] Mt. Ararat, Henderson (was in the Union Association at least by 1854 and the Little Hope Association in and after 1855; the Henderson Primitive Baptist Church may be a descendant of Mt. Ararat)
[ext.] Little Hope, New Salem (was in the Little Hope Association at least by 1855; one can wonder whether the association might have been formed at this church circa 1846)
[ext.] Pilgrim's Rest, Mt. Enterprise (was in the Little Hope Association at least by 1855)
[ext.] Union, Harmony Hill (was in the Little Hope Association at least by 1855)
[ext.] Concord, Millville (was in the Little Hope Association at least by 1855)
[ext.] Pilgrim, Belleview (was in the Little Hope Association at least by 1855)
Information from notes on East Texas Associations made by Pauline Shirley Murrie and housed at the East Texas Research Center at SFA, Nacogdoches. I have not seen the above minutes.

Southern Baptist Convention
First Baptist, Henderson, 1850
Pine Hill (orig. Holly Springs), Pine Hill, 1851
London, New London, 1856
First Baptist, Overton, 1857
Information from Rusk-Panola Association minutes, 2000

United Baptist
[ext.] Friendship, New Salem (was in the Eastern Texas Association by 1852)
Information from notes on East Texas Associations made by Pauline Shirley Murrie. I have not seen the above minutes.

The notation "ext." is for "extinct", meaning the church is (evidently) no longer in existence.

First Baptist church in Rusk County

2007-05-05T12:34:00.000-05:00

At this late date it will probably be near impossible to ever identify the first Baptist church in Rusk County, Texas. Among Baptist churches still in existence, First Baptist Church of Henderson is apparently the oldest. Another Baptist Church, now extinct, existed in Henderson before this one. Other existing Baptist churches in Rusk County among the oldest include: Pine Hill, Pleasant Hill, and London.

Possible candidates for the first church in Rusk County:
Mt. Zion (I have read claims this is the oldest but can't determine when it was organized)
Shiloh (a comment in an obituary indicates this church could go back to 1840)
Henderson (there was a Baptist Church in Henderson by around 1845)
Enon (possibly around Mt. Enterprise and an early member of the Sabine Baptist Association)

I will offer some more thoughts on this a little later.

Baptist institutions in Rusk County

2007-04-02T08:36:00.000-05:00

When we think of Baptists in Rusk County, Texas, we think first of Baptist individuals and Baptist churches. An area we might tend to overlook is the institutions formed by and/or connected to these individuals and churches. Some of the Baptist institutions associated with Rusk County Baptists are:

Institutions
East Texas Baptist Area, Railroad Ave., Mt. Enterprise, TX -- local offices of the Rusk-Panola and Shelby-Doches SBC-related associations
Pine Springs Baptist Encampment, FM 1798, Laneville, TX -- a Missionary Baptist camp owned by the American Baptist Association
Sweetgum Grove Baptist Museum -- a small church history museum owned by the Texas Baptist Institute
Texas Baptist Institute and Seminary, Longview Drive, Henderson, TX -- a Bible college/seminary owned by the Calvary Baptist Church of Henderson and supported by the churches of the Missionary Baptist Association of Texas and the ABA
Whispering Pines Free Will Baptist Youth Camp -- a youth encampment owned by the Free Will Baptists

Associations
American Baptist Association
Baptist Bible Fellowship, International
Baptist General Convention of Texas
Baptist Missionary Association of America
Baptist Missionary Association of Texas (BMAA)
Central Baptist Association (formed as the Eastern Texas Association of United Baptists by churches from the Sabine Baptist Association; still active, but no longer in Rusk County)
Cherokee Baptist Association (BMAA; two churches in Rusk County)
East Texas Baptist Convention (extinct; became the BMA of TX)
Judson Baptist Association (extinct)
Little Hope Primitive Baptist Association (Still active, but no longer in Rusk County)
Missionary Baptist Association of Texas (ABA)
Missionary Baptist General Convention of Texas (perhaps; have not confirmed churches in Rusk Co.)
Mt. Olive Baptist Association (BMAA; a split from the Mt. Zion Association)
Mt. Zion Baptist Association (ABA; org. 1857)
National Association of Free Will Baptists
National Baptist Convention
Rusk County Baptist Association (org. circa 1901; a split from the Mt. Zion Association; merged with Panola BA to form Rusk-Panola)
Rusk-Panola Baptist Association (SBC)
Sabine Baptist Association (org. 1843; now extinct)
Soda Lake Baptist Association (A split from the Sabine Baptist Association; still active, but no longer in Rusk County)
Southern Baptist Convention
Southern Baptists of Texas Convention (SBC)
Texas State Missionary Baptist Convention
Union Regular Predestinarian Baptist Association (org. 1840; still active, but no longer in Rusk County)

Another thing connected with Baptists of Rusk County are the many church and church-related State historical markers scattered around the county. The History & Archives Committee of the Mt. Zion Association is responsible for erecting some memorial plaques in cemeteries and at the Sweetgum Grove Museum.

This list is not exhaustive. Certainly some have been forgotten, and some I never knew. If you know of associations, institutions, etc. of Baptists of Rusk County that have not been included, please let us know.

Turning the corner

2007-03-20T16:50:00.000-05:00

I started the Mount Carmel blog in September of 2006 "to post information about, discuss, and otherwise look into the old Mount Carmel Baptist Church of Rusk County, Texas." As part of that project I posted most portions from my book, Minutes of the Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Rusk County, Texas 1867-1871. This will still be a focus of this blog, but I am turning a corner and broadening the purpose of the blog in order to hopefully make it more active.

The purpose of this blog is now broadened to ALL the Baptist churches of Rusk County, Texas -- past and present, dead or alive, SBC, ABA, PB, FWB, or BMA, black, white or hispanic. This ties in to my next historical project -- to gather materials for a history of the Baptists of Rusk County. This is only in the beginning stages. I am preparing lists, questionnaires, mulling over ideas, dividing the county in quadrants and making a few extra drives through the back country to locate meeting places that even I, a lifetime resident, didn't know existed. Baptist organizations such as seminaries, youth camps, and even the Sweetgum Grove Baptist museum will also be included.

But I've got a couple of unfinished projects to finish first, and the bulk of this "all the Baptists of Rusk County" project is still out a year or more ahead, Lord willing. As part of the project, I would like to visit very Baptist church in the county, as well as interview members from every church and community. This may be more than I can handle, but you've got to have goals; right? Tentative lists include 123 living churches and 58 extinct ones.

Just checking in

2007-03-12T14:58:00.000-05:00

Haven't posted to the Mt. Carmel blog in awhile. I hope some of you are still out there reading. If you find anything on Mt. Carmel, let me know. Thanks.

Mt. Carmel & Ericson Books

2007-02-10T21:26:00.000-06:00

I have agreed to let Carolyn Ericson and Ericson Books print and sell my book, Minutes of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Rusk County, Texas. This should make them more widely accessible. I don't have the time to print many of them, and they are set up to do so. If you are interested in ordering a copy, visit their web site, which is linked above. Click on the "catalog" and then "new items". Also you may use the Search by any Keyword at the bottom of the "catalog" page, typing in part of the title or my last name and it will find it.

The cost of the book at this time is $7.50, plus postage and handling (and sales tax if you are a Texas resident).

New Hope at Iron Mountain. Possible connection?

2007-01-27T23:45:00.000-06:00

In my continuing efforts to learn about the origins of Baptist work in East Texas, I spent a little time today looking at old minutes at Southwestern Seminary in Fort Worth. The time was far too brief, and not too many of the oldest minutes are available.

In the 1856 minutes of the Soda Lake Baptist Association, I found mention of a New Hope church at Iron Mountain post office, Rusk County, Texas. I thinking there is a possible connection to Mt. Carmel?

Here's what I know:

Iron Mountain post office -- puts it in the same vicinity of Rusk County as Mt. Carmel.

Delegates -- B. F. Stamps, A. S. Meckeborough, H. King
Britton F. Stamps attended the formation of the Mt. Zion Association the next year (1857) as a delegate from the Mt. Carmel church. I believe A. S. Meckeborough (sic) was the brother of Mary Ann Mickleborough/Micklebrough, wife of William Howerton. William and Mary Ann were both members of Mt. Carmel church. I will need to check censuses, etc. for H. King. I don't think this name is associated with Mt. Carmel, but the surname "King" is found in the general area.

Pastor -- M. M. Wallace, who seems to pastor awhile in Rusk and Nacogdoches counties and possibly move on elsewhere (Polk County area possibly)

50 members in 1856

That's about it. Not much. I need to find more information to make this tie (if it really exists). Southwestern also has an 1854 minute book of Soda Lake Association, but New Hope was not listed in it.

Pleasant Valley Association

2007-01-24T22:49:00.000-06:00

I am adding a link on the sidebar to the Pleasant Valley Baptist Association (Georgia) history. It includes circular letters, queries, etc. There is no direct connection to the Mt. Carmel Church -- just more Baptist history.

A Mt. Carmel neighbor - Cool Springs

2007-01-03T22:12:00.000-06:00

A neighboring and sister church to Mt. Carmel was the Cool Springs Baptist Church. Like Mt. Carmel, Cool Springs Church no longer exists. Unlike Mt. Carmel, Cool Springs survived into the twentieth century. This church met located in southern Rusk County, about 4 or miles west of Laneville, Texas.

Cool Springs Cemetery

It is not known for certain when the first burial at Cool Springs took place. The oldest marked grave is that of Elizabeth Brown, who died 23 Oct 1865. Considering the church existed in the 1850s, earlier burials seem likely. The last burial was evidently in 1938. Mr. Gerald Risinger remembers attending a funeral about that time. The church building was still standing then. According to her gravestone, Mary Annie Hodges died 11 Oct 1938.

Members of the New Salem Invicibles have led out in trying to restore this historic site and burial ground of pioneer Rusk County citizens. See also Cemetery project.

Cool Springs Baptist Church

Cool Springs was a member of the Judson Baptist Association in 1856, represented by messengers L. Newsom, J. Harmon and I. Lacy; M. M. Wallace was the pastor. Then in 1857, Cool Springs was among the original thirteen churches that met at Mt. Zion Church, Rusk County, Texas, to form the Mt. Zion Baptist Association. Mt. Zion Association met with Cool Springs 1881 and 1891. The church still meeting in 1903; My great-grandfather -- M. L. Vaughn -- pastored there 1902-03.

In the late 1800s, Cool Springs regularly sent to and received correspondents from the Smyrna Baptist Church (according to Smyrna's minutes). Names of correspondents were not often recorded in the minutes, but some mentioned were Bros. McNight, Bro. Murry, and Vince Blair. Some members of the Lacy family were connected with this church (see also Lacy-Still). A district meeting met with Cool Springs in the summer of 1879.

Mt. Carmel and Valley Grove Baptist Church

2006-12-24T22:20:00.000-06:00

Another church that may have had a connection to the Mt. Carmel area and people is the Valley Grove Baptist Church. I overlooked this possibility when I was researching for the book. Valley Grove joined the Mt. Zion Baptist Association circa 1881 and represented for a few years. It might be a link between Mt. Carmel and both the Sulphur Springs and Glenfawn churches. The post office is always given at Glenfawn. In 1890, the association minutes list Valley Grove as "dissolved", with Sulphur Springs church being petitioned and received into the association that same year. Sulphur Springs church's post office was Steven (or Stephens).

1882 - W. W. Albritton, pastor; W. H. Needham, J. M. Clayton, delegates; 16 members.
1883 - J. F. M. Reid, pastor; A. J. Anderson, J. R. O. Moore, delegates; 16 members.
1884 - Didn't report
1885 - J. M. Mizzell, pastor; W. H. Needham, delegate; 24 members.
1886 - M. L. Hines, pastor; delegates not listed; 29 members.
1887 - Not represented
1888 - Not represented
1889 - Not represented
1890 - Listed as dissolved

The Valley Grove church corresponded with Smyrna Baptist Church between Feb. 1882 and May 1886, according to Smyrna's minutes. Valley Grove members mentioned in the Smyrna minutes are: Owens Moore (Mar. 1882; probably J. R. O. Moore), Brethren Clayton and Needom (June 1882; probably W. H. Needham & J. M. Clayton).

Martin Baysinger

2006-12-18T22:05:00.000-06:00

A PIONEER CITIZEN GONE *

Another good old pioneer citizen has gone to rest. Martin Baysinger passed away March 28th. Uncle Martin was born November, 1808, hence was in his 95th year. Medicall (sic) skill and the best attention was given him, but the call come for him to go up higher. He suffered many days previous to his death. His loving companion was ever ready and willing to minister to his wants day and night until life was extinct.

Uncle Martin was born in North Carolina, moved to Tennessee in 1828, to Texas in 1839. Lived in Texas when it was a republic.

To know him was to love him. He leaves his second wife, whom he married in 1884, his first wife having died in the early seventies. One daughter and an invalid son who is the object of pity, many grand children and a host of warm friends. As a husband he was kind and loving; as a christian neighbor and a citizen his equals were few. May God throw the Strong arm of protection around his aged wife and invalid son is the prayer of one who loves them, and may he who is gone rest in peace.

A FRIEND.

* Transcribed from a photocopy sent by C. D. & Kathryn Penney; name and date of the newspaper that printed this obituary is unknown.

Penny/Penney family

2006-12-15T20:32:00.000-06:00

Through the help of C. D. & Kathryn Penney, I have tentatively identified Penny/Penney family members who were members of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, mentioned in the Membership list. I had nothing on them to add to the Mt. Carmel Connections.

I believe now that Henry, Siddie, and Lacy Penny may be:

1. Henry C. Penney (1844-??), second child of Joseph Penney (1822-1875) and Helda Frances Jackson (1825-1905). Joseph and Helda came to Texas from Benton (now Calhoun) County, Alabama, but originated in North Carolina. Joseph and Helda are buried in the Glenfawn Cemetery.

2. Siddie Penney -- probably a daughter of Joseph Penney and Helda Frances Jackson (maybe Sarah, third child of Joseph &amp; Helda; 1846-1868); is "Siddie" a nickname for "Sarah"? Joseph had a sister named Sidda or Siddie.

3. Lacy Penney -- probably should be "Lucy", short for Lucinda A. Penney (1848-1912), fourth child of Joseph Penney and Helda Frances Jackson; Lucy married P. F. Richardson in Rusk County, Texas 2-18-1873 and then Andrew J. Anderson 11-11-1875.

These three would be siblings of William Penney, who married Mary, daughter of Martin Basinger.

Most of this information comes from Penny Generations: a History of Riley Penny's Descendants, by Morris Penny, Huntsville, Alabama, Robinson Printing Co., 1982

Galloway family

2006-11-16T22:04:00.000-06:00

Amos Ponder Galloway/Gallaway1
Amos Ponder Galloway was born October 1, 1816, the son of Anderson Galloway (ca.1783-1869) and Delilah Ponder (1797-1834). He was born in Georgia and moved with his family to Alabama. He died October 3, 1871 at the home of his cousin, C. C. Galloway, in Kildare, Cass County, Texas.

A. P. Galloway was appointed sheriff in Lawrence County, Alabama in 1834.2 He married first Caroline Gewin in 1843 in Lawrence County. They had two children, Frank Owen (1845-1882) and Levi Penn (1846-1847). After Caroline's death, A. P. married Mary Hart Pruitt in 1849. They had two children, Allen Hart (1850-1911) and Mary Frances.

"Though Dr. Gallaway did make a trip to Rusk County in 1852 with Col. Pruitt and purchased land at that time, he returned to his home in Alabama because his wife was expecting a baby. This child, Mary Frances, was born 7 May 1853. The Gallaways made their actual move to Texas (present day Laneville) when the baby was six month old...On July 14, 1852, A. P. Gallaway bought 4,428 acres of land in the William Williams Survey...On July 24, 1852, he sold 2,214 acres to John Pruitt...A. P. Gallaway was a prosperous planter and also practiced medicine for a number of years at Laneville. Dr. Gallaway's two sons, Frank Owen Gallaway, and Allen Hart Gallaway, became physicians, as did his grandson, Allen Hubert Gallaway...Amos Ponder Gallaway was elected to the Texas Legislature in 186 and served as a delegate to the convention which passed the Ordinance of Secession bringing Texas into the War Between the States."3

Allen Hart Galloway
One prominent Laneville citizen who joined Mt. Carmel Baptist Church as a young man was Allen Hart Galloway. He later joined Smyrna Baptist Church and then the Missionary Baptist Church at Laneville.

Laneville, Rusk Co., Tex.
Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church of Christ -- This is to certify that our Bro. A. H. Galaway is a member in good standing and full fellowship with us and by his own request is hereby dismissed from us when joined to another church of the same faith and order. done by order of the church in conference Saturday before the 3d. Sunday in August 1899.
V. T. Vaughn4 Moderator W. D. Wells Clerk

Resolution of Respect to Our Deceased Brother, Dr. A. H. Galloway.

We, the committee of the Missionary Baptist church of Laneville, Texas, beg leave to submit the following resolutions in regard to our deceased brother, Dr. A. H. Galloway; Our all-wise Father has seen fit to remove from our midst one of our most beloved members. Therefore, be it resolved that we have lost a useful citizen, a most faithful zealous member of the church, one ever ready to respond to the call of duty.

Dr. Galloway was born in Lawence county, Alabama, January 10th 1850, during which year his parents moved with him to Texas5. At his death, which occured June 4th, 1911, he was in his sixty-second year. Bro. Galloway professed faith and joined our church6 about the year of 1867; was baptized by Bro. Sparkman, and since that time he has lived true to his convictions, ever letting love and charity guide him in his daily life.

A few years ago Bro. Galloway and his wife, who preceeded him to glory, opened the doors of their home to three homeless children, "the Boyd boys". The boys have been reared under a good influence; have many advantages which otherwise they would not have had. They have been taught to be truthful and honest in all things, and to lean upon the strong arm of Jesus. It is our fond hope that the good boys may never depart from their training. Be it resolved, therefore, that at the death of Dr. Galloway we lost a worthy member; a strong supporter of Christ's cause. Be it further resolved, that a copy of these resolutions be entered upon our minutes, and that a copy of them be given the family of the deceased. Be it still further resolved that coppies be sent to such papers for publication as may be desired by the church.

W. A. Mullecan,
A. J. Harmon,
L. H. Thrash,
Committee

1. The family name is spelled variously "Galloway" and "Gallaway". The Laneville family seems to prefer "Gallaway". It is spelled "Galloway" in the Mt. Carmel records, though whether spelled that way originally by Frank Owen Galloway or incorrectly transcribed we cannot know at this point.
2. Since A. P. Galloway would have been only 18 in 1834, the date or name of this person may be wrong.
3. From Redland District, South Rusk County, Texas by the Rusk County Genealogical Society, 1987 (Section 3, pages 1-2)
4. Like A. H. Galloway, V. T. Vaughn was also a member of Mt. Carmel and Smyrna.
5. Some sources state that the family did not move to Texas until after Allen's sister Mary Frances was born in 1853.
6. By "our church" they evidently mean the Missionary Baptist Church generically. The church is Laneville was not formed until after 1900. He first joined Mt. Carmel by profession of faith around 1867.

The Landrums

2006-11-12T11:07:00.000-06:00

Julien Sidney Devereux married Sarah Ann Landrum, the daughter of John Landrum and Mary Wells. At least in 1857 Landrum was a member of Mt. Carmel, and was sent as a delegate to the Mt. Zion Baptist Association.

"...on June 27, Julien Devereux was married to Sarah Ann Landrum in a ceremony performed on Lake Creek by Samuel D. Hay...She was born on May 1, 1827, in Marengo County, Alabama, and was the daughter of John and Mary Wells Landrum, who had arrived in Texas on December 31, 1829. John Landrum had served in the Texas Army during the Revolution from March 12 to April 17, 1836."

"Sarah Devereux...wrote the following notes concerning her family background: 'My father came to Texas in the winter of 1829 or 30 from Maringo [Marengo] County, Alabama. Came overland to Natches Miss. Took Boat and came up Red River to Alexandria [Louisiana]...The company then left Alexandria on their way into Texas, after a weary journey of weeks. The company consisting of my grandfather Landrum two sons & families and a son in law settled in Austins Colony. My maternal grandfather (Martin Wells) was one of the early settlers of Bastrop.'"

According to several of Rootsweb's World Connect posts, John Landrum (born circa 1800, probably in GA) was the son of Zachariah Landrum and Letita Tynes, married first Martha Curry and second Mary Wells. He died sometime after the 1860 Federal census was taken, and some believe 1873 in Rusk County, TX.

More Devereux

2006-11-08T18:49:00.000-06:00

The following references from the Julien Sidney Devereux family might be related to the Mt. Carmel Church.

"Sarah Devereux enjoyed pleasures at Monte Verdi. She went to quiltings and sometimes Julien would share her company at a Baptist preaching. Occasionally the family could get together and hunt chinquipins." (Julien Sidney Devereux and his Monte Verdi Plantation, Winfrey, 1962, p. 91)

"These old pioneers looked after their religious services. There were many references to them in Julien Devereux's diary. One entry charged up $10 ... 'paid to Rev. William Lane for preaching", and immediately beneath this was another entry: "$5 lent William King to pay Parson Lane.'" (East Texas "Mount Vernon", The Houston Chronicle Magazine, Garland Farmer, p. 12, undated copy in Rusk Co. Library vertical file)

Sept. 9, 1854 "Went hunting in the swamp -- Preaching over at Taylor's meeting house. Sarah went to preaching with Howerton & wife." (Handwritten page # 96 from a Devereux book on microfilm reel no. 42 at Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin)

Amongst some of Devereux's reports for 1858 is a notation that on June 30 he paid to James Forman $130 (From a Devereux book on microfilm reel no. 39 at Center for American History at the University of Texas at Austin). Forman (or Foreman) was a Missionary Baptist preacher of the faith and order of Mt. Carmel, but it seems unlikely that this amount was paid for preaching; more likely he bought something from him or paid him for some labor.

Note: I have not identified Parson William Lane. Isham H. Lane is thought by some to have preached at Mt. Carmel. He had a son named William. I have no idea whether his William was a preacher.

Links to chapters of the Mt. Carmel history

2006-11-03T12:06:00.000-06:00

Contents
Preface
Introductory Matters
Rules of Decorum
Membership list
Minutes 1867-1871
Connections
Comments on omissions, errors
Black members, demise, legacy
Appendices A, B, C
Appendix D
Appendix E
Appendix F
Bibliography and Index

Devereux's will mentions a Baptist Church

2006-10-30T19:07:00.000-06:00

Julien Sidney Devereux was a wealthy landowner in southern Rusk County. He built the Monte Verdi plantation. His will mentions "the Baptist Church in the neighborhood of the town of Anadarco..." This might possibly be the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. I have not seen the original will. The excerpts are from a copy in the "Glenfawn Cemetery" vertical file at the Rusk County Library in Henderson, Texas.

Excerpt from Will of Julien Devereux
Dated 7th day of May, A.D. 1852:
"I, Julien Sidney Devereux of the County of Rusk and State of Texas, being of sound mind do make this my last will and testament, hereby revoking all others. 1st: It is my will that after my decease my remains be interred in a suitable and Christian like manner in the burying adjacent to the Baptist Church in the neighborhood of the town of Anadarco; a tomb of stone or brick to be erected over my remains with a suitable head piece of stone on which to be engraved the date of my birth and death."

CODICIL - dated on the 27th day of April, A.D. 1854:
(Excerpt)
"I Julien Sidney Devereux of the County of Rusk and State of Texas, do make, ordain, publish and declare this to be the codicil to the last will and testament by me made and published on the 7th day of May, 1852, in manner and form as follows, to-wit: ....
"11. I hereby revoke the portion of the first clause of my said will which directs my remains to be interred in the burying ground adjacent to the Baptist Church etc. and it is my will and desire that my beloved wife, Sarah Ann, select a suitable place for the deposit of my remains --- that she have the bodies of my beloved father and little son removed thither..."

What all this means we do not presently know, except that there was a Baptist Church with adjacent burying ground existing in 1852 in what is now known as the Glenfawn/Anadarco area of southern Rusk County.

* Note: Anadarco, or Anadarko, receives its name from a tribe of southwestern Caddo Indians.

Mt. Carmel Church - Bibliography, Index

2006-10-23T20:07:00.000-05:00

BIBLIOGRAPHY

A History of Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Mary Frank Dunn, Henderson, TX: Bill
Decker Printing Co., 1968
Black Churches in Texas: a Guide to Historic Congregations, Clyde McQueen, College
Station, TX: Texas A & M University Press, 2000
Centennial + 5: History of Smyrna Baptist Church Rusk County, Texas 1873-1978, J. W.
Griffith, 1978
History of the Primitive Baptists of Oklahoma, Texas, and Indian Territory, J. S.
Newman, Tioga, Texas: Baptist Trumpet, 1906
Julien Sidney Devereux and his Monte Verdi Plantation, Dorman H. Winfrey, Waco, TX:
Texian Press, 1962
Matthew Gallaway and His Descendants, Irene Dabney Gallaway, n.d., n.p., vertical file,
Rusk County Library
Minutes, 1857–1872, Mt. Zion Baptist Association
Minutes, 1873–1891, Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church, Mt. Enterprise, Texas
Ninety-One Years of History, Glenfawn Baptist Church 1892-1983, Louis F. Asher, 1983
Redland District South Rusk County Texas, Rusk County Genealogical Society,
Henderson, TX
Rusk County Texas History, 1982, compiled by Rusk County Genealogical Society,
Dallas, TX: Taylor Publishing Co., 1982
Rusk County, Texas 1860 Census, transcribed by Mary Franklin Deason Dunn, 1985
Second Annual Report of the Geological Survey of Texas, 1890
Texas Historical and Biographical Magazine, Vol. 1, J. B. Link, 1891
The Rusk-Panola Missionary Baptist Association, Merline Moon, research paper,
Stephen F. Austin State College, 1948

INDEX
Albritton – 11, 19, 20
Anthony – 12, 13, 15
Bailey – 19
Baucom – 19
Baysinger – 4, 5, 6, 9, 12
Birdwell – 10
Blair – 7, 12, 17, 19
Booker – 7
Brandon – 7, 9, 11, 12, 13, 16, 17, 19
Brittain – 21
Brock – 6, 7, 9, 10, 12, 13, 17, 20
Bucaloo/Buckalew – 7, 8, 12
Buckner – 7, 12, 13, 15, 16, 19
Burns – 7, 13, 14, 20
Carmichael/Cormicle – 4, 6, 8, 10, 12,
13, 16, 17, 19, 22
Conner – 20, 22
Cordrey/Cordery/Cordray – 6, 13
Crews – 17
Deason – 8, 10
Devereux – 1, 4, 5, 15, 16
Elliot – 14
Elum/Elam – 6, 8, 9, 10, 12, 13, 15, 16,
19, 20, 22
Frasure/Frazier – 4, 7, 8, 9, 13, 20
Freeman – 10
Gage – 14
Galloway – 3, 4, 6, 8-11, 13, 14, 15, 17,
19, 20, 22
Gewin – 13, 14
Goldsberry – 3, 7, 11, 13, 14, 17, 19, 20
Grigsby – 12
Gwin/Guinn – 13, 14, 15, 16
Hanes – 13, 14
Harmon – 6, 10, 14, 19
Harris – 17, 21
Hart – 13, 14, 16
Holder – 13, 15
Holleman – 7, 8, 10, 13, 14, 15, 19, 20
Holley – 7, 14
Howerton – 4, 6, 8, 9, 15, 17, 22
Humphrey – 10, 11, 21
Irby – 13
Jacobs – 7, 15
INDEX (cont.)
James – 17
Jarrell – 6, 15, 16, 19
Lacy – 10
Landrum – 5, 7, 15, 22
Lane – 20
Lawler – 10
Leslie – 6, 7, 15
Linthecum – 7, 12
Loftis – 6, 15
Lyles – 7, 15, 17, 20
McCrary – 12
McSpadden – 12, 13
Melton – 15, 16
Mickleborough – 15
Montgomery – 18
Needham – 7, 15
Nolen/Nolin – 7, 8, 17
Parker – 4, 9, 10, 13, 15, 17
Penny/Penney – 6, 9, 12, 15
Perkins – 6, 9, 15
Pierce – 4, 7, 8, 16, 17
Ponder – 13, 14
Pope – 13
Pruitt – 6, 13, 14, 16
Reid - 3
Richardson – 16
Risinger – 7, 16, 19
Rogers – 16, 21
Salmon – 14, 15
Sanders – 12, 16
Saunders – 16
Smith – 7, 9, 10, 11, 13, 16
Sparkman – 4, 6, 7, 8-11, 13, 14, 15, 16,
17, 19, 20, 21, 22
Spinks – 13
Stamps – 7, 13, 16, 22
Stone – 7, 17
Tipps – 12
Vaugn/Vaughn –1, 3, 4, 7, 8, 11, 13, 16,
17, 19, 20
Wallace – 9, 10, 14, 20
Welch – 10, 16, 21
Wells – 7, 11, 12, 14, 15, 17, 19, 20
Woolverton – 1, 5, 11

If anyone has information on Mt. Carmel – the church, church families, or related items,
Please contact:
rl_vaughn@yahoo.com

© August 2006

Mt. Carmel Church - Appendix F

2006-10-20T08:05:00.000-05:00

APPENDIX F – Faith and Order

Only little can be found in the existing minutes relative to the doctrinal beliefs of Mt. Carmel Church. The church followed a strict disciplinary plan. A church covenant is mentioned in the January 1868 conference, and violation of it was grounds for dismissal.37 The eighth rule in the rules of decorum makes clear the church's stance against open communion with other denominations.

Since Mt. Carmel was a constituting member of the Mt. Zion Association in 1857, it can be safely assumed that the Articles of Faith adopted by the Association should in general represent the beliefs of Mt. Carmel Church. The association's committee "recommended the Articles of Faith recorded in the Encyclopedia of Religious Information known as the 'Newhappshire Confession',38 with three amendments."39

Articles of Faith of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association40

I. OF THE SCRIPTURES. - We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, and is a perfect treasure of heavenly instruction; that it has God for its author, salvation for its end, and truth without any mixture of error for its matter; and that it reveals the principles by which God will judge us; and therefore is, and shall remain to the end of the world, the true center of Christian union, and the supreme standard by which all human conduct, creeds, and opinions should be tried.
II. OF THE TRUE GOD. - We believe that there is one, and only one, living and true God, an infinite, intelligent Spirit, whose name is JEHOVAH, the Maker and Supreme Ruler of Heaven and earth; inexpressibly glorious in holiness, and worthy of all possible honor, confidence, and love; that in the unity of the Godhead there are three persons, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Ghost; equal in every divine perfection, and executing distinct BUT harmonious offices in the great work of redemption.
III. OF THE FALL OF MAN. - We believe that man was created in holiness, under the law of his Maker; but by voluntary transgression fell from that holy and happy state; in consequence of which all mankind are now sinners, not by constraint, but choice; being by nature utterly void of that holiness required by the law of God, positively inclined to evil; and therefore under just condemnation to eternal ruin, without defence or excuse.
IV. OF THE WAY OF SALVATION. - We believe that the Salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the mediatorial offices of the Son of God; --who by the appointment of the Father freely took upon Him our nature, yet without sin; honored the divine law by his personal obedience,--and by his death made a full atonement for our sins;--that having risen from the dead, He is now enthroned in Heaven;--and uniting in his wonderful person the tenderest sympathies with divine perfections, He is every way qualified to be a suitable, a compassionate, and an all-sufficient Savior.
V. OF JUSTIFICATION. - We believe that the great Gospel blessing which Christ secures to such as believe in Him is Justification; that Justification includes the pardon of sin, and the promise of eternal life on principles of righteousness,--that it is bestowed, not in consideration of any works of righteousness which we have done, but solely through faith in the Redeemer's blood,--by virtue of which faith His perfect righteousness is freely imputed to us of God,--that it brings us into a state of most blessed peace and favor with God, and secures every other blessing needful for time and eternity.
VI. OF THE FREENESS OF SALVATION. - We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel,--that it is the immediate duty of all to accept them by a cordial, penitent, and obedient faith; and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner on earth, but his own determined depravity and voluntary rejection of the Gospel;--which rejection involves him in an aggravated condemnation.
VII. OF GRACE IN REGENERATION. - We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again,--that regeneration consists in giving a holy disposition to the mind and affections,--that it is effected in a manner above our comprehension by the power of the Holy Spirit, in connection with Divine truth, so as to secure our voluntary obedience to the Gospel,--and that its proper evidence appears in the holy fruits of repentance, and faith, and newness of life.
VIII. OF REPENTANCE AND FAITH. - We believe that Repentance and Faith are sacred duties, and also inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God,--whereby being deeply convinced of our guilt, danger, and helplessness, and of the way of salvation by Christ, we turn to God with unfeigned contrition, confession, and supplication for mercy,-- and at the same time heartily receiving the Lord Jesus Christ as our Prophet, Priest, and King, and relying on Him alone as the only and all-sufficient Saviour.
IX. OF GOD'S PURPOSE OF GRACE. - We believe that Election is the eternal purpose of God, according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners,--that being perfectly consistent with the free volition of man, it comprehends all the means in connection with the end,--that it is a most glorious display of God's sovereign goodness, being infinitely free, wise, holy, and unchangeable; that it utterly excludes boasting and promotes humility, love, prayer, praise, trust in God, and active imitation of his free mercy,--that it encourages the use of means in the highest degree,--that it may be ascertained by its effects in all who truly believe the Gospel,--that it is the foundation of Christian assurance,--and that to ascertain it with regard to ourselves demands and deserves the utmost diligence.
X. OF SANCTIFICATION. - We believe that Sanctification is the process by which according to the will of God, we are made partakers of his holiness,-- that it is a progressive work,--that it is begun in regeneration,--and that it is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit, the Sealer and Comforter, in the continual use of the appointed means--especially the Word of God, self examination, self-denial, watchfulness, and prayer.
XI. OF THE PERSEVERENCE OF THE SAINTS. - We believe that such only are real believers as endure unto the end,--that their persevering attachment to Christ is the grand mark which distinguishes them from superficial professors,--that a special Providence watches over their welfare,--and they are kept by the power of God through faith unto salvation.
XII. OF THE HARMONY OF THE LAW AND THE GOSPEL. - We believe that the Law of God is the eternal and unchangeable rule of His moral government,--that it is holy, just, and good,--and that the inability which the Scriptures ascribe to fallen men to fulfill its precepts arises entirely from their love of sin,--to deliver them from which and to restore them through a Mediator to unfeigned obedience to the holy Law, is one great end of the Gospel, and of the Means of Grace connected with the establishment of the visible Church.
XIII. OF A GOSPEL CHURCH. - We believe that a visible church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, associated by covenant in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel,--observing the ordinances of Christ,--governed by His laws -- and exercising the gifts, rights, and privileges invested in them by his word,--that its only scriptural officers are Bishops or Pastors, and Deacons, whose qualifications, claims and duties are defined in the Epistles to Timothy and Titus.
XIV. OF BAPTISM AND THE LORD'S SUPPER. - We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of a believer, in the name of the Father and Son, and Holy Ghost; to show forth in a solemn and beautiful emblem, our faith in the crucified, buried and risen Saviour, in your death to sin and resurrection to a new life; that it is pre-requisite to the privileges of a church relation; and to the Lord's Supper, in which the members of the church by the sacred use of bread and wine, are to commemorate together the dying love of Christ; preceded always by solemn self-examination.
XV. OF THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH. - We believe that the first day of the week is the Lord's Day, or Christian Sabbath; and is to be kept sacred to religious purposes, by abstaining from all secular labor and sinful recreations; by the devout observance of all the means of grace, both private and public; and by preparation for that rest that remaineth for the people of God.
XVI. OF CIVIL GOVERNMENT. - We believe that Civil Government is of Divine appointment, for the interests and good order of human society; and that magistrates are to be prayed for, conscientiously honored and obeyed; except only in things opposed to the will of our Lord Jesus Christ who is the only Lord of the conscience, and the Prince of the kings of the earth.
XVII. OF THE RIGHTEOUS AND THE WICKED. - We believe that there is a radical and essential difference between the righteous and the wicked; that such only as through faith are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and sanctified by the Spirit of our God, are truly righteous in His esteem; while all such as continue in impenitence and unbelief are in his sight wicked, and under the curse; and this distinction holds among men both in and after death.
XVIII. OF THE WORLD TO COME. - We believe that the end of the world is approaching; that at the last day Christ will descend from heaven, and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution; that a solemn separation will then take place; that the wicked will be adjudged to endless punishment, and the righteous to endless joy; and that this judgment will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, or principles of righteousness.

Footnotes
37 The church covenant is not recorded in the existing minutes.
38 The New Hampshire Confession was drawn up around 1833 and first adopted by the New Hampshire Baptist Convention; many U.S. Baptists adopted it as their own confession.
39 Minutes, 1857, Mt. Zion Baptist Association, p. 4; originally called, “The Mt. Zion Association of the Missionary Baptist Churches in Eastern Texas” (p. 10)
40 Minutes, 1857, Mt. Zion Baptist Association, pp 13-15

© August 2006

Mt. Carmel Church - Appendix E

2006-10-18T11:04:00.001-05:00

In the book I have this in a chart form, but could not figure out how to do it here. This makes the information hard to follow. If someone knows a better way to fix it, I'd be glad to know.

APPENDIX E

Mt. Carmel Chart
The chart contains information gleaned from pertinent available statistical tables in the minutes of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association.

Year- Pastor- Delegates- Post Office- Meeting Day- Baptized
1857 X John Landrum, B.F. Stamps X X X
1858 N. Conner Joel Elam, B.F. Stamps, Wm. Howerton New Salem 4th 7
1859 X William Howerton, J. Elam, B.F. Stamps New Salem
1860 - 1865 Minutes not available
1866 J. Sparkman John Sparkman, Wm. Howerton, Wm. Sparkman Henderson 3rd 19
1867 John Sparkman Eld. Jno. Sparkman, Joel Elam, Eld. Wm. Sparkman New Salem X 5
1868 Not listed in minutes
1869 J. Sparkman Jno. Sparkman, R. Carmickael, F.O. Galloway Henderson 3rd 8
1870 Not represented, but J. Sparkman listed as a member in the ordained ministers list
1871 Name printed on list, but info only on post office -- Mt. Enterprise
1872 Name printed on list, but no info; J. Sparkman a member of Zion Hill

Year- Dead- Total Members- Notes
1857 Mt. Carmel was a charter member of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association
1858 1 65 B.F. Stamps, Mt. Carmel member, was Mt. Zion association clerk in 1858
1859 1 62 Association was held at Mt. Carmel, 18 miles south of Henderson
1866 1 64 Membership consists of 56 whites and 8 blacks
1867 1 83 Number of black members not given separately
1868 Not listed in minutes
1869 0 72 John & William Sparkman still members
1870 Not represented
1871 J. Sparkman member of Zion Hill
1872 Though name is printed in list, Mt. Carmel church was disbanded

© August 2006

Mt. Carmel Church - Appendix D

2006-10-16T12:02:00.000-05:00

APPENDIX D

Resolution offered to the Mt. Zion Association by John Sparkman
"Resolved, That a committee of seven be appointed by this body to meet with a like number to be appointed by the Little Hope Association, for the purpose of adjusting all difference between what is known as Missionary and Primitive Baptists, in order to their union; said committees to meet at Holly Spring Church, Rusk county, on Friday before the 4th Sabbath in October 1868; and that said committee be, and is hereby, required to report the result of their conference to this body at its next annual meeting, and the various churches comprising the same." This was adopted. The committee: Elder John Sparkman, Elder William Sparkman, W. H. Cooper, A. J. Welch, Elder R. M. Humphrey, Elder W. H. H. Hays, and G. W. Butts. Alternates: Elder Ben Griffin, G. W. Harris, W. Lassiter. Mt. Zion minutes, Sept. 1868, p. 2 (Meeting at Beulah, Rusk County, beginning Fri. Sept 18, 1868)

"Your Committee appointed at your session in 1868, to meet a like Committee from the Little Hope Association of Primitive Baptists, attended as directed. The Little Hope Association failed to meet us by Committee, but several of its members being present, organized themselves into a Committee with which we consulted and unanimously adopted the following: We believe and agree that a gospel church is the highest ecclesiastical authority on earth. That each church is an independent body, not amenable to Associations, Conventions, Conferences, Presbyteries, Synods, general Assemblies, Elders, Bishops, Priests, Popes, Kings or any or all the Organizations, Institutions, or Combinations of men on earth; she is subject only to Christ, who alone is lawgiver in Zion. That church members are equals and fellow-citizens, and all contributions for the maintenance of the church, or support of the ministry, must be voluntary, as each member purposeth in his own heart."

Mt. Zion: Elder G. W. Rogers, Elder John Sparkman, A. J. Welch
Little Hope: Elder Thos. Brittain, Elder J. M. Roquemore, B. H. Barton
Mt. Zion minutes, 1869, p. 4, (Meeting at New Salem, Rusk County, 1869)

Note: The two associations did not unite, and both still exist today. But during the 1869 session of the Mt. Zion Association, Primitive Baptist elder Thomas Brittain preached the introductory sermon from Eph. 4:1-8. He was among those invited to seats as a visiting minister of like faith and order, preached at 10 a.m. on Saturday, and preached following William McCollough on Monday.

Resolution offered to the Mt. Zion Association by William Sparkman
"Resolved, That it is the opinion of this Association that it is the duty of the churches to see that the ordinances of the gospel are administered to all persons, irrespective of color, who can give satisfactory evidence of repentance toward God and faith in our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ." This was adopted. Mt. Zion minutes, Sept. 1868, p. 3

These resolutions are included to demonstrate some of the influence and work of John and William Sparkman in the Mt. Zion Baptist Association.

© August 2006

Mt. Carmel Church - Appendices A, B, C

2006-10-14T12:58:00.000-05:00

APPENDIX A – Officers

Known pastors
(Possibly) J. H. Lane36 – 1857; living in Cherokee County in 1850 census.
N. Conner – 1858; lived somewhere around Nacogdoches, Texas.
John Sparkman – 1866—1869; and could have extended into 1870.
W. W. Albritton – 1870; in 1870 Mt. Zion Baptist Association minutes, W. W. Albritton is listed with a Mt. Enterprise address and a member of Mt. Zion Baptist Church. Later he would live in the Douglass area in Nacogdoches County.

Known church clerks
Newton Van Buren Brock, church clerk pro-tem, February 1868
F. O. Galloway, October 1867 – April 1870 (at least)
A. P. Galloway, church clerk pro-tem, May 1870
R. P. Goldsberry, November 1871

Known deacons
None known

APPENDIX B - Members of Mt. Carmel who joined Smyrna Church
(* Denotes charter members)
Sarah (Frazier) Burns Ballard
Martha Frazier
A. H. Galloway
F. O. Galloway *
Mary Galloway (Wallace)
Matilda (Frazier) Gentry
Nannie Goldsberry *
Robert Pomeroy Goldsberry *
Clinton Marion Holleman *
J. J. Holleman
Moody Valentine Holleman
Panila Lyles
Vincent Thornton Vaughn
Elizabeth Wells *
Michael T. Wells *

Both Mt. Carmel and Smyrna had a member or members named Mary Pruitt. I have been unable to verify whether it is the same person or two people with the same name.

APPENDIX C – Mt. Carmel and other churches
Other churches mentioned in the Mt. Carmel minutes
Cool Springs Holly Springs
Mt. Zion New Salem
Shiloh

Mt. Carmel mentioned in other minutes
Mt. Carmel is mentioned in the minutes of the Union (now Old North) Baptist Church in August 1867, when they received William Sparkman and Joel Elam from Mt. Carmel as “corresponding messengers”.

Footnote
36 Pauline Shirley Murrie lists him for Mt. Carmel pastor in 1857, but I did not find any pastors listed in the Mt. Zion Association minutes for 1857. See footnote 1. She may be mistaken. Actual initials are I. H. [Isham Hall] Lane, ca.1790—1859. He is buried at the City Cemetery in Jacksonville, Rusk County, Texas.

© August 2006

Mt. Carmel Church - Black members, demise, legacy

2006-10-13T00:55:00.001-05:00

Black members of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church
According to the Mt. Zion Baptist Association minutes, Mt. Carmel church had 8 black members in 1866. In 1868 the “colored members” and the church as a whole agreed to have separate preaching services for them on the first Sunday of each month.

Some hard-to-identify persons in the “Mt. Carmel Connections” section may be some of the black members. Also some black members could be identified incorrectly as white members. Some southern Rusk County black and white families share the same last name.

According to William Montgomery, after the Civil War membership in biracial churches rapidly declined while independent black church membership soared. One Georgia minister said that blacks were not forced out of white-controlled churches, but that the blacks preferred “to have them to themselves”.29 By 1890, sixty percent of black churchgoers in Texas were Baptist.30

The Demise of Mt. Carmel Church
At this late date it will probably never be determined what led to the disbanding of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. A disciplinary battle that entangled several church families certainly would not have been helpful. An unfulfilled search for a permanent location probably led to some instability. Withdrawal of the black families would have decreased the membership. Perhaps all of these, as well as other unknown factors, combined to end the history of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church in southern Rusk County. Nevertheless, she “being dead yet speaketh”. The influence of Mt. Carmel Church and her people continues through the legacy she left behind.

Mt. Carmel Legacy
Some existing Rusk County churches appear to be indebted to Mt. Carmel – the Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church and the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church more directly, and Glenfawn Missionary Baptist Church less so.

Several Mt. Carmel members went into the organization of Smyrna a little less than two years after Mt. Carmel disbanded, and other former members joined Smyrna shortly after its organization. See Appendix B on page 20. This number who joined Smyrna is roughly equivalent to half of the members that were left when Mt. Carmel disbanded. John Sparkman was the first pastor of Smyrna.

According to their corner stone, Mt. Zion Baptist Church, located on County Road 3223 in southern Rusk County, was founded in 1870.31 It is in the general area where Mt. Carmel met, and might have been founded by former members of Mt. Carmel.32 It is noted in the March 1868 minutes that the church began holding separate preaching services for the black members. Some former members of Mt. Carmel asked the Mt. Zion Association for help in organizing a church. "The regular order of business was then suspended in order to receive a communication from certain colored brethren and sisters, formerly belonging to the Mt. Carmel Church, asking the Association to constitute them into a church and ordain them a minister, which letter was received and regular order of business resumed, and the following resolution adopted: Resolved, That the Association has no power to constitute white or colored churches, or ordain ministers, but advise the colored brethren to summon a Presbytery, whose duty it is to constitute them into a church, if they are qualified; and recommend our ministers to ordain and constitute them as such; and instruct them religiously in every way required." Mt. Zion minutes, 1870, pp. 3-4 (Meeting at Shiloh, Rusk County, beginning Sept. 16, 1870)

The Glenfawn Baptist Church was organized in 1892 in the same general area as Mt. Carmel. This church has several family names in common with Mt. Carmel – Blair, Buckner, Harmon, Risinger, Wells – and former Mt. Carmel member Michael T. Wells was a charter member of Glenfawn.

An earlier Glen Fawn Baptist Church,33 organized circa 1878, may have been an attempt to revive the Mt. Carmel Church. This church of 13 members petitioned for membership in the Mt. Zion Association in 1878, with W. W. Albritton, the last known pastor of Mt. Carmel, as pastor and J. W. Carlile as messenger. The next year Albritton was still pastor, and J. Brandon, former Mt. Carmel member, was one of the messengers to the Association. This Glen Fawn church only represented two years in the association.

In addition to these, about ten Mt. Carmel members joined the Zion Hill Church near Minden – the John Sparkman family in 1870, C. E. Sparkman in 1874, Olivia Wells in 1871 and Charlcy Holley in 1879.34 John Sparkman was the first pastor of Zion Hill.

Preachers through Mt. Carmel’s membership: John Sparkman, W. M. Sparkman, Thornton Vaughn. Preachers from the descendants of members: Sterling F. Baucom (son-in-law of R. P. Goldsberry), John Weldon Bailey, (grandson-in-law of Joel Elam), J. R. Carmichael (grandson of Reuben Carmichael and Joseph Brandon), Amos Dempsey Sparkman (son of John Sparkman), Richard Valentine Holleman (son of Clinton Marion Holleman)

Teachers – W. M. Sparkman, A. P. Goldsberry (father of R. P. Goldsberry)35

Doctors – A. P. Galloway, A. H. Galloway, F. O. Galloway, Julius Jarrell, H. J. Jarrell

Footnotes
29 This may not be universally true, but is generally so.
30 Black Churches in Texas: a Guide to Historic Congregations, Clyde McQueen, College Station, TX: Texas A & M University Press, pp. 12, 16
31 Mt. Zion is one of the oldest black churches in Rusk County. In Black Churches in Texas, though he doesn’t mention Mt. Zion, McQueen identified none older within Rusk County. For his book, an historic church is "a body of Christian believers that has been organized for at least one hundred years" and "had to be active at the time the church was catalogued." p. xvii
32 At present, sufficient information has not been found to prove the connection, but this theory represents a definite possibility.
33 Also spelled “Glen Fon” and “Glend Fond” in the 1878 Mt. Zion minutes.
34 A History of Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Mary Frank Dunn, pp. 36,28, 29, 52
35 It is not known whether Alfred P. Goldsberry was ever a member of Mt. Carmel, only that some of his family was.

© August 2006

Mt. Carmel Church - Comments on omissions, errors

2006-10-11T21:54:00.000-05:00

Comments on omissions, discrepancies and errors

The extant minutes of Mt. Carmel Church cover a period from October 1867 to November 1871. But there are no entries for 1869, two for 1870 and only one for 1871. It is possible that some conferences were not held during that period, but unlikely that no conferences were held. In fact, the membership list indicates that some business was transacted during the period of time between August 1868 and April 1870. H. J. & T. S. Brock were granted letters April 17, 1869, William Brandon was excluded in July 1869, and several joined by experience in September of 1869. What might be most likely is that the clerk never transferred his notes of these meetings into the official record book.

When the church disbanded in November of 1871, she evidently had a membership of a little over 30 persons. 31 entries in the membership were recorded as dismissed by letter in either Nov. 1871 or Nov. 4, 1871 (probably all the same time, since this was the first weekend of the month). Two other entries record dismissals as Nov. 4, 1870, but it is likely this is intended to be 1871.

There are some discrepancies between the minutes and the membership list, most of which may be created by a misunderstanding or misplacing of the ditto (") marks. For example, the dittoes seem to indicate the Galloways and the John Sparkman family were dismissed by letter in March of 1871. The Galloways are found calling for their letters in the minutes of May 1870, and Zion Hill Baptist Church and Mt. Zion Association records show John Sparkman in the Zion Hill Church at least by the end of 1870. Other discrepancies might eventually be resolved with a full finding of the facts. For example, according to the membership list, Panila Lyles united with Mt. Carmel by letter August 18, 1868 while the conference records that when opportunity was extended to receive members "none came forward". But consultation of a perpetual calendar reveals the minute entry is for August 15th. Most likely Mt. Carmel "protracted" its meeting and Mrs. Lyles came forward on Tuesday. The May 18th dating of the May 1868 conference is probably a simple "carry-over" mistake from the correct date of the 18th for the April conference.

There is at least one discrepancy between the Mt. Carmel minutes and the Mt. Zion Association minutes. Mt. Carmel elected delegates to the Association in August 1868, but the church is not listed in the 1868 Mt. Zion minutes of the meeting held at Beulah Church in Sept. 1868. Perhaps the elected messengers did not attend. Maybe the clerk of the association simply failed to record them. It is possible that they sent messengers to another association, but this seems quite unlikely.

© August 2006

Mt. Carmel Church - Connections

2006-10-09T10:51:00.001-05:00

Mt. Carmel Church connections9

Adeline Baysinger (1818—ca.1870) – Adeline (or Adaline) Tipps, a daughter of Peter Tipps, married Martin Baysinger before 1830; the Baysinger’s daughter Mary married William Penney, but a connection has not been made to the Pennys on the Mt. Carmel Church roll.
Martin Baysinger (1808—ca.1903) – Martin McCrary Baysinger, probably the son of Henry Baysinger (or Basinger) and Elizabeth McCrary; married Adeline Tipps; not long after bringing his family to Texas from Tennessee, Martin Baysinger received a 640-acre land grant in southwest Rusk County in 1839. He established a plantation that included a gristmill, brick making pit, syrup mill, cotton gin, store and post office. His land holdings increased to nearly 7,000 acres. Out of this he set aside a burial ground upon the death of his first wife.10 After Adeline’s death, he married Mrs. Martha Brandon in 1884, who may have been connected to the Joseph Brandon family.
Mary Blair – possibly Mary Grigsby, wife of Vince Blair, or their daughter, Mary E. Blair, who married M. T. Wells in 1869.
Vince Blair – probably Vincent Blair (1819—1902), who married Mary Houston Grigsby (though there appears to be more than one Vince Blair); buried at Laneville.
Joseph Brandon – Joseph was born circa 1825 and died after 1880.
Nancy Brandon – Nancy Sparkman, sister of Frances, John, and W. M., daughter of William Sparkman and Sarah Tate Anthony; wife of Joseph Brandon.
Sarah Ann Brandon (1851—1894) – daughter of Joseph and Nancy; married William Mack Carmichael, son of Reuben and Frances Carmichael, on 10 Apr 1870; after his death she married William McElder Vaught in 1880.
William Brandon – son of Joseph and Nancy Brandon (b. circa 1849).
H. J. Brock – probably John Henry Brock (1843—1911); brother of Newton Van Buren Brock and son of James R. and Elizabeth Brock; married Polly Elam; after moving to Parker County John and Polly were charter members of the Brock Baptist Church in the Brock Community.
M. A. Brock – Mary Antoinette Buckner (1850—1910), daughter of Garrett D. Bucker and Sarah Psalms McSpadden; sister of C. E. Sparkman; wife of N. V. Brock.
N. V. Brock – Newton Van Buren Brock (1840—1918); son of James R. and Elizabeth Brock; brother of John Henry Brock; N. V. married Mary Antoinette Buckner, a daughter of Garrett D. Buckner and Sarah McSpadden.
T. S. Brock – probably Polly Sanders Elam (1843—1924), daughter of Joel and Sarah, who married John Henry Brock in Rusk County in 1866.11
Bucaloo sisters – The "sisters Bucaloos" may be R. A. and E. J. Buckalew, daughters of A. J. and Elizabeth Buckalew. This is family 544-561 in the Rusk County 1860 Federal Census, Beat No. 3, New Salem. They were 21 and 20 years old at the time.
Elizar (Eliza?) Buckner – undetermined
Robert Buckner – probably Robert (1848—1931), son of Garrett and Sarah Buckner.
Sallie Buckner – probably Sallie, or Sarah (1852—1920), daughter of Garrett and Sarah Buckner.
Sarah S. Buckner (1812—1884) – Sarah (P)salms McSpadden, wife of Garrett D. Buckner,12 mother of Robert, Sallie, C. E. Sparkman and M. A. Brock.13
Sarah Burns – Sarah Elizabeth Frazier, daughter of John and Martha Frazier; circa 1860 married Francis B. Burns, who may have been related to the wife of M. V. Holleman. After Burns’ death, she married John Ballard.
Reuben Carmichael – William Reuben Carmichael, son of Joseph F. Carmichael and Elizabeth Holder; married first Elizabeth Spinks; Reuben and Elizabeth were members of Mars Hill Baptist Church in Oconee Co., GA; married second Sidney Frances Parker; Reuben and Sidney were possibly members of White Plains Baptist Church in Greene Co., Georgia.14
Frances Carmichael – Sidney Frances Parker, daughter of Emmanuel Parker and Mary Ann Astin; 2nd wife of Reuben Carmichael; sister of Wiley & Foster Parker (p. 10).
Sarah Cordry – in the 1850 Rusk County census an eight year old Sarah Cordrey appears in the home of W. T. and Sarah Smith, and may be this person; Charlotte (Berryhill) Cordrey is also in the home and may be her mother.
A. A. Elam – Ann America Elam, daughter of Joel and Sarah Elam; married J. Gunn.
A. F. Elam – Alabama Florence Elam, daughter of Joel and Sarah Elam.
F. A. Elam – Frances Mariann A. Sparkman, sister of John Sparkman, W. M. Sparkman, and Nancy Brandon; daughter of William Sparkman and Sarah Tate Anthony. Married first Elijah Rountree Hanes; Second Joel Elam.
Joel Elam (1818—1893) – married first Sarah Eleanor Stamps; their daughter Polly married John Henry Brock; married second Frances Mariann A. Sparkman 31 Dec 1866. In 1869 his daughter Alice Eleanor married John S. Hanes, son of Frances Sparkman; after moving from Rusk Co. married Florence Pope circa 1875; buried in Franklin, TX.
John Frazier – married Martha Irby; came to Rusk County from Greene County, Georgia, which was also the residence of the Carmichaels and the birthplace of Thornton Vaughn, though there is no known relation.
Martha Frazier – Martha Irby; married John Frazier in Greene County, Georgia.
Matilda Frazier – daughter of John and Martha Frazier; married Joseph Gentry.
A. H. Galloway – Allen Hart Galloway15 (1850—1911), son of Dr. A. P. Galloway and Mary Pruitt; he later united with Smyrna MBC and then the First Missionary Baptist Church in Laneville. He was baptized circa 1867 by John Sparkman.16
A. P. Galloway – Dr. Amos Ponder Galloway (1816—1871); son of Anderson Galloway and Delilah Ponder; married first Caroline Gewin (Gwin? Guinn?) and second Mary H. Pruitt, daughter of Colonel John Pruitt and Martha Hart; A. P. Galloway's grandfather Matthew was a charter member of Beaverdam Baptist Church in Oglethorpe County, GA in September 1800, and his father was also a member there. A church note in May 1828 reads, "The Church received information that a letter of dismission that was granted Bro. Anderson Gallaway, living in Alabama in August, 1826, has been miscarried and he failed to get the same. Ordered, that the clerk forward another letter to Bro. Gallaway and state the time he was dismissed and the circumstances attending the case."17 A. P. was a trustee of the Mound Prairie Institute in 1856.18
F. O. Galloway – Frank Owen Galloway, son of Amos Ponder Galloway and Caroline Gewin; he was clerk pro-tem of the organizational meeting of the Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church. Frank O. Galloway was granted a letter of dismission from Smyrna Aug. 21, 1874. He married Susan Salmon, daughter of John L. and Martha Salmon, in May of 1871. A ‘Dr. F. O. Galloway’ is listed in Butterfield and Rundlett's 1875 Directory of the City of Dallas. A handwritten note in the family history states they moved to Dallas County and then Clay County, and that his family was living in Henrietta after his death.19 Frank O. Galloway is in the 1880 Rusk County census and was postmaster of Gourdneck in Rusk County in 1880; born February 16, 1845, died January 12, 1882.
Mary H. Galloway – evidently Mary H. Pruitt Galloway, daughter of John Pruitt and Martha Hart; wife of Dr. A. P. Galloway; Mary Pruitt Galloway (1830-1896) married David S. Wallace after the death of A. P. Galloway.
R. P. Goldsberry (1844—1911) – Robert Pomeroy Goldsberry, son of Alfred P. Goldsberry and Mary Ann Wells (dau. of William and Sarah Wells); in 1860 Rusk Co. census 15 year old Robert is still at home with parents, A. P. and Mary A. Goldsberry and siblings, Elizabeth C., William W. and Jacob; married Nancy Elizabeth Hanes, daughter of Frances Sparkman and E. R. Hanes; buried at Linn Flat, Nacogdoches Co.
Nannie Goldsberry (1847—1898) – Nancy Elizabeth Hanes, daughter of Frances Sparkman and Elijah Rountree Hanes; wife of R. P. Goldsberry; buried at Linn Flat.
Nancy Harmon – this might be a 28 year old Nancy Harmon who is found in Rusk County in 1860 (family 568-586), with, apparently, two children, Rufus and John. She may have been a part of the Pruitt family.
C. M. Holleman (1844—1917) – Clinton Marion Holleman, son of William Arthur Holleman and Malinda Guinn; C. M. was a charter member of Smyrna Missionary Baptist Church in Rusk County in Aug. 1873; of the Union Primitive Baptist Church near Roger’s Prairie in Leon County, 12 July 1890; and of Mt. Zion Primitive Baptist Church at Wealthy in Leon County, 19 March 1904.20
J. J. Holleman – possibly Josiah John Holleman (1826—1907), son of Josiah John Holleman (1785—1862) and Jane McLaughlin/Elliot, or Josiah John Holleman (1848—1925), son of Green Wilson Holleman; but J. J. Holleman in the Mt. Carmel Church minutes might be John Lawrence Holleman. Js and Ls are sometimes confused, and this confusion shows up later in Smyrna Church minutes. The person initially listed as J. J. Holleman in the Smyrna minutes is later identified as John L. (his wife Frances is also mentioned in the Smyrna minutes).
M. V. Holleman (1842—1927) – Moody Valentine Holleman, son of William Arthur Holleman and Malinda Guinn; married Manerva Lucinda Burns.
Charlie Holley – Charlie might be Charleenly (or Charlsey) Gage, who married Richard R. Holley (brother of Sion Holley) in Rusk County 18 Feb 1868; joined Zion Hill in 1879; Sion Holley married Mary Elizabeth Holleman, daughter of Green Wilson Holleman.
Elizabeth Howerton – daughter of William and Mary Howerton.
Mary Howerton – Mary Ann Mickleborough/Micklebrough, wife of William Howerton. In 1837 Mary Ann (7 Nov 1814 -- 17 May 1896) married William in Lowndes County, Alabama.
William Howerton – (1814—1868) son of Joel and Sarah Howerton; buried at Glenfawn Cemetery; at one time he was overseer for Julien Sidney Devereux’s Monte Verdi plantation.21
W. H. Jacobs – probably William H. Jacobs (1850—??), who married Matilda Caroline Holleman, daughter of Green Wilson Holleman and cousin of C. M. and M. V. Holleman.
H. J. Jarrell – Henry Joseph Jarrell, son of Henry Jarrell and Martha M. Buckner, stepson of Elder John Sparkman.
J. S. Jarrell – Julius Jarrell, son of Henry Jarrell and Martha M. Buckner.
W. J. Jarrell – William James Jarrell, son of Henry Jarrell and Martha M. Buckner.
John Landrum – the name of John Landrum is not recorded in the existing church minutes, but he was a delegate from the Mt. Carmel Church to the Mt. Zion Association in 1857. He came to Texas in 1829 and served in the Texas Army from March 12 to July 7, 1836.22 In 1860 he is found in Beat No. 10 (New Salem), Rusk County census. Landrum was born in Georgia circa 1801 and died after 1860. His second wife, Mary Wells, probably was a distant cousin of William Wells. Their daughter, Sarah Ann Landrum (1827—1900), was the second wife of Julien Sidney Devereux, Sr., owner of the Monte Verdi plantation at Glenfawn. After Devereux’s death, she married J. F. Garrison.
Mary Leslie – possibly Mary J. Leslie (born circa 1848), daughter of J. H. and Sarah Lesley/Leslie, found as family 455-471 in Beat No. 3, New Salem, 1860 Federal Census, Rusk County, Texas; married James Jordan.
Sarah Leslie – possibly Sarah (born circa 1820), wife of J. H. Leslie, or their daughter Sarah E. Leslie (born circa 1852), who married Thomas K. Jordan.
Sallie P. Linthecum – Sarah J. "Sallie" (Walker), wife of Romulus C. Linthicum, might possibly be the Sallie Linthicum of the minutes. They are family 1200-1218 in Mt. Enterprise in the 1860 census; she was 19 years old. They married in 1857 in Nacogdoches County. R. C. was an uncle of Susan Elizabeth Salmon, who married Frank O. Galloway in 1871.
George Loftis – possibly George Washington Loftis, who married Louisa B. Holder in Rusk County in 1863.
Louisa Loftis – evidently the wife of George Loftis.
Panila Lyles – Pernilie Jane Guinn (1842—1913), wife of Jasper Edge and second Zachary Taylor Lyles; Pernilie was the daughter of Thornton Guinn and Sarah Melton; was a first cousin to C. M. and M. V. Holleman, and a niece of Baptist preacher William Guinn; is buried in the Holleman Cemetery.
W. H. Needham – possibly William Howard Needham (1836-1900), who married Catherine C. Perkins.
Joseph Nolin - married Mary Vaughn.
Henry Penny – undetermined
Lacy Penny – undetermined
Siddie Penny – undetermined
Celie Perkins – Celia, daughter of William and Mary Howerton; married Simeon Perkins 15 Dec 1859; Simeon could have been a member; he died in 1866.
Julia Perkins – possibly Julia A. Perkins, the wife of Samuel S. Perkins, older brother of Simeon Perkins.
Susan Pierce – daughter of Wyatt Vaughn and Eliza Jane Parker (a cousin of Sidney Frances Parker Carmichael); wife of Wiley Pierce and sister of Thornton Vaughn.
Mary Pruitt – probably some of the Colonel John Pruitt family, but undetermined; his wife Mary Hart had died before he came to Texas.
Cathren Risinger – possibly Joanna Catherine Buckner, daughter of Garrett D. and Sarah Buckner and wife of Jackson J. Risinger.
John H. Smith – John Henry Smith, husband of Martha Seay; b. Sept. 14, 1842 - d. March 10, 1930.
Martha Smith – Martha Elizabeth Seay b. May 11, 1834 - d. May 2, 1899, the daughter of Ransom Seay and Sarah Oliver Elam. She married (1st) Samuel Wesley Kite, and (2nd) John Henry Smith November 5, 1865 in Beaumont, Mississippi.
C. E. Sparkman – China Elizabeth Buckner, wife of William Moses Sparkman and daughter of Garrett D. Buckner; joined Zion Hill Baptist Church in 1874.23
John Sparkman – John Calloway Sparkman (1831—1882), son of William Sparkman and Sarah Tate Anthony; brother of W. M.; was moderator of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association from 1872-1881. When he first came to Texas, the family settled in Pine Hill circa 1853 and joined the Holly Springs Church there. The John Sparkman family joined Zion Hill Baptist Church in 1870.24 According to Link, John Sparkman professed faith when he was eighteen years old, was baptized into Bethesda Baptist Church25 in Jasper County, GA by John Dodd. He later united with the Flint River Baptist Church in Henry County before moving to Texas in 1853 and uniting with the Holly Springs Church in Pine Hill. He was licensed by Holly Springs in 1860 and ordained in 1861, Elders William Gwin,26 G. W. Rogers and M. Melton forming the presbytery. "The Bible was his dictionary, geography, grammar, rhetoric and logic. He was a man of strong convictions, devotedly pious, and earnest and forceful as a speaker, carrying the masses with him in his plain, scriptural arguments, drawing his illustrations principally from the common field of nature, his leading theme being the doctrines of grace, while he was well posted in the distinctive principles of the denomination, and ably defended them when it became necessary."27
L. C. Sparkman – Lewis C. Sparkman, son of John and Martha Sparkman.
M. M. Sparkman – Martha M. Buckner (1829—1896), wife of John Sparkman and daughter of Eli Franklin Buckner and Eliza Saunders. Her first husband was Henry Jarrell.
W. M. Sparkman – William Moses Sparkman (died ca. 1874), son of William Sparkman and Sarah Tate Anthony; brother of John,28 Nancy Brandon and Frances Elam; served as moderator of the Mt. Zion Association in 1870; is believed to have died in Ellis or Van Zandt county while on an evangelistic trip.
Britton F. Stamps (1825—1902) – not mentioned in the extant minutes, but was a member of Mt. Carmel in earlier years, a delegate to the association 1857-1859, and served as the second clerk of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association in 1858; the son of Britton F. Stamps and Mary “Polly” Sanders, he married Frances Ann Richardson in 1848 (daughter of Dr. P. T. Richardson). His sister, Sarah Eleanor Stamps, married Joel Elam. His daughter, Elizabeth Ann Stamps, married Albert Devereux in 1869. B. F. and the Devereuxs later lived in Wise County.
Lucy Stone – this might be 50 year old Lucy A. Stone, apparently the wife of William Stone; is in the 1860 Rusk County census, family 571-589.
Mary Vaughn – daughter of Eldridge H. Vaughn and Mary Harris, living with William and Mary Howerton in 1860, apparently after the death of her parents; no known relation to Thornton Vaughn; she and Joseph Nolin married 29 Sept 1867 in Rusk County.
Thornton Vaughn (1848—1915) – son of Wyatt Vaughn and Eliza Jane Parker (a cousin of Sidney Frances Parker Carmichael); brother of Susan Pierce; in 1902 he was ordained to the ministry by Smyrna Baptist Church. He is an older brother of Marshall Lewis Vaughn, who had the original minutes of Mt. Carmel 1867-1871.
Elizabeth Wells – this probably is M. T. Wells’ wife.
Mikiel Wells – Michael Teachel Wells (1846—1912), son of William Wells and Sarah James; M. T. Wells married Mary E. Blair (1850—1927), daughter of Vince and Mary Blair; M. T. was Robert Goldsberry’s uncle; ordained a deacon by Smyrna church in 1874. William Wells might have been an early member of Mt. Carmel.
Olivid Wells – probably Olivia Crews, who married Wimbrick D. Wells, brother of Michael T. Wells; joined Zion Hill Church in 1871.

Footnotes
9 This information is gleaned from a variety of sources – including RootsWeb World Connect Project and the 1982 Rusk County History book – and is intended comparison purposes, to highlight family connections within the church and as a research help for descendants of the members of Mt. Carmel Church. Though hopefully most of the information is accurate, it has not all been verified and is not intended for use as genealogical documentation. All data should be double-checked.
Many of the early Mt. Carmel members seem to have been prominent southern Rusk County landholders.
10 Based on historical marker at Baysinger Cemetery;
See http://www.cemeteries-of-tx.com/etx/rusk/history/BSHM.htm
11 Polly Sanders Elam…was well informed on the Bible and history.
http://wc.rootsweb.com/cgi-bin/igm.cgi?op=GET&db=:3249336&id=I642743840
12 Garrett D. Buckner was a son of James Monroe Buckner, Sr. James M. Sr. and Daniel Cooke Buckner were sons of Henry Buckner, Sr. Dallas pastor Robert Cooke Buckner, son of Daniel and the Buckner of Buckner Orphan’s Home, was a first cousin of Garrett D. Buckner.
13 Old Mt. Zion minutes indicate that Moses M. Buckner (son of Sarah & Garrett) and A. P. Galloway affiliated initially with the Mt. Moriah Church in the Laneville area (San Cosme post office); said church seems to have ceased to exist after the Civil War. At least it no longer appears in the Mt. Zion Baptist Association minutes.
14 Some family genealogists state that Reuben was a Baptist minister, but he is never found in an ordained ministers’ list of the Mt. Zion Association.
15 This family is consistently “Galloway” in the Mt. Carmel records; but family records and genealogists often spell it as “Gallaway”.
16 Resolution of Respect by First Missionary Baptist Church; 1911 newspaper clipping reprinted in Redland District South Rusk County Texas, Rusk County Genealogical Society, Henderson, TX, p. 7 section 3
17 Matthew Gallaway and His Descendants, Irene Dabney Gallaway, p. 14, n.d., n.p., vertical file, Rusk County Library
18 Minutes, Judson Baptist Association, 1856 (copy in East Texas Research Center, SFA University)
19 Matthew Gallaway and His Descendants, p. 14
20 History of the Primitive Baptists of Oklahoma, Texas, and Indian Territory, J. S. Newman, Tioga, Texas: Baptist Trumpet, 1906, pp. 108, 109
21 Julien Sidney Devereux, Winfrey, pp. 54, 91; Speaking of William Howerton in December 1855, Winfrey writes of him as “Devereux’s former overseer.”
22 Winfrey, ibid., pp. 39, 40
23 A History of Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Mary Frank Dunn, Henderson, TX: Bill Decker Printing Co., 1968; p. 7
24 A History of Zion Hill Missionary Baptist Church, Mary Frank Dunn, pp. 7, 48
25 Possibly should be Bethsaida. In an e-mail to me (dated 16 Sept 2006), Dr. Robert G. Gardner, Senior Researcher in Baptist History, Mercer University, wrote, "The only Bethsaida church was in Fayette County, with J. S. Dodd as pastor in at least 1849-1853. His post office address was Fayetteville (1849, 1850) and Fairburn (1852-1853)."
26 William Guinn was an uncle of members C. M. & M. V. Holleman, being a brother of their mother, and of Panila Lyles, being a brother of her father.
27 Texas Historical and Biographical Magazine, Vol. 1, J. B. Link, 1891, p. 515
28 John and William Sparkman both married Buckners, but I haven't determined their relation, if any. William's wife is one of the Glenfawn Buckners and John's wife is connected to the Pine Hill Buckners. Andrew Jackson Welch, mentioned in the June 1868 minutes, married Mary Ann Buckner (1834—1911). Mary Ann and Martha were children of Eli Franklin Buckner and Eliza Saunders.

© August 2006

Mt. Carmel Church - Minutes 1867-1871

2006-10-07T10:49:00.001-05:00

Saturday before the 3rd Sunday in Oct. 1867
After divine services by Bro. John Deason Mt. Carmel Church convened in conference. Visiting bretheren were invited to seats with us. An opportunity was extended for the reception of members. Lewis Sparkman came foreward, related his experience and was received in to our christain fellowship and church fellowship when baptized. The moderator called for corispondents. Bro. John Deason came forward as a corispondent from Holy Springs Church and was received. The moderator called for references whereupon the committee appointed to investigate the conduct of Bro. Nolen and Sister Vaugn reported. The report was received and the parties excluded. Bros. Elum, Howerton and Commicle were appointed as a committee to corispond with the sisters Bucaloo in regard to their membership. The same committee was appointed to assertain the amount it would require to build us a church. The church then proceeded to appoint corisponding messengers to sister churches. Bro. Elum, Howerton and F. O. Galloway were appointed as corisponding messengers to Cool Springs Church and Bro. Frasure, Clint Holleman and Cormicle to Shilo Church. Conference adjourned.
F. O. Galloway C. C. John Sparkman Mod.

[Begin page 6→]
Sat. before the 3rd Sabbath in Nov. 1867
After divine service by Eld. John Sparkman, Mt. Carmel church convened in conference. An oppertunity was extended for the reception of members. None came. The Mod. called for references when upon the committee appointed to corispond with the sisters Bucaloos called for farther time to report. The com. appointed to assertain the amount it would require to purchase the material to build us a house, reported stating it would require $250 (Two hundred and fifty dollars). The matter was postponed. The church requested Bro. William Sparkman to quit his school room and devote his time to the preaching of the gospel. Bros. A. P. Galloway, Howerton and Joel Elum were appointed as delegates to visit Holly Spring Church. By motion conference ajourned.
F. O. Galloway C. C. John Sparkman Mod.

Sat. before the 3rd Sunday in Dec. 1867
After divine service by Eld. John Sparkman Mt. Carmel church convened in conference. The Mod. called for references, when upon the committee appointed to corispond with the sisters Bucaloos called for farther time to report. The Mod. called for general business, when upon the motion requesting Bro. W. M. Sparkman to quit the school room and devote his time to the preaching of the gospel was reconsidered and lost. Bro. John Sparkman tendered his resignation as pastor which was deferred until next meeting. By motion conference adjourned.
F. O. Galloway C. C. John Sparkman Mod.

Sat. before the 3rd Sunday in Jan. 1868
After divine service by Eld. John Sparkman Mt. Carmel church convened in conference. The Mod. called for references whereupon the committee [begin page 7→] appointed to corispond with the Sisters Bucaloos reported stating that they had written and got no answer. The Sisters were excluded for violating the church covenant. Bro. Thornton Vaughn and Sister Susan Pierce called for letters of dismission, which were granted. Bro. John Sparkman withdrew his tendering of his resignation as pastor. By motion a committey was appointed to corispond with the Masonic fraternity in regard to building a lodge at Mt. Carmel church. The committee appointed were Bro. Howerton, A. P. Galloway, Joel Elum, Carmicle and W. M. Sparkman. Conference ajourned.
F. O. Galloway C. C. John Sparkman Mod.

Mt. Carmel Church Rusk Co. Tex. Feb. 10th 1868
After preaching by Elder W. M. Sparkman the church came together in conference. The Mod. called for references. The committee appointed to confer with the masons reported. The report was received and the committee discharged. By motion a committee of six was appointed to confer with the colored members in regard to having separate preaching to them. The committee appointed was Bros. William Howerton, A. P. Galloway, Joel Elum, Martin Baysinger, John Frasure and W. M. Sparkman, in connection with the pastor John Sparkman. Conference adjourned.
N. V. Brock C.C. Protem. John Sparkman Mod.

Sat. before the 3rd Sun. in March 1868
After divine services by Eld. John Sparkman, Mt. Carmel church convened in conference. An opportunity was extended for the reception of members, whereupon Bro. Joseph Brandon, Nancy F. and Sarah A. Brandon came forward presenting a letter of recommendation, and were received. The Mod. called for references, whereupon the committee appointed to confer with the colored brethern relative to having separate preaching to them, made the following report. That the colored brethern meet with the pastor of Mt. Carmel church for divine service on [begin page 8→] the first Sunday in each month if agreeable with the citizens to whom the house belongs. And we farther recommend that the white brethern meet with the pastor on the above named day and assist him in the work of indoctrination and disciplining the colored brethern. By motion a committee of five was appointed to select a suitable location for Mt. Carmel church. The committee selected John Sparkmans well, which was agreed on by the church. A committee was then appointed to assertain the dimensions for building a house for Mt. Carmel church. Those appointed were Bros. Joel Elum, Smith, Henry Brock and William Howerton. On account of there being other churches nearer than Mt. Carmel, the following members called for letters of dismission. Bro. William Howerton, Mary Howerton, Elizabeth Howerton, Selie Perkins, Bros. Henry Penny, Martin Baysinger, and Sister Adeline Baysinger. The letters were granted. There being no farther business conference adjourned.
F. O. Galloway C. C. John Sparkman Mod.

Sat. April 18th 1868
After divine service by Eld. John Sparkman, Mt. Carmel church came together in conference. The Mod. called for correspondents wher upon Bro. Acy Parker came forward from Shilo church and Bro. Bartley Wallace from Mt. Zion church. The Mod. called for references where upon the committee appointed to assertain the dimensions of a house for Mt. Carmel church reported, stating that it would require a house forty by fifty feet. The report was received and adopted. A building committee of five was then appointed. Bros. Joel Elum, John Frasure, A. P. Galloway and Smith were appointed. By motion Bros. Joel Elum and F. O. Galloway were appointed as corisponding messengers to Shilo church. Conference adjourned.
F. O. Galloway C. C. John Sparkman Mod.

[Begin page 9→]
Sat. May 18th 1868
After divine service by Eld. W. M. Sparkman, Mt. Carmel church convened in conference. An opportunity was extended for the reception of members. None came forward. The Mod. called for references, there were none. He then called for general business, whereupon a committee of five were appointed to investigate the character of Bro. Joel Elum. Committee appointed, Bros. Smith, John Frasure, A. P. Galloway, Clinton Holleman, and N. V. Brock. Five other Sister churches were invited to meet with us at our next regular meeting.
F. O. Galloway C. C. W. M. Sparkman Mod.

Sat. before the 3rd Sunday in June 1868
After divine service by Eld. John Sparkman, Mt. Carmel church convened in conference. The Mod. called for corispondents whereupon the following brethern came forward as corispondents. From Mt. Zion church, Allen Birdwell, Isic Lawler and Bartley Wallace. From Shilo church Bros. Acy Parker, Fosty Parker and Wily Parker. From Holly Springs Bros. John Deason, A. J. Welch and Freeman. From Cool Springs Bros. Thomas Lacy, J. B. Lacy and Harmon. The Mod. called for references whereupon the committee appointed to investigate the character of Bro. Elum reported stating that they had found Bro. and Sister Elum in disorder, by being separated. It was moved and seconed that the difficultly of Bro. and Sister Elum be taken up, whereupon a committee of nine was appointed to investigate and try to reconcile it. Three were appointed of the members of Mt. Carmel church. Bros. Smith, A. P. Galloway and Rueben Carmicle. The other six were of the corispondents from Sister Churches, to wit, Bros. Allen Birdwell, Isic Lawler, John Deason, A. J. Welch, Thomas Lacy and Acy Parker. Conference ajourned until Sunday.
F. O. Galloway C. C. John Sparkman Mod.

[Begin page 10→]
Sunday June 21st 1868
After divine service by Eld. John Sparkman, Mt. Carmel church came together in conference. The Mod. called for a report of the committee appointed to investigate the dificulty between Bro. and Sister Elum. The committee made two reports. The majority reported that they had found the difficulty irreconsilable and recommended the exclusion of both. The minority reported stating that they found Sister Elum in the spirit of humility willing to do and to be anything that the gospel required. That they found Bro. Elum obstinate and unwilling to submit gospel requisition. The majority report was rejected and the minority received whereupon and in acordence with his request, Bro. Elum was excluded. By motion conference ajourned.
John Sparkman Mod. F. O. Galloway C. C.

Sat. July 18, 1868
After divine services by Eld. W. M. Sparkman, Mt. Carmel church convened in conference. After calling over the regular items of business the Mod. called for general business wherupon a letter was read from Bro. B. M. Humphrey of New Salem requesting deligates to be sent from Mt. Carmel church to New Salem for the purpose of organizing a baptist union meeting. Any action on the letter was defered until our next meeting. Conference ajourned.
W. M. Sparkman Mod. F. O. Galloway C. C.

Saturday before the 3rd Sunday in Aug. 1868
After divine services by Eld. John Sparkman, Mt. Carmel church convened in conference. Visiting brethern were invited to seats with us. An opportunity was extended for the reception of members. None came forward. The Mod. next called for wherupon the letter of Bro. B. M. Humphrey of New Salem was [begin page 11→] taken into consideration. The church declined representing herself in the meeting. The church then proceeded to elect deligates to the association. Elder John Sparkman, Elder W. M. Sparkman and F. O. Galloway were elected as deligates. Bro John Smith alternate. By motion conference ajourned.
John Sparkman Mod. F. O. Galloway C. C.

Sat. before the 3rd Sun. in April 1870
After divine services by Elder Albriton, Mt. Carmel church convened in conference. An opportunity was extended for the reception of members. None came forward. The Moderator called for the references wherupon the committee appointed to select a place to build a church reported stating that they had selected a place. The report was received and adopted. The committee was then appointed to procure a title to the land and make out a bill of lumber, and report at our next meeting. By motion of the church our place of holding preaching was changed to the Garland school house, and from the 3rd Sunday in each month to the 4th. By motion conference ajourned.
W. W. Albriton Mod. F. O. Galloway C. C.

May 21st. 1870
After divine service by Elder W. W. Albriton, Mt. Carmel church convened in conference. The clerk being absent the church appointed Bro. A. P. Galloway clerk for the present conference. The committee appointed to procure a deed to the land for building a church on asked for further time to report, which was granted. By order of the church the Mod. appointed four delegates to attend the union meeting which convenes with the Bethel church on Saturday before the 5th Sunday in this month. [begin page 12→] Those appointed were Bros. A. P. Galloway, Joseph Brandon, John H. Smith, M. T. Wells. Bro. A. P. Galloway called for letters of dismission for himself and Sister M. H. Galloway, F. O. Galloway and A. H. Galloway, which the church granted, and ordered the clerk to write. There being no other business, conference ajourned.
W. W. Albriton Mod. A. P. Galloway C. C. Protem

Sat. before the 1st. Sunday in Nov. 1871
Mt. Carmel church convened in conference. Having no pastor Bro. Joseph Brandon was appointed Moderator. On motion the church agreed to dissolve and granted letters to all who call for them.
R. P. Goldsberry C. C.

[Note: B. M. Humphrey of New Salem is probably the same as R. M. Humphrey, a delegate from New Salem to the Mt. Zion Association in 1868. I am unsure which initial is correct.]

The Mt. Carmel minutes are followed on pages 13-86 by the membership lists and minutes of Smyrna Baptist Church, August 1873 through January 1891. After these minutes, on page 86, is the following note: “Copied in Oct. and Nov. of 1947 by Mrs. Ada Woolverton. Part of the original minutes found in the trunk of her father Rev. M. L. Vaughn After his death, last May.”

Mt. Carmel Church - Membership list

2006-10-05T22:46:00.000-05:00

[Begin page 3→]
A list of the members of Mt. Carmel Church8

Joel Elum Excluded the 21st of June 1868
F. A. Elum Dismissed by letter in March 1870
A. F. Elum Dismissed by letter Nov 14, 1868
A. A. Elum Dismissed by letter Nov 14, 1868
T. S. Brock Dismissed by letter April 17, 1869
H. J. Brock Dismissed by letter April 17, 1869
William Howerton Dismissed by letter March 14, 1868
Mary Howerton Dismissed by letter March 14, 1868
Elizabeth Howerton “ “ “ “ “
Celie Perkins “ “ “ “ “
Julia Perkins “ “ “ Nov 4, 1871
Martain Baysinger “ “ “ March 14, 1868
Adeline Baysinger “ “ “ “ “
Rueben Carmicle died June 1870
Frances Carmicle Dismissed by letter Nov 4, 1870
Henry Penny “ “ “ March 14, 1868
Siddie Penny Deceased Aug. 1870
Lacy Penny Dismissed by letter Nov 4, 1870
Mary Pruit Deceased 1870
George Loftis Dismissed by letter Oct. 17, 1868
Louisa Loftis “ “ “ “ “
Sarah Cordry
Sarah Leslie “ “ “ Nov. 4, 1871
Mary Leslie “ “ “ “ “
W. M. Sparkman “ “ “ “ “
C. E. Sparkman “ “ “ March 1871
John Sparkman “ “ “ “ “
M. M. Sparkman “ “ “ “ “
J. S. Jarrel “ “ “ “ “
W. J. Jarrel “ “ “ “ “
H. J. Jarrel “ “ “ “ “
L. C. Sparkman “ “ “ “ “
A. P. Galloway “ “ “ “ “
F. O. Galloway “ “ “ “ “
A. H. Galloway “ “ “ “ “
[Begin page 4→]
Mary H. Galloway Dismissed by letter 1871
Nancy Harmon “ “ “ “
Sarah S. Buckner “ “ “ Nov 1871
Sallie Buckner “ “ “ “ “
Robert Buckner “ “ “ “ “
Robert Goldsbury “ “ “ “ “
Nannie Goldsbury “ “ “ “ “
Martha Frasure “ “ “ “ “
John Frasure “ “ “ “ “
W. H. Jacobs “ “ “ “ “
C. M. Holleman “ “ “ “ “
M. V. Holleman “ “ “ “ “
J. J. Holleman “ “ “ “ “
Susan Pierce Dismissed by letter Jan. 18, 1868
Thornton Vaughn “ “ “ “ “
J. H. Smith “ “ “ Nov. 4, 1871
Martha Smith “ “ “ “ “
Sarah Burns “ “ “ “ “
Matilda Frasure “ “ “ “ “
Malinda Booker “ “ “ “ “
Cathren Risinger “ “ “ “ “
Anna Bucaloo Excluded Jan. 18, 1868
Jane Bucaloo “ “ “ “ “
Lucy Stone
Joseph Brandon Dismissed by letter Nov. 4, 1871
Nancy T. Brandon “ “ “ “ “
Sarah A. Brandon “ “ “ “ “
N. V. Brock “ “ “ “ “
M. A. Brock “ “ “ “ “
Panila Lyles received by letter Aug. 18, 1868
Vince Blair Dismissed “ Nov. 4, 1871
Mikiel Wells “ “ “ “ “
Olivid Wells “ “ “ “ “
Leslie “ “ “ Aug. 1868
Leslie restoration “ 1871
William Brandon received “ 20, 1868
William Brandon excluded “ July 1869
[Begin page 5→]
Sallie P. Linthecum Dismissed “ Nov. 4, 1871
W. H. Needham “ “ “ “ “
Needham joined by experience Sept 1869
Mary Blair “ “ “ “ “
Elizabeth Wells “ “ “ “ “
Sarah W “ “ “ “ “
Charlie Holley “ “ “ “ “
Elizar Buckner “ “ “ “ “

￻ Additional membership information not found on list above ￻
John Landrum & B. F. Stamps – before 1860
(Joseph) Nolen excluded October 19, 1867
(Mary) Vaug(h)n excluded October 19, 1867
￻ Lewis Sparkman received by experience October 19, 1867 ￻

Footnote
8 This probably would be a membership list begun circa October 1867. At this time they possibly started a new book.

© August 2006

Mt. Carmel Church - Rules of Decorum

2006-10-03T01:42:00.000-05:00

[Begin page 1→]
Rules of Decorum7

1st. It shall be the duty of each member to attend punctually each regular conference meeting, when not providentially hindered. Absentees shall report the reason of their absense to the first subsequent conference with which they may meet.
2nd. Male adult members absenting themselves from two consecutive conferences, the reason of their absence not being known to the church. It shall be the duty of the church to take some steps by which they may ascertain the cause of the delinquency.
3rd. It shall be the duty of the pastor of the church to preside as moderator at each conference. In case the pastor is absent the church shall endorse such person as they may deem proper to preside in his place. The conference shall convene as often as once a month.
4th. The moderator shall call the items of conference in the following order.
First. Invite visiting brethren to seats with us.
Second. Open the door for the reception of members.
Third. Call for reasons of absence.
Fourth. Acknowledgements of misconduct.
Fifth. For references.
Sixth. For maters of dealings.
Seventh. General business, reading of the minutes and adjournment
5th. All business shall be introduced by motion and second, and not debatable until announced by the moderator.
6th. Members speaking shall rise to their feet and address the moderator, confine themselves strictly to the subject under discussion, refrain from personal reflection and irritable language toward those from whom they differ. Will not speak more than twice to the same subject, without permission from the church.
[Begin page 2→]
7th. During the deliberation of the body no member will indulge in anything that will tend to disturb the harmony of the proceedings, or retire from the conference without the permission of the moderator.
8th. No member will be allowed to indulge in open communion with other denominations, as this would be a virtual surrender of our views upon the subject of baptism.
9th. It shall be the duty of each member to bear their proportional part of the necessary pecuniary expenditures of the church.
10th. A majority present shall rule in all cases except in maters touching fellowship, when the voice of the church shall be unanimous.
11th. It shall be the duty of the moderator to see that the above rules of decorum are strictly executed.
12th. They shall have a clerk whose duty it shall be to keep a true record of the proceedings of each conference.

Footnote
7 It is not clear whether these rules are for Mt. Carmel Church, Smyrna Church or both. It seems probable that they were originally the Mt. Carmel rules, but that Smyrna possibly adopted them as well.
Bracketed information such as [Begin page 1→] indicates the original page numbers in the Ada Woolverton copy of the Mt. Carmel minutes. The original spelling of the rules of decorum, minutes and membership list are followed.

© August 2006

Mt. Carmel Church - Introductory Matters

2006-09-29T13:35:00.000-05:00

Introductory Matters

Organization
Mt. Carmel Baptist Church was constituted before October 30, 1857. Mt. Carmel was a charter member of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association when that association was organized at Mt. Zion Baptist Church, Rusk County on October 30-31, 1857. Several charter members of the Mt. Zion Association – Bethel (Panola Co.), Cool Springs, Holly Springs, Mt. Moriah, Shiloh (Rusk Co.), New Salem, Union (Nacogdoches Co.) – were members of the Judson Baptist Association in 1856. Mt. Carmel was not, possibly indicating they were not yet organized. But it is also possible they were in another area association, such as the Soda Lake Association, or were not in any association previous to 1857.

Transmission of records
The records probably came into the hands of Smyrna Church through either Robert P. Goldsberry or F. O. Galloway, who were members of Mt. Carmel and charter members of Smyrna Baptist Church. Robert P. Goldsberry was the clerk of the last meeting of the Mt. Carmel Church, when they voted to disband and grant letters to all who called for them. He was a charter member of Smyrna Baptist Church. They had probably used only a few pages in the Mt. Carmel book, so started recording the Smyrna minutes in the same book. This is just a guess since all we have is a photocopy of the handwritten copy. It is not known whether originals still exist, or whether there were two books or just one. Another possibility of transmission would be through F. O. Galloway (Frank Owen Gallaway), who was the regular church clerk of Mt. Carmel and also a charter member of Smyrna. But Galloway had moved his membership from Mt. Carmel over a year before the church disbanded, so it is more likely that the transmission of the Mt. Carmel minutes to Smyrna was through Goldsberry. Note, though, that F. O. Galloway was clerk of the organizational meeting of Smyrna Baptist Church. After the church was constituted, J. F. M. Reid became the first church clerk of Smyrna Church.

M. L. Vaughn was clerk pro-tem of Smyrna at the last two meetings recorded in the first book of minutes of Smyrna Baptist Church, and this is probably how he came into possession of that book.

Location of Mt. Carmel church building
The location of the meeting places of Mt. Carmel Church has not been determined. In fact, the last minutes seem to indicate that the Church met in several different locations. The 1858 minutes of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association state that Mt. Carmel is 18 miles south of Henderson.

Place names and/or post offices associated with Mt. Carmel Church are:
(1). Iron Mountain. Post office “Iron Mountain” is on a handwritten sheet about the 1857 Mt. Zion Association in the Pauline Shirley Murrie collection at Stephen F. Austin University’s East Texas Research Center.1 Iron Mountain is south of Laneville in the area of the Gould Cemetery.2
(2). New Salem. In three different years of minutes of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association, the post office is given as New Salem. New Salem was possibly the post office of the church clerk.
(3). Henderson. In two different years of minutes of the Mt. Zion Baptist Association, the post office is given as Henderson. This might be the post office of the church clerk.
(4). Garland school house. In April of 1870 the church voted to change its meeting location to the Garland school house. The location of Garland school house is yet to be discovered.
(5). John Sparkman’s well. In March 1868 the church selected John Sparkman’s well as the location to build a church house. It is not clear from the minutes, but it seems the building was never built. So this may have not been an actual meeting location of Mt. Carmel Church. This location is also debatable. John Sparkman settled “first at Pine Hill, then Laneville, later moving to Minden.”3 His last residence was north of Minden. Laneville was likely his residence in 1868 (son Amos probably born there in 1869), and for a location the church might consider building a house of worship during this period.
(6). Glenfawn. There was once a church building located across the road from the Glenfawn Cemetery, and some believe Mt. Carmel may have met there. Though the denomination is not known, Julien Sidney Devereux wrote, “I and my family went to a little church about a mile from Monte Verdi.”4
(7). Mt. Enterprise. In 1871, the name of the Mt. Carmel Church is printed in the statistical table, with the post office as Mt. Enterprise. There is no other information. This could be the post office of the church clerk, indicate the move to the Garland schoolhouse put the church on a Mt. Enterprise route, or it might simply be a mistake.

In January 1868 the church selected a committee to confer with the Masons about building a lodge “at Mt. Carmel Church”. It is not known where this was. The minutes do not record the substance of their report, but evidently nothing ever came from it.

One can get a rough idea of where Mt. Carmel was probably meeting based on the location of her membership. They seem to have ranged from about Sulphur Springs east to New Salem on the west, and perhaps from the Laneville area north and towards Cushing south. Reuben and Frances Carmichael lived “…beyond and to the right of Sulphur Springs about 8 miles from [unreadable]”.5 William Howerton is buried at Glenfawn. Martin Baysinger is buried in an abandoned cemetery in Rusk County near the Nacogdoches County line. The Galloways lived near Laneville. The Fraziers and Vaughns lived in the Oak Flat community. Both the Gould/Iron Mountain area and the Glenfawn area are fairly central to the residences of the membership. It is quite likely that both places were home to the Mt. Carmel congregation at some point in the church’s history. The connection of several early families to the Devereux plantation lends weight to the idea that the church originally met in that area.6

Footnotes

1 I found no address given in the 1857 minutes. Is it possible there were two printings of the Mt. Zion minutes? I have seen two printings (different booklet sizes) of the 1856 Judson Association minutes.
2 “About seventeen miles south of Henderson, at Gould Postoffice, is the northeastern exposure of Iron Mountain, formerly Elkins Mountain.” Second Annual Report of the Geological Survey of Texas, 1890, p. 260, 261. (Also known as Bagley Mountain, Surrey Mountain)
Second annual report of the Geological Survey of Texas, 1890
3 The Rusk-Panola Missionary Baptist Association, Merline Moon, research paper, Stephen F. Austin State College, 1948, p. 14. These locations fit geographically and chronologically with the churches of Sparkman’s known membership – 1st Holly Springs, then Mt. Carmel, and finally Zion Hill.
4 Ninety-One Years of History, Glenfawn Baptist Church 1892—1983, Louis F. Asher, 1983, pp. iii, 3; Perhaps the church he mentions was Baptist. In his book on Devereux, Dorman Winfrey writes, “[Sarah Devereux] went to quiltings and sometimes Julien would share her company at a Baptist preaching.”, p. 91
5 In a letter dated April 1, 1866, from Nancy Jane Parker Pierce to her son Wiley Matthew (Doc) Pierce
6 John Landrum was father-in-law of Julien Sidney Devereux; William Howerton was Devereux’s overseer; Martin Baysinger was probably a hunting companion. On January 30, 1852, Devereux wrote, “Basinger, Howerton & myself went hunting in swamp. killed a Panther & Bear, both very large and fat.” (Winfrey, p. 90) Elizabeth Ann Stamps, a daughter of Mt. Carmel member B. F. Stamps, married Albert Devereux in 1869. In an 1852 will, Julien Devereux mentions a cemetery and a Baptist Church at nearby Anadarco.

Mt. Carmel Church - Preface

2006-09-27T14:24:00.000-05:00

Minutes of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church Rusk County, Texas October 1867—November 1871
Compiled and edited by R. L. Vaughn
© August 2006

PREFACE

For almost 25 years I have had in my possession a copy of the only known minutes of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, Rusk County, Texas. I obtained a copy from the files of Dr. J. W. Griffith, who had written a history of the Smyrna Baptist Church. Only in recent months have I really considered that these bits of information would prove worthwhile to other researchers. With this booklet I hope to preserve and distribute information about the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church and its life in southern Rusk County. What we know of this early Rusk County church is sketchy at best. But the presentation of this material should nevertheless help broaden our knowledge of the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church, the Mt. Zion Baptist Association, Baptist history in Rusk County and East Texas, as well as be helpful to those engaged in genealogical research. The booklet will present the rules of decorum, membership roll and minutes of the Mt. Carmel Church 1867—1871, information on the church from the Mt. Zion Baptist Association minutes, and some information about the people of Mt. Carmel Church.

These minutes and membership roll are transcribed from a handwritten copy of the original Mt. Carmel minutes. The Mt. Carmel minutes were prefixed to the first book of minutes of the Smyrna Baptist Church, beginning with “Rules of Decorum” on pages one and two. The membership roll and minutes comprise pages 3-12. The Smyrna minutes follow, with this notation on page 86: “Copied in Oct. and Nov. of 1947 by Mrs. Ada Woolverton. Part of the original minutes found in the trunk of her father Rev. M. L. Vaughn After his death, last May.” Based on the copies, the book used by Ada Woolverton appears to have been a ruled ledger type book about 8” X 12”.

I have used information in brackets – such as [Begin page 1→] – to indicate the original page numbers in the Ada Woolverton copy of the Mt. Carmel minutes. The original spelling in the rules of decorum, minutes and membership list have been maintained, rather than attempting to update or correct them.

Other sources that should be considered in the future are: records of other early East Texas Baptist associations (such as Sabine and Soda Lake), the history of the Mt. Zion Missionary Baptist Church south of Laneville, and the Julien Sidney Devereux papers in the archives at the University of Texas. The mention of a Baptist Church at Anadarco in Devereux’s 1852 will needs to be researched. I did not have time to look at these items before the deadline I set, but recommend them to others for future research.

I would like to thank my brother for help with censuses and other research to help identify some of the families; and my wife for help with proofreading the document. We earnestly solicit information for any corrections or additions that need to be made.

R. L. Vaughn
Mount Enterprise, Texas
August 1, 2006

Mt. Carmel Church - Contents

2006-09-26T12:20:00.000-05:00

Today I will begin posting some information from my book on the Mt. Carmel Baptist Church. The following list of contents will show something of what is to come.

CONTENTS
Preface
Introductory Matters
Organization
Transmission of records
Location of Mt. Carmel church building
Mt. Carmel Church Book
Rules of Decorum
A list of the members of Mt. Carmel Church
Minutes
Mt. Carmel Church connections
Comments on omissions, discrepancies and errors
Black members of Mt. Carmel Baptist Church
The Demise of Mt. Carmel Church
Mt. Carmel Legacy
Appendices
Known pastors, church clerks and deacons
Members of Mt. Carmel who joined Smyrna Church
Mt. Carmel and other churches
Resolutions to the Mt. Zion Association
Mt. Carmel Chart
Faith and Order
Bibliography
Index

© August 2006

New Mount Carmel blog

2006-09-24T07:18:00.000-05:00

I am beginning this blog to post information about, discuss, and otherwise look into the old Mount Carmel Baptist Church of Rusk County, Texas. I will begin by posting portions from my book, "Minutes of the Mount Carmel Baptist Church, Rusk County, Texas 1867-1871".

Be on the look out. I will start soon.