HISTORY OF OLD KANAWHA BAPTIST CHURCH
by
David Clark Baughan
DEDICATION
To My Father and Mother
Thomas Emory Baughan and Dolly Clark Baughan
Who have been supportive in all my undertakings
To my wife, Bettye McBride Baughan,
and our two children
Traci Rene Mayes and Torrey Clark Baughan
For their patience, understanding, and help
To the Past, Present, and Future
Pastors and Members of
Old Kanawha Baptist Church
Who have been faithful in the preaching
and the living of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ
and
To the Memory and Ministry of
Elders John Alderson and John Alderson, Jr.,
the
Founders of Old Kanawha Baptist Church
TABLE OF CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
I. THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS
A. THE Early Years 1793 - 1824
B. To The Break 1824 - 1845
II. THE CHURCH IN THE COUNTY
A. The Missing Years 1845 - 1867
B. The Uncertain Years 1867 - 1888
III. THE CHURCH IN THE TOWN
A. The Building Years 1888 - 1922
B. The Troublesome Years 1922 - 1944
C. The Growing Years 1944 - 1979
D. The Transitional Years 1980 - 1993
E. The Future Years 1993 -
APPENDIX I THE MEMBERSHIP ROLL 1797 - 1993
APPENDIX II THE MEETING PLACES 1797 - 1845
INTRODUCTION
A young boy of eight or nine cannot have, nor is he expected to have, an understanding nor an appreciation for the heritage that has been given to him. But as he gets older that understanding and appreciation come with knowledge.
The Baughan family and Old Kanawha Baptist Church have had connections for about 140 years. When Benjamin Albert Baughan (1851-1923) came to the Kanawha Valley with the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad in the mis-1870's from Carolina County, Virginia, he found a wife, Nancy Elizabeth Simpson, and he found a church, Old Kanawha. The marriage lasted until 1899 when the Lord took Nancy home, and the church connection lasted until 1923 when the Lord took Benjamin home.
Benjamin's children and grandchildren have been connected with Old Kanawha, including my grandfather, William Albert Baughan (1876 - 1962) and Thomas Emory Baughan (1909- 2001).
My connection with the church goes back to the spring of 1946. I was born January 27, 1938, the son of Thomas Emory and Dolly Clark Baughan (1915 - 2007). I was born again in 1946 under the ministry of Pastor Earl Ted Wall. At the age of fourteen, I surrendered my life to the Lord in a Lyle Smith evangelistic meeting at the church. The church faithfully supported me as I went through Bob Jones University and then Central Baptist Theological Seminary. At the age of twenty, under the ministry of Randy Carroll, Jr., I was licensed to preach. When I was twenty-five, the church ordained me to the gospel ministry.
It has been my privilege to be connected with Old Kanawha Baptist Church in one was or another for sixty-four years. I worked as a summer preacher boy under Pastor Carroll in the early 1960's, held seven evangelistic meetings for Pastors Carroll, Brougham, Uhrich, McDonald, and Ferguson, and on numerous occasions filled the pulpit on Wednesday and Sunday. In 2005 the Lord allowed my wife, Bettye, and me to come back as pastor of Old Kanawha.
This history of Old Kanawha Baptist Church has been a labor of love. It has taken many hours, many miles, and many stops to put it all together. I hope it will be a blessing and a help to a lot of people over the years to come.
I am indebted to a number of people for help in putting it together. A special thanks goes to Pastor Richard A. Johnson and his wife, Alice, who have gone the extra mile to make contacts, get materials, and make copies of information I needed. A special thanks goes to the staff and faculty of Ambassador Baptist College for their work: some in typing, others in reading and editing some of the manuscript, and especially to Dr. James Qurollo for help in getting the manuscript through his computer and printer and on the paper for the printer. A very special thanks goes to my daughter, Mrs. Preston (Traci) Mayes, who read and edited the complete manuscript and made many valuable suggestions.
I have tried to be as accurate as possible, but in the nature of the case, there will be mistakes, especially with so many names involved. If the reader finds errors, please call them to my attention or write me, so corrections can be made for the second edition. If you have any information to add, especially death dates, send that along, too. My address is David Baughan, P.O. Box 9, Pratt, WV 25162 or email me at
wvparson@suddenlink.net.
THE CHURCH IN THE WILDERNESS
THE EARLY YEARS: 1793 - 1824
Pratt. small town of 500+ people, is nestled between two hills along the Kanawha River. At one time, the only road running from Kentucky to Richmond went through our area. It was a sparsely populated area. One of the men who settled this area was John Hansford, Sr., referred to as Major Hansford. He operated several salt furnaces and farmed a large number of acres in what is now known as Crown Hill. He represented Kanawha County in the legislature several times in the early part of the 1800's. He married Jane Morris, the daughter of William Morris, who was the first man to settle in the Kanawha Valley. The had twelve children, one of whom was Alvah Hansford (1803-1886). Alvah lived most of his life in the area. In 1884 he dictated his memoirs to William H. Edwards, who later read them before the West Virginia Historical and Antiquarian Society in January of 1897. In those reminiscences, Mr. Hansford made this observation about the area:
I was born the 7th of May, 1803 below Paint Creek on the Kanawha river in the
house built and finished in 1799 by my father, John Hansford. He not only built it
himself but made all of the furniture in it, except the chairs which had come from
Pittsburg.
At that time there was only a small cabin and a small clearing between said house
and Paint Creek. Just where my brother Felix afterwards, about 1824, built his
brick house. Going west the first house was that of John Harriman, a log house on
the site where he later built a brick house now occupied by Mr. Shaver at East Bank
near where William Pryor lives. John Milburn then lived, also in a log house, with
a small clearing about it.
James Pryor, father of said William, lived in another log house not far from
Mr. Bucks present house on an Indian grave. The next house was built by _______
Johnson near where the late James Johnson lived. He had a small clearing.
There were no more houses as far as Cabin Creek. The whole river bottom from
Paint Creek to Cabin Creek was in forest except as before stated.
Below Slaughter's Creek John Starke lived where one of the Calverts now lives
The same old house. And between Cabin and Slaughter's Creek no one lived.
To the east of Paint Creek lived John Jones near the present site of J. B.
Johnson's house in Dego. He was the only occupant of that bottom and had but a
few acres cleared. No one then lived on Paint Creek.
The Old Kanawha Baptist Church of Pratt, West Virginia, was organized in July of 1793, in the southern part of Western Virginia through the ministry of Elders John Alderson, Jr. (1738- 1821), and James Johnston.
Old Kanawha Baptist Church is the ninth oldest Baptist church west of the Allegheny Mountains. The first Baptist church to be organized in the southern region of Western Virginia was the Greenbrier Baptist Church in Alderson, West Virginia, which was started in November of 1781. The founding pastor was Elder John Alderson, Jr., who will be referred to throughout this history as John Alderson. Elder Alderson was responsible for starting eight Baptist churches in Southern Virgnia besides the Greenbrier.
Elder Alderson came to the western part of Virginia to live permanently in 1777. For two years he had been pastor of the Linville Creek Baptist Church in Rockingham County, Virginia, which his father had started on August 6, 1756, and pastored until 1771. The family came to Virginia from Bucks County, Pennsylvnia. John Alderson, Sr. (1699-1781), had been a member of the New Britain Baptist Church and ws doing some itinerant preaching for the Philadelphia Baptist Association. There had been Baptists in the Rockingham County area of Virginia since 1744, but no church had been established. John Gano, Samuel Eaton, Benjamin Griffith, John Alderson, and others had come to those parts to preach, and finally Elder Alderson came to live among them and started the Smith Creek-Linville Creek Baptist Church located near the present towns of New Market and Timberville, Virginia.
With the help of James Johnston, John Alderson orgainized the Kanawha Baptist Church. Elder James Johnston came from the Winchester, Virginia, area in what was known then as Frederick County. He was a member of the Buckmarsh Baptist Church. Today it is known as the Berryville Baptist Church of Berryville, Virginia. He was probably a licensed but not ordained Baptist preacher.
James Johnston had some acquaintance with the Aldersons' ministry since he had pastored the Linville Creek Baptist Church founded by John Alderson, Sr., and later pastored by John Alderson, Jr. James Johnston had been recommended by John Munro (1749-1824) when the church was without a pastor in 1791. The first mention of him in the minutes is on the second Sunday in May of 1791, serving communion with Brothers Moffett and Osborne.
Pastor Johnson was received into the membership of the church on Saturday, September 10, 1791, by letter from the Buckmarsh Church, dated May, 1791. The Buckmarsh Church gave him a good recommendation both "as a Gospel preacher and as to his good and orderly standing as a member." Elder Johnston was ordained pastor of the Linville Creek Baptist Church on Saturday, October 8, 1791, with the laying on of hands by Elders John Munro and Anderson Moffett (1746-1835). His pastorate lasted until the fall of 1794. He left Rockingham County sometime between October 11 and November 8, 1794, according to the minutes of the Linville Creek Baptist Church.
ELDER JAMES JOHNSTON
1793 - 1803
Historical accounts differ on the coming of Elder Johnston to the Kanawha Valley. The late Otis K. Rice, in relating the beginning of the Kanawha Baptist Church, said that it may be possible that William Morris, who lived in the Kanawha Valley, persudaded James Johnston to come from Rockingham County, Virginia, to pastor the Kanawha church after another preacher failed to come. Robert Semple in his book, THE RISE AND PROGRESS OF THE BAPTIST IN VIRGINIA, states that James Johnston was the first Baptist preacher who visited the southern part of western Virginia after John Alderson had located in Greenbrier County. He said that Johnston eventually became a resident. Semple also states that Johnston helped Alderson organize the Indian Creek Church in 1792 and the Big Levels Baptist Church outside of Lewisburg in 1796.
James Johnston pastored the Kanawha Baptist Church until the spring of 1803. During his pastorate, the membership grew from twelve members in 1796 to forty-five by 1803. The church was responsible for starting two other churches during this time. The Peters Creek Church started on July 18, 1800, with Edward Hughes responsible for the work, and the Mouth of Cole (Coal) Church started on August 16, 1800, with Jonathan Hillard responsible for this church.
James Johnston helped to organize the Greenbrier Baptist Association. He was one of only three ordained ministers in that part of Virginia in the early 1800's. John Alderson and Josiah Osborne being the other two. Four churches formed this Association in 1801. In 1803 Mouth of Cole (Coal) Church and the Peters Creek Church were added to the Association.
In February or early March of 1803, Elder Johnston went to Kentucky to pastor. David Benedict records that a James Johnston pastored the Wilson's Run Baptist Church in the Bracken Association of Kentucky.
Other details of his life, especially his latter days have not come to light. The record shows that he was certainly a fine pastor, and God used him in a wonderful way in Virginia and Kentucky.
Some of the early members of the Kanawha Baptist Church were founding families of the Kanawha Valley. John Hansford, Sr., was a charter member of Old Kanawha and one of its outstanding leaders for more than fifty years. John Jones, who settled the area which is now Pratt, West Virginia, was probably a charter member. The Morris family (John, William, Benjamin and Levi) played a significant part in the church. Some other names that appear in the early minutes of the church are Abraham Baker, David Jarrett, William Huddleston, Edward Hughes, Lewis Jones, Thomas Hilman, Thomas Riggs, Davis Alderson, Richard Hicks, and Nelson Priddy.
Between 1797 and 1825 approximately sixty people joined the church, along with those who were already members. In the recording of members the minutes show that by October 16, 1802, eighty people had been received into the membership of the church. However, by July of 1807 a report to the Greenbrier Baptist Association meeting read a membership of thirty-three. The meeting places for the church were scattered over a wide area. The minutes for 1797 do not tell where they met, but they state that at the May 27, 1797, meeting Elder James Johnston presided. In 1798 they met at Peters Creeek, John Morris's place, and the Meeting House (wherever that was). Some places were not recorded, even though the church met. The expression "Kanawha Church Branch" is used for a meeting place between June and November of 1798. The minutes state that on November 17, 1798, the "Canawha" Church met.
In 1799, the year George Washington died, the church met eleven times, according to the minutes, but the only location mentioned was John Morris's place. In 1800 the members came together for business and preaching nine times. One time they could not meet because of high water. At that time there no locks or dams on the Kanawha River and when the spring thaw and rains would come, the river would flood. In October they met at the mouth of Coal River, which was an "arm" of the Kanawha Baptist Church and eventually became a church. In 1801 the people met eleven times, but not one place or preaching was mentioned. Presumably, James Johnston did the preaching since he was still the pastor of the church.
On ten occasions the church gathered in 1802. In March they were unable to meet because of rain and high water. They met at the Meeting House four times, the place where they met in 1798. Its location is not mentioned. The only preacher listed in the minutes was Edward Hughes who was responsible for the arm of the church located at the mouth of Cole River. In 1803 the church met the following times: four times at the Meeting House, one time at the home of John Hansford, Sr., and six times at unlisted locations. Neither is a preacher mentioned. The 1804 record shows that services were held eleven times. Eight times no place is mentioned One they met at Catherine Marris's place; twice they met at John Hansford's place (Crown Hill). In 1805 the church gathered only eight times. Five times the place is not mentioned. David Jarrett's place is mentioned for the first time. The Meeting House and the home of John Hansford are mentioned. On September 17, 1805, Elder John Alderson was the preacher for the day. There are no preachers mentioned for the year of 1806. They did meet nine times. Three times they were unable to meet. One new place is recorded: the home of John Jones. Mr. Hansford is named three times as hosting the meeting. In 1807 they were able to meet six times. March and April were high-ater months. The church met only once, and possibly twice, in 1808 according to the minutes. There is mention of their meeting but no date is given.
JOHN LEE
1809 - 1818
In 1809 Elder John Lee appears for the first time in the minutes of the Kanawha Baptist Church. The minutes record they met only four times that year. No meeting places are mentioned. Elder Lee is the preacher for May 20 and October 15. Elder Alderson is the preacher for June 18. In 1810 the church gathered five times with Elder Lee preaching on December 15. No locations are given. The minutes for 1811 reveal the church met four times. John Lee was there on February 16. Again, no locations are mentioned.
During the war of 1812 the minutes show the church meeting only seven times: four times in 1812, once in 1814, and twice in 1815. It is interesting that for May of 1814, May 20, 1815, and October 14, 1815, the church met at a place called the Union Meeting House. That is the first time in the minutes the name is used. No preachers or locations were mentioned for that period. During the years of 1816 and 1817 the church met five times. No preacher is mentioned, and the only location given is John Hansford's place. That meeting took place on August 21, 1816.
Starting in 1818 the minutes show a number of preachers who preached at the Kanawha Church. Elder Lee is mentioned for the last time in the June 20, 1818, meeting. The church met four times in that year with no locations given. John Morris preached twice that year: April 18 and October 17. They assembled twice in 1819. No location is given. Elder John Young was the preacher on September 18. There is only one entry for 1820 and one for 1821. John Morris preached on March 2, 1820, and on April 13, 1822. The church met twice in 1823, once at the home of John Hansford on November 29 and once at the home of John Jones on December 21. Elder James Ellison preached at the November meeting and James McAboy in December.
The records show that the church had services five times in 1824. The first time was on April 5 at the home of John Jones. There was no preacher listed for that day. At the April 8 meeting held at John Hansford's, they called Elder John Morris to be their pastor. Elder Morris preached again at the June 26 meeting held at Mr. Hansford's. For the July 24 meeting, they met at the home of Nelson Priddy. This is the first time the minutes tell us the church met at his place. No preacher is listed for the day. The next meeting is held at John Hansford's place, and John Morris preached.
After Pastor Johnston left for Kentucky, the minutes of the Kanawha Church do not show very many services with preachers. It seems that two men play an important role from 1809 until 1824--Elders John Lee and and John Morris.
Elder Lee came from Southeastern Virginia around 1800. Whe he started preaching, he was illerate, but through hard work he learned to read and became well acquainted with the Bible. He had organized the Teay's Valley Baptist Church by 1806. It was received into the Greenbrier Association in 1807. He also was used of the Lord to organize the Mud River Baptist Church which was received into the Association in 1808. Elder Lee was one of the first preachers in the Teay's Valley Association when it was organized in 1812. He probably removed to Lawrence County, Ohio around 1825. Some indicate that he preached the annual sermon for the Teays Valley Association meeting in 1827.
It is reported that he was highly esteemed and greatly used in that area of Ohio where he settled. He was the moderator of the Ohio Association for many years. Joseph Alderson in his HISTORICAL SKETCH OF THE GREENBRIER BAPTIST ASSOCIATION (1842) says Elder Lee "...removed to Ohio where he died a few years ago, greatly lamented by all who knew him."
TO THE BREAK: 1825 - 1845
WILLIAM A. WOOD
1825 - 1832
In May of 1825, the name of Elder William A. Wood (1769-1832) first appears in the minutes of the Kanawha Baptist Church. Wood was called to be the pastor on November 12, 1825. He preached for them until 1832. The last entry for him in the minutes is for May 20.
According to the minutes there were thirty-six additions to the church during the minnistry of William A. Wood. They met at least fifty times while he was pastor. The record shows that they met five times in 1825, eleven times in 1826, ten times in 1827, three times in 1828, seven times in 1829, seven times in 1830, eight times in 1831, and eight times in 1832.
William A. Wood was born on February 8, 1769, in Fluvanna County, Virginia. His father died when William was just three years old, leaving a wife and five children, of whom William was the youngest. William not have much opportunity for education. As a youngster he served for three years during the American Revolution guarding military stores near his mother's residence.
After his marriage in 1801 to Frances Sanders, he stayed in the area and took care of his mother until she died. In 1810 he sold out and moved his family to Kanawha County where he spent the rest of his life.
Elder Wood was converted in 1813 or 1814. In the area where he lived, a typhus fever epidemic broke out. He was one of the few spared. Reflecting on that experienc brought him to the place of trusting Jesus Christ as he personal Saviour. He struggled with baptism but through a study of the New Testament became convinced that he should be baptized. He was subsequently baptized in 1815 at the Baptist church which worshipped at the upper falls of Coal River.
His public ministry started right away. He organized neighborhood prayer meetings and God blessed these efforts with people saved and added to the church. He was licensed to preach in June of 1816 and ordained in August of 1819 by Elders Lee, Newman, and Young. Most of his ministry was within the boundaries of the Teay's Valley Association. He was responsible for starting several churches that became part of the Association.
The following families were some of the places where the church met: John Hansford, Sr., John Jones, Levi Morris, Benjamin Morris, George Richards, Widow Morris, Samuel Shrewsbury, and Captain John Harvey. With the exception of one time in 1825, when a preacher ws listed in the minutes, Elder Wood did the preaching.
In January of 1833 he was confined with what was thought to be a rheumatic affliction in his leg. But February 17 he was suddenly taken ill at breadfast but recovered a little and was able to give instructions to his family; however, he died on that same day.
WILLIAM CLAIBORNE LIGON
1832 - 1840
The first time Elder William C. Ligon (1796 - 1877) is mentioned in the minutes is November 4, 1832, and the last mention of him is September 6, 1840. He was born on December 18, 1796, in Prince Edward County, Virginia, to William and Sarah (Leigh) Ligon. He was converted at eighteen years of age and ordained to the ministry in 1825 by Elders P.P. Smith and Clapton. He studied at Golgotha Academy.
He pastored five years in Lynchburg, Virginia, before coming to the Kanawha Baptist Church. He pastored Old Kanawha until September of 1840. In 1841 he moved to Missouri and settled near Carollton. For thirty years he labored in that part of the state. He was pastor at Lexington, Dover, Liberty, Richmond, and Carrollton. He also had a successful evangelistic ministry in Clay, Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He was instrumental in helping to start William Jewell College in 1849. He died in Dover, Missouri, on April 13, 1877.
Under the ministry of Elder William C. Ligon there were approximately 150 additions to the church , and they met about seventy-seven times. In every case where a preacher was listed, Elder Ligon did the preaching, except September 7, 1839, when Joshua Bradley preached.
During Ligon;s ministry the Gauley Bridge arm was started in 1834. They met there on August 10 and 12 and twelve people were received into the church by experience and baptism. Miles Manser was authorized to hold prayer meetings and exhort the people.
According to the minutes an interesting change took place in their meeting places. For a long time they had met often at John Hansford's place. Gradually, through the early 1830's, the church started meeting more and more at the Hansford Meeting House in Crown Hill and the Shrewsbury Meeting House in Belle, and by the middle of the 1830's reference is made to these places almost exclusively. After February 4, 1837, until August 2, 1845, when the minutes end, there is no reference made to the meeting place, though the church did meet about fifty-two times.
MALOY MASON ROCK
1843 - 1849
The only preachers who are mentioned in the minutes after Elder Ligon are James Mitchell, who preached on May 7, 1842, and May 6, 1843, and Elder Wythal Wood who preached on October 6, 1842. Elder Wood was converted on September 7, 1833, at the Hansford Meeting House, along with twelve others. They were baptized the same day. The minutes show that Elder Maloy Mason. Rock (Jan1819-May1850) preached December 31, 1842, and was accepted into the membership of the church.
According to Shirley Donnelly, who wrote a history of the church for its 150th anniversary, Elder Rock pastored the church from 1843 to 1849. He is mentioned in the minutes on August 5, 1843, where he was instructed by the church to attend the Association meeting along with Felix Hansford. John Harriman and Ira McConnihay were chosen as alternates. On September 2, 1843, the church voted to send Felix G. Hansford, Elder Maloy Rock, and Brother John Harriman to the Greenbrier Convention as their delegates. At the October 7 meeting of the church the delegates to the Convention gave their reports. During the August 4, 1844, meeting Elder Rock was to be the delegate to the Western Virginia Baptist Association. At the October 5 meeting his report was given. The next to the last entry in the minute book dated July 5, 1845, stated that Elder Rock and William McConnihay were the alternate delegates to the Teays Valley Association meeting. Elder M.M Rock died in May, 1850, of consumption. He is buried in the family plot at the Spring Hill Cemetery in Charleston, West Virginia.
The minutes end with July 5, 1845, and resume on April 7, 1867, because the pages were cut out of the minute book.
THE CHURCH IN THE COUNTY
THE MISSING YEARS: 1845 - 1867
Through means other than the minute book, we learn about some of the activities of the Old Kanawha Baptist Church during the years 1845 through 1867.
Shirley Donnally writes that Elder M.M. Rock served the church from 1843 to 1849. The church had no pastor from 1850 to 1852. During 1853 Ralph Swinburn (4Aug-7Jun1895) served the church; but from 1853 to 1859, there was only occasional preaching.
MARTIN BIBB
1859 - 1861
James E. Middleton states in his Centennial address on the history of the church in 1893, that Felix G. Hansford, Sr., of "his own private means, built and furnished a new church building in Clifton [Pratt] on the lot where Mr. William S. Haymaker has his home." The pastor of the church was Martin Bibb, who pastored from 1859 until 1861. The church was burned by Federal soldiers during the Civil War. The house built on that lot in 1881 by William A. Haymaker was the house that Mr. W. A. Baughan bought in the early 1920's and now owned by the Wilson family.
Martin Bibb was born in Amherst County, Virginia, on August 19, 1824. In 1829 his father, with his family, located on what is now Sewell Depot, West Virginia, on the Chesapeake and Ohio Railroad. Having no formal schooling, he became a self-taught man, teaching himself Latin and Greek. He worked his farm during the day and studied by light of a pine torch at night.
He united with the church when he was twenty years old and soon began to speak in prayer meetings and was the superintendent of a Sunday School. He was locensed to preach in 1849. He acted as a colporteur for the American Tract Society until 1852. In that year Bibb was ordained to the gospel ministry and began to pastor in Fayette, Nicholas, and Kanawha Counties until 1861.
The General Association sent out sixty-one missionaries across Virginia. Twenty-one of those were in the western part of the state. Of those twenty-one, the name of Martin Bibb, along with others, occurs frequently in the writings of this Association in the late 1850's and early 1860's.
When the Civil War started in 1861, Martin Bibb moved to Giles County, Virginia. When the war was over in 1865, he moved his family back to West Virginia, where he resumed his work on the farm and among the churches. But after a brief period of time, he moved to Monroe County, where he lived for about five years and then became pastor of the First Baptist Church in Hinton. During his ministry he saw about a thousand people baptized. He served for a number of years as clerk for the Association. He died January 11, 1893 and is buried in the Bibb family cemetery near Gatewood, Fayette County, West Virginia.
From 1861 to 1867 the Old Kanawha Baptist Church had preaching only occasionally. Some of the preachers were Thomas Harmon, Hezekiah Chilton, Lewis Anderson (Alderson?), Elder Dodge, Matthew Ellison, James E. Ellison, and Felix Ellison.
It was a very difficult time for the nation as well as for the western sectiion of Virginia. A struggle for power and position was going on between the mountaineers of the west and the plantatiion owners of the east. The struggle finally resulted in the formation of the state of West Virginia in June of 1863. Also, as a border state between the North and South, West Virginia experienced a lot of troop movement throughout Kanawha County and the surrounding counties during the Civil War, especially during 1861 and 1862. The Thirty-seventh Ohio Volunteer Infantry, Company C, went into winter quarters in Clifton (Pratt) in December of 1861. Captain Charles Hipps was in charge of this company. After several movements in different directions in the state, they went by steamer to Cincinnati, Ohio, on December 30, 1862.
Mrs. Martha G. Hansford Smith states in the minute book of the Old Kanawha Baptist Church that she was living at the home of Mr. Felix G. Hansford, Sr., the son of John Hansford, Sr., who lived in Hansford when the soldiers occupied his property. She personally say them destroy some of the minute book and recorded this account:
This book was destroyed and scribbled on by the soldiers of Captain Hipp, Company D
[C], Regiment Thirty-seventh, Ohio Volunteers in November of 1861, when they were
camped in the yard of F.G. Hansford, Sr., and had their headquarters in his home.
Written by Martha G. Hansford Smith, who was living there at the time and can truly say
it was willfully and shamefully destroyed.
The Uncertain Years: 1867 - 1888
The first entry in the minute book resumes on April 7, 1867, and reads as follows:
Sermon preached by J.C. Robertson (26Nov1838-10Jul1867) then proceeded to business--
Brother J.C. Robertson was unanimously elected for our pastor his time beginning first Sunday
in June 1867 and his time expires in May 1868. Bro. Joshua Harriman was elected for deacon.
Another entry in the minute book dated October 13, 1874, says, "The record above indicates the last service ever held by [Rev. Robertson in] the Kanawha church--very soon after Rev. J.C. Robertson was taken sick and died in Monroe County, West Virginia."
There is no record in the minute book of the ministers who preached from 1867 until 1874. The
next entry dated October 13, 1874, records that Elders A.M. Simms and Baylus Cade 
(1844-1918) held a three-day meeting at the church during which the church was reorganized. Simms made the statement that the church was nearly dead. Amazingly, God interevened to save the church from extinction. The minutes for the next few years indicate that the church's survival is a miracle. At times only eight people attended the services.
During 1875 several preachers filled the pulpit of Old Kanawha. They were A.M. Simms, Powell Benton Reynolds (9Jan1841-29Dec1914), Baylus Cade, and William Parkerson Walker (14May1834-17May1905). A Pastor's Conference of the Teays Vally, Kanawha Valley, and Guyandote Associations was held October 29, 1875, at Clifton (Pratt). Rev. Ralph Swinburn was the only preacher present, so he preached five times. There were no additions according to the minutes recorded by S.L. Doddridge who was the church clerk at that time.
SAMUEL M. FERRELL
APRIL1876 - OCTOBER 1876
Having accepted a call from the members of the Old Kanawha Baptist Church to preach for one year, Rev. S.M. Ferrell began his ministry on April 1, 1876, at 7:30 p.m. He preached from Acts 5:20. The next day he preached at the 11:00 a.m. service from John 13:34,35. Only nine people were present to hear the sermon. He preached his last sermon as pastor of the church on October 15, 1876. The minutes state that "this closed his ministry for this time and they paid him by subscription $58.33."
Rev. A.M. Simms preached on October 18 and Baylus Cade on December 2, 1876. For the first time in ten years the church observed the Lord's Supper on December 3, 1876, with eight members present. During 1877 a few preachers were listed. G.L. Roberts preached in April and May. From August 3 to 5, the Kanawha Valley Baptist Association met at the church in Hansford. The introductory sermon was preached by Rev. T.F. Holt. This is the first mention of him in the minutes. W.L. Gibson preached the evening service. On the fourth, Baylus Cade, Rev. Farrow, and Thomas Allen, who was a missionary from Dayton, Ohio, preached. On the fifth there was a combined Sunday School with good representation from the Clifton and Hansford Sunday Schools. Baylus Cade preached the 11:00 a.m. service and Missionary Allen preached the 8:00 p.m. service. In October and November T.F. Holt preached several sermons.
In 1878 the Old Kanawha Baptist Church had a number of preachers come, and they called a pastor. Gibson, Simms, Roberts, Weeks, Allen, and Foster filled the pulpit. Missionary Thomas Allen came to preach on September 2 at the Clifton location. On Tuesday, September 3, he lectured on foreign missions, and a collection of $5.00 was received. Mr. Foster preached the evening service. Mr. Foster preached the evening service on October 1.
STEPHEN LLOYD WEEKS
1878 - 1880
On November 2, Rev. S.L. Weeks preached in the morning service at 11:00. A church meeting was called for Monday night. According to the minutes, Brother L. Wood, after discussing with the forty members present whether or not they should call Brother Weeks "it was decided to call Bro. Weeks to preach one year beginning with the present service. His salary to be decided hereafter."
Stephen Lloyd Weeks was born in Floyd County, Virginia. He was licensed to preach on December 14, 1866, and ordained in 1867 at the Zoar Baptist Church. He pastored at Salem, Mt. Pleasant, Hopewell, Laurel Creek, Bonds Creek, Liberty, Bethel, Good, Jennette, Flat Fork, Big Sandy, and West Charleston, all in West Virginia.
From the 1870's until the early 1890's, the church met in Clifton and Hansford. In 1875 the Old Kanawha, along with the Methodist Episcopal Church, South, built the Union Church in Clifton, which is now the Town Hall.
In 1879 most of the preaching ws done by Rev. S.L. Weeks, who preached mostly in Clifton. But there were others who also preached in the Hansford meeting place and it seems that James Roberts did a lot of the preaching during this year. Mr. A.E. Alexander was the church clerk. On October 12 Rev. Weeks was elected as pastor for another year.
WILLIAM HENRY HARRISON ADAMS
1881 - 1885
Here there are several pages missing from the book. The next entry is for February 16, 1861, when a meeting was held in the Clifton church. The church met for business after the sermon by Brother Adams. An entry for June 16, 1881, states that the Clifton church met and after a sermon by the pastor, W.H. Adams, the church was called to order. Mr. J.E. Dickinson was the clerk. Again, more pages are missing from the minute book, and the next entry is for October 31, 1882. The church called Pastor Adams for another year and set his salary at $100.00 a year. Services
were to be held in the Clifton church the first Sunday of each month at 11:00 a.m. Mr. W. S. Haymaker was the church clerk.
In April of 1883 the church experienced a great revival under the leadership of Pastor Adams with the assistance of C.E. Wrenn of Kanawha Falls. The Paint Creek Church had a three-week meeting that resulted in thrity-four conversions; thirty-one were received into the Old Kanawha Baptist Church. In November the church met at Paint Creek and Brother Adams was called to serve the church at Paint Creek and Dego (Pratt) for another year. The name of the town had been changed to Dego in 1870. Preaching services were to be held at Dego every first Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. and at Paint Creek every third Sunday at 11:00 a.m. and 7:00 p.m. Pastor Adams served the church until 1885. An entry in the minutes states "...that the balance due our last pastor Bro. W.H. Adams, had been collected and forwarded to him."
Rev. William H. Adams (1840 - 1930) was born in Campbell County, Virginia, on March 5, 1840. He was baptized by Rev. G.W. McGraw in 1867 and ordained to the ministry in 1869 at the Pleasant View Baptist Church in West Virginia. He pastored a number of Baptist churches in the state: Ambell, Coal Valley, Old Greenbrier, Old Kanawha, Hampton, Anstead, Lansing, Fayetteville, and Kanawha Falls. His longest pastorate was at Janette (1868-1897). He was responsibe for organizing the Baptist church in Montgomery. He was involved in the Home Missionary Society and served as president of the General Association in 1874.
He died of paralysis on November 8, 1930, in Corliss, West Virginia. He was buried in the Shawver Cemetery at Corliss, in Fayette County. He was a Civil War veteran.
THOMAS H. FITZGERALD
JANUARY 1886 -DECEMBER 1886
On December 11, 1885, T.H. Firzgerald was invited to preach for the church. After hearing him preach, the church called him to pastor. The minutes indicate for January 24, 1886, that he was to be notified of that call. It was for one-fourth time (one Sunday a month) and would pay $125.00 a year. He was to start in January of 1886 and would be expected to preach three sermons at each appointment. The BAPTIST MINISTERIAL DIRECTORY FOR 1899 states that he was born in Buckingham, County, Virginia. He attended Richmond College in 1876. His ordination took place in 1875 at the Pleasant Grove Baptist Church. He pastored at Broad Run (1882-1890), Oak Hill (1890-1894), and Central City (1894-). He preached at Old Kanawha until December of 1886. At the meeting for December 5, which was his closing service, the church decided to postpone until January of 1887 any action on calling another pastor because there were only five members present. These five were encouraged to get others out for the January meeting.
Evidently during this period, James C. Cline was preching for them because on February 20, 1887, the church was called to order by J.C. Cline for the reception of new members. He had held a meeting for ten or twelve days which resulted in nine people being received into the membership of the church, five of whom were baptized on February 20, 1887. At a business meeting on March 11, 1887, a call was extended to J.C. Cline to be the pastor "for one-fourth time, to be paid my monthly contributions. The call would be for as long as church and pastor are agreed. The time for the meeting would be the third Sunday in the month. The last time he appears in the record is March of 1888.
The DIRECTORY (1899) states that James C. Cline (1842-1937) was born at Tug River, Virginia. He was licensed to preach in 1876 at the Green Bottom Church in West Virginia, and ordained in June of 1877 at the Campbells Church of the same state. In West Virginia, he pastored at Belcher, Bean Creek, Brownstown (Marmet), Evans Fork, Healing Stream, Old Kanawha, Mill Creek, Mt. Alpha, Myrtle Tree, Sandy Bottom (Shrewsbury), Sweet Home, White Oak, and Witcher Creek. In Ohio he pastored at Antiquity
In June of 1887 a motion was made in a business meeting to draw up a covenant and by-laws for the church. In the July meeting of the church, the clerk was given until the August meeting to report on the covenant and by-laws. At the August meeting, the Articles of Faith and Covenant were read and on motion were accepted and ordered to be placed in the minute book. Mr. J.E. Dickenson was appointed to write the by-laws for the church. The by-laws were adopted and recorded at the September 17 meeting. The September 18 meeting was held at 11:00 a.m. The church ordained Mr. J.A. Wood and Mr. J.G. Hansford as deacons of the church. Brother W.J. Cocke of St. Albans preached the sermon and Brother T.F. Holt of Caskin gave the charge to the candidates. Deacon Shelton Jones and Calvin Alexander of Hampton Baptist Church in East Bank were there, as well as Pastor Cline.
In October the church list was revised. There were forty-four recorded in the book, and nineteen of them answered to roll call. The clerk was instructed to write to those who were not there. At the November meeting, twelve answered the roll call. There were twenty-two who answered roll call for the December 17 meeting. The had a revival meeting that resulted in the addition of tem new names, with five of them waiting for baptism. A special offeing of $17.68 was taken for Pastor Cline "in appreciation for his faithfulness in the recent meetings."
THE CHURCH IN THE TOWN
The Building Years: 1888 - 1922
In the January 1888 meeting there were nineteen present and only fourteen present in the February meeting. By the end of March, Brother Cline was no longer the pastor. Brother Wilson G. Hoover called the meeting to order in May. In June he was called to be the pastor of the church. In July Brother Holt and D.W. Burger were present to help Pastor Hoover in a week of meetings. Then, on August 18, Brother Hoover submitted his resignation, and on motion by Mr. C.A. Frazer it was accepted. At the same meeting a motion was made to call D. Woodson Burger to serve as pastor for the next year.
At the February 3, 1889, meeting Brother Burger was called to serve as pastor for another year. It was understood that he would preach two sermons at Clifton and one at the Paint Creek Church at each appointment. It is also interesting that at this same meeting Brother Frazer was "appointed to secure contributions for the building of a new church and report at the next meeting." This is the first time in the minutes the plan for building their own church building is mentioned. On May 13 a called meeting was held to consult on ways and means for building a new church house. The minutes state:
$377.75 was reported subscribed $135.35 in the hands of treasurer (Bro. J.A. Wood). A
committee was then appointed to select location for the house composed of Bro. Frazsur,
Wood and Smith and Sister Doddridge, Ann Nugen, Ellen Wood. Frazsur to report at next
meeting. Call of pastor postponed until next meeting.
THOMAS FRANCIS HOLT
1889 - 1893
Evidently, something happened concerning Pastor Burger because in the May 19 meeting, the church called Rev. T.F. Holt to be the pastor. At the July 29 meeting the first order of business was to "correct financial sect. report in the May meeting wherein he reported $377.75 whereas $243 is the true report as subscribed $200.35 now in hand of treasurer." The church then appointed Brother Baughan, Frazer and Wood as trustees to locate a lot for the new church house. Mrs. Julian E. Dickerson gave a lot to the church as a gift. In the May 18, 1890, meeting they called Pastor Holt for another year. He was to be paid $90.00 a year. The clerk was to notify Brother Holt of the call.
There were two outstanding events that took place during the ministry of Pastor Holt: the dedication of the new church in 1892 and the Centennial celebration in June of 1893. In April of 1890 the church had $502.00 in the bank for the new building. On May 10 they contracted with Mr. William Harold of Charleston, West Virginia, to build a church building. They would pay $400.00 when all the materials for the building were on the lot where the church was to be built and another $300.00 more when the building was completed. It is noted in the minutes for July 12, 1890, that there was no meeting in June because of trouble in the neighborhood. In the minutes for August 9, there was no service because the pastor was sick. But this very important piece of information was recorded:
But it seems necessary to here make a record of a loss sustained by the church, which
falls very heavily on us at this time. On the 31st day of July 1890 we had our new House
of Worship burned by an incendiary just before it was finished. But we have not given up
but expect to build again soon.
In January of 1891 the church instructed the attorney to press the suit against the insurance company for the money thaat was due them from the building that was destroyed by fire the previous July. A new building committee which had been appointed raised $441.87 which was added to the $162.42 cash in the treasury, making a total of $609.29. In May Pastor Holt encouraged the people in rebuilding the church house. During this period all of their work seems to revolve around making plans to raise money for the new church building. In the July 11, 1891, meeting the minutes reveal that a contract was made with Mr. S. Williams for the building of a house of worship. A new lot had been purchased for that purpose. This lot was located between Center Street and Ferry Street on Pratt Avenue.
At the October 10, 1891, meeting of the church it was reported that the new church was finished and the business session that day dealt with reports from the various committees and how they could raise money to pay for the building. The minutes for Valentine's Day, 1892, showed there were ten present. The first installment of $185.65 had been paid toward the church debt. One of the committees was to look into the suit that was pending. They also had communion service. In March the trustees were called upon to give a report concerning their progress in collecting the insurance on the burnt church house guaranteed to them by the contractor who had a builders risk on the building.
At the April meeting the church discussed ways and means of paying off the church debt, which was to be paid in full at maturity. Evidently, by the May meeting the insurance money had been received by the church, for they decided to appropriate a part of it to pay off the notes given to the contractor of the new house.
Dr. T.C. Johnson gives a description of the new church in THE BAPTIST BANNER:
It is a pretty structure to begin with and is seated with ash pews of pretty designs, trimmed
with walnut; the pulpit floor and aisles are carpeted with ingrain of pretty figure and appropriate
shade; pretty oil lamp chandeliers furnish abundant light. A 750 pound bell sends forth its deep
tone to call the people together for worship and work. This house with all of its furniture is paid
for. Not a dollar of debt, and money in the treasur[y]. The membership of the church is not large
(45 last year), and none of them wealthy....These ladies made and sold 500 sun-bonnets, 300
aprons, 16 silk quilts, 4 rag carpets and other things, running into thousands.
The dedication of the new church took place on October 30, 1892. Dr. T.C. Johnson, pastor of the Baptist Temple in Charleston, West Virginia, preached the dedication sermon from Psalms 96:6, "Strength and beauty are in his sanctuary." A brief history of the church was read from the record books by Robert Dickinson. Pastor T.F. Holt told the story of the building of the church, and the dedicatory prayer was offered by Brother T.G. Bonham.
Another highlight in the ministry of Pastor Holt was the Centennial celebration that took place on June 11, 1893. Again, Dr. T.C. Johnson, from the Baptist Temple in Charleston, was called upon to preach for the Sunday morning service. There were services on Saturday with Brother Hughart preaching in the 11:00 a.m. service and Dr. Johnson preaching at night. The crowds were not large for those services.
The Sunday services started at 10:00 a.m. Many former members came for the occasion but only one former pastor, James C. Cline. Pastor Holt had the devotional exercises at the 10:00 a.m. service. At 10:30 Mr. James A. Middleton, a former member of Old Kanawha, read a history of the church that was later published in THE BAPTIST BANNER. Then a poem was read which was written especially for the occasion by Victoria Hansford Teays. She was the daughter of John Hansford, the son of John Hansford, Sr., one of the original members of the church. Then at the 11:00 service, Dr. Johnson preached from Hebrews 11:40 on the theme "Our Duty to the Past." The Scripture lesson was read from the family Testament of Major John Hansford. An offering was taken for foreign missions. Sunday School was held in the afternoon and another service that night with Rev. W.J. Cocke preaching. All in all, it was a wonderful day of remembrance, getting reacquainted with old friends, and enjoying the blessings of God. Pastor Holt's ministry closed during this year. The minutes of the Witcher Creek Baptist Church state that he came as their pastor in January of 1894. The last entry in the Old Kanawha Baptist Church minute book for him was June 10, 1893.
Rev. Thomas Francis Holt (1828-1910) was born in Charles City County, Virginia, on June 24, 1828. He was the son of Thomas and Nancy Phillips Holt. He came to Kanawha County in 1838 where he lived for the rest of his life. He was converted as a young boy and was connected with the Methodist Episcopal Church. However, in 1852, he was baptized by Rev. James Eli Ellison and became a member of the Mt. Olivet Baptist Church at South Malden. He was licensed to preach in 1854 and ordained to the gospel ministry in 1856 by the Mt. Olivet church. According Lasher (1899), Rev. Holt pastored Amwell, Mt. Olivet, Green Bottom, Stanley, Campbells Creek, Burning Springs, Old Kanawha, Cannelton, Healing Stream, and New Hope. He pastored the Mt. Olivet church for over thirty years.
He was married on May 8, 1851, to Miss Matilda Farrell (1830-1869) who had been born in the Kanawha Valley. They had eight children. After the death of his first wife, Pastor Holt married Miss Fannie Kneisley (1841-1939) on March 5, 1872. They had five children. Fannie's father, Jacob Kneisley, was one of the pioneer salt manufacturers of the Kanawha Valley.
Pastor Holt lived in Carkin, West Virginia, for about thirty years. He worked for Mr. Carkin a coal operator and owner of the general store. His last years were spent in Pratt, where he worked in the store of his son, J.A.B. Holt. He died at 2:30 on Saturday morning, February 26, 1910, in his eighty-first year. He left behind a wife and eight children. He had, in all, living and dead, thirteen children, twenty-eight grandchildren, and fourteen great-grandchildren.
The funeral service was conducted by Dr. T.C. Johnson, pastor of the Baptist Temple in Charleston, West Virginia, on February 27, 1910, at 2:00 p.m. Other ministers who were present and participated in the funeral were Jeremiah S. Poe, G.W. Huddleston, C.B. Ayars, T.Y. Keeney, and B.F. Howell. Three of these men, Howell, Huddleston, and Ayars, later pastored Old Kanawha.
WILLIAM JOSEPH COCKE
1894 - 1896
The next entry in the book was for April 7, 1894, and Rev. William Joseph Cocke was the pastor. The minutes state: "Church met on this Saturday before the second Sunday in April for business with the pastor W.J. Cocke in the chair. This being the first meeting since the church called Bro. Cocke to preach for them." Pastor Cocke stayed until March 7, 1896, when the church voted to discontinue his services.
He was born on February 4, 1844, in Hanover County, Virginia. His parents died while he was still an infant, and he was reared by his uncle. He joined the Confederate Army a few months before his eighteenth birthday, caught the measles and had to be sent out; then he enlisted again, this time in Company H, 22nd Virginia Infantry. After getting out of the service, he went back to his uncle's farm in Bedford County, Virginia, and got a job working for the Virginia and Tennessee Railroad. He was an engineer for six years.
Pastor Cocke was converted as a young child, baptized when he was thirteen, and felt the call of God on his life for the ministry. He accepted a position as a missionary colporteur for the Strawberry Baptist Association at $300.00 a year. He studied on his own to make up for his educational deficiency. He was ordained to the ministry on September 2, 1870, at the Liberty Baptist Church in Virginia.
His pastorates included six years at the Baptist church in St. Albans and six years at Twentieth Street Baptist Church in Huntington. He served rural churches until 1929; then he retired from an active ministry.
Pastor Cocke married Charmain Hamrick on October 4, 1874. They had four children. His wife died in 1917 and in 1926 he married Carrie Miller. He died on Thursday afternoon, December 8, 1938, at 3:00 from a stroke he had suffered that morning at his home. Funeral services were held at Fifth Avenue Baptist Church, and he was buried at Spring Hill Cemetery, in Huntington, where he had been the sexton for sixteen years.
GIBSON S. DAUGHERTY
1896 - 1897
In a special business meeting caled for September 28, 1896, Gibson S. Daugherty was called to be the pastor. He started his ministry on October 10, 1896, and pastored until June 19, 1897. When he offered his resignation, the congregation protested. Pastor Daugherty and his wife had just joined the church on February. Nontheless, a committee was appointed to cooperate with the Montgomery church in securing the services of a pastor.
Pastor Daugherty was born in Lee County, Virginia. He studied at Flat Lick, Kentucky and Howard College in Alabama. He was licensed to preach on June 8, 1876, and ordained to the ministry on November 7, 1877, at the Mount Zion Church in Kentucky. He pastored churches in Alabama, Tennessee, Arkansas, Texas, South Carolina and West Virginia. His pastorate in Milton, Montgomery, and Dego churches lasted from 1896 to 1897.
FRANK WESLEY ASQUITH
1897 - 1898
At a specially called business meeting of the church on August 30, 1897, F. W. Asquith was called to the pastor. His pay was to be $100.00 for the year and as much over that as possible. He served the church until July of 1898. At the business meeting held on the 5th, the church voted not to extend a call to Pastor Asquith to serve another year.
Lasher (1899) wrote that Rev. Asquith was born in Germantown, Pennsylvania. In 1895 he attended South Jersey Institute in New Jersey. Further studies were done at Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, home of the first Baptist church in America (1639). His theological training was at Crozer Theological Seminary in Pennsylvania and Hamilton Theological Seminary in New York. He was licensed to preach on September 18, 1896, at the Third Church in Germantown, Pennsylvania, and ordained to the ministry on October 7, 1897, at Coal Valley Baptist Church in Montgomery, West Virginia. He pastored the Coal Valley Church in Montgomery and Old Kanawha in Dego. As of 1899 he was living in Hamilton, New York.
CHARLES THOMAS KIRTNER
1899 - 1901
At the November 3, 1898, meeting of the church, C. T. Kirtner (1860-1919) was called to be the pastor. The salary ws $150.00 a year. He was elected for another year in October of 1899 and was to preach two Sundays in the month, if that could be arranged. A protracted meeting was held in April of 1900 that resulted in five conversions. At the November meeting, Pastor Kirtner was called for another year. He was to preach two Sundays each month and was to be paid $250.00 a year.
Charles Thomas Kirtner was born on March 17, 1860, in Athens, West Virginia. He studied at Richmond College, Crozer Theological Seminary and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He was licensed to preach in 1884 at the Princeton church in West Virginia and ordained at the Simmons Creek Church. He pastored the Simmons Church Creek Church (1888-1889), Pennsburg (1889-1890), and the Greenbrier Baptist Church in Alderson (1890-1893). Also, he pastored at Milton, Meed River (1893-1896), Central Church, Hunter (1896-1898), Milton again (1898-1899), and St. Albans, East Bank and Dego (1899-1901).
LOUIS HARRIS SUDDITH
1901 - 1902
At a special business meeting on March 24, 1901, the church extended a call to L. H. Suddith, who was to preach two Sundays each month and the two Saturday nights preceding those Sundays. His salary was $250.00 a year.
Louis Harris Suddith was born in Warrenton, Virginia. He attended Oak Ridge Institute in North Carolina in 1883, studied at Richmond College, and Southern Baptist Theological Seminary. He was licensed to preach on November 27, 1881, in Childry Church in Virginia and was ordained on August 16, 1883, at the First Church in Danville, Virginia. His pastorates included the following churches: First Baptist Church in Hinton, West Virginia (1888-1894); King's Creek, Ohio (1894-1896); and Ashland, Kentucky (1897-1899). He also carried on an evangelistic ministry for three years. His ministy at Old Kanawha ws concluded sometime before August of 1902.
BENJAMIN FRANKLIN HOWELL
1902 - 1903
The first time the town is called Pratt in the minutes is on August 17, 1902, when B.F. Howell was called to pastor the church. He was to preach two Sundays, and his salary was $250.00 a year. The minutes do not record how long he stayed, but the minutes of the Witcher Baptist Church state that he was called to be their pastor in November of 1903.
GEORGE WALTER HUDDLESTON
1904-1909
First Time
The Old Kanawha Baptist Church minute book for March 27, 1904, shows that George Walter Huddleston (1854-1927) of Beckley, West Virginia, received a unanimous call to be the pastor for one-half time (two Sundays a month) at $300.00 a year. In April he was on the field, having accepted the call with the understanding that any time the church wanted to make a change they were to give him three months to give him three months notice, and he would do the same.
Pastor Huddleston had the distinction of being only one of two preachers who pastored the Old Kanawha Church twice. The first time was April 17, 1904, to February of 1909, and the second time was May of 1919 to October of 1922.
During his first pastorate, the first parsonage was built. The church appointed a committee made up of C.H. Frazer and R.L. Dickinson at the April 17, 1904, business meeting. They were to ask the Charles Pratt Company for a lot on which to build a parsonage. The church also appointed a building committee made up of of R.L. Dickinson, Dr. J.A. Wood, H. Willis, B.A. Baughan, C.H. Frazer, and B.H. Early. A lot located by the river on Ferry Street was donated to the church. They borrowed $566.76 in the form of two notes, one for $400.00 and one for $166.76 to finish up the parsonage. Dr. J.A. Wood and C.H. Frazer signed both of the notes.
They also organized a Sunday School on January 31, 1905, and named Rev. L.P. McClung the superintendent, J.H. Willis the assistant, and George Grigg the secretary. A Baptist Young Peoples Union Association was also formed. In June Rev. McClung had changed locations and C.B. Coleman was chosen as the new Sunday School superintendent. He served until 1912. Jesse Huddleston served in the position from 1912 to 1914. Then Mr. Coleman served again for one year. Mr. James Shields was the superintendent from 1916-1918. Mr. J.A.B. Holt served from 1918-1923, and Mr. O.E. Baughan served from September 1923 to 1924. Mr. J.W. Lloyd served as superintendent from September 1924 to September 1927.
When Pastor Huddleston left in February of 1909, the church was running ninety-nine in the morning service and an average of thirty-five in Sunday School. Nine officers and teachers worked in the Sunday School. One person was baptized in 1908; seven were dismissed by letter; two were erased from the membership; and one died.
CALEB B. AYARS
1909 - 1918
On September 19, 1909, the minutes state:
On motion of Bro. B.A. Baughan, seconded by Sister Mrs. G.W. Richardson, Bro. C.B.Ayars
was unanimously called to the pastorate of the Old Kanawha Baptist Church for one year if he
could accept the same at a retainer of $300.00 per year, and free rent and water in the church
parsonage for one half of his time.
A letter was received by the church from Brother C.B. Ayars dated October 4, 1909, stating that he would accept the call to the pastorate of the Old Kanawha Baptist Church with the assurance that he would be called to the Paint Creek Mission Fields, and that he expected to be on the field on or about October 20, 1909. He was coming from the Bates Fork Baptist Church. His and his wife's church letters were received November 12, 1910.
During his pastorate, which lasted until April 24, 1918, thirty-five members were added to the church by baptism and nine joined by letter. The church attendance averaged sixty-six and the membership seventy-two. There was an average of seventy-four enrolled in the Sunday School, and forty-five was the average attendance. The church had a decrease of forty-six: sixteen by letter, twenty-two dropped from the membership, and eight by death.
At a business meeting held April 24, 1918, Pastor Ayars, having previously announced that he had resigned to accept a call near his old home, submitted his formal resignation which was reluctantly accepted and the church said their formal goodbyes to him after almost nine years of service at the church. The church letters for Pastor Ayars and his wife were sent to Newport, New Jersey, on November 9, 1919.
GEORGE WALTER HUDDLESTON
1919 - 1922
Second Time
From April until May of 1919, several preachers were considered for the church, but none were called. In May Rev. G.W. Huddleston sent the church a proposition to act as pastor of the church for one-half time at $15.00 a month per half. The church accepted this proposition and Brother Huddleston was called to pastor the church for the second time. He started on May 25, 1919, and this pastorate lasted until October of 1922.
At the July 12, 1919, meeting Rev. Edward Underwood and his wife presented themselves to the church for membership, coming from the Southern Methodist Church. He made application to exercise his ministerial gifts among the Baptist churches and was licensed to preach the gospel. In November he wanted to be ordained, and they were to call an ordination council for December 15.
A special series of meetings was conducted by Pastor Huddleston and Brother Brown in April of 1920 which resulted in eighteen conversions; fifteen of those were accepted into the church. In the minutes for May 8, 1920, it was reported that on April 25, a Sunday afternoon, Pastor Huddleston baptized fourteen people in the Kanawha River. Another meeting was held by Brother John J. Cook from December 1 to 11, 1921. There were twenty-three converts. Twenty-five were baptized in the Kanawha; two of them were received into the membership of the Holly Grove Church.
During Pastor Huddleston's ministry the church membership averaged between seventy-six and eighty-four. In 1922, his last year, the average was 107. The Sunday School had an average membership of seventy-seven pupils and averaged fifty in attendance. Of the fifty-three additions to the church, four came by letter. There was a decrease of forty-one: sixteen by letter, twenty-one dropped from the membership, and four by death.
Evidently, some time in September, Pastor Huddleston resigned, for the minutes state:
The moderator appointed the following pulpit committee to look into the matter of securing a
pastor to fill the vacancy created by his resignation....
On motion duly seconded the church voted to express its sympath[ies] to him.
George Walter Huddleston, the son of Fleming and Eunice Platt Huddleston, was born on August 15, 1854, in Fayetteville, [West] Virginia. He was licensed to preach on August 22, 1885, at the Gauley Bridge Baptist Church, a church that Old Kanawha Baptist Church organized in 1834. He was ordained at the Gauley church in October of 1886. In 1875 he married Miss Susan M. Settle and they had four children: Herbert E., Lottie M., Charles W. (1881-1909), and Mary F.
Lasher said that up until 1899, Rev. Huddleston had pastored Gauley Bridge (1887-1891), Bethel (1887-1890), Cotton Hill (1887-1892), Fayetteville (1890-1895), Good Hope (1887-1899), Gennett (1888-1899), and Lookout (1898-1899).
He died on February 8, 1927, in Huntington, West Virginia. Funeral services were held at the Barboursville Baptist Church which he pastored for a number of years. He was buried in the Barboursville Cemetery beside his son, Charles.
The Troublesom Years: 1922 - 1944
The twenty-two years between 1922 and 1944 were some of the most trying in our history. The 1920's brought what is commonly referred to as the Roaring Twenties. During this decade the automobile was mass produced, making it possible for the ordinary person to own a car. Our boys came home from the "war to end all wars" having won the victory. The attitude was a carefree one with the era of prohibition, speakeasies, Al Capone, and reckless speculation. It was also a time of big battles over modernism and evolution in the field of religion and education. However, October 1929 ended that era and ushered in the decade of the Great Depression: a time of high unemployment, long bread lines, and all the misery that goes with a depression. At the end of the 1930's and up until the middle of the 1940's, World War II was fought, making the First World War look like a school lot skirmish.
THOMAS E. JEFFERS
1922 - 1924; 1925-1928; 1931-1941
The church voted on November 26, 1922, to call Thomas E. Jeffers of Milton, West Virginia, to pastor for six months at $25.00 per month for one-fourth time or $50.00 per month for one-half time.
On December 3 the clerk announced to the church that Brother Jeffers had accepted the call for one Sunday a month. They wanted him to begin on December 10.
The ministry of Pastor Jeffers extended over a period of approximately seventeen years, covering three different time periods. The first time period was from December 10, 1922, until September 7, 1924. The second time period was from May 10, 1925, until February 5, 1928. And the third time period was from March 1, 1931, until August 5, 1942. In June of 1923 Pastor Jeffers notified the church that he would be able to give the church an additional Sunday because he had given up the church at Hamblin. The church asked for the Sunday.
On February 17, 1924, the clerk of the church read a letter of resignation and on March 2, 1924, at a called meeting of the church, he agreed to continue his work with them temporarily, with the request that they try to secure another pastor as soon as possible. He continued on with them until September 7, 1924, when the church gave him a "rising vote of appreciation for his services and a standing invitation to visit them anytime."
The church found out in April of 1925 that it might be possible to get Brother Jeffers for the summer and possibly longer. The church contacted him and on April 15 received a letter stating that he would accept the call from the church to preach one-half time for them. He began preaching for them again on May 10, Mother's Day.
Revival services have been a part of Old Kanawha for many years, and these years were no exception. Brother D.L. Whitner held meetings for two weeks. There were thirteen conversions, and much was accomplished among the members of the church. He received a love offering of $270.00. Another revival meeting conducted by Rev. Walter Leckliter of Richmond, Virginia, on April 3-18, 1926, resulted in fifteen conversions and four additions into the membership of the church by experience. On April 25 Pastor Jeffers baptized ten at the Montgomery Baptist Church in Montgomery, West Virginia.
In May of 1926 the church voted to call Pastor Jeffers for another Sunday each month, but in January of 1927 he asked them to relieve him one Sunday and let him come the first and third Sunday of each month. The request was granted. On January 1, 1928, Pastor Jeffers announced his resignation to be effective after the first Sunday in February. He was going to Hamblin and Barboursville. The church gave him the clock that was used to raise money for the building programs, an official farewell, and best wishes in his future work.
While Brother Jeffers was pastor of the church the first time, the church attendance averaged between 107 and 110. The Sunday School averaged an enrollment of eighty-eight and an average attendance of seventy. There were twenty-eight additions to the church: twenty by baptism, six by experience, and two by letter. They lost six by letter, two by exclusion, and six by death.
HECTOR DOW FRAME
1928 - 1930
At the July 8 meeting of the church, they voted to call Hector D. Frame of Charleston to preach two Sundays for them at a salary of $50.00 a month. He was to start as soon as it was convenient for him to do so. His term was to be indefinite and could be terminated by either party with thirty days notice. Brother Frame accepted the call and preached for them on July 15. During 1928 the church saw an average attendance of 123. There were six who came into the church by baptism, one by experience, and one by letter. Two died during the year. Church membership was at 142.
During January of 1929 the church had a two-week revival meeting with the pastor's father, Rev. James F. Frame of Charleston. There were thirty-three decisions of various kinds. Thirteen were baptized at the close of the meeting. In February Pastor Frame requested that the church ordain him to the gospel ministry. On the seventeenth, the ordination council met, and the ordination service took place on March 2. At the November 24 business meeting the clerk read a letter from Pastor Frame, submitting his resignation as pastor of the church. They asked him to reconsider, and he advised them that he would remain with temporarily.
On February 23, 1930, the church voted to install electric lights in the church, and by March 16 they had been installed. At the March 16 meeting a pulpit committee was appointed. May 4 was Pastor Frame's last Sunday with them as pastor.
The church started 1929 with a membership of 129 and ended it with a membership of 158. Firty-seven of those were non-residents, and thirteen were inactive. There were twenty-one who were received by baptism. Four came in by experience; eight came in by letter. One left by letter, and two died. In 1930 the beginning membership was 158, and by the end of the year it was 156. Fifty-seven were non-residents and thirteen were inactive, the same as the year before. There were two baptisms, none by letter. There were four who left the church by letter.
Hector D. Frame was born on February 3, 1904, in Braxton County, West Virginia. He attended West Virginia University, Southern Baptist Theological Seminary, West Virginia Wesleyan College, and was a graduate of the Cincinnati College of Embalming. He taught school at Midway and Spring Hill Junior High Schools. He was one of the founders of Fidler-Frame Funeral Home in Belle, West Virginia. He married Laurel Hymes in 1930, and they had two daughters and four grand-children. He was also an artist, and many of the churchesin the area had their baptisteries painted by him, including Old Kanawha Baptist Church, where the painting now hangs on the wall in the auditorium. He lived for forty-three years in Belle. He died on October 12, 1982, and was buried in Montgomery Memorial Park in London, West Virginia.
The church was without a pastor until March of 1931 when Pastor Jeffers expressed a willingness to act as pastor temporarily, thought he would not consider it permanently. The church voted to call him for the second and fourth Sunday of each month. He came to pastor "temporarily" and stayed for eleven years longer than any other pastor in the history of the church.
During his third pastorate at Old Kanawha, the church declined in membership. The church membership averaged between 104 and 116. The Sunday School had a membership of 164 but averaged only sixty-eight in attendance. There were seventy-nine additions to the church: sixty-seven by baptism, seven by experience, and five by restoration. There were twenty-seven who were dismissed by transfer of letter, and eighteen died.
Some interesting things happened between 1931 and 1942. On September 25, 1932, the church observed Homecoming Day. Rev. Hector D. Frame was the guest speaker. Mrs. C.H. Frazer read a handwritten history of the church. In August of 1933 a two week revival meeting was conducted by C.E. Walker of the First Baptist Church of Chelyan. There were nineteen decisions of various kinds. In June of 1935 a memorial service was held for the following members of the church who had died since 1925:
Mrs. Lillian Hansford Harriman Mrs. H.M. Huddleston Mrs. William Townsend
Mrs. C.B. Coleman Mrs. O.E. Baughan Mrs. Martha Kirk
Mrs. B.H. Early Mrs. George Hudnall Mrs. J. E. Dickinson
Mrs. D. Willis Miss Golden Hansford Mr. Cecil Tucker
Mrs. A.T. Huddleston Mrs. J.P. Tucker Mr. Anderson Romine
The program consisted of some soft music at 7:45 p.m., Scripture reading at 8:00, a special number in song, a talk by Dr. J.A. Wood on "Old Kanawha Baptist Church of the Past," more music, a talk on "Old Kanawha Baptist Church of the Future," and a recitation, "Crossing the Bar," by Mrs. Elizabeth Baughan. After that there was a floral tribute, silent meditation, taps, and the benediction. At the morning service on March 16, 1940, the new organ given to the church by Mr. C.B. Coleman in memory of Mrs. C.B. Coleman, was dedicated by Pastor Jeffers.
Pastor Jeffers resigned on March 22, 1942, to become effective April 5, closing out a ministry of about seventeen years at Old Kanawha Baptist Church. Thomas E. Jeffers was born on December 26, 1896, in Charleston, West Virginia, the son of Lucian and Matilda Holt Jeffers. He was the grandson of Thomas Francis Holt, a former pastor of Old Kanawha from 1889 through 1893. He attended Charleston High School and the old Broaddus Academy. He received his bachelor's degree from Morris Harvey College in 1923 and his master's degree from the University of Cincinnati in 1932. He attended the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky, for two years. He and his wife, Anna McClure, had a son, Robert Gene, and a daughter.
Besides pastoring the Old Kanawha Baptist Church for almost seventeen years, he taught school in Milton, West Virginia, for five years and was the principal of Hurricane High School for five years. He also worked for the Employment Security Department for twenty-one years. He was the state supervisor.
He was a member of Emmanuel Baptist Church when he died on March 14, 1956. His death took place at midnight in McMillan Hospital in Charleston. Funeral services were conducted at Bartlett Mortuary Chapel by Pastors William G. Farmer and Hugh D. Ash. He is buried in Cunningham Memorial Park in St. Albans, West Virginia.
GEORGE RICHARD PAULEY
1942 - 1944
A special meeting of the church was called for Wednesday night, June 3, 1942, for the purpose of calling a pastor. A motion was made by John Holt and seconded by John Crist to call George R. Pauley to be the pastor. After a short discussion, the vote was taken; Pastor Pauley was called to be the pastor by a unanimous vote for one year at $60.00 per month.
In August Pastor Pauley conducted his own revival meeting at Old Kanawha and nine people came into the church. Then from November 8-29, he conducted another meeting in the church that resulted in thirty-five decisions. Some of those who made decisions in those meetings are still in the church today.
One of the highlights of Pastor Pauley's ministry at Old Kanawha was the celebration of the 150th Anniversary of the church which took place on Sunday, June 13, 1943. Pastor Pauley called the meeting to order at 11:00 a.m. and gave a brief message. This was followed by a history of the church given by Mr. C.B. Coleman. Rev. Hugh D. Pickett state secretary of the West Virginia Baptist Convention, brought the morning message from Matthew 13:4,5. The ministers present were Pastor Pauley, Rev. Hugh Pickett from Parkersburg, and Pastor W.M. McKinney of the First Baptist Church in Chelyan. After the service, lunch was served in the basement by the Women's Council to over 100 people.
In January of 1944 the church gave "a vote of thanks to Pastor Pauley for his untiring efforts and his physical and spiritual labor which has continued since he has been our pastor."
Along with pastoring Old Kanawha, Pastor Pauley also had charge of the Baptist church in Handley. In March the Old Kanawha offered to take him on as a full-time pastor of the church. He explained that he thought he could do more good two Sundays at one church and two Sundays at the other church, "owing to the fact that it is war times and pastors are scarce." Within a few weeks he had resigned both churches to become the pastor of the Judson Baptist Church in Belle, West Virginia.
George Richard Pauley was born in 1914 on a farm in Nicholas County. He grew up near Ansted in Fayette County. He was educated in the public school systems in that area. He received a degree from Morris Harvey College and did further study at the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary in Louisville, Kentucky. He pastored four Baptist churches in the Kanawha Valley: the Handley Baptist Church and Old Kanawha Baptist Church (1940-1944), Judson Baptist Church of Belle (1944-1958), and First Baptist Church of Dunbar (1958-1984). He retired from the active pastorate in 1984, but has continued to hold evangelistic meetings, do Sunday School Seminars, and serve as interim pastor for Ansted Baptist Church. Pastor Pauley and his wife, Virginia, whom he married almost fifty-eight years ago, now live in Scott Depot, West Virginia. [Virginia Dietz DuFour Pauley died May 8, 2000].
On January 10, 1993, Pastor Pauley and Virginia had the opportunity of returning to Old Kanawha as part of the Bicentennial celebration. He told how he had been back to the church only once in the almost fifty years he had been gone. That occasion was the dedication of the new educational building. D.D. Elwell was the pastor. He recalled how he enjoyed the sanwiches, pies, and cakes that were made at Edward's lunch stand. He preached in the morning service on the subject of "Why I Am a Christian."
THE GROWING YEARS: 1944 - 1979
At the May 9, 1944, business meeting, the deacons recommended to the church the need for a full-time pastor. After some discussion, a vote was taken; thirteen were for a full-time pastor and fourteen for a half-time pastor. However, at a special meeting held on May 16 the vote was thirty-five to fourteen for a full-time pastor.
EARL TED WALL
1944 - 1948
At the June 13, 1944, business meeting they voted by secret ballot for Rev. Simms, Rev. Newman, Rev. Schroeder, Rev. Wall, and Rev. Robert McCoy, who had been the singer in a revival held at Old Kanawha in 1935. Rev. McCoy led by a majority and was hired full-time. The deacons were to notify Rev. McCoy. However, at a business meeting held on July 11, the pastor in question was discussed, and the church decided not to call a pastor at that time. They appointed Tuesday, July 18, as the time for a special meeting. At that meeting Rev. Schroeder of Huntington and Rev. Wall of McConnell were voted on, and Rev. Wall was elected to be the first full-time pastor in Old Kanawha's 151-year history. He came from the Lookout, Lansing, and Lorado churches, which he pastored part time. At the September 12 meeting, Pastor Wall led the devotional and Mr. Stillwell, the moderator called the meeting to order.
There were several outstanding things that happened during the four year ministry of Pastor Wall. In February of 1945, he conducted a revival meeting at the church which lasted for three weeks and resulted in twenty additions to the church. In the business meetings for September and October of 1945, there was discussion about building a new brick church and developing a long-range plan to raise te money to pay for it. In 1946 negotiations were started to buy the lot on which the parsonage was sitting from the Kopper's Coal and Land Company and to buy the property next to the church owned by the heirs of the late Mrs. M.F. Bott.
At the May 8 business meeting, the church voted to build a basement for Sunday School rooms under the first floor Sunday School rooms. In the June meeting, Mr. C.B. Coleman reported that he had received a quit claim deed from Kopper's interests covering the parsonage lot, and that it had been recorded in the Kanawha County clerk's office. They were to sell the property by August 1 or as soon as possible. Also, they were able to buy the Bott property next door to the church for $8,000.00. So by July they had sold the parsonage and lot and had bought the property next to the church.
Revival meetings were a regular part of the church. From September 15-19, 1946, Evangelist Douglas Winn held a meeting at the church which resulted in one convert, Mrs. Mott, who joined the church and was baptized in the Kanawha River September 29 at 2:30p.m. D.L. Whitener of Parkersburg conducted another revival from March 22 to April 6, 1947. There were three converts.
During 1945 there were 183 members who started the new year and by the end of it there were 230. Thirty-two were baptized, ten joined by letter, two were dismissed by letter, and two died.
At the business meeting on December 10, 1947, the clerk read a letter from Pastor Wall stating that he was resigning from the church to accept the position of Assistant Superintendent of the Union Mission in Charleston. On motion by Mr. Coleman and seconded by Mr. Stillwell, the resignation was accepted. The church appointed a pulpit committee and voted to call Mr. Ballandingham as a supply preacher until the church could call a pastor.
Earl Ted Wall, the son of Enos and Emma Wall, was born on August 17, 1910, on a farm in rural Lincoln County, West Virginia. He had eight brothers and two sisters. When his mother died at age forty, his father married a widow by the name of Viola Collins. They had a son and daughter.
Pastor Wall was saved when he was twenty-one years old. He attended Moody Bible Institute in Chicago, Illinois. He was ordained on October 8, 1940, by the First Baptist Church of Logan, West Virginia.
He pastored part time at Lookout, Lansing, and Lorado (a community church) and then full time at Old Kanawha Baptist in Pratt. From there he went to work as Assistant Superintendent of the Union Mission in Charleston. He then pastored at Racine, Man, Winfield, Sisterville, Point Pleasant and Teays Valley. He came back in 1977 to Winfield Baptist Church in Winfield, West Virginia, and retired from the active pastorate in October of 1991. He has conducted about 150 evangelistic meetings. He stays busy preaching in various places.
He is married to Ruth Chambers, the daughter of a Methodist minister, Rev. and Mrs. L.D. "Uncle Bud" Chambers. They have one son, David, and three daughters, Shirley, Rebekah Ruth, and Jeanne.
Pastor Wall and his wife, Ruth, and some of his family, had the opportunity of returning to Old Kanawha Baptist Church as part of the Bicentennial celebration on Sunday, April 25, 1993.
E. DWIGHT LOWTHER
1949 - 1954
For about eight months, from December 1, 1948, to August 1, 1949, Warren "Pat" Vallandingham (1908-1968) was the interim pastor. Although he was offered the opportunity to become the pastor in March of 1949, he turned it down and explained that he would not be able to fill the pulpit later than June. He resigned on July 10, to be effective August 1.
A pulpit committee was appointed in May and in July was authorized to find a pastor. In August the church voted to hear four men before selecting one. Four men were heard during the month of August: Rev. Lowther, Rev. Patterson, Rev. Wilson, and Rev. Story. At a special business meeting on August 31, 1949, called by the moderator, Mr. E.G. Bird, the four ministers were voted on by ballot, and Rev. Lowther was elected pastor by a large majority.
With the choosing of Dwight Lowther, the Old Kanawha Baptist Church began a period of spectacular growth that lasted for many years. In 1949 there were 151 church members who started the year, and by the end of it there were 182. During the year they had nineteen baptisms and six who joined the church by letter. There were six who were dismissed by letter. However, in 1953 there werre 291 church members starting the year, and by September there were 305 in the membership. There were twelve baptized and twelve who came into the church by letter. Eight were dismissed by letter and two died. Then in 1954 the church membership dipped a little to 262, and the present membersip in September was also down a little to 293. There were thirty-eight who were baptized and ten who came into the church by letter. There were eight dismissed by letter, and there was one death.
Some of things that were accomplished during Pastor Lowther's ministry were the purchasing of a new piano for $556.00 in 1950 and the rebuilding of the porch and steps at the church in 1951 by Mr. William Townsend. Evangelist Lyle Smith held a revival meeting at Old Kanawha in March of 1953, with many decisions made, including my own dedication to do what the Lord wanted me to do.
In a special business meeting called October 6, 1954, Pastor Lowther recommended the selecting of a pulpit committee to find someone to succeed him in view of his resignation to take effect at the end of the month. A pulpit committee was chosen. In reality, his pastorate did continue until the end of December.
E. Dwight Lowther was born on April 25, 1908, in Lawford, Ritchie County, West Virginia, the son of Clyde and "Minnie" Wright Lowther. A younger sister came into the Lowther family a couple of years later. He was educated in the Dunbar school system. He married Margaret Leach from the Charleston area, and they had two children,Dwight Kay and Patricia. He attended Prairie Bible Institute in Three Hills, Alberta, Canada, for a year and a half.
He came back to West Virginia to pastor and do some radio work. I remember him as the one who did the Sugar Creek Gang stories on the radio. He pastored in Malden for a while and then came to Old Kanawha Baptist Church (1949-1954). From there he went to the West Virginia Baptist Camp in Cowen, West Virginia, where he spent twelve years as director of the camp and pastor of the First Baptist Church in Cowen. When he left the camp, he continued on as pastor of the church. From that church he retired to Claremont, North Caolina, where he lives with his daughter and works at the Y.M.C.A. [He died August 20, 1995, in Dunbar, West Virginia].
DELVAN D. ELWELL
1955 - 1958
In January of 1955 the church voted on three men for the pastorate of Old Kanawha: Rev. Arthur Killem from Lima, Ohio; Rev. Bruce Cooper of Summersville, West Virginia, and Rev. Neil of Prosperity, West Virginia. Rev. Neil got a majority of the votes but turned down the call. That opened the door for D.D. Elwell to be called as pastor of the church, and in the May 1956 business meeting, he is the pastor of the church and the moderator of the meeting. Sometime in the middle part of April, Pastor Elwell moved to Pratt from Tyler Mountain Baptist Church in the area of Nitro, West Virginia, to become pastor of Old Kanawha. He was pastor until December of 1958.
During his time here a number of things happened. In July of 1955 Mr. Carl Spaulding suggested that the church adopt a constitution. A committee was appointed and for several weeks worked on one. At a business meeting on August 17, the church voted to accept the new constitution that was presented to the church body. Because the church was continuing to grow, there was a desperate need for more Sunday School space. The church in 1955 had a membership of 293 to 300. There had been fourteen baptisms, two additions to the church by letter, six dismissals by letter, and two deaths. In the latter part of 1956, Mr. William Townsend's plans for the proposed educational building were accepted.
Several important events took place in 1957 that would change the direction of the church. The two-story educational building was completed and dedicated. Pastor George Pauley, a former pastor, came back for that service. At the July 10 business meeting, the church voted to leave the National Council of Churches, the American Baptist Convention, the West Virginia Baptist Convention, and the Kanawha Valley Baptist Association by a forty-one to three vote. The reason for this vote was the continuing progression of modernism in the American Baptist Convention, which had begun in the latter part of the nineteenth century and gradually permeated the Convention by the late 1920's. It was obvious that the organization was not going to turn back to the historic Baptist position and each church, in turn, had to make its own decision about whether to stay in or to separate from the Convention.
At a special business meeting held on December 18, 1957, when the church constitution was being revised, Article IV, dealing with associations, was voted in. Article IV states:
As a New Testament church cannot "join" anything outside but only affiliate therewith
on grounds of fellowship, this church declares itself to be in fellowship with only those
churches of like faith maintaining a distinctive New Testament witness.
Pastor Elwell concluded a very successful pastorate at Old Kanawha in December of 1958, to become the pastor of the Lookout Baptist Church in Lookout, West Virginia. While he was here, about sixty-nine people were added to the church. At the January 8, 1959, business meeting, the church voted to grant the request of the Ewells for their church letters.
RANDY H. CARROLL, JR
1958 - 1963
A number of preachers filled the pulpit from January to May of 1958. In March they voted to call Pastor Randy Carroll, Jr., who at the time was pastor of the Bell Creek Baptist Church in Dixie, West Virginia, to be the pastor of Old Kanawha. In a letter dated March 10, he accepted the call and stated that he planned to be on the field by May 14. Thus began a pastorate that lasted until 1963.
Under his leadership, further revisions were made in the constitution in a September business meeting with thirty-eight voting members present. At the morning service of the Old Kanawha Baptist Church on January 17, 1963, Pastor Carroll made the statement that the closest thing he had seen to a revival in his lifetime occurred while he was pastor of Old Kanawha. Evangelist Jake Boggs conducted a revival meeting from November 10-23, 1958, which resulted in eighty-six decisions of various kinds, with forty of those for salvation. There were twenty-seven who were baptized and seven who came for membership by letter or experience.
Some improvements were made to the property while Randy Carroll was pastor. Awnings were put on the front of the church and educational building in November and December of 1958. On February 15, 1959, a dedication service was held at the church for the newly refurbished building. This service was conducted by Pastor Carroll. The new carpets and flower urns, donated by Mrs. Mary Brown Gilmore, were dedicated to the memory of her late husband, Mr. William Gilmore. At the Mary 17, 1961, business meeting the church voted to borrow $5,000.00 at six-percent interest for thirty-six months to repair the parsonage and educational building.
As the church was growing, it became obvious that there was a need to do something about a building. At a business meeting on June 13, 1962, Pastor Carroll brought before the church, among other things, the subject of the construction of a new church auditorium or the repair of the existing church. There were fifty-one voting members present and forty-one of them voted to appoint a temporary building committee to proceed with the necessary plans and inquiries for a new church. In a vote taken concerning the old building, six voted to repair the existing church, and three voted to remodel it, one voted to sell it, ten voted to buy the corner property belonging to Mr. Ivan Tucker, and twenty voted to destroy the existing church building.
At the August 8 business meeting, the church thought they could build a church for $50,000.00. A special business meeting was called for August 29, 1962. There were sixty-four voting members present at this meeting. The motion was presented to accept or reject the new building program. The motion was made by Mrs. Alma Williams and seconded by Mr. J.B. Hutchinson to accept the recommendation by the board of trustees. However, after a lengthy discussion Pastor Carroll recommended that the church vote against the recommendation. After a call for the vote, the church voted down the motion.
In April of 1963 the church voted to buy the Tucker property on the corner. During this same month, Pastor Carroll offered his resignation to be effective on May 5, 1963. He was called to pastor the Berean Baptist Church in Sciotoville, Ohio. On May 29 the church voted to send his letter to Berean Baptist.
While he was pastor of Old Kanawha there were approximately 193 people who came into the church by experience, baptism, or letter. His ministry was greatly appreciated and even today he is held in high esteem.
Randy Carroll, Jr., was born on January 17, 1930, in Leslie, Greenbrier County, West Virginia. He grew up in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. He was saved at eight years of age. He attended Bob Jones University and graduated in 1951 with a Bachelor of Arts degree and in 1953 with a Bachelor of Divinity degree. In 1983 he was awarded the Doctor of Divinity degree from Indiana Baptist College in Indianapolis, Indinia, in recognition of his outstanding work as a pastor.
He and his wife, the former Nancy Peterson, now live in Sciotoville, Ohio. They have four grown children: Janet, Joyce, Jayne, and Jim. Jim was born while they were in Pratt. He now serves with his dad as Assistant Pastor of Berean Baptist Church. The girls are married to men who are serving the Lord in various places. The Carrolls have thirteen grandchildren.
He has served on the Board of Directors for Appalachian Bible College in Bradley, West Virginia, and is currently serving on the Board of Directors for Baptist World Mission in Decatur, Alabama. He has conducted a radio broadcast for over twenty years and has written five booklets on Bible subjects.
His primary ministry has been that of a pastor. He has pastored five churches and is currently the pastor of the Berean Baptist Church in Sciotoville, Ohio, the church he went to pastor in 1963 after leaving Pratt. The other churches were Bell Creek Baptist Church, Dixie, West Virginia; Old Kanawha Baptist Church, Pratt, West Virginia; Marcus Hook Baptist Church in Marcus Hook, Pennsylvania, and Tabernacle Baptist Church in Wilson, North Carolina.
KENNETH BROUGHAM
1964 - 1970
Between May and December of 1963 several preachers and some candidates came, but no one was chosen until the business meeting held on December 11, 1963, when Kenneth Brougham, pastor of the Monongah Baptist Church in Monongah, West Virginia, was called to be the pastor. He accepted the call and stated that he would be on the field by January 1, 1964.
Pastor Brougham had a good ministry at Old Kanawha. During his pastorate there were about 100 people who came into the church. One of the outstanding accomplishmnets of his ministry was the building of the new church auditorium. The old church had served its purpose and on March 16, 1966, the church voted forty-nine to one to build a new church auditorium. Then on March 30 they voted to move the parsonage to the corner property. At a business meeting held on March 29, 1967, the church voted to use a bond program to raise $60,000.00. On May 10 the trustees were authorized to sign a building contract with the R.E. Kelley Construction Company of Oak Hill, West Virginia. On May 24, the bid of $78,623.00 was accepted. After seventy-five years in the old church building, a new church building was under way. They built right on through 1967. On February 4, 1968, the church voted to buy the pews and trust the Lord for the money. February 25, 1968, was their first Sunday in the new church. In March the old church was turned over to the trustees to be disposed of with no cost to the church. Some of the furniture was given or sold to differenct churches. Mr. Elmer Estep of Gallager tore it down In April they voted to buy carpet for the auditorium.
BUILDING FINANCIAL
Earl Scholl-Chairman Leon Soulsby-Chairman
Jack Worley Gladys Price
Bob Follick Dennis Grant
Bill Chapman Thurel Light
Tom Baughan Charles Cobb
DEACONS TRUSTEES
Bill Chapman Tom Baughan-Chairman
Garnet Douglas Bob Hardy
Wilfred Vandall Jack Harris
Leon Soulsby
Earl Scholl
Charles Blackshire
Walter Romine
Building Fund Treasurer Mrs. Mary Helen Cobb
Church Treasurer Mr. Jack Worley
Church Clerk Mrs. Virginia Farley
Assistant Clerk Mrs. Barbara Miller
Financial Secretary Mrs. Gladys Price
Sunday School Superintendent Mrs. Tom Pennington
Sunday School Treasurer Mrs. Pauline Hutchison
In October the church voted for a number of improvements on the parsonage, including aluminum siding. In the December 11 meeting, they voted to give the siding job to Mr. Ellis Stewart, who was the lowest bidder.
After six and a half years of ministry at Old Kanawha, Pastor Brougham left in June of 1970, to pastor the First Baptist Church of Paden City, West Virginia.
Kenneth Brougham was born on July 3, 1931, in Joliet, Illinois. He attended Joliet Junior College and Bob Jones University, where he graduated in 1956. He is married to the former Diane Baker of Goshen, Indiana. They have four grown children: Denise, Daryl, Jeanine, and Karen and one grandson, Cory.
Pastor Brougham worked with Evangelist Oliver B. Greene of Greenville, South Carolina, as an office worker and played the organ in the evangelistic meetings from 1955 to 1959. In November of 1959 he became the pastor of the Monongah Baptist Church in Monongah, West Virginia. He was there until December 31, 1963, when he was called to pastor the Old Kanawha Baptist Church. He was here from January of 1964 until June of 1970. He stayed at First Baptist Church in Paden City from 1970 until 1983. While in Paden City, he taught part time at a Bible college in Marietta, Ohio, for three or four years. He left in March of 1983 to pastor the Springdale Baptist Church of New Bethlehem, Pennsylvania, sixty-five miles northeast of Pittsburgh, and has been there ever since.
LEONARD UHRICH
1971 - 1973
Between May 3, 1970, and when Pastor Leonard Uhrich came in September of 1971, a number of preachers filled the pulpit of Old Kanawha Baptist Church. One of these supply preachers who came was Mr. John Edgel from Appalachian Bible College in Bradley, West Virginia, who preached in May of 1971. At the business meeting in June, a motion was made to have Mr. Edgel continue his work with the young people on a week-to-week basis.
The first time Pastor Leonard Uhrich appears in the record of the church is December of 1970 when he came to preach. He, at that time, was pastor of the Bible Baptist Church in Akron, Pennsylvania. He returned in June and July, and on July 14 the church voted to call him as pastor. He moved into the parsonage in August and called the September business meeting to order. The church voted to pay Mr. John Edgel by the month for his work as youth pastor. At the October 13 business meeting of the church, it was recommended that Pastor Uhrich, Mrs. Anna Uhrich, Mr. John Edgel, and Mrs. Jane Edgel be accepted into the membership of Old Kanawha Baptist Church.
About forty-two people came into the church under the ministry of Pastor Uhrich. In a business meeting on May 10, 1972, a committee was appointed to choose a suitable pattern for an outside bulletin board. Morris Miller, Earl Scholl, Tom Baughan, Harlan Sparkmon, and James Hathaway were appointed. The bulletin board was built of brick and located just east of the new church along the sidewalk. Due to the abuse the sign took, the church voted in April of 1983 to tear it down, clean up the bricks, make a flower bed around the tree stump, bring the stainless steel sign inside, and put the name of the church on the front of the building with letters. There was an insert to be placed inside the stainless steel sign, which was done early in 1983. The installation and the letters were paid for from the Sunday School funds.
During the ministry of Pastor Uhrich, Mr. Tom Worley, who was saved under the ministry of Pastor Carroll and was attending Appalachian Bible Institute, started working with the young people of the church. Mrs. Judy Worley, his wife, was received into the membership of the church on April 18, 1973.
In August of 1973 Pastor Uhrich closed his ministry at Old Kanawha Baptist Church and went to teach at Tri-State Bible College in southern Ohio, where he remained for seven years. After that he pastored the Moorestown Bible Church in New Jersey. Later, he became pastor to the senior citizens of the Faith Baptist Church in Sellersville, Pennsylvania, and is now doing the same thing at the Hillcrest Baptist Church in Logansport, Indiana.
CHARLES E. MCDONALD
1974 - 1979
Mr. John Edgel filled the pulpit, along with other speakers, while the church was without a pastor.
Tom Worley continued to work with the youth. The Awana program was going strong with about fifty children attending the meetings. By the end of the third year they were averaging 142, not counting the workers. In November Pastor Charles McDonald, who was pastoring in the Point Pleasant area at the time, came to preach as a condidate. This was not his first visit to Old Kanawha. He had been present for the dedication of the new building in August of 1968 and had given the benediction. In a special business meeting held on November 21, 1973, the church voted to call him as pastor. He accepted the call and was on the field by the first of January, 1974.
At a special business meeting held on December 2, 1973, the church vorted to remodel the parsonage. They were to remodel the kitchen, put in a half-bath, and install carpet in the living room, stairway, and entrance way. They money was borrowed from the bank to pay for the improvements.
Pastor McDonald had a very fruitful ministry at Pratt. There were 134 additions to the church while he was pastor, plus many decisions that were made in homes, meetings, and other places. The youth ministry was very active and growing under the leadership of Tom Worley. In addition to the Awana program, summer Bible clubs were conducted in a number of small towns around Pratt to reach the young people in those areas and prepare them for the fall Awana entrance probram. At the February 1974 meeting of the church, the possibility of a building program was discussed. At the March 13 business meeting, the church voted to ordain John Edgel to be gospel ministry, and the date was set for April 23. It was also voted on at that meeting to pay Tom and Judy Worley to work with youth, if they should decide to stay during the summer. A building program was then discussed, and the majority said they were willing to support such a project.
The ordination service for John Edgel took place on April 23, 1974. The council met a 1:00 p.m. and elected Pastor John Van Puffelen as clerk and Pastor William Kennedy as moderator. After the council met with the candidate, they recommended that the church ordain him. On a motion by Jim Andrews and seconded by Mr. Jim Lowe, the church voted to accept the recommendation and proceeded with the ordination. The invocation was given by Pastor Richard Finny of the Faith Bible Church, the Scripture reading was done by Rev. Earl Parvin from Appalachian Bible Institute, the ordination sermon was preached by Dr. Lester Pipkin from Appalachian Bible Institute, the charge to the candidate was given by Rev. Carl Spaulding, and the charge to the church was given by Pastor Charles McDonald. Rev. John Edgel gave the benediction. At the May 15 meeting of the church, they voted to support Rev. Edgel for $35.00 a month. On June 23 the Edgels left for Washington state to start their work in the Bremerton area.
In July the church started a building fund called the Awana Building Fund. Before the church set up the fund, $100.00 had come in for the building. A Christian Education Program Board was set up to have the oversight of the educational programs of the church, consisting of the pastor, a deacon, a trustee, the Sunday School superintendent, and the Youth Director. In the August business meeting the pastor mentioned that he thought it would cost about $16,000.00 to $20.000.00 to build the new building. On September 11, 1974, the church voted to have Tome Worley continue on as youth pastor, and at a special business meeting on September 25th, they voted to start the Pro-Teen Youth Program put out by Pastor Frank Hamrick of Rocky Mounty, North Carolina. This program was dropped in August of 1977.
A motion was made and approved in the February 12, 1975, business meeting to pay off the bond program by June. At the Homecoming service held on September 28, 1975, Randy Carroll was holding a revival meeting at the church and was the featured speaker for that special Sunday. In conjunction with the Homecomning service. a mortgage burning servcie took place that afternoon.
In the spring of 1976 Tom Worley took the position of Youth Pastor with Tabernacle Baptist Church in Wilson, North Carolina, under the leadership of Pastor Randy Carroll. In May Benny Wilkerson and his wife, Sharon, started working with the young people. He and his wife came into the membership of the church in September. He worked with the church until the early part of 1978.
Building improvements continued to be made on the property. There was a discussion on the possibility of black topping the parking lot. At the August meeting, the pastor said that he had been unable to get an estimate. On August 22 the church voted to build an Activities Building. In October it was reported that work was progressing on the paving of the parking lot. Some wanted to get a drawing of the Activities Building to see what it was going to look like when it was finished. At the February 9, 1977, business meeting of the church, they voted to build a smaller activities building than was originally planned. The building was finished in October of 1977.
One of the interesting things that happened during the ministry of Pastor McDonald was his willingness to have a two-week evangelistic meeting July 2-16, 1978. Evangelists David Baughan, Neil Cadwell, and Gary Gillmore came with their families and conducted the revival meeting, along with the Bible School. The church planned for the meeting a year in advance. The Lord blessed with souls saved and decisions made among believers. From that meeting Tom Bowen was called to preach. In April of 1981 the church took him on for support in the work of the ministry. Other men who went into full-time Christian service from Old Kanawha, besides Tom Worley, were Rick Wood in the field of Christian Education, Granville (Mike) Sherman, and Jeff Davenport.
Charles Edward McDonald was born on November 16, 1927, in Wyatt, Harrison County, West Virginia. He was saved on February 4, 1956. On November 16, 1958, he married Sandra L. Hoult. They have four children: Lois Ellen Hopkins of Pratt, West Virginia; Rex of St. Augustine, Florida; Charles (Randy), also of St. Augustine, and Michael Ryan, who is at home.
Pastor McDonald worked with the Rescue Mission in Fairmont from 1957 until 1966. He also pastored the Hillview Baptist Church (1958-1966). In 1966 he attended Appalachian Bible College and graduated in 1969. While a student, he pastored the Gum Springs Baptist Church in Chimney Corner, West Virginia.
In November of 1969, Pastor McDonald became the pastor of Faith Gospel Church in the area of Point Pleasant, West Virginia. A new parsonage was built. He pastored Faith until December of 1974. In November he was called to pastor the Old Kanawha Baptist Church of Pratt, West Virginia, and he moved to Pratt in January of 1975. He stayed at Old Kanawha until December of 1979. He went back to Faith Gospel in 1980 and pastored there until 1984. They buildt a new auditorium. In 1984 he established a new church in Fairmont, West Virginia. Bethel Independent Baptist Church started in his home. The church now has property, with a new metal building, and a six-room house that is used as a parsonage. In 1990 Pastor McDonald and his wife, Sandy, became home missionaries with Gospel Furthering Fellowship, a church-planting missionary fellowship, located in Lebanon, Pennsylvania. They are working withe Llewelleyn Baptist Church in Mannington, West Virginia.
THE TRANSITIONAL YEARS: 1980 - 1993
JOHN FERGUSON
1980 - 1984
Speakers came during January of 1980. At the February meeting the church voted to have Rev. John Ferguson come as pastor of the church. He, at the time, was pastoring a church in Pennsylvania. In the summer of 1980, the church had Neighborhood Bible Time. About 700 young people were in enrolled during the week. Also, during the summer months they did extensive improvements on the buildings. Some of the ladies organized and operated the church library. Pastor Ferguson talked about starting a Christian Day School at the church.
The pastor sent out letters asking for a doctrinal statement from the missionaries the church supported to see where they stood doctrinally. Some of the mission boards were having trouble with New-Evangelicalism. The church was interested in seeing where their missionaries and their mission boards stood. The church stopped supporting some of the missionaries and some of the mission boards.
Mr. Dave Kraft came to work with Pastor Ferguson in June of 1981. Then in January of 1982 he was hired as Assistant Pastor of Old Kanawha. He served in this capacity until January 20, 1985.
In the fall of 1983, a copy of the original minutes of the church from 1797 to 1845 were given to Mr. Tom Baughan by Mr. Edward Middleton Hansford to be given to the church. The minutes had been given to John Hamilton by his aunt, Lillian Hansford, on July 12, 1911. Dr. John Hamilton Hansford, M.D., gave them to his son, John Hamilton Hansford, Jr., in 1944. Then John Hamilton Hansford, Jr., gave them to Edward Middleton Hansford in 1964, who in turn gave them to the church in 1983. Major John Hansford, Sr., of Crown Hill was one of the charter members of Old Kanawha Baptist Church.
One of the highlights of Pastor Ferguson's ministry was the starting of the Old Kanawha Christian School. At the April 18, 1982, business meeting, a motion was passed to add Afticle XIV to the church constitution, which dealt the organization of a Christian Day School. The school opened in September with around ten or twelve students. During the 1983-84 school year they had twenty-five students. There were four full-time teachers, one part-time teacher, and several volunteers to work with the students. Pastor Ferguson was the Principle. The boys had a basketball team called the Cougars coached by Pastor Dave Kraft. Unfortunately, because of low enrollment and high unemployment at that time, the school was not able to open in the fall of 1984. The school was closed, all bills were paid, and the surplus went into the general fund of the church.
Another highlight of Pastor Ferguson's ministry was a trip to the Holy Land. The Ladies Missionary Society raised the money for it. He and Mr. Wilfred Vandall, one of the school board members, took the trip in June of 1984. They stayed a week.
In the morning service on September 9, 1984, Pastor Ferguson formally submitted his resignation. His last Sunday was September 30. The church had a farewell dinner for the Fergusons on September 22. There were about seventy-five there, many of them from the town. The first of October, he loaded up a big U-Haul and two hook-on trailers, and with the help of Wayne Campbell and Bill Sparkman, headed for California to pastor a church in Berkeley.
Pastor David Kraft filled the pulpit until January of 1985. At the morning service on January 20, he announced to the congregation that he was resigning as Assistant Pastor. A love gift was given to the Krafts in February and in April, their church letters were sent to the Chambersburg Bible Church in Chambersburg, Pennsylvania.
PAUL C. REITER
1985 - 1987
At the April 14 business meeting, Dr. Paul C. Reiter, a professor at Applachian Bible College, was called to be the pastor of Old Kanawha Baptist Church. He was to begin his ministry on May 1. In June his membership and that of his wife, Lou, were received from the Daniels Bible Church in Daniels, West Virginia. An installation service was held for Dr. Reiter on May 26. Dr. Joseph K. Pinter read the Scriptures, Rev. Richard Winters provided a solo, Dr. Daniel L. Anderson preached the installation sermon, and Dr. Reiter gave the benediction.
Some of the things that were accomplished when Pastor Reiter was here were establishing an organ fund and making improvements on the parsonage. In the beginning of 1986, the church produced a small directory for the members. In April the church voted to support John Edgel as a home missionary and gave him a one-time money gift to help pay his moving expenses. In October of 1987 that support was dropped and a one-time gift was given to him in November.