© 1996 - 2007
Golden Branches
Western NC Genealogy Resource Center
for Cherokee
County
Transcribed with permission from the SouthWestern NC Genealogical
Society Quarterlies (society now defunct) by Diane Ramsey Miller. Material originally
submitted to the society by Mrs. Meb Hendrix in January 1976. Mrs. Hendrix was
the historian for Truett Baptist Association and was a long-time teacher of the
Minnie Ferguson Sunday School Class of Adult Women, Peachtree Memorial Baptist
Church
It has been brought to my attention that there are discrepancies and conflicting information in regards to the Cherokee alphabet / written language, please read multiple sources -- Diane
A few weeks ago I had a letter from Charles L. Browning, Franklin NC, asking me what I knew about the life history of Humphrey Posey, which sent me on a search for early church history. Early Baptist leader were important agents in securing religious liberty for all Americans. By their sacrifices, their work and their zeal one can almost hear them proclaim, 'Let Christs's Freedom Ring'.
Follow me back to the year 1780, nearly 200 years ago to a sparsely settled place in Henry County, Virginia, where a little boy was born and given the name Humphrey Posey. When Humphrey was five years old, his parents moved to Burke County in North Carolina where he grew up. Since no books were available except the Family Bible, he was taught from it by his pious Mother. By the time he was seven years old, according to biography written by Rev. R. Fleming on life of Humphrey Posey, he had read the New Testament through several times. His school days numbered approximately twenty. At the age of seventeen, his parents moved to Greenville, South Carolina and Humphrey taught in "Old Field" schools in the Greenville district. He felt a call to preach in 1803 and in 1804 moved with his wife back to Buncombe County, North Carolina. In 1817 he was appointed Missionary to the Cherokee Indians. Rev. Evans Jones translated the New Testament into the Cherokee language and Humphrey Posey was appointed to take charge by the Mission Board of Philadelphia.
The first mission was located on what is now known as the Mission Farm, and was the beginning of Baptist Christian work in this section under the Missionary endeavors of Rev. Posey who along with Alfred corn did mission work throughout Wester North Carolina, South Carolina and North Georgia; also, The Tennessee River Association. I quote Rev. Posey,"Brother James Whitaker and I drew up the 'Articles of Faith,' as we could not find any in this country. The Presbytery was pleased with our 'Articles of Faith' and so a church was organized in 1803 at Cane Creek, South Carolina."Rev. Posey had a part in the organization of many churches in Western North Carolina and in the French Broad Association. He was instrumental in the State organization of Baptists in Georgia. Truly, he labored and sowed until the end which came in 1846 after forty years of service.
Valley River has the honor of being the oldest organized church in this association. It was organized in the Indian Nation in 1834, and was at first a mixed assembly with nine charter members, most of them were Indians. Valley River church records, kept by James Whitaker, show that several churches came out from Valley River Baptist Church.
The Peachtree Baptist Church is the second oldest. It was constituted in 1837 and gained six of its ten charter members from Valley River Baptist Church. The charter members' named were as follows: Jacob Baker, Mary Baker, John Hughes, Elizabeth Hughes, Mary Dalrymple, Elizabeth Cooke and daughter Elizabeth; also Elizabeth Young, and two Indians, John and Lucy Timpson.
In searching records in this association, I find the names of the following men in the organization of most of the churches and it is fitting that we pay tribute to them in this Bicentennial Service. we can be justly proud of men like James Whitaker Sr., Humphrey Posey, Alfred Corn, A. Amons, Elder Smiley, Elder Wesley William, James M. Thomasson, Elder Mary May, J.S. Smiley, James Whitaker Jr., Elisha Hedden, James and Elisha Kimsey, grandfather and great uncle of George W. Truett; also, George Truett and Ferd McConnel, John T. Plotte, A.B. Smith, and many others. No man ever held the banner of Christ higher than these Pioneer preachers of our mountain country. The candle they lighted, still burns brightly and I am persuaded that darkness shall never put it out. These men preached the gospel so powerfully, and so convincingly, that their influence was felt in much of Western North Carolina, Tennessee and North Georgia. As a result of the faith and zeal, a Baptist Church was organized in every town and village and almost every rural community in this section. All were dedicated and active as Missionaries in Western North Carolina.
Now, let us come back to the Peachtree Baptist church. The first building was made of logs. Both Baptists and Methodists used this building for worship services. the second building was a frame structure and was built in 1880. Many of you remember the building and a few remember the devout faces of those who sat in the "Amen Corner". The records gives us some names and other I recall. There were eight of the Whitaker men. J.L. Whitaker was the church clerk and keeper of our early records. There were seven McGuire men. Henry McGuire was one of the first deacons. John McGuire Sr., was the father of John Jr, Sam and Victor. Victor spend some time in China as a Missionary from our church. William and Elijah Truett, Phillip and Andy Moore, G.W. and C.I. Barker. The eight Thomasson men and Fate and D.S. Puett; also, the Griffiths, the Queens, the Bartons and Huskins were others. Also, others were the Reverends: George Burger, William Baker, M.H. Barker, and Charlie Calhoun Sr., along with younger men like George F. Hendrix, H.L. Robinson, Grover Walsh, Rufus Pipes, Lawson Lunsford, Bill Arrowood, Henry Elliott and many more of the still younger men like Reverends Cloyd and Carter Pipes, Robert Barker, and George Wilson. Clarence Hendrix was church clerk for many years and teacher of the Young Men's Class. The younger men were active as church officers and teachers.
As was the custom, men sat on the left side of the church and women and children on the right.
My first memory of attending church dates back to the card class which was taught by Geneva Hendrix and later during revivals when schools turned out for day time services and we quietly follow a trail leading from the school down to the church. The wheezy organ stands out in my memory with Maud Hendrix and Minnie Ferguson on a stool pumping pedals and playing for the congregation to sing, lead by H.B. Elliott who held that office for many years. Also, the annual singing schools were something special, taught by Zeb McClure or robert Barker who had musical talents and were handy with tuning forks. It was during that week that we learned our "do, re, me's" in shaped notes. Then there were the all day occasions when we spread our lunch on the ground and best of all, our mothers were there with the babies and well filled baskets. The big oak grove was the hitching ground for horses or mules. The wagons or buggies were parked in the shade nearby. This provided a place for children to play and babies to sleep.
The Western North Carolina Baptist Association frequently chose Peachtree Baptist Church for the annual three-day sessions when delegates from other church would come and spend the entire time with families in their homes at night, because this was a central location with plenty of good food.
About fifty-five years ago a revival was held in our church with one of our young preachers conducting the services, the Reverend J.C. Pipes, who had been away in school at Mars Hill. He preached Christ with such power of persuasion that more than forty people were converted and baptized in the Peachtree Creek. I was one of that number.
During the early years Peachtree Baptist Church had the honor of setting aside and ordaining many preachers, two who became missionaries, Victor McGuire and J.C. Pipes. Two churches have gone out from this church, Mt. Zion and Upper Peachtree, both constituted in 1912.
It had been for many years the dream of Richard L. Moore Sr., of Chattangooga, Tennessee, to help build a new Baptist Church building at Peachtree, in memory of his parents and the older generation who he remembered when he was a young man living in this community. He expressed this desire to earlier pastors and a standing building committee was on record. But the deep depression of the thirties had kept people from undertaking so great a task. The challenge came again in 1944 and the church met in a special conference on October 16, 1944, to decide whether or not to meet the challenge. Under the leadership of Rev. R.P. Lovingood, the pastor, it was decided to undertake the task and committees were appointed as follows: Publicity, Dale Sudderth and Nancy Lunsford; Correspondence, Minnie Ferguson, Clarence Hendrix, Lawson Lunsford, and Mrs. Paul Sudderth; Finance, Mack Plemmons, George Wilson, G.A. Walsh, Meb Hendrix, Vonah Lunsford, W.B. Lovingood, and Paul Sudderth.
In November 1944 the committees were invited to visit Mr. Moore at his home town Chattanooga, Tennessee, which a number of us did and brought back the first thousand dollars to apply toward building the new church.
A few days later, Mr. Moore brought an architect and paid our church a visit making further plans as to place and architecture. Little did we think as he visited in our home and church that it would be his last visit. Within two weeks word that he had passed away. But he had left records as to what he proposed to the Peachtree Baptist Church.
The carefully kept records of Lawson Lunsford who replaced Nelson Leatherwood as Treasurer, after his death, show that work did not stop and by August 1946, the church could visualize a new church building across the road from the old framed structure. The church met and on motion, it was voted to name the new church "Peachtree Memorial Baptist Church". It was to be constructed of native stone. During the years 1946-1949, Rev. L.P. smith, as pastor, led the people in the actual building of the church. Every Baptist family and many, many friends and relatives made great sacrifices in money and labor to build and furnish this new stone church. The R.L. Moore family gave $6,000. Our people raised more than $20,000 and hundreds of hours of free labor was given. Sam McGuire of Atlanta was a very liberal contributor, sending gifts from time to time until his death. By 1950, the church was completed and we were already worshipping in a debt free church. Its value was appraised at more than $75,000.
The date for dedication was set for September 27, 1953. People gathered from far and near. The Richard L. Moore family came. This record of the dedication service was copied from the church record book entered by Clarence Hendrix, clerk.
The Peachtree Memorial Baptist Church held dedication services September 27, 1953. Victor John led the congregational singing. Clarence Hendrix, the clerk, read the church history from 1837-1950. Rev. Robert Barker brought the dedication sermon, "Solomon Builds and Dedicates the Temple", 1st Kings, 8th Chapter. Rev. Lester Stowe, the pastor, led the dedication prayer and the exercises in laying of the corner stones. At noon a bountiful dinner was served from the church dining room.Many improvements have been added: new pews, pulpit furniture, folding doors, a new heating system, a new piano, a new organ, a well filled library, a well equipped nursery and kitchen. During the year 1957, the church purchased the Associational Missionary Home for a pastor's home at a cost of $4,500. Since 1952 we have had a full-time pastor on the field with one of the most efficient staff of officers and teachers in the Truett Association.
At the afternoon session Rev. L. P. Smith, former pastor, brought the message from Isaiah 6:8, "Here Am I Send ME"> Rev Thomas Truett closed the meeting with prayer.
Men like Lawson Lunsford, George F. Hendrix, H.L. Robinson, Grover Walsh, George Wilson, Carl Stiles and Joe Radford and many younger men and women were not ashamed of tears as they listened to these messages on this memorable day.I quote Nehemiah 4:6, "So built we the wall and all the wall was joined together unto the half thereof; for the people had a mind to work."
The possibility of naming all the pastors who have served this church during approximately 140 years is somewhat difficult. Some records have been lost. The first pastor was Elisha Hedden and serving during the unrecorded period was James Loin who lived in the community. He receive his education from Mercer University and named one of his sons for Mercer. Others who have passed on were the Reverends M.H. Barker, E.R. Treadway, John T. Plott, A.B. Smith, Gar Ledford, George Burger, William Baker, Bill Pruett, J.S. Stanberry, John Brendle, Marvin Lewis, Thomas Truett, R.C. Shearin, L.P. Smith, and W.F. Sinclair. Others were Algie West, W.O. O'Kelley, Paul Lovingood, A.B. Lovell, Lester Stowe, G.W. Scruggs, Robert Barker and Joseph Reese.
We must never forget the "Little Log Meeting House" nor the framed building which served the people well until the present building was constructed. But more important was the Spirit of Christ and the zeal that sent these preachers out into their field of work to plead the cause of Christ and to lay the foundation for missions; Home, Stage and Foreign. Our records show that by 1900 an offering was taken for missions on each meeting day and great stress was put on this phase of work by Reverends A.B. Smith and John T. Plott. Mission offerings for the year amounted to approximately as much as the preacher's salary which ranged from $50 to $60 per year.
This is the foundation that our church is built on and we can proudly say that we are Missionary Baptists. Yes! We have a heritage.
We might add that spiritual growth cannot be measured by new buildings or years but the Spirit of christ is still a guiding force in the lives of the people of the Peachtree Community, who work with a unity of purpose, with high ideals in mind, for higher education, better standard of living, and a deeper religious life.Meb Hendrix, Historian
Sources:Old Minutes of early Associations in WNC
Church yards - Valley River and Peachtree
Visits with a member of living descendents
Correspondence with descendents
Phone calls
Church Pictures
In addition to these sources I have gained considerable information from several primary (documentary) sources:Early church records, circular letters, and early Minutes of WNC Associations
Book Author Rev. R. Fleming - Biography of Humphrey Posey
Also book by J.S. Smiley on Early Associations in WNC with sketches on church leaders.
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