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Lusk Chapel Baptist Church is located on Betseys Gap Hwy. (Hwy. 209), on
the upper end of Spring Creek, in Madison County, NC. This little country
church is still very active in the Spring Creek community. The current
pastor is the Rev. Frank Willett, and the Lusk Chapel is affiliated with
the French Broad Baptist Association.
The first church was built on land owned by John Sidney Lusk, hence the
name Lusk Chapel. The original church was located near the site of the
present church. The present church was built on land donated by the Nathan
Woody family. A meeting was held on February 10, 1889 for the purpose of
organizing a church. Most of the original members came from the Flats Of
Spring Creek Baptist Church, and the Mount Pleasant Baptist Church. The
following people were charter members of Lusk Chapel: John M. Carver,
Elizabeth Carver, J.M. Plemmons, J.M. Coward, H.E. Duckett, and V.J.
Gentry. By the end of 1889, the church membership had grown to 14. In
1892 a total of 9 were baptized. In January of 1895, Lusk Chapel licensed
its first preacher, W.R. Early. A two week revival in 1909 resulted in 42
souls receiving Christ. Another two week revival in 1913 led by the Rev.
T.J. Graham resulted in 30 souls receiving Christ. In 1855 the New Found
Baptist Association was formed at New Found Missionary Baptist Church in
Buncome County. Lusk Chapel Baptist Church was the host church for the
association in the following years: 1918, 1931, 1944, 1960, 1970, 1978,
and 1983. In June of 1946, Ball City Church was organized as a branch of
the Lusk Chapel. In 1959 the decision was made to install a heating system
in Lusk Chapel. In 1982 a youth group was started with 6 children and in
just 6 weeks, the number had grown to 40. The youth group raised a large
portion of the money for the classroom addition. The youth group travelled
extensively over Western North Carolina putting on musical programs as a
witness for the Lord. In 1983 the classroom addition was built. In 1985 a
well and plumbing were added to the church. In 1989 a special service was
held to celebrate 100 years of service for the Lord by Lusk Chapel in the
Spring Creek community. In 1994 the Lusk Chapel Baptist Church joined the
French Broad Baptist Association. In 1996 the Lord gave another gracious
revival at Lusk Chapel, led by the Rev. James Howard Moore, resulting in a
total of 17 saved within months of this revival meeting. In March of 1997,
work began on construction of a new fellowship hall at Lusk Chapel to
better serve the needs of its congregation.
John Sidney Lusk was a Baptist preacher owning property where Lusk Chapel
Baptist Church was first erected. He was married to Elizabeth Plemmons,
and they were the parents of Jane Noland, Matilda Cogdill, and Laura Ann
Price. This original church also served as a school, and was known as the
Woody School. In 1927, the collection for the month of May consisted of
the following: (l) bushel of meal, (2) bushels of corn, (6) gallons of
shelled corn, (400) plants, and $5.30 in cash.
In July of 1948, the Lusk Chapel received a new deed from A.N. Woody for a
change in the road to the Woody Cemetery. The Woody Cemetery for Lusk
Chapel and the Spring Creek community was started when a man in the
community by the name of John Seagle and his wife Sintha had a small child
who was very ill. One night during the childs illness, the mother had a
dream, she dreamed her child had died and she was searching for its grave.
In her dream, the child was taken to the Woody farm and there buried. The
mother woke and a short time later, her child died. She then told her
husband of the dream. The next day the mother and father went to Mr.
Nathan Woody and told him of their childs death, and of the dream. Mr.
Woody went with John and Sintha and told them to select a place on his farm
suitable for the grave. As he took them about the farm, he helped them
choose perhaps the most beautiful hilltop of all those on his farm. This
land was later donated to the community and was called the Woody Cemetery.
Andy and Maggie Woody were active in the community and were committed to
supporting the Lusk Chapel Baptist Church.
J. Marion Coward born June 7, 1858, died February 20, 1957, He lived to be
98 years old and was the last charter member of Lusk Chapel Baptist Church.
Ministers who have served Lusk Chapel Baptist Church
L.M. Segel 1889-1893
T.J. Frisbee 1893-1899
W.N. Martin 1899-1900
Lee Carlington 1900-1904
R.H. Hipps 1904-1905
E.R. Treadway 1905-1907
R.H. Hipps 1907-1908
T.J. Graham 1908-1919
B.B. Plemmons 1919-1921
J.Y. Davis 1921-1922
E.W. Scott 1922-1923
B.B. Plemmons 1923-1925
Wiley Graham 1925-1927
D.H. Corn 1927-1928
Jesse Corn 1928-1929
P.C. Hicks 1929-1931
Forest Ferguson 1931-1933
Dock Russell 1933-1936
Ben Cook 1936-1937
D.D. Russell 1937-1938
E.F. Sprinkle 1938-1939
Forest Ferguson 1939-1940
Eugene Moore 1940-1944
D.D. Russell 1944-1945
Lucious Rogers 1945-1950
Doyle Miller 1950-1951
Grady Sheperd 1951-1954
Lucious Rogers 1954-1956
James Buchanan 1956-1957
J.J. Slagle 1957-1959
J.D. Plemmons 1959-1960
Jarvis Teague 1960-1963
Oder Anders 1963-1973
Don Miller 1973-1975
Ersie James 1975-1976
Phil Willett 1976-1978
Charles Pierson 1978-1980
Phil Willett 1980-1982
Earl Jones 1982-1984
John Dorsey 1984-1985
Joe Coffee 1985-1986
John Allen 1986-1988
Cecil Banks 1988-1989
Elbert Deason 1989-1992
Frank Willett 1993-current
The Rev. Bailey B. Plemmons (Uncle Dick) was truly a pioneer minister of
the Gospel in Madison County. Uncle Dick professed religion at the age of
13 at the Flats of Spring Creek in 1875 and united with that church. About
nine years later, he moved his membership to Mount Pleasant Baptist Church,
and by the same church was licensed to preach, Nov. 30, 1895, and September
5, 1896 was ordained as a minister. The Rev. B.B. Plemmons pastored more
than 18 different churches during his pastoral work, beginning at Mount
Pleasant Baptist Church, and carried the Gospel over these mountains and
into the valleys in Madison, Haywood, and Buncome Counties by way of
horseback for transportation, and even on foot at times. Uncle Dick and
family moved their membership to Lusk Chapel Baptist Church in 1917, and he
remained a member there until his death. Uncle Dick was moderator of the
New Found Missionary Baptist Association at Flats Spring Creek, 1908; Piney
Grove, 1915; Jones Valley, 1927; Lusk Chapel, 1931, and Zion at Bluff, 1932
and was an exceptionally good one. Uncle Dick married Miss Thenia Plemmons
January 23, 1881, and to this union seven children were born, four boys,
and three girls. He was called home to his heavenly reward November 29,
1948, at the age of eighty-six years, and humble servant of the Lord
seventy-three years, and a minister of the Gospel fifty-three years.
Preaching in Lusk Chapel was the "Old Fashioned" fundamental preaching.
You saw many men and women shouting, especially during revival meetings.
Some would ride horses to church and hitch them up by the side of the
church until service was over. The preacher would often go home with a
family for Sunday dinner and fellowship.
Doc Plemmons taught singing schools at Lusk Chapel, where a person would
learn the old "Shape Note" type of singing. In the early years Lusk Chapel
had no piano or organ and they would not allow string instruments of any
kind in the church. They would give the pitch with a tuning fork, and
would sing songs such as "Camp A Little While In The Wilderness", "Careless
Soul", "Look Away Beyond The Blue", "In The Sweet Bye And Bye", "Wayfaring
Stranger", "I Will Arise And Go To Jesus", "Beautiful Home Sweet Home",
"Away Over In The Promised Land", and "I Am A Pilgram Of Sorrow". Songs
were sang without accompaniment. Lusk Chapel like a lot of the other
little country churches would have "All Day Singings" and dinner on the
grounds. Choirs, quartets, trios, and so on and so forth would come from
miles around and start singing about 10:00am and sing till noon. They
would stop long enough to spread their dinners on the grounds or on tables,
and people would visit with each other while eating lunch. After eating
some would go to the cemetery and decorate the graves with flowers while
reflecting of the memories of their loved ones buried there. Most of the
people would go back in the church and the singers would sing until about
4:00pm that evening. Some of the singers were: Furman Willett from the
lower end of Spring Creek, quartet with Gordon Woody, Ballard Webb, Coman
Kirkpatrick, and Clyde Webb. They also sang for funerals, homecomings,
decoration days, and revival meetings. Gordon Woody could play the
accordian, piano, pipe organ, pump organ, as well as the french harp. Even
though Gordon had been blind since birth, he had a masters degree in music,
and went to the school for the blind in Raleigh, NC. and obtained his
education. Ballard Webb could sing the notes thru to a song one time and
Gordon was ready to play and sing along. He also taught piano at Spring
Creek School. In Sunday School at Lusk Chapel there was always a brief
time set aside in which the congregation would quote from memory
bible verses they had learned. Gordon always quoted more verses than
anyone else. His beautiful tenor voice would always make a song like "Life
Is Like A Mountain Railroad" come to life. Ballard and his wife Mary
(Price) Webb and their two sons Gerald and Ballard Jr. were very active in
the music at Lusk Chapel Baptist Church. Ballard was music director and
had a strong baritone voice. He didn't need amplifiers or loud speakers.
When he sang, you had no difficulty hearing him, it didn't matter if you
were sitting in the front pew or in the very back of the church. His
strong, smooth voice was always very clear. He could sing in harmony
whether singing with a large choir or in a quartet or duet. Ballard sang
many very old songs which had been handed down from previous generations,
and he would often sing them in the minor key. Gerald and Ballard Jr. were
also good singers, and could play the banjo and guitar. It was said that
they could sing all day and never sing the same song twice. Ballard was
famous for bringing tears to the eyes of his listeners while singing songs
like: "A Little Boy On Mothers Knee", "To Die In The Arms Of Jesus",
"Theres A Little Pine Log Cabin", "Camp A Little While In The Wilderness",
and "I'm Just Going Over Jordan".
As you came near the church yard, you would likely hear, coming through an
open window, the soft sound of a little pump organ, and voices of the
congregation as they sang "I'm Bound For The Promised Land", or "When We
All Get To Heaven".
Deacons who have served Lusk Chapel Baptist Church:
J.M. Plemmons
J.P. Plemmons
J.M. Coward
J.R. Cogdill
W.G. Price
C.J. Woody
John H. Price
H.E. Plemmons
A.F. Miller
C.B. Justice
Orville Fish
Bryan Plemmons
Raymond F. Price
Murmon Gillespie
Eugene Plemmons
Larry Plemmons
James Howard Moore
Denver Moore
Lee Payne
Ron Morris
Carl Price
Jeffery Moore
Joe Plemmons "Mr. Lusk Chapel" was always in church and thanked the Lord a
thousand times a day. Eurastus and Tenia Plemmons were also active in Lusk
Chapel, they attended church and saw to it that their family attended
services each Sunday, and other special services as well. Eurastas was
chairman of the Deacon Board at Lusk Chapel for many years. Mr. and Mrs.
Dolph Price and their two daughters Bertie and Allie along with their two
sons Raymond and Alton were also very active in Lusk Chapel. For many
years Dolph was the superintendent of the Sunday School. He would stand
each Sunday morning to give the scripture reading at the beginning of each
service. The "One Hundredth Psalms" must have been his favorite passage of
scripture. Even when he was on in years and his voice broken, his
expression was radiant, as he would read to the congregation: "Make a
joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands. Serve the Lord with gladness;
come before his presence with singing, know ye that the Lord, he is God:
It is he that hath made us, and not we ourselves; we are his people, and
the sheep of his pasture", and on he would read as the Lusk Chapel
congregation grasp the beauty of each word of the passage. Raymond later
became a deacon at Lusk Chapel. Allie married Swan Blankenship, Alton and
his wife Zora Price the daughter of the Rev. and Mrs. Alonzo Strickland of
the Spring Creek community also attended with their son Jimmy and daughter
Evelyn. Jimmy is now a minister and is the current pastor of Fines Creek
Baptist Church just over the mountain from Lusk Chapel.
There were many other families that attended Lusk Chapel Baptist Church
over the years, and those people like those of the other little country
churches in the Spring Creek community should always be remembered as a
people that worked together, worshipped together, and shared each others
sorrows and joys. They took their time and lived each day to its fullest.
They went to bed early at night and rose early each morning to continue
their daily task of working hard to provide for their large families.
They worked willingly, they didn't abuse the land, though a lot of the land
was steep and rocky, they cared for it gently, because its soil was black
and fertile. They were a thankful people, and passed this way of living on
to their children. They gave God the credit for everything, no matter how
great or small.
In bringing to a close, this history of the Lusk Chapel Baptist Church and
the heritage of all its people, we urge everyone to give God the credit for
this little church and the far reaching effect it has had and continues to
have on the Spring Creek community, and to remember it is not what a family
member did or what is in the name of Lusk Chapel that is important, for
"Except the Lord build the house, they labour in vain that build it; except
the Lord keep the city, the watchman waketh but in vain." Ps. 127:1
The Lusk Chapel Baptist Church along with its current pastor, the Rev.
Frank Willett would like to extend a welcome invitation to all to attend
the services and fellowship at their church.
Note: special thanks go out to the Rev. Frank Willett, Dean Justice, Larry
Stewart Plemmons, the people of Lusk Chapel, and the French Broad Baptist
Assoaciation for their help in this research of the Lusk Chapel Baptist
Church and its People.
Anyone with information on other churches in Madison County that would like
to preserve the heritage of these little churches and the families
associated with them is encouraged to contact me:
Fred D. Price
12565 S. Kellyville Rd.
Atlanta, MI 49709
517-785-4699
E-mail tugfork@amaesd.k12.mi.us
