for Madison County
Society
Genealogical Society
| Western NC Genealogy Resource Center for Madison County | |
|
Databases |
| Madison County Genealogical Society | |
| Old Buncombe County Genealogical Society | |
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church in Spring Creek is located just below Dogget
Gap on Hwy 63, in an area called Sliding Knob. Its cemetery is also called
Sliding Knob. The church was founded in 1850, and was first constituted
during the days of the civil war in 1863. My ancestors and other families
from Tug-Fork (Now know as Duckett Fire Tower Rd.), Trust, Friezland and
other small communities of Spring Creek have ties to this little country
church. The first church services were held in a small log cabin called
Julian Chapel on the Commedore Wells property. James Belton Balding was
the minister of music, and he had a childrens choir called the Missionary
Band. Later, land for the church property was donated by Gus and Mollie
(Balding) Penland. Mollie was a sister to James Belton Balding from
Tug-Fork. There wasn't any water on the church property, so Henry and
Bertie Penland gave the land with the spring on it.
Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church was built by members of the Spring Creek
Communities mentioned earlier, led by Mitt Meadows and Loranzo Hipps
between 1910 and 1911. It seems like everyone from these small family
communities had something to do with this special place. My grand mother,
Maggie Elizabeth (Balding) Grooms, daughter of James Belton Balding and my
grand father Dolph Price helped fall the trees for the logs, and James
Belton Balding sawed the logs in to lumber at a sawmill set up on Tug-Fork.
Another of James Belton Baldings daughters, Annie Mae (Balding) Plemmons
and her husband Willie V. Plemmons furnished the church bell. Merrimon
Plemmons a brother in law to James Belton Balding, built the church steeple
and bell tower.
During its early years the present building was also used as a school house
with the highest grade being the seventh grade. A lot of local Spring
Creek families attended school there. In the middle 1950's, the present
building was moved from its rock foundation, the property was graded,
basement was dug, a block foundation built and the church building was put
on its present foundation.
Mount Pleasant Baptist Church has indeed played a key role in the nurturing
of not only the educational needs of its community, but its spritual needs
as well. The church still has regular Sunday Services with Sunday School
at 10:00am, and Worship Service at 11:00am.
In 1996 led by the current pastor Rev. Kevin McMillan, a fellowship hall
was built next to the church building by the current members of the Mount
Pleasant Baptist Church. This building provides additional sunday school
room, rest rooms and a fellowship area.
I hope this information is helpful, as Mount Pleasant Baptist Church and
its Sliding Knob Cemetery along with the many Spring Creek Families that
have ties to it will always hold a special place in the family heritage of
its past, present, and furture generations.
Sincerely Yours,
Fred D. Price
12565 S. Kellyville Rd.
Atlanta, Michigan, 49709
517-785-4699
