Robert - Marge, This isn't much help, but I emailed my uncle, who is a Baptist minister in Iron County, regarding the question on 'Primitive Baptist' churches in Iron County during 1884 and 1885. [Wolf Creek and Leatherwood/ Bethel Association]. This was his reply: > I'm not familiar with either of the associations or the churches. There is > a Primitive Baptist Church on 72 highway between Ironton and Fredricktown and > that may be one of them. Primitive Baptist are very much different than most > other Baptists and there are very few around here. In fact that one is the > only one I know of. Now that Marge has sent a bit more info, I will see if anything she's found may help him recall something.... What I'm picking up from Marge's information is that: Concord Association existed in 1858 and by 1874, grew to 16 churches, and by 1920 grew to 21 churches - which (as of 1912 county boundaries) were located in Franklin and Reynolds counties. Bethel Association was continually sending off groups of churches for the establishment of other associations. {This really doesn't offer much information....} Central MO Association was established in 1860 and was made up of a group of churches from Iron County, including Big Creek Church, which was the oldest established church of the Black River Association formed in May 1845. I'm confused - did I miss an earlier note about Locust Grove? This is the first I've seen it mentioned and based on this info, it doesn't seem like it was necessarily part of the Bethel Association. I know earlier Marge mentioned neither Leatherwood or Wolf Creek were specifically mentioned in this book. Also Marge, is Robert part of the list, or do replies need to be sent directly to him? I didn't notice his posting on the Iron County message board, or would have also replied there. -Kay, FL > Subj: Re: [MOIRON] 19th century churches- Locust Grove > Date: 12/6/2006 10:59:28 PM Eastern Standard Time > From: margecam@lmcam1.com > > The History of SE MO by Douglass does mention Locust Grove church, but just > a mention: > Page 475: > In 1858, the Concord Association met at Pilgrims Rest church and received > the following new churches: New Prospect, Pleasant Exchange (Ellis Campbell > switched to this church), Mount Gilead and Sugar Tree Grove. The ministers at this meeting were Isaac Lane, > R. Seal and E. Warren; Isaac > Lane was moderator again and Thomas Dickson was chosen clerk. The next > year's meeting met at Big Creek church in Iron county, one other organization was > added, this being Highland church. The third annual meeting was with > Bethlehem church in Reynolds county in 1870. > At this time there were only 6 churches in the association, but the next > year, 1871, Denning Chapel, Pleasant Valley, LOCUST GROVE, White Oak Grove, > Black Oak Grove and Friendship churches were received. The meeting was held > at Pleasant Exchange in Reynolds county; Samuel S Beard was moderator. In > 1874 the association consisted of 16 churches with a membership of 584 > and 6 > ordained ministers. > The territory of these churches is now in Franklin and Reynolds counties > (book written in 1912). The association had 21 churches in 1910 with a m > embership of 1,468. The churches were: Centreville, 95; Dickens Valley, > 90; Lesterville, 136; Pine Dale ___; Bethany, 34; Bethlehem, 85; New Hope, 20; > Dry Valley, 47; Oak Grove, 71; Redford, 122; Ellington, 149; Lone Cedar, 50; > Logan Creek, 54; Roland Hill, 83; Corridon, 12; Van Buren, 68; Cedar Grove, > 196; Sinking Creek, 28; Hopewell, 41; West Fork, 47 & Black River __. > > Bethel Association was continually sending off groups of churches for the > establishment of other associations. > In 1860 a group of churches in Iron county consisting of Mount Pleasant, > BIG CREEK, Pilgrims Rest, White Oak Grove, Sugar Tree Grove, Mount Gilead, > Mount Zion & Locust Grove organized an association called Central MO Association. > > > Book says BIG CREEK was the oldest church in the Black River Association... Big Creek formed in May 1845 (remember Iron county did not > form until > 1857)...about 18 miles south of Fredricktown. The first Church house was built in > 1854; the first pastor of the church as Henry McElmurry; he was succeeded by > CT Graham, who served as pastor for 22 years. > > -----Original Message----- > From: moiron-bounces@rootsweb.com [mailto:moiron-bounces@rootsweb.com] On > Behalf Of Robert L Webb > Sent: Wednesday, December 06, 2006 4:06 PM > > Marge, > The minutes I have are for 1884 and 1885. I think Wolf Creek church > must have been near Ironton, at least that is the address of the pastor, R. > S. Banks. S. Bond also a member. Names of people (members) from the church > called Leatherwood which are shown include J. B. Belmar (the pastor), I. > Sutton, C. C. Lashley, and L. Ashlock. No clues as to the location except > the county is stated to be Iron. > Robert > > On Wed, 6 Dec 2006 15:43:50 -0600 "margecam@1and1" <margecam@lmcam1.com> > writes: > >Neither are in the History of SE MO that I have (by Douglass). I did > >find a Leatherwood MO in the South St Francois mountans. > >What time frame are you talking...has to be after 1857...if you can > >tell me that, I'll look to see if the boundares of the counties chaned > >some. > >Marge Campbell > > > >-----Original Message----- > >From: moiron-bounces@rootsweb.com > >[mailto:moiron-bounces@rootsweb.com] On Behalf Of Robert L. Webb > > > >Friends, > >I recently obtained some records which show two Primitive Baptist > >churches in Iron County, one called Wolf Creek, the other called > >Leatherwood. > >They were part of the Bethel Association. Elder R. S. Banks was the pastor > >at Wolf Creek. I don't know much else. Any information anyone has > >about either of them would be welcomed. > >Robert > > >