Bethlehem Baptist Records 1892-1897

Minerva McCulloch Manion 1836-1904

Double click on any of the documents and photos of Bethlehem Baptist Church to enlarge them, then use your back arrow to return to the page. Again, I'm missing a number of pages due to several factors: they weren't there, they were too faded to read, they had no information on them. Although Bethlehem Baptist is considered to be in Grubville, a new church appears in the community--Grubville Baptist Church, just a few miles down the road.
May 7, 1892 ". . .the case of Bro. L. Willson was taken up and laid over until next meeting on motion. The case of Sister Mary Williams. . .committee consisting of Len Williams, Minerva Manion and Josephine Manion to see the sister. Wm McKay moderator, Lewis Reiter, clerk pro tem" This is Louis Henry Reiter the son of my g-g grandfather Louis/Ludwig Reiter who emigrated from Germany. Josephine Manion could be the daughter of Minerva McCulloch and William G. Manion who was the son of Susan Graham.
Oct. 1892 ". . .Jasper Eoff returned his letter. . . Rev. Price McKay, mod W.R. McKay clerk pro tem".
June 19, 1893 ". . .Bros. Len Williams and L. Wilson elected solicitors. . ."
Aug. 12, 1893 ". . .1. Brother Newton Eoff restored 2. Brother N. Eoff Licensed to preach 3. Letter to the Association read and received 4. On motion church elected a pastor which resulted in the choice of S.G. McKee. J. P. McKay moderator, J.L. Perkins, clerk."

Jacob Jefferson McKee, the first husband of my great-grandmother Mary C. Reiter Long who is buried here beside him with her second husband T.H.Long at Pilgrim's Rest Baptist with his first wife.  Their grandsons, added the second stone which explains this.
Oct. 1893 ". ..1. Sisters Minerva Manion, Josephine and Mary McColor granted letters of dismission 2. Church agreed to pay Bro. S. G. McKee $5 a trip. . . S. G. McKee, moderator J.L. Perkins, clerk." I suspect that should be Mary McCulloch since Minerva's maiden name was Minerva McCulloch and Josephine is possibly Josephine Manion.
The document below indicates there were some problems with the Grubville Baptist Church being formed just down the road from Bethlehem Baptist Church.
June 1895 ". ..it was then stated by the Bethlehem members that the spirit of said propositions was good but that it was not a matter of feeling between members but a question as to the loyalty of Grubville as a Baptist Church. Bro. Hill then stated that the propositions did not fill the bill that he wrote it and that he did not know what the trouble was but Bros. Frost and Williams talked it quite different. Bro. Williams said and we hear that he had stated the same in their meeting, that people say I do not belong to a legal church and if I do not I want to know it. I want to be a member of a church. Bro. Frost said that what they wanted to know if Grubville was right in what she [the church] has done and that if it is they wanted it to stand and if not they would to fall. There not being many of the Bethlehem Church present it was decided by a note to wait until our next regular meeting to give the committee an answer the church was then adjoined. J.E. Short moderator"

Grubville Baptist Church

Jul 13, 1895 ". . .a committee appointed to meet the Grubville Committee to call it counsel the church agreed to abide by the conclusion of the committee and counsel. The committee: J. E. Short, P.P. McKay, J.S. McKay, J.L. Perkins. . . delegates [Jefferson County Association] are J.G. Lee, J.S. McKay and W.R. McKay."
November 1896 ". . .a motion to move the church house and a committee to have it done consisting of Bros. W.R. Williams, J.G.Lee, J.S. McColloch and J.S. McKay. A letter of dismission was granted to Bro. Phinas Ogle and his wife also to Sister Eliza Hill. Bro. E.Z. Hamrick was elected pastor. . ." [E. J. Hamrick]
This February 1897 entry is really a fragment: ". . .Fortner asking for a letter of . . . mison from Bethlehem Church which was granted. E.J. Hamrick moderator J.S. McKay clerk pro tem"
July 1897 ". . .Bro. George Harrison chosen clerk pro tem and church agreed to correspond with Jefferson County Baptist. . . Delegates Bro. J. S. McKay, George Harrison and W.K. Williams.. ."
Aug. 1897". . .E.J. Hamrick unanimously elected. . ." as pastor for the year.