Clarksburg Baptist Church

The First Baptist Church of Clarksburg was constituted on Sunday, March 26, 1876 with eight charter members. Three members of Mt. Pleasant Baptist Church, Rev. J. B. Box (who served as the first pastor of the church), Rev. Nicholas Allee, and Deacon John Allee assisted in the organization of the church.

After an interesting discourse by Bro. Box, the following certificate was issued and the church was organized and constituted into a church, electing Bro. James Landers as church clerk.

"We the undersigned presbytery do hereby certify that James A Lander, E. T. Renshaw, Elizabeth Renshaw,

Mary A. Lander, Elizabeth Siegenthaler are known to be member of the Baptist Church and are by their request

constituted into a Baptist Church at Clarksburg on the fourth Sunday in March, 1876, by the undersigned presbytery:"

Two different surveys of State and Local Historical Records done by the WPA in 1940 shows the following as charter member: James Landers, E. G. Renshaw, Elizabeth Lander, J. A. Lander, Mary A. Lander, E. J. Renshaw, Elizabeth Renshaw, and Elizabeth Siegenthaler.

Following organization and constitution as a church, First Baptist was accepted for membership in the Concord Baptist Association in 1877.

There is a question as to who the first pastor of the church was, with one of the WPA surveys listing Bro. Nicholas Allee as the first pastor, serving March 26, 1876 to May 27, 1877. The other WPA survey shows that Bro. J. B. Box served as the first pastor with a tenure of about eight years.

The church met for services in the Union Church building until about 1882 when a frame structure was built. This building was dedicated in April of 1882 with the Rev. Roy Palmer of Tipton, Mo., doing the preaching. The frame structure was then replaced with an oblong, brick structure with a bell tower, sometime between 1896 to 1906, depending upon which record you read. However, according to an article in the Word & Way, written by Rev. Clifford Cox, pastor of the church in 1909, the present brick building was built in 1907 during the pastorate of the Rev. F. C. Richards, who served this church from 1906 to 1909. Perhaps a few paragraphs from the article will enlighten us to the events of the building of the present edifice.

The old house was going down and not in a condition to be repaired. A committee was appointed to take subscription

The work was begun, but when the house was completed, they lacked funds. The trustees were instructed to give a

mortgage on the house and borrow $900.00 to pay for material and work. Then came the struggle, the house could not be dedicated.

Last summer, it was decided to raise the money and dedicate the church, October 17, 1909. Rev. E. H. Robinson was

district evangelist, and was here in a meeting at the time, and assisted in raising part of the money. Rev. R. K. Maiden agreed

to dedicate the church. On the day set to dedicate we needed nearly $400.00. The people responded to the call, and the

The house is a good one - costing over $2,500.00. It will last many years and serve as a memorial to those who have labored so faithfully.

According to a history of the church written by Miss Vivian Holloway, it was cited that the church "at a regular business session on March 3, 1907, it was decided to erect a new church building." While the building was constructed, services were held in the chapel of the Clarksburg (Baptist) College.

In 1893, there was a dispute among the members of the church, with fifteen (15) members leaving the church to go and form one of their own. The small band left and formed the Second Baptist Church, building there own building and calling the Rev. S. W. Pollard as their pastor. In 1902, an attempt was made to unite the two churches, but it was unsuccessful.

Sometime between 1903 and 1906, we find that the First Baptist Church has issued an invitation to the member of the Second Baptist Church to rejoin the First Church, since they have disbanded and the building sold to the Christian Church organization.

In 1909, the church drew up some resolutions pertaining to the conduct and discipline of church members. The hand of fellowship was withdrawn from members who violated the resolutions, unless they came before the church asking forgiveness. Gambling, drunkenness, profanity and dancing were among the sins stated in the resolutions.

One of the early well-known members of the church was Professor J. H. N. Hooper, founder and president of Hooper Institute. It was stated that Professor Hooper was quite an active member of the Baptist Church.

In 1900, a Women’s Missionary Society (WMS) was formed at First Baptist with Mrs. W. H. Mayfield as president. The Society had 12 members and gave $20.00 to missions that year.

By 1902, a Baptist Young People’s Union was formed with a membership of 60. Bro. P. E. Lowe was the president. The Sunday School had reached an all-time enrollment of 120 and the church expenses were $474.07. The Rev. James E. Dillard had begun his tenure of service with the church, that was to last until 1905. Bro. Dillard also taught at the College in town, also serving as its president. Later, Rev. Dillard will serve Southern Baptists by being the chairman of the Cooperative Program Commission from 1925, when it was created until 1927.

By 1916, things were on an even keel for the church, with stability in all areas. In June 1916, during the pastorate of Rev. Roy H. Parker, a Union Tent Meeting was held by the Rev. A. E. Birch, a Baptist evangelist that resulted in 75 baptisms and 19 additions by letter into the church.

In 1922, the church listed the pastor’s salary as $600.00 and in the following year of 1923, it went down to $350.00. By 1927, it was back up to $600.00, only to fall back in 1929 to $475.00, possibly due to the fall of the stock market and the Great Depression.

On January 22, 1939, C. H. Ewert gave to the church a building that was located across the street from the church house. This building served as an educational building until 1959. At that time, the church elected a planning committee to plan for the erection of a new educational building, which was built adjoining the main building. On September 2, 1962, the new educational building was dedicated. The property across the street was sold to the Masonic Lodge in 1970.

First Baptist Church, from its start, has taken regular offerings for the various mission causes: Foreign, Home and State. One day was designated as egg day, when members sold the eggs they collected that day and gave the money received to the Home for Aged Baptists in Ironton, Mo. There are several instances in which the church gave aid to sick members providing hospital and nursing care. In later years, a Benevolent Fund was started that has provided for the community a needed service.

For many years, services were held only one Saturday and Sunday each month. Later, the church went to half time services and then finally to full time services every Sunday.

First Baptist has had some men go out from her number to serve God in the ministry. In 1900, the church ordained W. A. Bruce to the Gospel Ministry. Later, on January 10, 1932, the church ordained C. B. Swinney to the Gospel Ministry. A License to Preach was granted to Denzil Albin on December 26, 1936. He was ordained to the Gospel Ministry on October 29, 1939. On July 28, 1963, Roy Dameron was ordained to the Gospel Ministry.

The Annual Meeting of the Concord Baptist Association has been hosted by the church on four different occasions, in the years 1897, 1928, 1949 and 1978.

Many improvements have been made to the church edifice over the years. A cooling system was installed in 1955. A new pulpit was given to the church in 1956 by Mr. and Mrs. Hartley Sappington. The church library was established in 1963. The front entrance of the church was changed from the 2 side doors to a center double door, complete with foyer. In November 1965, the church bell was removed for fear that it was causing damage to the edifice. A Hammond piano was purchased in October 1966. In 1970, the church auditorium was paneled. The church voted to purchase a Hammond organ in February 1973. The purchase of a P. A. System was voted in April of 1973. In September of that same year, the church purchased new carpeting. Central air was installed in 1976. The church in 1982 voted to replace the north sidewalk, and to repair the front porch, with the addition of a ramp on the south end of the porch for use by the handicapped and elderly. The church voted in November 1983, to install central air to the annex. Due to a fire in the parsonage in September 1983, the church voted in October to place the pastor on a housing allowance, giving their pastors the choice of housing they would want and freedom in the location of their house.

Several men have served First Baptist Church as deacons. The following list is only partial of men who have served in this capacity, since any notations were not to be found. Deacons that have served include: Ed VanStratten, E. Williams, J. F. Bealer, F. H. Dooley. Current deacons are Irving Millis, Chairman: Hartley Sappington, Frank Turner. Tandy Williams is an inactive Deacon, due to his residence at the Baptist Home in Ironton, Mo.

First Baptist has from their beginning, called their pastors to serve on an annual basis, through the Annual Call, with the exception of November 1963 to October 1976, when the church extended indefinite calls.

Perhaps a former pastor, Rev. Clifford Cox, said it well when he penned these words in the history of the church that he wrote in 1909:

Here are the many fine men that have been privileged to serve as pastor of the First Baptist Church. Also given is their tenure of service:

Rev. Nicholas Allee	1876-1877	Rev. Roy H. Parker	1914-1917
Rev. J. B. Box	1877-1879	Rev. C. E. Humphrey	1918-1920
Rev. R. P. Scott	1881-1882	Rev. Zeb Thomas	1921
Rev. J. B. Box	1883-1885	Rev. E. R. Clawson	1922
Rev. I. R. M. Beeson	1886	Rev. T. J. Deakins	1923-1924
Rev. E. T. Shelton	1887-1888	Rev. H. W. Allee	1925-1928
Rev. F. T. Shore	1889	Rev. B. F. Dinwiddie	1929-1930
Rev. E. T. Shelton	1891	Rev. Ira Nicholson	1931-1936
Rev. R. H. Harris	1894	Rev. H. V. Nelson	1938
Rev. D. C. Peters	1895	Rev. Joe Laws	1939-1942
Rev. J. L. Tichenor	1896	Rev. Gordon Carpenter	1944
Rev. J. Youngblood	1897	Rev. Ivan Dameron	1945-1949
Rev. L. E. Floyd	1898	Rev. H. J. Hood	1950-1954
Rev. J. M. Plannett	1899-1901	Rev. Wilber Helle	1955-1962
Rev. J. E. Dillard	1902-1905	Rev. Roy Dameron	1963
Rev. F. C. Richards	1906-1908	Rev. Ronald Gross	1964-1971
Rev. Clifford Cox	1909	Rev. Robert Ocker	1971-1977
Rev. Mord Roberts	1910	Rev. Everette Dane	1977-1981
Rev. T. R. White	1912	Rev. Johnny W. Milnes	1981-
Rev. S. A. Maxey	1913

Clarksburg Baptist Church was established March 26, 1876 by eight Charter Members, three from Mt Pleasant Baptist Church. These were Rev J B Box, Rev Nicholas Allee and Deacon John Allee. One history lists the first pastor as Rev Allee and another has Rev Box serving. Bro James Lander was elected the first clerk.

We the undersigned Presbytery do hereby certify that James A Lander, Mary A Lander, E T Renshaw, Elizabeth Renshaw, Elizabeth Siegenthaler, and E G Renshaw, known to be members of the Baptist Church at Clarksburg, on the fourth Sunday in March, 1876, by the undersigned Presbytery

This church was accepted into Concord Baptist Association in 1877. Baptists in Clarksburg first worshiped with Methodist, Christians and Presbyterians in the Union Church, whose building was erected in 1874. Later Baptists built their own church building to house the establishment of Clarksburg Baptist Church in 1876. Another church history dates the dedication of this building as April 1882 with Rev Palmer preaching. It may have taken that long to finish the building. Meantime, services were held in Clarksburg Baptist College.

The church drew up some resolutions pertaining to the conduct and discipline of its members: gambling, drunkenness, profanity and dancing were the sins stated in the resolutions.