The Clarksburg Christian Church was constituted on August 4, 1873. It was one of 4 denominations that met in the Union church building at the time.

History of Clarksburg, Missouri 1882-1984:
At a meeting  held by Elder William Pinkerton, Evangelist, for the 11th Missionary District of the State of Missouri, the Church of Clarksburg, Moniteau County, Missouri was constituted. Its officers chosen and additions made to its number.

August 4, 1873, sixteen original members were first constituted: John B Meyer, Margaret Meyer, William J Meyer, John F Meyer, W G Meyer, Milly Sappington, Hartley Sappington, Margaret Sappington, Hester Minster, Frank Spieler, John McPherson, A R Bybee, John Stokley, Madison Terry, and Adaline Terry.
 
The Christian Church was one of three denominations using the Union Church building, which was built in 1870.

A meeting was called on August 31, 1885 after circulating a subscription paper for building fund and receiving the encouragement that insured the erection of a house, the meeting voted that the chairman Elder H C Patterson appoint a building committee; the following were appointed: Jasper Robertson, Frank Spieler, Blue Bybee.
 
The Christian Church bought the building from the Second Baptist Church. It stood in the north part of town, a large building with pretty furnishings, a wood stove standing in the middle of the house served as the source of heat.

The church disbanded in the early 1940’s, the furnishings and building were sold at public auction.

From the August 21, 1873 Moniteau Journal:
RELIGIOUS – Seven persons were immersed near Clarksburg, last Sunday, by Rev. Mr. Pinkerton of the Christian Church.

From the May 18, 1906 Moniteau County Herald:
Dedication at Clarksburg

The Christian church at Clarksburg was dedicated Sunday by the pastor, H. J. Corwine and J. H. Hardin, of Kansas City, State Superintendent of Bible school work. The building is a neat frame, large enough for the accommodation of 200 people, and was purchased by the congregation several years ago from the Second Baptist congregation for $500. The debt had all been paid but $100, which was readily subscribed Sunday morning, and the note was burned at the afternoon services. Eld. Corwine, who is an entertaining and practical talker, delivered the dedicatory address, in the morning, and conducted a Bible School Mass Meeting in the afternoon. At noon a basket dinner was served at the Hooper grove. About 50 attended from California. Eld. Hardin preached at the California Christian church at night.

From the December 19, 1935 California Democrat:
Clarksburg Christian Church Purchased Building In 1903

The Clarksburg Christian Sunday school I visited this week has as its superintendent Jesse Albin who has served in that capacity the past two years. M. M. Spencer is Mr. Albin’s assistant, Earl Theiss is secretary-treasurer and Grace Dilse pianist.

The classes are:
Adult – taught by M. B. Spencer who took the place of Mrs. Effie Wilkes who died last July. Mrs. Wilkes had been teacher of the class for many years and is greatly missed in all the activities of the school.

Intermediates – taught by Grace Dilse

Primary – taught by Mrs. Jesse Albin. Mrs. Mary Stark taught this class for many years, giving it up recently when she went to Kansas to live.

The school has an enrollment of forty and an average attendance of twenty-five. Just now the number is running a little below the average owing to mumps and other sickness, largely among the children. Veda June Williams is ahead in the contest  for the prize offered by the superintendent for the best attendance record for the year.
 
The Clarksburg Christian church was organized in August, 1873, by the Rev. Wm. Pinkerton who was its first pastor. The first trustees were Hartley Sappington, Frank Spieler, W. C. Loyd and John Meyer. Among the charter members were Millie Sappington, Hartley Sappington, G. W. Sappington, Eudora Sappington, Margaret Pizer, Hester Minster, Michael Minster, W. C. Loyd, John Meyer, Margaret Meyer and Frank Spieler.
 
Among the pastors were Rev. J. W. Sappington, Reverend Frost, Reverend Hudson, Reverend Barzoni, Rev. B. F. Hill, Rev. T. J. Marlow, Rev. Herbert Corwine, Rev. E. B. Shivley, and the Rev. J. L. Freeman, present pastor who preaches there each first Sunday evening in the month.

In the early days of the congregation it had no building exclusively of its own, but used what was called the Union church, now known as the M. E. Church, South, along with the Methodists, Presbyterians and Baptists. Its members attended the Union Sunday school which was made up of members of the four different denominations.
 
Years ago the Baptists built a church of their own and later the congregation divided and one portion of it built a second church, known as the Second Baptist. In 1903 this church building was for sale and the Christian congregation purchased it in February that year, establishing at that time its own individual Sunday school, and held its preaching services there from then on.
 
The trustees at the time the building was purchased were S. A. Wilkes, J. O. Ziebold and W. A. Dilse, the first two of whom are deceased. T. O. Theiss and S. N. Winebrenner were elected to take the place of Mr. Wilkes and Mr. Ziebold.

The elders are Henry Sappington and W. A. Dilse. Milton Holloway is an honorary elder.

Deacons are Morris Spencer, T. O. Theiss, Jesse Albin and Sam Winebrenner. Morris Spencer is treasurer and clerk.

The membership of the church is about sixty and its oldest members are Milton Holloway, Mrs. Abe Felger and Mrs. Hugh Sappington.

Mr. and Mrs. W. A. Dilse and Mrs. Jael Milligan have long been active workers in the church and Sunday school. He is a grandson of the Rev. T. H. York who preached in Cooper county before there was a church building in it. Mr. Dilse recalls hearing Reverend York deliver his last sermon when, blind and unable to stand at the age of 97 years, he preached from a chair as he sat in the pulpit.
 
Prayer meeting services are held at the church each Wednesday evening and each year the Sunday school puts on a Christmas program. The Christmas program this year will be on Christmas Eve.

From the November 14, 1940 California Democrat:
NOTICE – The ladies of the Clarksburg Christian church will hold their annual food sale at the hardware store Wednesday, Nov 20.

From the July 23, 1942 California Democrat:
The Clarksburg Christian church has been sold to Ira P. Hutson of Centertown

From the October 15, 1942 California Democrat:
BELL TO BERKELEY, CALIF.
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Was Used by Clarksburg Church For Many Years
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The 425-pound bell, 36 inches across, which for many years called residents of Clarksburg and vicinity to worship at the old Clarksburg Christian church soon will be in use for a like purpose at a Nazarene church in Berkeley, Calif.

When the building was torn down recently the bell was purchased by C. J. Miller of California. Mr. Miller sold it last week to L. S. Jones, a former resident of Barnett who is in the transfer business at Berkeley. Mr. Miller shipped the bell to Mr. Jones Friday.

Bell and yoke together weighed 700 pounds. The yoke is the hanger or the steel structure in which the bell swings.


If anyone has information on this church, please contact Alan Sparks.