Newspapers / The Journal-patriot. / Nov. 10, 1949, edition 1 / Page 5
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Old Brier Creek Has literestii| I 166-Year History y By RUTH LINXEY Roaring River.?Building a brick or stone church at Brier Creek because of Its antiquity and as a memorial to Major J. H. Foote and other illustrious members was suggested by Rear Admiral P. W. Foote, a former member of the congregation, and other expatriated Wilkes 'natives. ^The present church, though dat ing from 1883, is quite attract ive and commodious. Constituted June 8, 1783, Brier Creek was long considered the oldest Bap tist church in the Northwestern corner of the State. Recent ar icles have stated that both Beav er Creek Baptist church and Roaring River. Primitives Bap tist church, near Traphill, were constituted in 1779. This is probably true. But it will be remembered that at that time the county was newly found ed. the population sparse, and the churches relatively few. Eleven Charter Members , When constituted June 8. 1783, by Lewis Shelton, George McNeill, and John Cleveland l^rier Creek had eleven charter members: ? Benjamin Martin, John Parks, Benjamin Toney, Gooding Sicking, Jacob Mqdcalf. Charles Bond; Diana (Harrison) Martin, Elizabeth Toney, Sarah (Harrison) Thurmond, Hannah Garrison, and Mary Calaway. Old records declared, "It was the first and only Baptist church in 0.11 1 vV^ with this AUTOMATIC wH FLOOR FURNAC CHAN ECONOMICAI | low con ILONG LIFE I * DUAL WAU OR FLOOR REGISTER Luted by ^ UNDEIV1IT1RS lABOfcATOftUS, INC. Manual or Automatit Control Complete Installation Including Outside Tanks Call or See Us Far Estimates WILKESBORO, N. C. "BILL DING'S" Business is BUILDING Business SERVICE AL WAYS. 7 CALL OUR NUMBER) IF YOU WANT WELL-SEASONEDZ' LUMBER (2 '7 GK5HT. AWAY/ We specialize in high grade kiln dried finish lumber. Call us for your require ments. I Brier Creek Church 166 Years Old the Northwestern counties and several counties west, except George McNeill's church on Red dies River''. John Cleveland, brother of Colonel Ben and Capt. Bob Cleve and and like them a hero of King's Mountain, was the first pastor, while Richard Allen, first sheriff of Wilkes county, was the first clerk. Rev. Thomas Mastin was also an early pastor. Richard Allen, Jr., succeeded his father both as sheriff and as clerk at Brier Creek. They came from the White Plains section across the Yadkin; the two Richard Aliens served as clerk 41 years. Association Organized In a festive Thanksgiving time, Nov. 23, 1822, the Brier Creek Association, thirteenth oldest in North Carolina, was. organized J-t Brier Creek church. The fol lowing delegates, many from considerable distance, composed the convention:? From Brier Creek, Thomas Mastin, William Giiriam, William King, John Martin and James Martin; Beth el, William Dodson, Sr., Wil liam Dodson, Jr., and George Gilreath; Fishing Creek, Jesse Adams, Joshua Johnston, and W. W. Wright; Little River, John Swaim, James Robinett. and Archibald Brown; Mitchell's River, Stephen Potter, John Marsh, and Gideon Potter; Snow Creek, John Angel; Rearing Riv er, Thomas Douglas and E<lishn Richardson; Zion Hill, William Mitchell and Jonathan Woody; Cool Spring, Ambrose Johnson and David Jacks. According to Major Foote's history, "These churches had formed a part of the Old Yadkin Association." Rev. Thomas Mas tin was first moderator and Col. James Martin first clerk. James Martin was also clerk of Brier Creek church after 1839. The association met semiannually in 1834. In 1831 Rev. Samuel Waite. founder of Wake Forest, visited the association, preaching at the session at Bethel. A schism on the subject of mis sions developed in 1838. Four Buildings Brier Creek has had four buildings including an arbor for outdoor services. The first was a small log building erected in 1783. The second, a larger log building, was built in 1820 and used for more than 50 years. It had a gallery for colored mem bers. In 1865 money began to be solicited for an arbor; Joel Dim mette, a skilled carpenter from across the Yadkin, had charge of building it several years aft- i er. In 1883 a frame building was I completed in time for the cen tennial of the church. In 1904 it wa8 painted. In 1921, the as sociation having gained a year by meeting semiannually, it was moved, remodeled, and repaint ed in time for the centennial of the association. Dr. Lawson Har rill, a Confederate captain, deed ed the site for the church from the * Bryan - Carmichael - Harrill plantation. Rev. D. W. Pool preached at the centennial of the association in 1921. At the centennial of Brier Creek in 1883 Rev. Santford Brown delivered the sermon and Major J. H. Foote the address on "The Progress of Baptist Principles." At the sesquicenten nial in 1933 Rev. N. T. Jarvis, pastor, gave the address of wel come; Rev. W. E. Linney, auth of of "The School of the Proph ets" preached. Rear Admiral P. W. Foote, son of the old major, made an address. Remarkably, about 50 people who had attend ed the centennial attended the sesqui-centennial. Pastors and Clerks Except for Rev. N. T. Jarvis, Rev. Jesse Adams and his son, Rev. Franklin Adams, probably served longer as pastor than any one else. Rev. Franklin Adams left his property to Brier Creek as an endowment fund. Rev. W. A. Myers, pastor for many years, was noted for building Hew churches wherever he went. Rev. Noah Jarvis became pastor in 1902, and except for a part of 1919, remained pastor for 37 years, or until he became almost helpless from a stroke in 1939. Rev. R. R. Crater, a grandson of "Uncle Billy" Myers, former pastor, has been pastor for more than 13 years. Mr. (ftater j was elected in August, 1936; Mr. Jarvis was pastor emeritus but preached frequently. Thomas Foster was clerk a very long time until he left in 1883 to join Oak Forest,. Squire George W. Sale was clerk 47 years and a member 77 years. His son, Worth Sale, is present clerk. Squire Sale's daughter. Miss Mattie E. Sale, for 50 years a teacher in N. C., is his torian of the church and second oldest member. Her cousin '?Un cle Dick" Walker, now 89 or 90,! is the oldest member. Miss Mat tie has done more than anyone else to keep the old church a live. Brier Creek helped educate one young man for the minis try and teaching?the late Solo mon D. Swaim. Historic Cemetery The cemetery is one of the oldest and most historic of the section; it is said to be one of the few in Wilkes whose graves are listed in a, book on old ceme teries. It contains the soapstone tombstones of Benjamin and Di ana Harris Martin, charter mem bers who died more than 120 years ago, though their ashes still remain at the Douthit farm where they were buried and formerly lived. Soapstone also marks the very old grave of Rev. Thomas Mastin, early pas tor and first clerk of the associ ation, and that of Col. James Martin of the war with the Creek Indians, first clerk of the asso ciation and son of Benjamin and Diana. Here also is the grave of Major J. H. Foote, once Latin professor at Wake Forest, auth or of a history of the association and other religious pamphlets; and that of Capt. A. H. Martin. Confederate hero slain at Amelia Courthouse, There" is also the grave of his brother, James Os car Martin, racy scholar, vaga bond and speculator, sheriff of Wilkes and superintendent of schools in the sixties. o "LAFF IT OFF"?NOV. 10-11. 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Nov. 10, 1949, edition 1
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