Providence Baptist Church

 Cousin Dwight and I have been working on genealogy together for many years now.  We are double related through the Longs and the Grahams.

Several years ago cousin Richard Gannon and I photographed and transcribed many pages from the Bethlehem Baptist Church in Jefferson County Missouri.  Although we found many relatives and ancestors we did not find William Graham, Margaret Graham, Thomas Long and Susannah Baker who were early settlers of Jefferson County.  Because of the number of descendants who attended that church  and the Ware Baptist, we thought maybe they were early members and the records had been lost.

Dwight decided to look further down the Big River into Washington County Mo which was settled early because of the abundance of lead and other minerals important in the  early 1800s.  Providence Church interested Dwight because other Long family members attended that church when first coming to Missouri.  Possibly even our 4th grreat grandmother Elizabeth Mitchell Long ("old Grandmother Long" in the document below)  who had livedwith her son Samuel, our Thomas's brother.

Marg. Ann Grahaam is very faded and at the bottom

While looking at the records, Dwight found a "Margaret Ann Graham" and a "Susan Long" along with the Bakers.   We'd known from the McCarrell family Bible that Margaret's middle name was "Ann" but this was confirmation that we had the right woman.

Susan Long Wallace, daughter of Milton Long
granddaughter of Susannah Baker and Thomas Long

It had never occurred to me that Susannah's name might have been shortened to "Susan" and yet, she had three granddaughters named "Susan".  One born 1850 was the daughter of son Samuel, one born in 1848 was the daughter of her daughter Sarah Elizabeth and one born in 1858 was the daughter of Milton Long.

Many years ago, I tried to find Susannah Baker Long's family.  I was pretty sure she was a daughter of Elijah Baker, sister of Orson and Milton Baker because she named one of her children "Milton" which was a name that had never been in the Long family.  But, members of the famuly told me she was NOT from their family.  This might have been during my early days of research when I believed others knew better than I did.  She might have thought I was asking if she was the daughter of Milton.  Dwight found pretty convincing evidence whe was inded the daughter of Elijah Baker since their names were group together:  

Bethlehem Baptist Church Minutes 1871-1872

These minutes discuss the need for a new meeting house for Bethlehem Baptist in Grubville or Dittmer, Missouri, but it must have been on adjoining or the same property since graves from the 185o's and 1860's are there. James Pounds (above) died in 1866. His grandson James M. Pounds is mentioned below.
p. 52 April 1871 ". ..Brother Robert Wilson sends his virtual resignation as one of a building committy appointed by the church at Bethlehem to build a meeting house. Said resignation was received and Brother Wilson released from said committy and Brother Joseph Brown was appointed in his place. There was a charge brought up before the church against Martin Eoff for using Profanest Language and Sabbatical breaking where upon Brother A.D. Bittick (O.D?) and Thomas Eoff was appointed as a committy to go and talk with Br. Martin Eoff. . ." This might be Lewis Martin Eoff. . . .
1871 ". . .in June the church had a communion service on sabbath. The Church give the plan of the house and orders the committee to go on and commence building. The church house size 26 by 45 feet 12 feet between floors house to be a frame.

July 1871 ". . .[Eoff] nor the committy present or the committy not having an opportunity of conferring with the Brother, it was thought expedient by the church to turn Brother out of the Church which was done by the consent of the church. . ."
p.54 Aug. 1871 ". . .the case of J.J.Frost is a charge for swearing and other crime (?) unbecoming a Christian. There was a committy of two appointed to confer with Br. Frost. Brethren Robert Wilson and George H. Frost. . .the charge against Br. Evans [Charles Evans] was for swearing and Br. Joseph Brown and J.J. Carrow was appointed as a committy to confer with Evans."
Aug. 1871 continued ". . .delegates appointed to send up to the Association are Brethren Robert Wilson, George Steele and the clerk of the church J.P. Lollar. .. "

Sept. 1871 ". . .the case of Br. J.J. Frost was taken up and disposed of for non-attendance and the chrarge preferred against him. . .the case of Br. Charles Evans until next meeting. Employs Elder Joel Hensley as the pastor for the year end Oct. 1872. . . agree to pay the pastor $50 to be paid quarterly. . ."
Dec. 1871 ". . .Sister Celia Turner presented herself for church membership from Oakland Church when said sister presents her letter of dismission from Oakland Church. . ."

Jan. 1872 There was no report on Charles Evans' case and Sister Turner is received into Bethlehem Church.
March 1872 ". . .Brother S.B. Wilson [Solomon Bachelor Wilson] charged Margaret Wilson [Margaret Mecarel Brown, daughter of Mary "Polly" Graham and Henry Brown] with conduct unbecoming a member of the church. Charge sustained. Br. Steele moved that the Sister be excluded. . .Br. S.B. Wilson charges Br. Jasper Eoff and Mary Eoff with dancing. Br. Thomas Eoff sustained the charge. Also Br. S.B. Wilson charges James M. Pounds [grandson of the James Pounds who died in 1866] and Sister Charlotte Pounds [Charlotte McCulloch] of shooting Mrs. Mary Wilson's horse. Sister Pounds being present was called on to explain the charge. Sister Pounds acknowledges her fault and expressed her sorry for doing. Sister Clara Eoff [Clarissa Davis] gave evidence in the case. . ."

p. 58 March 1872 cont. ". . .Br. Joseph Brown [son of Mary "Polly" Graham and Henry Brown] moved that Sister Pounds confession be received. Sr. Pounds sustains her position in the church. . ."

April 1872 ". . .the case of Br. Jasper[Eoff] and Sister Eoff. . .having no disposition to stay in the church any longer, but expressed a desire for the church to exclude them from the church which was done. . ."
p. 59 May 1872 ". . .the case of Bro. J. M. Pounds [James Milton Pounds] being calls. Bro. Lee presented a letter from Bro. Pounds in which Br. Pounds expressed his sorrow that his conduct had caused grief in the church. After remarks by Robert Wilson and S.B. Wilson, Bro. [George] Steele [Lewis Harrison Lee and Margaret Julia Graham's son-in-law] moved that the offending Brother be forgiven and restored. . . the church empowered the building committy to dispose of the old church building as they may think proper. . ."

p. 60 May 1872 cont. ". . .[the committee is] done be selling the old house and applying the proceeds to the case of the new house. Bro. George H. Frost Treasurer of building committee presented his account to the church. . ."

July 1872 ". . .Bro. O.D.Bittick [son-in-law of Lewis Harrison Lee and Margaret Julia Graham] asks for a letter of. . . "
p. 61 July 1872 cont. ". . .dismission and recommendation which was granted.

Aug. 1872 ". . .Br. O.D. Bittick [Oliver Delore Bittick]. . .asked a continuence in the church which was granted. . .delegates to represent them in Jefferson County Association to be held at Pilgrim's Rest Church commencing on the 11th day of Oct. 1872 namely elder Wm. McKay, O.D. Bittick and the clerk [John P. Lollar]. . ." So, O.D.Bittick left the church in July, rejoined in August and was a delegate to the Association meeting. . .

p. 62 Sept. 1872 ". . .motion made to pay up our pastor for his year's service before employing any other pastor. . ."

Oct. 1872 ". . .committy appointed to collect funds enough to pay our pastor for the year ending Oct. 1872. The church instructed her delegates to not hire a pastor for the next year which they did not. So, Bethlehem Church is therefore without a pastor. Bro. J. M. Hensley [Joel Hensley]says he will preach for us until Christmas. . ."

Bethlehem Baptist Church Minutes 1868

These records are from the Bethlehem Baptist Church near Grubville and Dittmer, Missouri. Double click on the photographs to enlarge them. Be sure to read to the end. . . The tombstone above in the Bethlehem Cemetery is for the nephew of Adaline McKay and Rev. William McKay. For more about the Wilson-McKay-Lee Family, click here.
Page 37 Dec. 1868 [sic]
After a prayer by Elder Gibson, "The case of Br. Brazeale [Drewey Brazeale] and William Hanvey was taken up" and "J.P.Lollar [Jonathon P. Lollar] was appointed to wait on Br. Brazeale and Br. Joseph Brown [brother of my great-great grandmother Catherine Caroline Brown] to wait on Brother Hanvey." William Hanvey was the brother of Joseph Brown's wife Mary Ann Hanvey. J.P. Lollar was a neighbor of Brazeales in the 1860 Census.

Bethlehem Baptist Minutes 1866-1867

These are minutes from Bethlehem Baptist Church near Grubville and Dittmer Missouri. Double click on the photos to read the entire document.

Page 26 February 1866. . .the case of Bro. James Williams was taken up he being charged with having a ball at his house and Bro. Wesley Scaggs was appointed to cite said Bro. to attend church and answer said charge. Also, although Sister Evans was charged with dancing or giving a ball at her house. Sister Unity Evans was appointed to cite her to attend church.
Page 27 March 1866. . .case of James S. Williams was taken up. Committee report received and _____ dismissed. Bro. Williams being present answered to charge and acknowledged to and asked to be forgiven of the church for the same, promising to do so no more. The Brother was restored to fellowship. The case of Sister Malissa Evans was called. Committee report received and committee discharged. Committee repeated that Sister be sorry for the charge and tried to attend but not being present her case was referred to the next meeting. Letters of dismissal was granted to Bro. Michael Brinley and his wife Sister Brinley.

Bethlehem Baptist Minutes 1864-1865

Stone of Joseph Columbia Brown in Bethlehem Cemetery

In addition to Bethlehem Baptist (Grubville, MO) membership records, there were several hundred pages of meeting minutes dating from 1864 to 1932. I'm going to try to include everything that would be interesting to family members and genealogists without totally transcribing each document. If you are interested in reading the entire document double click to enlarge it. The passage below has information relating to the membership records on the previous page. This also mentions an earlier record book----the church was reportedly formed in the 1820's but probably needs that book to verify the date.
p. 13 Feb. 1864
Prayer by William McKay; L. H. Lee [Lewis Harrison Lee husband of Margaret Julia Graham] moderator pro temp; C.E.Frost clerk was instructed to get the church book from Newman Pounds [husband to Lucinda Graham]while being relieved from his clerkship by request and N. Pounds. Stephen Pounds being appointed and declined to accept. The new clerk was instructed to write. . . .new book. . .The church proceeded to appoint William McKay as pastor of the church.

Bethlehem Baptist Members 1880's

I'm working on the Bethlehem Baptist Church (Grubville, Mo) Records and found one more page of membership records---with my own great-great grandmother Catherine Brown Long. For more records spanning from 1860's-1930's, click here.
I'd known that she was buried in the Bethlehem Baptist Cemetery---this stone was placed by my grandfather Roy Long and his brother Clarence Long.
Double click to enlarge this, but I'll try to transcribe it. Some have partial death dates. At least one is repeated on another page: William G. Manion, James S. Williams, Lewis H. Lee, Joseph Brown, Catherine Long, Elizabeth Wideman, Michael McKay, Dennis Wilson, John P. Lollar, Silas M. McKay, Mary H. Manion, Nancy Wilson, Lucinda Wiley, Margaret Carrow, Elizabeth McKee, Sarah Wideman, Mildred Steel (dismissed by letter), Malinda Wilson, Febey C. Brown (Phoebe Evans Brown?), Elizabeth Balding, Martha Pounds, Margaret A. Lee, Malissa J. Brown, Eliza Wilson (colored), Alpha Whitsett, John S. McKay (dismissed by letter), Sophronia Miner, William Brown, Frances Lee, Mary F. Strickland.

Bethlehem Baptist Church members 1930-1934

I'm sorry these records aren't exactly in order, but I wanted to get them done before July and have to scan 200 images to find the membership records. Both the image above and below are the same page, but I wanted to get in closer and photographed it twice. I'm actually related to at least 11 of these people.

Beginning Oct. 3, 1930: James Brown, Thelma Brown, Newton Eoff, James Wilson, Blanche Wilson, Sadie Wilson, Ida Wiley, Linda Drinen, Nettie Drinen, Martin Drinen, Ray Drinen, Russell Tove. 1932: Coen Reed, Mrs. Belle Eoff, Ruth Manion, Gladys Lee Hunt, Charles O. Lee, F. J. Whitsel, Vernon Lee, Margaret Montgomery, Ross Pillen, Mrs. Myrtle Pillen, Maud Lucas, Margaret Woods, Lola Brown, Mrs. H. L. Wilson. 1934: William Wiley and Julia Wiley apparently changed their minds and decided to go to Pilgrim's Rest Baptist Church in Ware, Mo. But, J.E. Brown did join the church by letter.

Bethlehem Baptist Members 1880-1890

Elizabeth E. Reiter Manion (1867-1904), sister of my great-grandmother Mary Reiter Long.

For more about these church records got the Bethlehem Baptist blog which has 80 years of the church records that I was able to photograph.

Although there were no dates on this page, Caroline Valle is one of my relatives on the Tyrey-Reiter side of the family. She married Peter Charles Valle in 1860 and died in 1910, so the above page is somewhere in between: Miss Ellen Baldwin, Mrs. Caroline Valle, Miss Mary Jane Mothershead, Mrs. Clara Davis.

Bethlehem Baptist Church Membership 1864-186?

Jackson J. Carrow d. 1889

These are the oldest of the Bethlehem Baptist Church records that Ada had. Bethlehem Baptist is still in a rural part of Jefferson County near Grubville, Mo. For 80 years of these records, go to the Bethlehem Baptist Blog. Double click to enlarge for more information: Mary Ann Manion, Margaret Wilson (now Lee), Nancy Ann McKeen(?), Margaret Pounds died Oct. 1877, Lucinda Pounds, Emily Baker, Margaret Ann Williams died March 24, 1878, Elizabeth Brinley, Nancy Wilson, Missouri Hamilton (now Eoff), Martha Ann Whitesett, Lucindy Herrington, Hariet Graham, Sarah M. Moggers, Henriett W. Maggers, Miley Ann Meledy, Olivia Mayfield died Oc. 5, 1877, Onliene Beeler, Letty Widman A. Blackmann died Aug. 1878, Caroline Widman, Margaret Lee now Frost, Margaret Carrow, Elizabeth McKee, Sarah Widemann, Malinda Wideman.
As hard as it might be to believe this, separate records were kept for men and women. I thought, "did only women go to the church" when I transcribed the first page and then, I found this page---all men: W. Williams, John Herrington, George H. Frost, William Davis, Midleton (?) McDaniel died July 1873, John W. Nappier 1864 dead, Jackson Carrow departed this life Nov. 22, 1881, Michael McKay, Dennis Wilson, Sallomon B. Wilson, William Jasper Frost, Rabin S. Huskey, Noah Studam, E.F. Frost, Robert Balenike, Robert Wilson, Silas M. Herrington, ??? Parkes, Wm. P. Frost, P------ Wideman died April 1, William W. Hocking, Thomas Eoff baptised Oct. 21 1866 dead, Thomas Eoff died Jan. 21, 1879
"Illegally drawing out of the church" does NOT mean stealing from the church which I first thought, but rather they left the church without a letter of transfer. Some of the names are very hard to read---I welcome suggestions and corrections. The page above is also "the ladies": Docia McFry, Catharine Long (Catherine Brown Long, my great-great grandmother), Elizabeth Wideman, Matilda Lee died November 5, 1876, Mary Ranicagan???, Unity Evans died March 1883, Adline Wilson, Catharine Frost, Adline McKay, Elizabeth McKay, Ellen Dallushy??, Margaret Lee, Nancy Graham, Jane Wine (now McKane), Susan Manion departed the life Aug. 28, 1880, Mahalla Frost, Catharine Brinley, Sarah Scaggs, Elizabeth Graham, Elizabeth Brown, Ruth Evans died Sept. 1877, Sarah Evans, Lucinda Frost, Levi (?) Partney.

Finally, the men's membership: James Pounds died Apr. 8, 1866, George McFry, Thomas S. Pounds, James Evans died Oct. 31, 1865, John Evans, James A. Wideman, William McKay, Christopher Frost, Michael Brinley, Wesley Scaggs, Lewis Partney, Leonard Couch, Stephen Pounds, Thompson Brown, Efram Evans, --------Wideman, Jr, William G. Manion, Lewis H. Lee, William Hanney, Joseph Brown, James M. Pounds.

Bethlehem Baptist Membership 1909-1929

Many of the people in this photo are members of the Bethlehem Baptist Church. Click here to see the entire photo. Click here for all 80 years of the Bethlehem Baptist records. Please contact Jaclyn Morgan if you can identify any of these people.


Double click on these membership rolls to see when and how these people joined or left Bethlehem Baptist Church near Grubville, Missouri: Ada Brown, Cittie Perkins, Hettie Pruet, Price Carrow, mack Perkins, John Drinnen, Ben Washburn ("gone to Holy Rollers"), Nellie Adams (now Green), Jennie Wilson (now Adams), Cintha Carrow, Daisy Wilson (now Eaton), Otta Frost, Thomas Reed, John McKee, Annie McKee, Blanch Miller (now McDowell), Mary Eoff, Ella Sterling, Roy Perkins, Mrs. Fannie Lee, Mrs. Nettie Prewitt, Coral Lee (now Adir?), Miss Lee Carrow (Clover?), Miss Betha Prewitt, Miss Carry Aders, Charles Henry, Ed Reiter (died May 20, 1925), Mary Lee.

This page is 1911-1920: Otto Carrow, Pery Miller, Frank Wilson, Margie Wideman (now Carrow), Myrtle Wideman, James Adams, John P. McKay, Elizabeth McKay, Gladys Lee (Hart), Gladys Wilson (now Long), John Wilson, William Wilson, E.F. Wilson, Howard Miller, Ruth Hensing, Pearl Miller, Thelma Miller, Floyde Miller, Ada Lee (now Henry), Bertha Eoff, Elsie Harness (now Manion), Gertrude Williams, Myrtle Williams, Robert McKay, Lazetta McKay, Woodrow McKay, Walter Adams

Bethlehem Baptist Membership 1896-1908

Marion F Manion 1840-1903 [son of Susan Graham and John Samuel Manion] Mary Ann [Simpson], his wife 1847-1888

Mary Ann [Pounds] Manion Born Dec. 2, 1834 Died June 12, 1894

Thomas Jefferson [Manion] Husb. of Mary Manion Born June 18, 1831 Died Feb. 9, 1903

Many of these people never left Bethlehem---they are still in the cemetery. I hope that someone gets some information out of these records---I'm doing my best to spell the names correctly, but if you have any corrections or comments, leave them in the comments section or "contact" Jaclyn Morgan. Double click to see when and how they joined or left the church. For the entire 80 years of records, click here. This membership listing begins with June 1896.

Bethlehem Baptist Membership 1890-1895

Cousin Rick took me to Ada's house near Grubville, MO to see some old records of Bethlehem Baptist Church that had been found in an attic. Longs, Browns, Grahams, Tyreys and Reiters were all members of this church. The cemetery has my great-grandmother Mary Reiter McKee Long and four great-great grandparents: Milton Long, Catherine Brown, Liza Louisa Tyrey, Louis Reiter.
I was pretty excited about seeing some of the membership lists. Double click to enlarge to read when and how they joined or left the church. Here are the names from 1890's: Alice Wilson, Louis Adams, Mary C. Adams, Freemont Pounds, Wm. Powers, Clinton Manion, Susan Bruinn, H. W. Williams, Virginia A. Pounds, Eliza Caviness, Hugh McKeane, Laura Wilson, Charles Evans, Vincent Pauthy (Phenty?) and wife, Newton Eoff, James Wideman, George W. Harrison, Dexter L. P. Williams, Fannie Williams, Lou Harrison, George Davis, ?????, Caroline Brown, Winnie Manion, Eliza Wilson (colored), Lila Whitworth, Martha Whitworth.
Unfortunately, I didn't get the date photographed, but think it's 1895. Here are the names listed: Mary A. Manion, Nancy Wilson, Malinda Wilson, Phebe Brown, Martha Pounds, Malisa Brown, Frances Lee, Clara Eoff, Silas Pounds, Ardell Dickey, Martha Huskey, Robert McKay, Annie McKay, J.P. McKay, John Lee, Bertha Wilson, William Alvoid, Wm. and Anna Hulsey, John Dickie, Ellen Sterling (now Cowen), Mary Wilson (now Huskey), ????, Margaret Carrow, Jennie Brown, Effie Carrow, Mrs. Margaret Carrow, Mary E. Perkins, J.L. Perkins, Frona (?) Perkins.


I have now devoted an entire blog to the 80 years of records which I photographed.  Click here for Bethlehem Baptist Church records.

Bethlehem Cemetery

My cousins Kathy, Steve and I visited Bethlehem Cemetery. Kathy is pointing out Louis Reiter our g-g grandfather---his stone is barely readable. Thank goodness it was next to his wife's Eliza E. (Tyrey) Reiter.
Newer ones were very nice like Joseph (1903) and Gladys Long (1904). Joseph was Jeptha Long's son and first cousin to our grandfather Roy Long.