PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMAPresbyterian Church of Reform, Pickens County, AL
PICKENS COUNTY, ALABAMA
The information for this
page came from old microfilm records of unknown origin. Anyone
wishing to add information concerning this church is encouraged
to contact Betty
Miller,
your host for Pickens County, AL. Typographical and transcription
errors will be happily corrected, however, no alterations will
be made to the original document, additional information will
be added as submitter's notes or as additional informational material.
The SESSION BOOK of the early records of this church was lost, so this record was given by some of the pioneers of this church. March 20, 1898, Rev. B. F. Bedenger, Evangelist of the Tuscaloosa Presbytery, organized the church at Reform, Alabama with fifteen charter members, As the Original list was lost, the following is a partial list:
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| HOWELL | G. A. (Mr. & Mrs.) | GIBSON | LIZZIE (Miss) | LANGDON | G. R. (Mrs.) |
| CUMMINGS | J. H. (Mr. & Mrs.) | GIBSON | LETTIE (Miss) | DILLARD | MOLLIE (Mrs.) |
| ROWE | J. W. (Mr. & Mrs.) | ROWE | J. C. | FRIDAY | Mr. |
The children and grandchildren of the above are still doing the work their parents began.
This Presbyterian Church was the first church built in Reform, Alabama. The Mobile and Ohio Railroad had just been completed and was the first railroad in Pickens County. Soon several other Presbyterian Families moved into and near Reform, who were:
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| BOUCHILLON | J. T. (Mr. & Mrs.) | JONES | J.W. (Mr.&Mrs.&Family) |
| ROSE | T. A. (Mr. & Mrs.) | XIESLER | T. M. (Mrs. & Family) |
| SPAIN | R. W. (Mr. & Mrs.) | XIESLER | C. C. (Mrs. & Family) |
| PURNELL | Mr. (and Family) | BOUCHILLON | S. H. (Mrs. & Family) |
The presching services, at first, were held in the school house until the fall of 1899, when the church building was completed. This is a nice frame building, in the center of the business part of town. The church lot was given by Mrs. J. B. Graham, one of the heirs of the Gibson Estate.
Mrs. J. B. Graham was not a member of this church but attended the services and helped support it.
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| ROSE | E. T. | Elder, died 9 May 1908 |
| ROSE | S. E. | wife, died 25 June 1908 |
| CUMMINS | J. M. (Elder) | died 15 July 1922 |
| CUMMINS | J. M. (Mrs.) | died 14 April 1922 |
| BOUCHILLION | S. W. | died 2 June 1929 |
| BOUCHILLION | S. W. (Mrs.) | died 8 December 1927 |
| ROWE | J. W. (Mrs.) | died 1928 |
| JONES | J. W. | died 11 November 1930 |
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| JONES, Mollie | BOUCHILLON, S. N. | 1918 |
| KEASLEY, Eddie | COLLEY, Earl | none listed |
| KEASLEY, Mary | SMITH, A. A. | none listed |
| KEASLEY, Clarice | ROWE, Sanders | none listed |
| KEASLEY, Lucille | BUSH, Ralph | none listed |
| JONES, Allie | WIMBERLY, Elmer | none listed |
| BRAZIEL, Ola | KEASLER, Foster | none listed |
| CRUMP, Edna Earl | GILLEAN, James | 1933 |
Mrs. T. M. Kessler, was one of four generations engaged in the work of this church.
Mrs. James S. Keasler (nee, Elva LANGDON) lives in Marianna, Arkansas.
Mr. R. D. McArthur though not a member was loyal to the church of which his wife and daughter were members.
The following is from a record kept by Elder. J. C. Rowe, father of Mrs. R. D. McArthur:
May 3, 1899 - preaching by Rev. G. H. Steen
May 11, 1899 - preaching by Rev. J. M. Mumm.
May 17, 1899 - preaching by Ref. J. R. Beattie.
Oct, 1899 - preaching by Rev. G. H. Steen.
April 10, May & June 1900 by Rev. D. N. Harbro.
Feb. 10, 1900 - Elders and Deacons ordained and installed.
March 3, 1901 & April 7, 1901, Rev. J. R. Trett preached.
No preaching from April, 1901 to December, 1901.
December, 1902, Rev. T. D. Latimer preached, Rev. R. E. McAlpine, associate.
August & September 1908, Rev. F. L. Bagley preached.
May 5, 1907 Rev. E. H. Holt preached.
During this time, there was no regular preacher, Rev. J. C. Shedecor, Rev. Kuykendall, Rev. R. E. McAlpine served.
During time of World War I, Rev. C. H. Nabors was pastor.
Rev. J. S. Lack succeeded Rev. Nabors and served 1921 - 1923. He married Miss Blanch Sanders of Aliceville, Alabama.
Rev. George F. Swetman, pastor from June 1925 to June 1926.
Rev. Harry Foster was pastor from June 1923 to June 1925. Later he married Miss Hill of Carrollton, Alabama.
Rev. G. E. Tucker was pastor from July 1927 to December 1928. During his pastorage, plans were made to build a manse. The heirs of Miss Mollie Dillard gave the lot, which is just across the highway from the church.
WOMEN'S ORGANIZATION:
March 5, 1927 the following officers were elected and isntalled:
President - Mrs. Velma Pryor; Vice-President - Mrs. J. S. Mathews; Treasurer - Mrs. R. L. Purnell; Secretary - Miss Allie Jones; Social Service - Mrs. B. M. Johnson; Sec. of Lit. - Mrs. D. W. Crump.
Some workers on an earlier organization:
President - Mrs. M. D. Bryan; Secretary - Miss Allie Jones; Mrs. Childress; Mrs. R. L. Purnell; Mrs. J. W. Graham; Miss Grace Bryan; Mrs. E. M. Johnson.
The above date is from : Lille (Spence) Borden - Historian. Mrs. T. C. Borden, Reform Alabama.
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