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| New Hope Church History, Barry County, MO, Organized June 24, 1854 |
| UPDATE: I received an email from a Dan Metcalf, formerly of Barry County, who told me that "his father Daniel Harrision Metcalf sawed the lumber from which the existing New Hope Church building was built, about 1939."
I also have the Big Rock that was used for the step to the original Church building. My Great Grandfather "Packed it to the church" and when they built again My Grandfather moved it to his place. I have offered it back to the church as I am about the only one still living who would have knowledge of it. At this time, I have not heard anything from the church. |
| New Hope Baptist Church was organized June 24, 1854. The first meeting was held at the William Phillips home. about 2 miles southeast of the site
chosen for the church. The church building sits on a one acre plot on the
banks of Pogue's creek, where three previous building have been. It is
unclear just who donated the land where the church is located. Many records
prior to the Civil War have been lost. Three families are listed as the
donors of the land in different publications they are: Eli Pogue, J. K. or
W. J. Burton, and John Higgs. To further confuse the issue, the 1909 Atlas of
Barry County shows the church sitting on a 40 acre farm owned by W. J.
Burton on what is now Highway W, south of the original site. The actual
location is, and always has been, north on Pogue's creek, on an adjoining 80
acres owned in 1909 by W. J. Burton. Around the turn of the 20th century
there was a small settlement with a general store, barbershop, and canning
factory located there called Burton town. A large spring that flowed into
Pogue's creek was located at the bottom of the hill. The first building was of logs, with a fireplace and puncheon seats. This building was built by the slave labor of slaves owned by John K. Higgs. It is believed that this building was destroyed in the Civil War. Each of the subsequent buildings were built reflecting the availability of materials of the time. The last and current building is fully modern with a basement and Sunday school rooms. This building is of wood, concrete with a flagsstone exterior. The most recent addition was made in the early 1980's, built by volunteers. Lifetime members Chester Higgs and Elvin Brattin were the chief builders. The late Glenn Lauderdale was the Minister at that time. The flagstone to match the church exterior was donated by Mel and Betty Higgs Bridges from a small Barry County flagstone farm house built by the Wogaman family. Elder William B. Taliferro, F. J. Oliver, and Albert Bright, ordained Deacons, examined the faith of the brethren. The charter members of New Hope Church were: William and Mary Phillips, John Higgs, George Higgs, Kelley Higgs, Martha Higgs Sr. wife of John Higgs, Martha Higgs Jr. , Adaline Higgs, Sara Higgs, daughters of John and Martha HIggs. John and Mary Ann Bowen, John Hadley, Micajab Bowen, Henry and Mary Hadley and their children, Sarah and Everhart, and Archa Higgs, a black man, belonging to John Higgs. Archa was the first licensed preacher licensed by New Hope Church. " It is worthy of note that there was no racial segregation in the organization of New Hope, later records show that other slaves were admitted in full fellowship." Ministers who faithfully served the church are listed chronologically, they are Revs.: William B. Taliferro - 1854, D. P. Morris - 1861, L. N. Brooks - 1875, J. C. Sellers - 1877, P. H. Hodge - 1889, Jonathan F. Stogsdill - 1894, C. M. Smith - 1899, J. T. Brattin (James Tillman) - 1903, Levi Allen - 1905, C.F. Siler - 1907, W. M. Kennedy - 1908, Charles Vanzandt - 1911, W. A. Ireland - 1917, E. (Elsworth) Linebarger - 1920, J. W. Hazel - 1924, Loren Couch - 1927, A. J. Baker, 1928, H. B. Truhitte - 1930, Charles McNabb - 1934, Charles Hemphill - 1943, Luthur Wells - 1944, Loren Easley - 1945, Loren Lauderdale - 1947, Allie Hardman - 1948, Lawrence Henry - 1950, Glenn C. Lauderdale - 1951, Charles Vanzandt - 1954, Raymond Cameron - 1955, Richard Buck - January 1973, Bill Moseley - Dec. 1973, Bob Crouch - 1975, Clyde Mitchell - 1978, Stanton Patterson - 1979, Glenn Lauderdale - 1981, Tim Stansberry - 1986, Bob Scott - 1988, Ronnie Black - 1992, Bobby Harrison - 1994, Charlie Lauderdale and present Minister Charles Stults - 2006. The above Loren Lauderdale and Glenn Lauderdale were brothers and Charlie Lauderdale is the son of Glen Lauderdale. New Hope has never had a cemetery, but it does turn up occasionally in obits and funeral records that someone was buried there, possibly referring to the Higgs cemetery just a very short distance east of the church, or the Clark cemetery about 1 1/2 mile away from the church, or perhaps the Burton family cemetery, (which I have never been able to locate) near New Hope. This information is compiled from the 1954 Centennial Publication of New Hope Church taken from available church records and written by Rev. Glenn C. Lauderdale, Pastor, Grace Lauderdale, and Winnie Sanders. Also from the memories of lifetime member Seth Forrest Higgs who was 8 0 years old at the time of the Centennial in 1954. Recollections of Chester Buck Higgs Lifetime New Hope member and his daughter Betty Higgs. This is an updated version of the article taken from The Wheaton Echoes Centennial Book by permission. |
| Submitted by: Betty Lamberson - Deceased |
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