St. Clair County Missouri
Churches
Then .. and now
Submitted by Mary Zeiler, June 2009
Lowry City First Baptist Church
Lowry City, Mo.
St. Clair County Courier,
29 November 1984:
The First Baptist Church of Lowry City, Missouri was organized March 24,
1882, in the
Methodist Church under the leadership of Bro. B.F. Lawler.
Sunday School was held in the
afternoon and preaching services once a month
in the Methodist Church until their own
church was built.
Charter members were: Mr. & Mrs. R.D. Lawler, Mr. & Mrs. J.M. Woods,
Mrs.
Sarah Frances Lawler Penn, Mr. & Mrs. Chris Breon, Mrs. Ella Ira Woods,
Dr.
Albert Wright, Mr. & Mrs. Mahon (one of Lowry City’s streets is named for
them),
and Mr. & Mrs. George Matthew.
Their new church was dedicated May 25, 1884. Cost of the building was
$839.25 which was
paid for before the dedication. The big pot bellied stove
cost $15.00, oil lamps hung in brackets at
each window. One chandelier hung
in the middle of the ceiling which cost $12.00.
The big Bible cost $2.75,
the carpet $23.00. The total cost was $892.00. The parlor organ
used for the
dedication was loaned to the church by “The Burr Bell family”.
The first trustees were Robert Lawler and Mr. Mathew. Mr. Mathew bought the
block of
ground from John H. Lucas and gave it to the church.
Some of the first Pastors were: Bro. J.M. Hawkins, Bro. L.D. Crawford, Bro.
Leslie Christian,
Bob Lawler, A.H. Dent, Wm. Love, Charles and Luther
Tucker, A.M. Wynkoop, Hugh Sperry,
Henry Phillips, J.L. Wright, Kent Parson,
Charles Stidham, Abe Wagner, R.M. Ramsey,
Joe Wix, Amos Jackson, James
Pulley, Stan Rushton, Elmer Wright, Clarence Bybee,
Kenneth Nickol, B.B.
Russell, Lee Penny, Jonas Nicholson, Wendel Wentz, Gary Galiotte,
Wayne
Jones, Ed Elliott, Bro. Salsman and the present Pastor, Bro. Henry Nash.
Some of these only held revivals.
The first building served the congregation until 1952 and on October 19,
1952 the new
building was dedicated. The cost was $6,334.05 and was paid for
before it was dedicated.
Bernard Bennett was the head carpenter. Bro. Ed
Elliott was the first pastor and Kenneth Nickol
gave the dedication sermon.
Amos Jackson and James Pulley were ordained to preach the Gospel.
In 1970, more rooms were added. This addition cost $8,100.00 and was paid
for before
the dedication. In 1980, a new kitchen was added. In 1984, new
carpeting, song books,
pews refinished and padded, hearing aid system, organ
and several other much needed
additions were added.
Submitted by: Mary Zeiler