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OKAW CHURCH
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Regular Predestinarian Baptist.
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The Okaw Church of Regular Predestinarian Baptists was organized,
or constituted, June 2, 1827, and consequently, if not the pioneer
church, is one of the oldest churches in Shelby county. |
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The following are the names of the members who united themselves
together to constitute said church: |
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James Abbott, John Abbott, Thomas Hill, Francis Jordan, Mary
Abbott, Martha Abbott, Francis Tipsword, Elizabeth Reed, Martha
Alphin, Margaret Walton, Levi Jordan, James Jordan, Kinching Odom,
Elizabeth Odom, John Harris, Prudence Jordan, Mary Dement, James
Neal, Sarah Harris, Drusilla Perryman, Ruth Tipsword, Sarah Grant,
and three others whose names are illegible in the record book,
making a total of twenty-five names. |
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I have been unable to learn the names of the ministers, or
elders, who officiated at the constitution of this church. |
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The book of the records of this church shows that for several
years the members held their meetings at the private houses on
the Okaw, Flat Branch, Sand Creek, and Richland, the members of
this church at that time living in these several settlements,
or neighborhoods. |
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Elder William Martin seems to have been the first regularly
appointed or chosen pastor of Okaw Church, but the precise date
of his taking the Okaw pastorate is unknown to me. The following
named ministers have preached for this church: |
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Elder William Martin, Isaac Sidwell, Samuel Pullen, Samuel
Hefton, Richard Newport - -------- Gilstrap - ---------- Abbott,
Joel Martin, George W. Dalby, Simeon Huffer, and many others,
but I can not find any record that any of them were regularly
installed as pastors of the church except Elders William Martin,
G. W. Dalby, and Simeon Huffer. |
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The following is a list of the names of all the persons who
have been admitted to membership in this church so far as I can
obtain them from the old records: |
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The old church book being badly mutilated, and many leaves
being misplaced, it was impossible for me to give the names of
the members in the order in which they were admitted to membership. |
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The above mentioned Okaw church is the old church. In explanation,
I will say that about five years ago, the Okaw Association trampled
her constitution under foot, and Okaw church withdrew her correspondence
therefrom. While Okaw church thus stood in disorder, four members
thereof, who had become unruly, and had been excluded for violating
the 12th Article of the Rules of Decorum, were hooped up, or banded
together, after a fashion, by Elder George W. Dalby, and have
been representing themselves to be the Okaw Church. |
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The old records of Okaw church show that the Flat Branch church
of Regular Predestinarian Baptists was constituted in May 1844. |
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I have examined, with a great deal of care, the old records
of Okaw church, and I think I can safely say that the foregoing
facts in the history of our church is correct. |
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Your obedient servant, |
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MARTIN GREEN, church clerk. July 22, 1876. |
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List of Members: o
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James Abbott Charter member, June 2, 1827
Martha Abbott Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
John Abbott Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
Mary Abbott Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
Martha Allphin Charter member, June 2,
1827 o
Mary Dement Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
Sarah Grant Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
John Harris Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
Sarah Harris Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
Thomas Hill Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
Francis Jordan Charter member, June 2,
1827 o
Prudence Jordan Charter member, June 2,
1827 o
James Jordan Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
Levi Jordan Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
James Neal Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
Kinching Odom Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
Elizabeth Odom Charter member, June 2,
1827 o
Drusilla Perryman Charter member, June
2, 1827 o
Elizabeth Reed Charter member, June 2,
1827 o
Francis Tipsword Charter member, June 2,
1827 o
Ruth Tipsword Charter member, June 2, 1827
o
Margaret Wallen Charter member, June 2,
1827
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