Clay County AlArchives News.....Mormon Converts in the Shinbone Valley  March 2, 1886
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File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by:
Linda Ayres http://www.genrecords.net/emailregistry/vols/00031.html#0007674 March 28, 2023, 11:28 pm

The Atlanta Constitution March 2, 1886
Oxford Alabama
About twenty miles southeast of this place along the upper part of Clay County 
lies a small valley about twelve miles in length and from three to five miles in 
width and known as Shinbone Valley. 
The center of this picturesque little valley thickly wooded ridge near the 
Ashland Road stands a small log house known as Oak Ridge Schoolhouse. The 
schoolhouse was built in 1883 by the of the citizens valley for the purpose of a 
school and church house open to all religious denomination. 
The second week of July 1884 it was announced to the citizens of Shinbone valley 
that on the following Sunday Elder Kasiah of Utah would preach at Oak Ridge 
school house. The elder preached according to appointment and a few days later 
be joined by Elders Stevens and Mootry and the three at once went systematically 
to work to make converts to Mormonism. 
Elder Mootry is a native of Randolph County Ala and he found a nephew by the 
name of Thomas Mitchell living in Shinbone valley, Mitchell was easily converted 
to Mormonism and his house at once became the headquarters of the elders.
J.T. Landers was teaching school at Oak Ridge at this time but shortly after the 
arrival of the elders his wife and son joined themselves to the little band of 
Mormon converts. Being bitterly opposed to Mormonism and having failed to 
prevent his wife from joining them, Landers abandoned his school, bid farewell 
to wife and friends and went to the home of his daughter in the northern part of 
the state. In the fall of 1884 Elders Kisiah, Mootry and Stevens returned to 
Utah and their places were taken by Elders DeLameyer, Feam, Eagel, and Davis and 
during the year 1885 the work was earned on vigorously and a number of new 
converts were made......
One of their most enthusiast converts in Shinbone valley is W.J. Conger Living 
upon Conger's farm is a young man by the name of Bolling who has been very 
bitter towards the elders and their converts.
About six weeks ago Boiling found a paper near is house which slated that 
Mormonism was the only true religion and that unless he joined them within 
thirty days and used his inference to get his neighbors to join, he must leave 
that section of country. The paper was signed by all of the elders, by Conger 
and a number of other converts. Boiling has not left and stated to your 
correspondents that he did not intend to leave and so far, no effort has been 
made to force him to leave......





Additional Comments:
Newspaper article goes on to talk about the Elders seeking out converts in 
Calhoun County, AL. 

Note: The Elder Mootry mention above, surname is POSSIBLY spelled Moultrie. 

File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/al/clay/newspapers/mormonco2269gnw.txt

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