A Brief History of Poplar Springs Baptist Church - Coosa Co., AL ----------------------------------------------------------------------- USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with the USGenWeb policy of providing free information on the Internet, this data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages cannot be reproduced in any format for profit or other gain. Copying of the files within by non-commercial individuals and libraries is encouraged. ALGenWeb File Manager - Lygia Dawkins Cutts ----------------------------------------------------------------------- Mon, 12 Oct 1998 21:18:31 -0500 Contributed by Ronald D. Bridges A Brief History of Poplar Springs Baptist Church - Coosa Co., AL This article by John Austin Darden (b. 2 Apr 1879 in Bentleyville, Coosa Co., AL & d. 7 Jun 1942 in Coosa Co., AL) was printed in July 23, 1937, by The Goodwater Enterprise, a newspaper, located in Goodwater, Coosa Co., AL. In August of 1937 Mr. Darden submitted the article to the Alabama Archives and History with corrections. The below has the corrections. The church is still active. Researched by Ronald D. Bridges on January 10, 1998. A Brief History of Poplar Springs Baptist Church By John A. Darden, Goodwater, Ala. EDITOR’S NOTE: This history was formally approved by Poplar springs Church Membership, as a true history of the church. The 1937 Home Coming Day was the greatest ever held. People attended from eight states, and it was estimated 2,500 people attended. John A. Darden, Goodwater, is the General Chairman of the event and has been for several years. Owing to the loss or destruction of the early records of this church, we are unable to give the exact date Popular springs was constituted. However, we do know from Central Associational Records, the Church was organized prior to 1848, for in that year it became a member of the Central Baptist Association, and a place of worship has been on this spot since that date. In Brewer’s History of the Central Association for Fifty Years says "Popular Springs was a new church, six miles north of Rockford, in 1848, when it joined the Central Association." However, in this community a Baptist Church has existed since the early thirties, possibly earlier than this date. New Hope Baptist Church New Hope was located a short distance east of the present (1937) residence of Mr. Glenn Gothard. This church was evidently disbanded in 1839 or 1840. It is said this church split on same issues that the Baptist Denomination divided in the thirties, namely Missions, Sunday Schools, ect. Part of the membership established Mt. Pleasant Church, near Mt. Olive, and part constituted Poplar Springs Missionary Baptist Church the new church taking its name from one or more large Poplar Trees near the Spring east of the church. The writer can find no record of the constitution of New Hope Church, but it is known that Alexander Logan, who is the paternal great-great-grandfather of the writer, was a member and official of Poplar Springs Church. His first wife, mother of the writer’s paternal grand- mother, was buried at New Hope Church, and she died in 1846 or 1847. New Hope was the burial ground for years for some after the establishment of Poplar Springs, it appears probably family burying ground. The writer’s paternal grand-mother, Mrs. Mary his text not being given. This year the membership of the Association was 2120 with total contributions of $734.70 in Confederate money. This Logan Darden lived in sight of New Hope grave yard, and often told her children, it is related that the cemetery where she could see her mother’s grave, was company for her. If New Hope Baptist Church is considered the forerunner of Poplar Springs then Poplar Springs is over one hundred years old and if not then at the least number of years, this church is now (1937) 90 years old. Brewer’s History of the Central Association for fifty years states that in 1848 when Poplar Springs, together with Concord, Fellowship, Shiloh, and Flint Hill or Salem Churches were received into the fellowship of the Central Association. Rev. J. R. Steeley and Rev. J. N. Butler were members of Poplar Springs, and that A. Logan, John A. Logan, James Logan, John A. Pylant, John Chanceller, Guy Smith, John Smith, Daniel Thompson, Joseph Murphy, and his two sons, Mark and William, were prominent laymen of Poplar Springs. This establishes the fact that the church was then well organized with a strong membership. Then (1848) evidently the church had been organized some years. The same authority says that some of the churches named had come from the Mulberry Association, and it is probable Poplar Springs was one of them. The great division in the Baptist Church occurred about this time, and this lends some proof of the correctness of this date - 1840. First Church Building Destroyed The first church built on the present location was destroyed by fire in the forties, according to the recollection of statements made to Mrs. W. H. Thomas, daughter of John Smith and Nancy Logan Smith, her parents. Her parents were members of Poplar Springs Church, and is the John Smith referred to by Mr. Brewer in his history of the Central Association. Another, the present, church building was soon thereafter erected. Mrs. Thomas is now 80 years of age and has a vivid recollection of many things told her by her parents about the early history of Poplar Springs, and of the history or many things, at least about New Hope Church. Deed to Church Location On the second day of December, 1852, John A. Pylant, sold to John A. Pylant, Guy Smith, as Deacons of Poplar Springs, to their successors, for a church location, the N. W. ¼ of the N. E. ¼ Section 24, Tp. 23, Range 18, containing forty acres, more or less, in Coosa County, Ala., for the sum of $50.00. The deed provides when the property ceased to be used as a church site, then the land was to be sold and the proceeds given to the Baptist Domination Causes. This deed was recorded on the 29th day of Jan., 1853 in Volume "H" (old style) page 16. Growth of the Church The church grew fast and in 1876 it had a membership of 187 members, the largest membership it ever had, according to available records. For several years Poplar Springs ranked the highest of all other churches in the Central Association, according to Brewer’s History referred to above and this continued it appears until 1878, when a division came into the church about which we will say more about later. Associational Connections Unless Poplar Springs belonged to the Mulberry Association prior to 1848, it has never belonged to any other Association than the Central Baptist Association, which it joined in October, 1848, at Friendship Church located near Socopatoy. Only a cemetery now marks this church’s location. It is known that several churches now in the Central Association belonged to the Mulberry Association, and it is possible, though not probable in the opinion of the writer, that Poplar Springs in its first few years belonged to that body. By way of digression, it might be interesting to many to know the Central Baptist Association was organized at Shiloh Baptist Church in October 1845, with only Elkahatchie, Liberty, Bethlehem and Union Churches taking part in the organization. Shiloh was in sympathy with the movement, and entertained the 1845 session, but did not join the new association until 1848. Poplar Springs entertained the 1851, 1863, 1871 and the 1899 Annual Sessions of the Central Association. In 1851, Rev. B. Skipper preached the Annual Sermon, his text being 133 Psalms. In 1863 the Rev. Y. D. Harrington preached the Annual Sermon, was during the Civil War; 105 had been baptized; 69 received by letter; 11 restored, and 96 dismissed, and 19 excluded. In 1871, Rev. Colley preached the Annual Message, his text being Acts 8:35. At the 1871 Session, D. J. Thompson a member of Poplar Springs, was elected Treasurer of the Association, which office he held for several years. Division in the Church In 1878, an unfortunate affair on local matters, rent the church from which it never fully recovered. From information the writer has on the cause of the split, is that there were two factions developed in the church, one led by Daniel J. Thompson, the other by John A. Logan, which terminated in the exclusion of several members of the Logan faction. Both factions sent up to the 1878 Annual Session, which assembled at Concord, a complete set of delegates, the Logan Delegates being preferred to as the minority delegates, and the Thompson faction as the majority. The object it appears, was to test the action of the church in excluding some of its members. According to Brewer’s History of the Central Association, the matter was referred to a committee of five to investigate and report at that session the causes leading to the split, and to report whether the minority or the majority held true principles of the church, and the committee reported in favor of the majority, and its delegates were seated. Following this practically all of the minority left the church, and many never returned. The writer regrets to narrate this unfortunate affair, but this could not be a true brief history of the church without recording the same. A Colored Preacher It was common in all churches before the Civil War for the colored people, frequently to hold membership in the white churches, where they were accorded places in the church to worship. There were colored preachers too, and some time they preached to the white people, as well as to the colored. From Brewer’s History, he has the following to say: "I once saw Brother H. E. Talliferro throw his arms around Gilbert at Poplar Springs Church, while tears of gladness rolled down his face, drawn from their fountains by the pathos with which Gilbert had told the story of redeeming love". Gilbert Grawford was a colored preacher, and must have belonged to Poplar Springs Church from this incident, recorded by the Rev. Mr. Brewer, who was, as we will see later, a pastor of Poplar Springs Church. Pastors of Poplar Springs There being no church records of the church, we are unable to give a definite and correct list of Pastors, Clerks and Deacons of this historic church. From Minutes of the Central Association, which are not complete and from the recollections of a number of old people, who have been associated with the Church, and their parents before them, we have arrived at the following lists which we feel sure are essentially correct. Pastors: Revs. J. M. Butler, J. R. Steeley, J. Bullington, Joseph Bankston, and G. E. Brewer, all before the Civil War. The Rev. Mr. Brewer resigned the pastorate to raise Company "A", 46th Alabama Volunteers, and went off with the Company. Rev. J. R. Steeley again was pastor and following him were Revs. Hardy Jones, A. G. Raines who served a number of years, followed by Rev. Cat Smith in 1879, Rev. J. L. Thompson in 1881, Rev. John W. Fulmer in 1885, Rev. T. A. Kelley in 1887, Rev. J. D. Hughes in 1889, Rev. C. S. Johnson in 1890, Rev. W. Stewman in 1892, Rev. A. G. Raines was again in 1899, Rev. S. B. Culpeppers in 1901, followed by Revs. L. H. Hastie; W. A. Darden 1903; R. W. Carlisle 1905; R. M. Cooper 1906; J. V. Clifton 1909; D. S. Martin 1912; J. W. Dunlap 1914; S. L. Blackman 1915; A. D. Fristoe 1917; E. L. Smith 1921; W. M. Bryant; Rev. E. B. Pickett 1931; again in 1933, Rev W. M. Bryant, and the present pastor, Rev. A. P. Thomas, 1936. Church Clerks John A. Logan, James A. Logan, James M. Conway, Geo. Garnett, H. M. Sharbutt, J. H. Conaway, John A. Smith, W. F. Darden, Dorsey White, Mrs. J. R. McGee, and Lawson Bryant, the present clerk, have served as Church Clerks. Deacons The following have been or are now deacons of Poplar Springs: A. Logan, J. A. Pylant, G. Smith, O. C. Swindall, Geo. Garnett, Daniel J. Thompson, W. H. White, W. S. Darden and W. C. Adams. Doubtless this list is incomplete, but these are the only names we can be sure of holding the office of Deacon. Ministers Ordained Unless the Rev. J. M. Butler and Rev. J. R. Steeley were ordained to the ministry at Poplar Springs, the Rev. W. A. Darden, who was pastor of the church, when ordained and following, is the only minister we know of who was ordained at Poplar Springs Church. He was ordained in 1903 or 1904. Public School For probably sixty years, a Public School was run at Poplar Springs Church. A public school, at that time, was run at most all the churches, and Poplar Springs was not an exception. The Poplar Springs Community stood for education as well as for religious training and development. The author of this narrative recalls attending school at Poplar Springs, when a small boy, and Prof. James A. Miller was the teacher. He was an excellent teacher, and disciplinarian. Other teachers who taught at Poplar Springs included J. A. Logan, John Alexander Darden, Father of writer, D. Matthews, S. Suttles, Charles Conaway, J. W. Culberson, W. F. Darden and J. Sharbut. Prof. James A. Miller, as stated periods, required students to read, spell, cipher, or carry on any other study, vocally. I understand from him now this was done to make students concentrate on their studies in the midst of noises. Prof. Miller says he took this up from Prof. J. A. Logan, under whom he was student at Poplar Springs. As the writer recalls these vocal study periods were a real babel of tongues. The school building, a one-room, log building, stood on the church property between the church and the spring, east of the church. It served its day and generations well. Sunday School It is said that one of the first Sunday Schools in this section was organized at Poplar Springs. The writer recalls clearly when a child of seven or eight years of age of going to Sunday School at Poplar Springs with his widowed mother and three younger children, one of whom is the Rev. W. A. Darden. We came in a one-mule wagon six miles to attend this church and Sunday School. However, most of the time Poplar Springs has had no Sunday School since the writer remembers. Mother Church Poplar Springs is the Mother Church of Mt. Olive Baptist Church, the writer is informed by Mrs. Ada J. Bailey and Mrs. J. A. Carmichael, of Mr. Olive. Mt. Olive was constituted in 1852. Names Connected with Poplar Springs We do not undertake to give a complete list of names of families, who were members of Poplar Springs Church, but the following may be given: The Pylants, Chancellors, Ellises, Smiths, Logans, Conaways, LeCroys, Butlers, Steeleys, Atchleys, Gothards, Dardens, Adamses, Millers, Thomases, Bryants, Thompsons, and others. Over almost a hundred years some of these names have been connected with the history of this historic church. Home-Comings Organized In or about the year 1922, a Home-Coming Day Celebration was organized and it has been an annual event since that date. It has grown in interest and in number over these yeas. It has become a real community and county- wide event now, and ever beyond the bounds of the state people have and are attending. The Home-Coming event is not confined to Baptists but to all denomina- tions, and for those who are not affiliated with any church. It is said more than one thousand people from three states and from more that twenty counties of the state attended in 1936. This year (1937) it has been the purpose of those in charge of the work to get every church in the county, regardless of denomination to send representative, and especially every church in the Central Association. We see the results of the new movement today. Conclusion While the writer was requested by some to prepare and read at this gathering a History of Poplar Springs Church, he really wished to contribute his labor to this end, in order that posterity may have a small way, a brief history of Old Poplar Springs. The work has been both interesting and pleasant, yet at the same time with considerable effort. The writer wishes to publicly acknowledge the assistance of Brother N. R. Martin, of Wetumpka, and furnishing valuable data, and Sister W. H. Thomas, Aunt Sallie Darden, and a number of others, who have contributed their personal recollections of the church’s history for many years, and to Brewer’s History of the Central Association for Fifty Years - all in the preparation of this Brief History of Poplar Springs Church. For whatever this brief story is worth, we cheerfully dedicate same to the memory of all those who played any part in the past history of this church to the present membership, and maintaining this church which is dear to all f us on account of sacred memories clustered around our hearts, and our forefathers, parents, relatives and friends who wrought well here for almost one hundred years, and many of whom are buried on this plot of ground, and who will arise on the Morning of the Resurrection to meet their Lord. "Poplar Springs was constituted in 1848, and grew rapidly, so that in a few years it had a larger membership than any other in the Association. Meetings of wonderful power used to be held, such as the writer has seldom seen elsewhere. For several years a number of the members had temporary houses built, and had meetings just after the order of Camp meetings. They usually had able pastors, until an unfortunate disturbance led to a split in the church which has never been entirely healed. Many of this influen- tial members move d away and died. Rev. J. R. Steely, Hardy Jones, and J. M Butler were members, The cemetery is large." (1) (1) Rev. George E. Brewer, History of Coosa County, Alabama (Easley, South Carolina: Southern Historical Press, Inc., 1987), pp. 168-169. Also in The Alabama Historical Quarterly, vol. 4, Nos. 1and 2, Spring and Summer Issue, 1942.