174                 HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

and progress of the society. Four years from the time of organization,
in 1837, it was decided to build a house of worship. The location having
been chosen, which was the site on which stands the present church, then
an unbroken forest, a day was set to meet and commence work, when all
responded promptly to the call, the felling of trees proceeded, and the
logs were lined and scored by the axmen. Elder William Yocum hewed
the first log, as he did most of them. The plans for the house included a
chimney in the north end, a stove in the middle. The carpenter work
was done by Jonathan Murphy, Solomon Myers and Berryman James,
and the plan for the seating drafted by George W. James. Just before
the building of this church, within the same year, the society was reor-
ganized by Elders William Yocum, Jonathan Murphy, Alexander Cab-
bage and William Wyatt. Elders Cabbage and F. B. Yocum were, in
the main, instrumental in keeping the church together from this time on,
often visited and assisted by Brothers Kee, Davis, Duly, McKinney and
David Hayes. Later on came Elders Carney, Phillips and Akers.
    The cemetery was opened in the same year that the church was built.
The timber was cut and the ground cleared up by Levi Stewart, Beverly
Baldwin, Arnold Cabbage, George W. James, Samuel M. Stewart and
William Y. Downing, who also dug the first grave, in which was buried
one of Elder Jonathan Murphy’s children.
    A few years later, beginning with the early forties, there was a per-
ceptible increase in immigration and population, with corresponding
accessions to the church. Among the new-corners were men and women
with thankful hearts and willing hands to assist in building up the good
cause.
    The first immersions after the organization of the society, as remem-
bered, were those of Alexander Cabbage, Orpha, Cabbage, Mary James
and Campbell Gipson, in the month of December, 1833, in the waters of
Otter Creek, the brethren and lookers-on assembled singing:

                  ‘‘If your hearts be warm,
                    Ice and snow can do no harm,” etc.

    Of those who were grown at the time of the building of this church,
none survive. Mrs. Susan Akers Downing and John S. Downing were
then but small children. The data from which this brief account of the
settlement of Bee Ridge, the organization and building of the original
church has been written were communicated to the writer by George
W. James (deceased) twenty years ago. This church, as claimed by its
founders and patrons, was the first and oldest in the county. Undoubtedly
it was the oldest in the north part of the county. George W. James gave
1837 as the date of its building and dedication, but John S. Downing
gives the time as 1835. The present frame house was built and dedicated
in 1870.