Leesville Church of God, Vernon Parish Louisiana Submitted by Gaytha Carver Thompson ********************************************** Copyright. All rights reserved. http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://usgwarchives.net/la/lafiles.htm ********************************************** Leesville Church of God, Vernon Parish Louisiana The Leesville Leader, Thursday April 1, 1971 Leesville Church of God founded in 1912 Located at 608 South Fourth Street in Leesville, the Church of God was founded in 1912. Among the members of the early congregation were Rev. John G. and Rev Lillie Carver and family, Mrs. Fannie Holton and family, Mr. and Mars. John Dennis and family, Rev. and Mrs. Jimmie Owens and family, Mr. and Mrs. Tip Perkins and family, Mr. and Mrs. Will T. Carver and family, Mr. and Mrs. John McGee, Mr and Mrs. Lawrence Alford and family. Also Rev. Early Mayo, Mr and Mrs Pink O'Bannion, Mr. and Mrs. Floyd Jackson, John Green and daughter, Mr. and Mrs. Watts and daughter, Lida Winfree, Laney Sandel, Kirk Sandel and possibly others. Neighborhood children included the Mounts, Woods, Evans, Kempers, Cains and Dennises. The first ministers of the Church of God were Rev. John and Rev. Lillie Carver, co-pastors. This husband and wife team led the congregation and contributed largely to the expansion of the church from 1912 until they moved from the community in 1923. Born in 1880 in Livingston Parish, Rev. John Carver moved to Vernon Parish with his parents when he was about one year old. His father was Calvin Green Carver and his mother was Mary Elizabeth Westmoreland. Lille Carver, the daughter of John McGee and Louisa McAlpin McGee, was born in Vernon parish in 1874. They lived on a farm about six miles west of Leesville. After moving from the farm to the town, Rev. Lillie, for a short period of time taught a private school where she met John. They were married in November, 1901 and had four children, all of whom are ministers or teachers in their Church of God congregations of Shreveport and Houston. They are Rev. Cecil Carver, Rev. Everett Carver, Herbert Carver and Maud Carver Walton. John Carver supported himself and his family at various types of work during those early years, such as lumber handling for Nona Mills, carpentry, laundry agent and as owner and operator of a grocery store. Some interesting facts of the first Church of God in Leesville were recalled in a letter from Mrs. A. G. Walton Sr. of Shreveport, the Carver's only daughter, Maud. She stated, "My father, Rev. John G. Carver bought the property for the first church on the southwest corner of the 600 block of South Fourth Street. One third of this was used for our dwelling, the central portion was our garden (later a small dwelling was erected there) and the southern portion was donated for the construction of the church. It had one large room, was built of wood and painted white. Double doors opened out onto some long steps, and a belfry with a bell was installed. My brothers and I delighted in ringing the bell for services and on New Year's Eve." Mrs. Walton continues, "About 1914 my father decided to build a church house in North Leesville. This was across the road from the John McGee home. The railroad was at the back of the house. (It has long since been demolished). Many of the members of the early congregation worshiped in this building until about 1923 when Dad decided to move to Shreveport. The two congregations were reunited at his request. However, later, I understand the work became inactive." "It was about 1956 that Rev. R. T. Germany, the pastor of the Church of God at Simpson, and his congregation started the work again in South Leesville. I understand Isaac Temple furnished the brick and it was brick veneered. A sheltered entrance was added at the time the building was brick veneered and the tall windows seem to be the same as the original building." Mrs. Walton concluded. Other ministers who have served the church in the past were Jimmie Owens, Wayne Owens and Henry Hall, A. D. Kirby is the present minister