History of Churches in McDonald County, Missouri Largen, T.L., History of the Shoal Creek Association with History of Churches and Biography of Ministers, Kansas City, MO: Word and Way Publishing Co., 1908. History of Churches - cont. CLEAR CREEK This church is located in the country, about six miles west of Peirce City, Mo., near the beautiful creek called Clear Creek, from which the church takes its name. It is also about a mile and a half east of Berwick Station on the Frisco railroad. It was organized in 1882, by Professor C. S. Sheffield, and he became the first pastor, and P. W. Ross the first clerk, which position Brother Ross held until his death, having been clerk about twenty-four years. At his death his son-in-law, A. J. Reynolds, was elected clerk. The pastors of the church have been, Elders Terling Skaggs, W.A. Wilson, Dalton, S.H. Hardy, W. A. Pipkin, J.T. Brattin, T.B. Hall, S.M. Skaggs, T.L. Largen, B. F. McCombs, George S. Maness and C.M. Smith, making thirteen pastors. They have a good set of deacons, viz., P.W. Ross, J.P. Reynolds, J. Horton, F. L. Hisaw, G.W. Stark, W.M. Fowler and H. Wilson. They own their meeting house, being a neat frame building 40x52 feet, and valued at $600, estimated to seat 250. The house was built under the ministry of Professor W.A. Wilson, in 1888. Their present membership is 114. One minister has membership with the church, Elder F. M. Lowe, and the church has ordained three to the ministry, viz., W. A. Pipkin, F. M. Lowe, L.E. Hedrick. They have a live Sunday School with an average attendance of forty-one. The superintendents have been G. w. Stark, F. L. Hisaw, L. E. Hecrick, W.M. Pipkin, J.A. Pipkin, F.M. Lowe, Roy Cowan. The church has a good organ and they have splendid music. They have been very fortunate in having several good teachers in vocal music, such as G. W. Stark, J. A. Pipkin, L. E. Hedrick. Some of the organists have been, Edith Chandler Brown, Bessie Cummins Carpenter, and the Montgomery sisters. This church has had a hard struggle, as it was organized in the midst of a strong Presbyterian congregation that had occupied the territory for many years; but it has prospered and is today one among our strongest churches. One brother and family, Ed Hatfield, lving six miles from the church, hardly ever misses a regular meeting service, and when a revival meeting is held, sometimes two weeks or more, he has often attended every service. Then there are William Roark, Ferd Hisaw, Rude Cummins and others who deserve much credit for their regular attendance, for they live from four to six miles from the meeting house. Their zeal has made their work a success. ELM SPRINGS Near the church is a large beautiful spring with a large Elm standing near it, and from this, the church takes its name. This is one among the oldest churches in the association. She was in the Spring River Association when her territory embraced this section of country, and it was at this church that the territory was divided, out of which the Shoal Creek Association was formed, in 1870. This church was organized July 10, 1859, by Elder T.J. Holman. James Bell and T.J. Holman became the first pastors, and J. T. Prestow the first clerk. The cucceeding pastors are, James Bell, David Austin, Isom Ames, J. B. Fleming, S.H. Hardy, T. Jent, W. G. Lett, D. C. Maness, D. Hopkins, T. W. Brock, T.M. Norris, J. B. Smith. Some of these were the strongest preachers in the association; some were old, some were middle aged, some were young. The clerks are as follows: J. T. Prestow, Samuel Hearrell, J. F. Dooley, W. T. Daugherty, John McMahan, E.P. Dalton, J. T. Barnard, John Winters, Ora Winters, J. G. Hardy. The deacons have been Samuel Williams, Joseph Barnard, Siram May, Alfred Gibson, J. R. Thurman, J. Winters, N. J. Fain, E. F. Fahrney, Amos Hardy, Tillie Hubbard, William Severs. From the above we see they have had thirteen pastors, ten clerks and eleven deacons. They have one ordained minister, T. W. Brock, in the church, and they have set apart one, J. T. Barnard, to preach the gospel. GOODMAN GRANBY INDIAN CREEK LIBERTY MACEDONIA MT. OLIVE MT. ZION MCMILLEN NEOSHO NEWTOWN, OR THE SECOND BAPTIST CHURCH OF NEOSHO, MO. NEW SALEM NEW CENTER POINT NEWTONIA NOEL PINEVILLE PROSPERITY (Rocky Comfort, Mo.) PLEASANT GROVE RITCHEY SOUTHWEST CITY SWARS PRAIRIE SHILOH ==================================================================== USGENWEB NOTICE: In keeping with our policy of providing free information on the Internet, data may be used by non-commercial entities, as long as this message remains on all copied material. These electronic pages may NOT be reproduced in any format for profit or for presentation by other persons or organizations. 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