Lenoir County, NC - Bear Creek Primitive Baptist Church ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ BEAR CREEK PRIMITIVE BAPTIST CHURCH Previous posted file: NOTE: The original Bear Creek file at this site has been combined with this new one but has been slightly changed and has been placed at the top of the new file. Bear Creek Primitive Baptist Church was part of the Kehukee Baptist Association and was formed by November 5, 1756 which makes it one of the oldest known churches in Lenoir County. The land for the original church was donated by Elder Joshua Herring. Mewborn’s Church in Jason, Greene County, was formed from Bear Creek by members who found it too far to go to Bear Creek for services and those records still exist. After the Missionary Baptist Church was formed in LaGrange the original records of Bear Creek, kept by Council Wooten, were taken to LaGrange. Eventually Wooten moved to Mt. Olive but the whereabouts of the records are not known today. The Primitive Baptists kept excellent records of their members and it is hoped these old records will surface at some point. The records of Bear Creek after the split are located at Duke University and are found below. The above information was supplied by Elder J. M. Mewborn who sent a copy of a paper on the Kehukee Association published by the University of North Carolina in 1904. The below information came from that paper. Association Meeting held at the Kehukey Meeting House, Halifax County, 12 September 1772 Messengers Present Bear Creek - Joshua Herring, Pastor, Major Croom, Abraham Baker Joshua Herring petitioned for Bear Creek to join the Association Association Meeting held at the Kehukey Meeting House, Halifax County, 6 August 1774 Bear Creek Pastor not present, Abraham Baker Association Meeting held at Tossneot in Edgecombe County, 24 August 1776 Bear Creek Joshua Herring, Pastor, Samuel Peacock, John Rows NOTE: One assumes this was John Rouse Association Meeting on Tar River in Edgecombe County – no date Bear Creek – Abram Baker, Pastor, Wm Taylor **************** Newly posted file: Copy of the original Papers found in the William Perkins Library, Duke University These are the later records for this Church, no longer in existence. It was located in Lenoir County right on the Wayne County line and was the Mother Church of at least Mewborns Primitive Baptist Church in Greene County. According to Elder J. M. Mewborn, this church was founded by November 5, 1756 and additional information can be found in the July 1930 issue of the North Carolina Historical Review, p 382. Although there is no date on the below subscription list for the 3rd building, it appears to have been built by Sept.1858 and the building was moved in 1880 to LaGrange where it is now owned by the LaGrange Garden Club. In 1857 Bear Creek split for religious reasons when Council Wooten deeded land in LaGrange to the First Missionary Baptist Church. Elder Mewborn states it is not known exactly where the original building was located but probably near the old Herring home which still stands. That home has two staircases, and the smaller of the two leads to just one room which was used by the Elder of the Bear Creek Church. From the letter written by Joshua Moseley below, the 2nd building may not have been built on the land given to the Church by his father, Matthew Moseley, and it is not known which tract the 3rd building was built on. Joshua Herring donated the original land for the first building and Matthew Moseley was his son-in-law. There are more papers in this Collection but they are of a religious nature and not copied. Time forced me to stop on page 49, which brought it up to about the time the Courthouse burned in Kinston. Bear Creek Primitive Baptist Church – 1858 to 1916 A subscription list for the building of the third Predestinaran or primitive Baptist meeting House on bare creek Lenoir County on the spot where the Second one formerly stood there wore four lists all to the same intent Which was directed by said church in conference to be recorded in the church book The following is the names of the subscribers and the amount subscribed by them Thos. Dawson Senor $ 50 Jesse Lassitter 20 Shade Wooten 30 Rebeca Uzzell 5 William Rouse 15 Elijah Bizzell 10 John Wooten 10 Richard Hinson 5 No name 5 A. M. Dawson 10 Thos. W. Dawson 5 Parrott M. Hardy 5 Jesse H. Hardy 10 Lemuel E. Hardy 5 John Wooten of Green 5 Josiah Wooten 5 Thos. H. Dawson 25 Jesse Hardy 5 Geo. Venters 5 C. Wooten 10 Joshua Rouse 10 W. W. Fuller 5 Thos. W. Daniel 3 Thos. H. Dawson 10 Parrott Mewborn 5 213 John Joiner $ 5 Hardy Sutton Sen 5 Dempsey Wood 3 William Dawson 5 Jos. M. Kirkpatrick 5 William Warters 5 Lears Johnson 5 J. ?? P. Wooten 5 Benjamin Sutton 3 John Loftin 5 Nancy Herring 5 C. S. ??? Foss 5 Haywood Walters 5 Benjamin Rouse 10 Lewis Foss 5 Alexander Aldridge 2 Noah Rouse 10 John Daniel 10 J. R. Croom 25 James R. Parker 10 Calv?? James Darris 10 Wiley Rouse 15 Wilson Tilghman 5 William Tabs ??? 4 John C. Wooten 5 172 Allen (middle initial not readable) Wooten 50 William Kornegay 10 William B. Whitfield 10 Lewis Whitfield 10 Jno. (middle initial not readable) Hufham ?? 2 Lewis C. Desmond 10 James Hood 5 John Hardy 1 $ 98 total of $543 Painting of the House and window sash done since by Bro. Thos Dawson, Sr. and Thos. Dawson Jr. CHURCH ROLL Huldah Dawson Died Eliza Pelltier (scratched through) Died I or T J ?? Taylor dismissed by letter to join the church in Texas May 1893 Lewis Whitfield Died Jan 19th 1892 B. I. Herring Died 1904 W. E. Hines Dismissed by letter moved to Texas Cornelia C. Hines Dismissed by letter Texas but still near ??? Susan Taylor Sallie Dawson died Jane Pearce Mary Sutton E. C. Smith dismised by letter to join the church at Newport G. ??? H. Dawson Annie E. Dawson Alexander R. Sutton Patcy Fields died James A. Whitfield Died Fannie ??? V. Fields excluded Huldah H. Sutton Mary Nelson dismissed by – rest covered by another piece of paper Sarah Sutton Ava Warters died Martha E. Sutton Eliza Sutton died Egbert Sutton Susan Sutton died Richard W. Sutton Ida Hardy Martha Latham Uzzell received and babtised 1896 Harriete Uzzell received and babtised 1896 Richard Sutton received and babtised Sarah ??? Dawson Jane Pearce James W. Sutton babtised and received Aug 1897 Information to the Clerk in the line of each name the page should be noted when they ware received a member or excluded and the page on which the obitary is recorded. First conference meets in the new Meeting House ??? day before the third Sunday in Sept 1858 Elder Parrott Mewborn moderator and Elder J. R. Croom clerk Amation ??? made to receive and record the names of the members that stand upon original ground contending for the faith once delivered to the Sunday ??? – where upon the following named members had there names recorded as follows (see 14 page) Thomas Dawson Died May 29, 1866 Mary Dawson Died Sept 1863 Rebeca Uzzel Died 1878 Elizabeth Loftin Died March 1867 Sarah Whitfield Dead Joshua Moseley Dead Mary Rouse Died Susan Waters Dead Sept 14, 1866 Thomas H. Dawson Died Nov 24th 1883 Hulda Dawson Elizabeth Murven Died 1881 Lewis Uzzell dismissed by letter Feb 1st 1879 died Mar Henry Fields died 24th decr 1870 Sister Elizer Pellier Sister Elizabeth Fields Sister Uzzell Died Feb 1879 Sister Gatsey Dayly dead Brother Isaac Taylor Brother Lewis Whitfield Brother B. J. Herring W. E. Hines C. C. Hines Sister Elizabeth Uzzell Died Aug 1884 Brother Alexander Dawson Sen died Sep 26 1884 Sister Susan Taylor Sister Sallie Dawson Died Sept 1888 Sister Jane Pearce Names of the collered members Rachel servant of Thos Dawson encluded Nancy Do of Col. A. Mosis encluded Samuel do of Bro Thos H. Dawson died April 1866 Next name not readable - do of Sister Susan Walters excommunicated Feb 1866 Nancy do of Mr. Alkinson ??? Luke servant of John Parks encomunted James Bizzll encluded 1876 For the names of members Bro John H. Dawson received back, dismissed by letter Sister Annie Dawson received back Sister Alice Smith Died July 23 1883 Bro E. E. Smith Bro Ivie Baker Dismissed by letter Aug 1885 Sister Matt Baker Dismissed by letter Aug 1885 Bro. Alex R. Sutton Sister Patsy Field dead Bro. James Whitfield Fannie V. Fields Excluded May 13 1884 Huledah H. Sutton Mary Nelson dismissed by letter May 5, 1888 Mary Sutton Ava Warters Richard W. Sutton Jam Hardy Br. P. Mewborn & J. R. Croom to represent the Church Bro. Joshua Moseley granted dismission to join another Church – he moved south Sister Susan Waters rejoined church 1859 Elder Mewborn chosen Pastor of Church Mentions Mewborn’s Church & Bro. George Mewborn First Sun Sept 1858 – open for membership Elder Mewborn Thomas H. Dawson & wife Hulday Elizabeth Murswon ??? Received & Baptized by Elder Parrott Mewborn – also a collared woman Rachel a servant of Bro. Thos. Dawson Senr who was a former member First Sunday in Oct (no year but assume 1858) Lemuel a servant of Bro Thos H. Dawson & Nead, belonging to Sister Susan Walters received May Sat before 1st Sunday (no date) Joined – Bro Luis Uzzell a former member – also a colored woman belonging to Mr. Adkerson Delegate to Association – Thos. Dawson, Thos. H. Dawson, Lewis Uzzell Elder Parrott Mewborn Elder of this Church departed this life April 26, 1867 – Mary Dawson wife of Thomas Dawson dep. This life – Sept 1863 Sat, Before 1st Sunday in Sept 1865 State of Church not well by reason of some Black members suppose to be in disorder – Bro Lewis Uzzell appointed to wait on Luke servant of John Gants ??? Sat Before 1st Sun of May 1866 – Elder G. ?? W. Wells moderator – Black member Rachel in disorder for not attending church Mentioned Bro Allen Whitfield May 1867 – sister Churches – B. G. Hardy & Hardy Cade from Mewborns Sat Before 1st Sun Aug 1868 – Brother John H. Daniel chosen moderator – Bro T. H. Dawson & Henry Fields chosen delegates Sat Before 1st Sun Feb 1869 – Elder R. D. Hart chosen moderator Sat Before 1st Sun Aug 1871 – Mrs. Eliza Peltier joined Sat Before 1st Sun Nov. 1871 – Mrs. Henry Fields joined Sat Before 1st Sun July 1872 – Gatsey Dailey joined with letter from White Oak; sister Uzzell joined Sat Before 1st Sun Quarterly Meeting Aug 1872 – visitors were Benjn Hardy, Parrott Mewborn, Joshua Mewborn & Noah Adams, Sist. Hardy Sat Before 1st Sun Feb 1872 – Isaac Taylor joined Sat Before 1st Sun Aug 1873 – Bro Lewis Whitfield joined Sat Before 1st Sun Aug 1873 - a colored Brother chosen to minister to colored Sat Before 1st Sun Nov 1873 – mentioned Bro James Uzzell a colored Brother Sat Before 1st Sun May 1874 – Harriett Bizell joined NOTE: there was a lot of visiting back and forth between Bear Creek and Mewborn’s members Sat Before 1st Sun Aug 1874 – Bro Abia & Henry Herring visiting from Friendship, Wayne Co Sat Before 1st Sun Feb 1875 – Bro. James Uzzell excluded from membership for being disorderly Sat Before 1st Sun May 1875 – Bro. Benjamin Herring joined Sat Before 1st Sun May 1877 – visitors – Bro N. F. Latham & Benjamin Britt from Nahunta & John Roberts & Henry Herring from Friendship and Elder Jesse Baker & Thomas Felton from White Oak & Jesse Mewborn from Mewborns Sat Before 1st Sun July 1877 – W. E. Hines & wife Cornelia C. Hines joined Sat Before 1st Sun Oct 1877 – Elizabeth Uzzell joined A letter found between pages 34 & 35 Madison Sept 27, 1859 NOTE: Joshua Mosely moved to Jefferson County, Florida – an abstract Brother Dawson, Refers to Dawson’s letter of the 19th – refers to 6 acres of land & all land around it belonged to my father who did a Quit Claim deed to old Bear Creek Baptist Church – 6 acres for a meeting house – the Church did not live up to its sides & the deed null & void – guess the 6 acres belongs to me now, it was part of 1000 acres given to me by the Will of my father & acknowledged by a Quit Claim from my brother William – if present members would erect a Church I am agreeable – is there strife among your members – some one has offered to buy this land so there would not be a Church – it would be an injustice to Sister Walters or her son to sell the adj tract Signed – Joshua Mosely PS – my health is better, wife in good health, children scattered to the 4 winds – son Baaz in south Fla to route the Indians, son Algernon has gone to Kansas, two daughters one is up north and one in SC DEED – Lenoir County NOTE: The deed is torn 15 July 1806 - Matthew Moseley of Lenoir Co as a donation to the Predistinarian Baptist on Bear Creek – a tract on ES Bear Creek adj Lewis Whitfield’s mill land – 6 acres – for a building of worship of God – can cut timber, build wells and make improvements signed Matthew Moseley WIT Bryan Whitfield, B ??? Skinner, L. Whitfield Jan Court 1809 Enrolled 15 Jan 1809 by Jas. Bright, Regr Sat Before 1st Sun March 1878 – Bro Alexander Dawson joined Sat Before 1st Sun June 1878 – Sister Susan Taylor joined Sat Before 1st Sun Nov 1878 – Sister Sallie Dawson rejoined Sat Before 1st Sun Feb 1879 – Bro Lewis Uzzell given letter of dismissal to join another church in good standing Sat Before 1st Sun May 1879 – sister Alice Smith joined July 1879 – Bro. E. C. Smith joined Sat Before 1st Sun Feb 1880 – Bro Y ??? Dawson & Sister E. Dawson to join Rose of Sharon Church Sat Before 1st Sun Sept 1880 – sister Mattie Baker joined ___________________________________________________________________ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm This file was contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Martha Mewborn Marble - mmarble@erols.com ___________________________________________________________________