Friendship Baptist Church History, 1866 - 1973 - Smith County, TX

**************************************************************** 
Copyright.  All rights reserved.
http://usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm

Submitted by - Linda H. Trichel - ltrichel@sport.rr.com
1 June 2002 
*****************************************************************
Note:  The author of this article is not known. - LHT

One day about the year 1900, a small boy walked with his father down a 
dim road that crossed Gourdneck branch and led southward past a small 
rectangular log building not more than 18 to 20 feet long and about 
one-half as wide that sat with roof and floor gone and part of the 
log walls crumbled away.

As the pair came in sight of the old rock chimney that still stood 
erect at the north end of the building, Jim Garner said to young Joe, 
"Yonder is the remains of old Friendship Church where I attended as a 
boy."  No one knows how long the building had been there.  Perhaps it 
was originally someone's dwelling, but there is evidence to believe 
that the church was organized there in 1866.  In the church minutes 
of 1914, reference is made to the Sunday meeting of May 10, which 
states:  "We had the presence of our old sister, Carrie Russell, which 
was very appreciative.  Aunt Carrie, as we call her, has belonged to 
this church 48 years, and was in its organization."	 This bit of 
information also tells us that Friendship was originally a Baptist 
church, although there are mouth to mouth accounts of preachers of 
a different faith being permitted to preach there.  We have no 
written records of the church activities, nor a list of the 
membership in those days, but it is reasonable to suppose that 
other early members, along with Aunt Carrie, were the Seas (Seays), 
D. W. and M. M. and their parents who came from Mississippi and 
settled in the community in 1867, the Russell's who came from North 
Carolina soon after the Civil War, the Garners who came from South 
Carolina in 1869, the Woods, namely Moses Wood, father of Aunt 
Sina Mohon and the late R. M. Wood's father who came from Alabama 
before the Civil War, the Jefferies who came from Tennessee in the 
1850's, the Polk Gilliams who were married at Friendship in 1868, 
as well as the Bells, the McComics, the Mohons, the Hoods, the 
Littlejohns, the Halls, the Dunk Johnsons, the Abe Estes, the Rhones, 
and possibly others who were early settlers before 1880 and whose 
names are not recalled at this time.  Mrs. Camie Elder, of Kilgore, 
who celebrated her 100th birthday in March of this year, who has 
deceased since then, said she could remember going to Friendship to 
church in a little log building with a fireplace.  She remembered 
some Russells being there, but did not remember the name of anyone 
else there, nor the name of the one who preached.  She was never a 
member there.

As Joe and his father walked on, they saw evidence of another rock 
chimney, and rock pillars where a schoolhouse had been.  This school 
of long ago, its student body and teachers, whoever they were, long 
forgotten, was before there were organized athletic programs for 
schools.

Certainly the school did not have a football team, nor a basketball 
team, nor a tennis court.  Perhaps they might have had a baseball team 
of a sort, with a crude bat and homemade yarn ball.  Anyway, children 
have always been capable of amusing themselves, whether or not it is 
always in the most wholesome manner.  Among the reminiscences 
expressed that day, Joe remembers this story, as his father called 
attention to another dim road that apparently ran east and west.  
There was a deep ditch beside the road, and in the fall and winter 
leaves would bank up several feet deep there.  On a certain school 
day during recess, one youngster noticed a wagon and team coming down 
the road and quickly got the idea to hide in the leaves and scare the 
mules as they passed.  Several children joined in this venture, and 
as the wagon came closer, they rose up shouting and flapping their 
arms, causing a run-away, and nearly throwing the startled driver 
from his seat.

Going further, there was a neglected cemetery, with a few tombstones 
showing the name of Alsup, Russell, Bell, Garners, and Rohne.  Others 
known to be buried there are Watsons, Gilliams, and possibly more 
whose graves are lost and forgotten.  Several years ago, Mr. and Mrs. 
Reedy Garner did a lot of work to restore this old cemetery, which 
is located on the Harold Jordan place.  On farther north, near 
Prairie Creek is another cemetery with several long rows of rock 
headstones, which are said to be markers for negro slaves.

Several of the old colored families, many of whom had been slaves, can 
be remembered as a vital part of the community in the early days; 
namely, the Pinkston family, John and Lucius, school teachers, and 
their brother Anthony, a preacher, and another brother, John; the 
Webbs, Bill, and a brother, Freedman and his wife, Cynthia Pinkston 
Webb; Henry Stokely, a former slave; and the Mark Echols family.  One 
especially remembered with affection was Aunt Hallie, over 100 years 
old, who lived with the Riley Miller family.  She died in 1910.

As all rural communities in those days revolved around the church, 
the schoolhouse, maybe a lodge hall, a store or two, one could readily 
see that this location had once been the heart of Friendship Community. 
And so it was until the year 1882 when the church was moved to its 
present location, which is on the old part of Hwy. 271 leading south 
from Gladewater, and once known as part of the old stagecoach road 
between Tyler and Shreveport.  Mrs. Engletine Seay, mother of M. M. 
(Mack) and D. W. (Wess) and one of the oldest members at that time, 
gave the land for a church, a cemetery, and a schoolhouse.

On November 2, 1886, the first grave was opened in the new cemetery 
to inter a 16 month old boy, Samuel Seay, the grandson of Mrs. 
Engletine Seay.  Since that day the one acre designated for the 
cemetery has been filled and additional ground has had to be purchased.

In 1882, a handful of men, among whom were D. W. and Mack Seay, 
Eldridge and Felix Littlejohn, Jim McComic, Louis Bell, Dave Russell, 
J. A. Garner, and John Palmer met to begin the building of a church.  
Apparently, they had little in the way of materials with which to make 
a start, but they had a will to work, and faith in God that they would 
accomplish the job.  A bit of conversation among the men that day was 
handed down by the late Mrs. Octie Ford.

"Well men, where do we start?"  Another replied, "Why, with the 
foundation, of course."  Dave Russell, with his usual dry wit added, 
"We'll just build a ladder."

Trees were felled and sills were hewn by hand, all done by volunteer 
labor, with the exception of one colored man who was hired to help 
with the hewing of the sills.  Some of the sills were so well preserved 
they were used in the present building erected in 1951.  One sill, 37 
feet long, was split and used as a girder.  An Old Grange hall, located 
on the W. W. Bradley land, near the present M. A. Pyeatt home, was torn 
down and the lumber used.  (This writer had to do some research to find 
out that a Grange Hall was the meeting place of a farmer's organization 
known as the Grange that was begun after the Civil War, to represent 
the national interest of farmers.)  Additional materials were purchased 
from Flow's Mill located a few miles west of the building site.  Square 
nails were used.

When the building was finished, services were organized under the name 
of the Missionary Baptist Church.  At the present time, there is no 
recorded history of the church from 1885 to 1905.  Evidently one of 
the minute books has been lost.  And there are so few of the old timers 
left to give any first-hand information on these early days.

Alonzo (Bubba) Gilliam, born in 1880 at Friendship, and who now resides 
in Oak Manor in Gladewater, remembers two or three of the early pastors; 
namely, a W. W. Webb, who was kin to Earl and Agnes McCoy, and who is 
remembered by all in the Friendship area.  Another was named Brewer, 
whom Bubba remembers especially for his long black curley beaird and 
deep voice, and who, at the close of his sermons would open the 
invitation by saying, "Now let's sing the song that you call, 'Why not 
tonight'"  Bubba also has a dim recollection of his grandfather, Allen 
Gilliam, who died in 1889, preaching at Friendship.  It is possible 
that he preached at the old log church, too.

Bubba also recalls scenes at the old baptizing hole, the Gourdneck 
branch, where the branch made an elbow, and not very far from the back 
of the present church.  One scene occurred as far back as his 
childhood when he remembers seeing his sisters, Octie Ford and Mrs. 
Savannah Garner baptized.  This place, or somewhere along the stream, 
was used for baptizing for many years.  However, there is one account 
that says on June 15, 1917, "They went to Prairie Creek where there 
is much water."  When Greenway Baptist Church was built in Gladewater, 
Friendship was privileged to use their baptistery when needed.

The oldest record, a church roll and minutes, dates from July 15, 1905, 
through October 15, 1933.  The first three recordings, dated 
July 15, 1905, August 12, 1905, and September 17, 1905, were written 
by W. W. Watson.  In the same handwriting, 95 names are listed on the 
church roll, which indicates that was the church membership as of 1905, 
or, the beginning of the record book.  Later notations in different 
handwriting, have been made by many of these names, showing date of 
death, dismissed by letter, or occasionally dismissed for other reasons.  
Of course, many other names have been added through the years.  The 
next minute recordings, extending through October 28, 1922, are, with 
the exception of two or three, written by M.M. Seay, as church clerk, 
and who is still spoken of as being the backbone of the church for 
many years, or until his death in 1926.  Mr. Seay's detailed account 
of each conference, as well as accounts of other happenings, give a 
clear picture of the progress and the setbacks of the church.  Later 
recordings are by E. W. Buckelew, who was appointed church clerk after 
Mr. Seay.

At the opening of the 1905 records, J. S. Lewis was pastor.  In March, 
1906, J. C. Oliver, from Jacksonville, was called.  He served until 
December, 1907, when E. D. Blankenship was called.  During Bro. 
Blankenship's time, the minutes show that a Bro. Scarborough, serving 
as pastor of Starrville and Jefferson Baptist Churches, sometimes sat 
in the Friendship conferences, and that he influenced the church to 
pay their pastor a salary of $50.00 a year, which is the first account 
of a Friendship pastor being paid a set amount. 

Also, Bro. Scarborough, who gave "much wise council" led the church 
to see their duty to mission work, and on May 3, 1908, the first 
collection for Foreign Missions was taken.  The total offering was 
$1.50.

In March, 1910, under the leadership of Pastor E. A. Bateman, 
Friendship's first Sunday School was organized, and a special offering 
of $3.75 was made for initial expenses.  The following week someone 
made a trip to Marshall to buy the Sunday School books as that was 
the only place in this area where Baptist church literature could be 
bought at that time.

Sometime during the years 1911 or 1912, while F. C. Roark was pastor, 
the church joined the Cherokee Baptist Association, which included 
this area then, and held their meetings at the First Baptist Church, 
in Lindale.  Later in 1914, the church made application and was 
accepted by the Liberty Associaltion, since it was so far to travel 
to Lindale for the meetings.

Other pastors who served during the years 1913 to 1918 were S. L. 
Rogers, R. A. Cox, and again, F. C. Roark, who was unanimously called 
to serve at a salary of $150.00 per year.

The next few years were a period of recession for the church.  
Occasional preachers came and went, but preaching services and Sunday 
School ceased to be regular, and interest waned.

In August of 1922, the church issued a call to E. C. Harris to come 
and preach at a salary of $10.00 per month.  Bro. Harris was followed 
by Tom Harriet, who served the church until 1924.  From then on through 
the year 1940, the records fail to show any progress, and several times 
almost disbanded.  Several preachers attempted to revive interest, but 
to little or no avail.

Finally, on August 3, 1941, W. M. Barber was called to be pastor on a 
half-time basis.  Under his leadership, the church took several steps 
forward.  One step was that the church began contributing to world 
missions, both home and foreign, on a regular monthly basis.  In 1942, 
the congregation decided to tranfer its meeting place to the 
schoolhouse across the road, since the church building was then in 
such a bad state of repair.  On June 13, 1943, seven deacons were 
ordained.  In 1945, the church purchased a butane system.		

Bro. Barber served until 1948, and was followed by James Benton and 
then by Melton Simmons.  By this time the church was showing steady 
growth.  During Bro. Simmon's time, full-time preaching services, with 
monthly conferences, were begun, plus Sunday School and Training Union, 
and even family get-togethers once a week.  Also a need for a new 
building was being realized more all the time.  In May, 1951, the 
church voted to tear down the old building, a erect a new one on the 
same site.

As was the case when the old building was erected, the new one was to 
be built with sacrifice - of money, time, and sweat.  There was little 
money, but once the start was made, donations began to come in.  One 
family gave the flooring, another gave the wall paneling, and others 
gave what they could.  Some spent long hours of labor, working late at 
night, and so it went until all was completed; debt free, and the first 
services were conducted in the new building on Sunday, August 23, 1951 
by Hunter Hammett, who had accepted the pastorate the preceding month.  
In 1954, more rooms were added to the building, providing more space 
for educational purposes.  Also during Bro. Hammett's time, the church 
sponsored a weekly radio program called "The Church in the Wildwood."

In March, 1957, Steve Dittmore was called as pastor, and under his 
leadership, the church build a parsonage, remodeled some of the church 
building, and installed a baptistry.

The last fifteen years the church has seen steady progress.  A 
fellowship hall has been added.  The entire building has been equipped 
with air conditioning and central heat.  New pews have been installed
and new furnishings have been placed in all of the Sunday School rooms 
and the nursery.  Carpet has been laid in part of the building.  And 
during this time,  there has been a succession of good pastors; Virgil 
Potter (deceased), Kevin Anderson, now a chaplain in the U.S. Navy, 
Charles Ethridge, now on a mission field in Minnesota, Clifton Jones, 
now with a church at Angleton, Texas, V.M. Nipper (interim), living in 
Kilgore, and the present pastor, Harry B. Hunt, Jr.  And above all the 
material progress, there is a spiritual progress that has been felt 
throughout this area, as well as on many home and foreign mission 
fields.

Along with the growth of the church, there has been another activity, 
which has become an institution within itself - the annual homecoming, 
referred to in the old days as the all-day singling, which began in 
the 1890's and has continued until now with the exception of two years 
during World War II when gasoline was rationing made it impossible.  
Friendship has always been noted for its good singing.  To be 
remembered among the good singers are Don Russell, who as a lad in 
knee pants, led his first song on homecoming day, in July, 1898, and 
which was the beginning of the many years in which he used his talent 
to teach and promote good music.  Another good singer of the old days 
was LaCoste Bradley who for many years directed the singing at 
Starrville Baptist Church. It is possible that he attended the musical 
occasions at Friendship as far back as the 1880's.  He died in 1930.

Other singers that are often seen at the homecomings were the Mackey 
boys from West Mountain - A. B., Lewis, Huel, and Calvin; Rowe and 
Billy Morgan, also of West Mountain; the Owens brothers from East 
Mountain; the late V. O. Stamps, of Stamps, near Gilmer, who, in 1925, 
formed the V. O. Stamps Music Company at Jacksonville, Texas, out of 
which grew the famous Stamps Quartet; Emmett Crawford and his sisters, 
Nina and Ora; the Chamberain boys, and many others.

Bits of conversation that were said years ago still linger in the 
minds of some. One instance gives a glimpse of what it was like in 
the early 1900's.  It was about 1906 or 1907, Choice and Cora Gilliam, 
of Starrville, hurried along in a one-horse buggy, going to the all-
day singing.  She was holding their lunch box in her lap to steady 
the egg custard against the jarring of the buggy (roads were not so 
smooth then) when they met an automobile, which scared the horse and 
caused a little excitement.  After the situation was in hand and the 
Gilliams were on their way again, Mrs. Gilliam, still frightened as 
well as provoked, said, "That's the second time one of those things 
we have met this year.  Why I fear that in time there will be so many 
on the road a body will be daresome to go anywhere."  He replied, "Oh, 
we can't tell.  Even we may own one someday."

Granny Warren's front porch is a place to be looked back upon with 
fond remembrance in connection with the homecomings 30 to 40, maybe 
50 years ago. The church grounds as well as the adjoining school 
grounds would be covered with cars.  The old church building was too 
small to hold all of the people there, and after so much standing 
around outside in the July heat, folks began to think about a place 
to sit down.  Granny's house with its long, wide porch and shady 
yard located across the road from the church was very inviting.  
The porch was usually filled with people, visiting while they relaxed 
and rested their tired feet cramped in Sunday shoes.

Looking back over the history of Friendship, we see a century in which 
the world was made the fastest advancement in discovery that has been 
made in any 100 year period since the beginning of time.  We have seen 
the advent of electricity, the airplane, the automobile, the space 
ship.  We have seen homes convenienced only by a well of water and a 
woodpile replaced by those furnished with every sort of modern 
appliance, including air conditioning and central heat.  We have seen 
almost unbelievable strides in medicine, science, and education.

And yet, in many instances, we have to ask ourselves, "Has all of it 
really been progress?" Too much material progress has always been a 
distraction from spiritual things, and as we look around and see so 
many who in their enthusiasm for worldly pleasures, seemingly have 
forgotten Christian duties, we wonder what the churches face in the 
next century.  We have hope in the scripture, "Heaven and earth shall 
pass away, but my words shall not pass away."  In the future, may 
Friendship be one that can stand the growing forces of religious 
indifference, as it has been able to stand in the past.