Little Creek / Triplett Regular Baptist Church
Early History
This church was constituted as Little Creek Regular Baptist Church in November, 1853, with nine members, namely, Abraham, William, Susan, and G. G. Springston, Jacob, Elizabeth, Margaret, and Matilda Heckert, and Zernah Vandall. During the period 1853-1857 where no record exists, twenty-six members were added, namely, Abigail Bassett, Jane and Mary Elizabeth Springston, Sarah, Susan and Eunice Heckert, William, W.W., Amanda, Angeline and Elizabeth Calkins, Milton Wilson, Luda Greathouse, Christina Andrews, Elin Perrine, Catherine, Jemima and Elizabeth Vandall, Sophia Daniell, Nancy Lance, Samuel Tanner, John and Margaret Hughes, Lydia Clevenger, and John and Elizabeth Huff.
Like other churches of this era, Little Creek Baptist Church was served by a circuit riding minister, one week-end per month. Its pastors were: Rev. J. A. Wright (1857-1861) , Rev. Jonathan Smith (1862-1864), Rev. John Stump (1864-1874) and 1890, Rev. Harry Cofer(1875-1883), Rev. J. W. Wood (1884-1890), and Rev. J. N. Fox (1891-1907). Among the deacons elected were John Hughes 1857, John Huff 1858, Peter Burk 1860, James T. Bartlett & William Springston 1862, Jeff Springston 1889, S. J. Newlon 1895, W. A. McCoy 1895, Bash Newlon 1903, P. H. Morford 1905, John Marks 1905, and N. F. Epling 1907.
Records show that they erected a meeting house in “Californi” (now Spencer) in 1857. Since records also show they voted in Nov 1857, to meet in the Little Creek school house, it appears that the Spencer First Baptist Church is an extension of the ministry of Little Creek Regular Baptist Church. Fourteen years later, they erected a log meeting house at the head of Triplett’s Run. The congregation grew to more than 100 by 1889, at which time they built a new meeting house and changed their name to “Triplett Regular Baptist Church”. This building has since been moved to the intersection of Triplett and Egypt Ridge roads, where it now stands.
This church was one of the earliest churches in West Virginia. Initially, it was part of the Broad Run Association, which was organized in Western Virginia about 1835. In 1855, the association was divided, and churches in Gilmer, Calhoun, Roane (not yet a county), Braxton, and Clay counties formed the Mt. Pisgah Association. The ministers of the association were: Revs. John Woofter, John Bennett, John Stump, Daniel Huffman, Joe Smith, Joe Wright, Jonathan Smith, Dave Frame, and Theodore Given.
Ministers would spend one week-end per month with each of their churches, holding services on both Saturday and Sunday. Their pay was extremely poor. Triplett Church attempted to provide $50.00 per year, but many years fell far short of this pledge. The church met monthly, after their Saturday service, to conduct church business. Only male members could vote. Minutes of the business meetings provide us some insights into the struggles experienced by the church families. People had very little money, so it was very difficult to raise funds for salaries, missions, building costs, etc. The church had no “General Fund” as churches do today. Instead, each family was asked to pledge what they could afford for a specific purpose, i.e., pastor’s salary, missions, sexton’s salary, etc.
Morality of the Baptists was unlike that of some of the other denominations. Dancing, drinking, swearing, gambling, and immoral conduct were all grounds for exclusion from the church body. It must have been soul-wrenching to sit in a meeting and have to vote on “Exclusion” of a loved one and see him or her removed from the church rolls. One humorous entry noted that William Tanner was “Excluded on the charge of shootin at a match for a wager.” Apparently, cleanliness was not next to Godliness, as it was not until 1892 that the church voted to post bills “requesting persons not to spit amber on the floor or stoves.”
In addition to providing a church home for people in the vicinity of their church, they provided the nucleus for the formation of Cedar Grove Baptist Church in Calhoun County and for the present Little Creek Baptist Church. Four ministers from their congregation were licensed and ordained to preach. These were L. D. Starkey in 1886, J. Gideon Springston in 1887, A. O. Rhodes in 1906, and M. W. Stout in 1907.
Why and when the church disbanded is a mystery to me. The last entry in the church records retained by Sophia Springston Morford was June, 1907.
Jack Springston, 403 White Oak Drive, Hendersonville, NC 28791
page 2
FOREWORD
Triplett Baptist Church records for the period 1857 to 1907 were in the hands of Evelyn Simons, a descendant of G. G. Springston who had been Church Clerk for thirty years of this period. She presented them to my brother, George who was named for G. G. In 1986, we met a member of the present Little Creek Baptist Church, who told us they were trying to put together a history of their church. Knowing that we had records of a church from that vicinity, we agreed to get him a copy.
After examining the church records, we concluded that these were too fragile to survive much more examination by researchers. We felt that the original, together with a typed copy, belonged in the Roane County Museum. Copies of the typed copy could then be distributed to interested parties. (I typed this in 1988, but now in 1999, I am re-typing it on my computer to make the information available electronically.)
This copy is supposed to be an accurate copy of the original, including misspellings, poor grammar, or sentence structure. However, I find that occasionally I introduce an unconscious “correction”. For this, I apologize. Some of the ink was badly faded and some of the beautiful penmanship was hard to decipher, causing me to introduce “blanks”, “Question Marks”, and probably some mistakes.
Included is an alphabetic listing of names appearing in church records, along with page numbers where they appear. Indexing was done manually and is unedited. There are cases where father and son or mother and daughter names are the same, and only through examination is it possible to distinguish which entry applies.
Jack Springston 6/1/1999
page 3
RULES OF DECORUM
lst …. Every session shall be opened and closed with prayer.
2nd …. The Pastor shall be Moderator only in his absence or at his insistence, another one to be appointed.
3rd …. The Moderator shall invite members of other churches of our order to the Counsel of the Church.
4th …. At the opening of each Session the Clerk shall read the rules with the Minutes of the last Session.
5th …. All business shall be presented by motion or resolution and no Second Leading motion shall be entertained until the first is disposed of.
6th …. No member shall be allowed to speak more than twice on the same subject without leave of the Church and should unchristian language be used in debate without the censure of the Church.
(Note: These rules were obviously copied from another manuscript. This rule is not complete, and Articles 7 & 8 are missing)
9th …. These rules may be altered at the discretion of the Church in regular Session.
10th …. Three male members shall constitute a quorum at a regular meeting and five at a called one.
Amendment to Rules of Order
11th …. This Church shall not take up or consider any Queries brought up by her members in mere matters of difficulty acruing between two or more members or between her members and the ; members of other Churches. Until Regular Gospel Steps have been taken believing it better in all cases that members in adjusting of difficulties should first take regular Gospel Steps as laid down in Math. the 18th Chapter “Moreover to”
12th …. Also when there is an offense Committed against the Law of God and not against a Single individual the discoverer Shall tell it to the Pastor or Deacons and they shall dispose of it in their wisdom think best.
page 4
LITTLE CREEK BAPTIST CHURCH
(Present)
From the information contained in the church records of Triplett Baptist Church, I found that the Little Creek Baptist Church was organized at the Bartlett Schoolhouse on the second Sunday in June, 1891.
On April 11, 1891, a substantial number of people were given their letters of dismission and recommendation, who were, I believe, the nucleus of this new church. They were as follows:
James C. Bartlett
A. J. Meadows
Nannie Walker
Dora Bartlett
Ellonor Meadows
J. W. Walker
Clara Epling
_______Miller
S. C. Walker
Ella Epling
Dora D. Walker
Virena Walker
I. N. Epling
Ella Walker
Frank Starcher
Zelda J. Epling
Marion Walker
At the time of organization, the following people were granted letters to unite with the new church: J. P. Bartlett, T. S. Bartlett, and Sarah Walker.
The following transfers were noted in subsequent years: Thomas and Lon Epling 8/8/1891; Calvin, Filmore, and Mimy Tyson 11/10/1894; Berthena Goff 11/10/1894; Ira S. Bartlett 5/8/1897; C. C. Riddel 9/9/1899; and Berthena Goff 6/9/1900
I have no records concerning pastors of this church.
NOTE: As noted previously, Triplett Regular Baptist Church was known by the name “Little Creek Regular Baptist Church” until Dec. 1, 1889. They changed their name at that time and built their new meeting house at the head of Triplett Creek.
page 5
Constitution of the Little Creek Regular Baptist Church as adopted.
Article 1: This church shall be known by the name of Little Creek Regular Baptist Church.
Article 2: It shall be composed of believers regular Baptized.
Article 3: Each member shall have an equal right to all privileges and immunities.
Article 4: The officers of this Church shall be one Moderator, one Clerk with an Assistant, one Treasurer and two or more Deacons who shall be chosen by the church.
Article 5: It shall be the duty of the Moderator to preside over each meeting, propose questions and announce decision, having no vote except when there is an equal division, nor shall he make a speech without first inviting another brother to the chairr.
Article 6: It shall be the duty of the Clerk to keep a fair record of the proceedings of each meeting and read the same whenever called upon and also to take charge of all books and papers belonging to the Church and present them at the call of the Church.
Article 7: The Treasurer shall take charge of the funds of the Church, dispose of them to its order and report when called upon.
Article 8: The Deacons shall take general oversight of the responsibilities of the Church and assist the Pastor in his duties; prepare and distribute the elements of the Supper.
Article 9: Each member will in proportion to his ability assist in bearing the expense of the Church.
Article 10: the majority shall rule in all cases except the Reception and restoration of members when the vote must be unanimous provided if objections be raised they shall be referred to a Committee of three who shall determine if the objections be valid and if not valid the objector shall waive hem.
Article 11: The Church shall have the power to adjourn from time to time and place to place.
Article 12: Alterations may be made after one month by a majority of two-thirds.
Article 13: (This is an amendment) No member shall make, sell or use Intoxicating Licquors as a beverage.
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