Minutes of The South Fork of (Old) Roaring River Baptist Church, Wilkes Co., N.C. copied from original records by Mr. & Mrs. Stratton O. Hammon, Louisville, Ky. (All spelling is copied as it was. (Brackets) are our own addition.
(First pages are missing).
Satterday ye 13th. day of August (1785). The Church meeting in order Bro. John Adams and Sister Ann Adams joined the church by experience and Baptism. Also David Clark was excummunicated. Also Sister Turner joind by experience.
Satterday the 9th. of September. The church seting in order Brother James Bradberry joind the church by experience and baptism. Also Bro. Charles Cates infor(me)d of his management concerning his son and wife parting. Also the church ordered the clark to write to Bro. Gibson Maner to come & satisfie the church of his behavour concerning his Daughter and her husband parting, and other alegations. The church deligated Bro. Wm. Hamon (Wm.Hammon Minister), Bro. Andrue Canaway and Bro. Thomas Laurence to go to the Association the second Satterday in October, at Prices meeting House on black water. Also Bro. Robert King & Bro. Wm. Cornelus was deligated to go to see Bro. Tollaver & to site him to appear before the church to answer Allegations that was against him.
October ye 8th. 1785. The church seting in order Bro. Andrew Baker inquired of the church whether he was a blessing to the church or whether he hindered a blessing, answered he did not hinder a blessing. Also the church deligated Bro. Wm. Clark, Bro. Andrew Canady, Bro. Amb. (Ambrose Hammon, son of William) and Bro. Thos. Johnson to go to the conference at Bro. Martains church the 21th of this instant. Also the clark was ordered to write a latter for the church.
Saterday ye I (torn) of January 1786. The church seting in order Sister Self joind the church by experience. Also Sister Mary Gambil joind by experience. Also there was a despute between Bro. Wm. Clark & Bro. Thos. Johnson & Sir Elley Johnson. Bro. Clark laid over til next meeting. Also the church deligated Bro. Rose & Bro. Cornelus to site Bro. Charles Cates to appear at our next church metting to answer some complaints.
Saterday the 11th of February. The church seting in order thought it prudent to deny John Tolaver felloship for evil zepors such as drunkness & etc.
Friday the 17th. The church seting in order recieve Bro. Wm. Clark into fellowship.
Satterday the 17th March. The Church seting in order. Part of the church calls for a constitution on one side of the church & the church concluded send for Bro. John Cleveland (See battle of Kings Mt.), Bro. George McNeal & Bro. Wm. Pettey as a presbetary to look into the matter.
Satterday the 18th March. The Church seting in order. Bro. Self joind by experience, also Bro. Joel Stamper, also Sister Lewes, also Sister Alexander, also silence Bro. Wm. Cark from preaching, also Sister Whitley joind.
Satterday the 8th of april. The members that had joind by experience was Baptized. Also Bro. John Medley joind by letter, also Bro. John Turner joind by letter, also the Church gave up for a costitution in Gambils Hollow if on examination they ware found ripe for constitution.
Sunday ye 10th. The church in Gambils Hollow was constituted.
Satterday ye 12th. The Church seting in order. Bro. Andrew Baker promises the church to serve it as a Transiant Minister and the church receivd him as such. Also Bro. Andrew Canaday applyd for admission & was granted. Also Sister Sary hamon (Sarah Hammon wife of Wm. Hammon) applyd for a dismision and it was granted. Admitted last meeting, the prisbetery refused to work till they sot Bro. Clark a side.
Satterday ye 10th of June. The church seting in order fell to work about more elders, sot apart Bro. Wm. Cornelus, Bro. Thomas Johnson, Bro. John Turner & Bro. John Hamon (son of Ambrose) to walk before the church till next church meeting as also if a member should fail coming to a church meting and doth not send a lawful excuse nor come to the next church meting nor sends, is to be reproved.
Satterday the 8th of July. The church seting in order undertook to reprove Bro. King for selling corn at 20 pr. barrell for which he agreed he not do the like again, he also agread to pay the man 5 lbs. of his back; as also information was made to the church concerning Bro. Rose being guilty of a transgression and he was laid over till next church meeting.
Satterday the 12th of August. The church seting in order. Bro. Rose was laid over longer for Bro. Ambrose Hamon to talk with him in private, as also Bro. Wm. Clark was recieved into fellowship with his gift as far as exortation.
Satterday the 10th of September. The church seting in order, deligated Bro. Robert King, Bro. Thomas Larence, Bro. Ambrose Hamon and Bro. Thomas Johnson to attend the Association at Bro. Petteys Meeting House.
Satterday the (torn) of November. The church seting in order, infirmation being made to the church concerning Bro. John Turner bying of a bull that he knew to be stolen. Laid over till next day, met the next day church well sattisfid. As also Bro. John Han & his wife put themselves under watch care of the church.
The second Satterday in Janewary, 1787. The church seting in order thought proper to deny Mary Hamon (daughter of Ambrose) fellowship after refusing to hear the church. Bro. Rose had been of a long time under suespension not appearing his wif informd the church that he was sick was laid over till next meting. Bro. John Lucus with his wife applyd to the church for dismission, but being chargd with a transgression the church refused to give him the letter he pleading not guilty requested of the church to appoint diligates to meet him the Wensday next to try him by witnesses. The church appointed Bro. Cornelus, Bro. Adams, Bro. Larrance & Bro. Ambrose Hamon who met and upon examination found them guilty at which time Bro. Self and his wife applyd for dimission Bro. Self being under transgression was denyd. Sister Self obtaind a letter.
The second Satterday of February. The church seting in order thought proper to deny Emanuel Rose fellowship, as also Bro. John Hamon made acknowledgement to the church concerning going to law without the concent of the church – the church gave him the right hand of fellowship.
Satterday the 10th of March. The church seing in order Bro. John Han & John Turner acknowledged to the church that they ware both under trangression. Bro. Turner for going to a shooting match and Bro. Han for going to a weding, and the church receavd them both into felloship, as also Thomas Colyar, late a member of our church was accused & found guilty of frequenting or following disorderly company & telling willful lye before the church so the great shame of his professing the stumbling of them without & the troubling of heart (/) we therefore in vindication of the cause of God in obedience to his Holy word in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ declare him to be out of our fellowship till he shall be restored by the true & evengilical repentance. As also Bro. Thomas Alin applyd for dismission and it was granted by the church.
Sunday the 25th. Part of the church seting in order Bro. John Holbrook & Thomas Colyar made an acknowledgement to the church, Bro. Holbrook for suffering dancing in his house & Thomas Coylar telling a lye (in) the church received their recantation but laid them over till meeting in course.
Satterday the 17th (?) of April. The church seting in order concluded to set apart the second Satterday in May for fastin & pryer to look into the afare of an elder & decon & to ordain them if found in order, as also deligated Bro. Thomas Larrence, Bro. Robert King & Bro. Thomas Johnson to attend the Assosiation in May at Bro. Bennits Meeting house. Also Bro. John and Sister Rebecca his wif joined the church by letter. Also Sister Mary Hamon made an acknowledgement before the church of her transgressions & the church received her into fellowship. Also Sister Henneritter Adams joind by experience and babtism.
Satterday the 12th. The church seting in order fell to work concerning an elder & decon. Bro. Johnson was mentioned in the way of an elder and Bro. Cornelus as decond. The church did not look at Bro. Johnson as an elder and some part looked at Bro. Cornelus as a decond and some as an elder, & so it was laid over.
Satterday the 9th of June. The church seting in order. Bro. John Tolefarer came and made a recantation and the church received him into fellowship with his gift, also the Hallow church sent a protition for help to ordain, and church gave Bro. Tollefarer to attend as a help.
Satterday ye 12th of July. The church seting in order Bro. Thomas Morgan & Sister Morgan joind by letter also Bro. James Caudill joind by experience.
Satterday ye 11th of August. The church seting in order Bro. Samuel Stansel came in and made a recantation to the church and the church received into their fellowship and under their watchcare as he was before. Also the church delt with Bro. James Caudill for saying he red three chapters by head and that he thought he could read the Testament through without the Book, and that he retaind that notion for near a twelve months, the church could not disprove, & so concluded to lay it over and look to the Lord and try to get better satisfid.
Satterday the 8th of September. The church seting in order chose deligates go to the sosiation at Bro. Martins church the first Friday in November, to wit, Bro. Thomas Larrence, Bro. Ambrose Hamon, Bro. John Turner. As also the church recevd Bro. James Caudle into fellowship and he was baptised.
Satterday the 12th of December. The church seting in order Bro. Thomas Johnson inquired of the church whether he was in their fellowship answered he was, also Sister Huldey Wyatt joind the church by experience.
Satterday ye 12th of January, 1788. The church seting in order took it into consideration concerning our former sister Medley but laid it over till next meting.
Sateerday ye 12th of April. The church setting in order thought proper to deny Chas. Cate fellowship for the sin of drunkenness, as also Bro. Samuel Stansel is under sensure for his bahavior concerning his sons going away. As also Sister Huldrah Wyatt was babtized as also Bro. Thomas Larrance and Bro. Ambrose Hamon was deligated to go to see Bro. Tolafare concerning some reports that we hear of him.
Satterday the 10th of May. The church seting in order. Bro. Larrance informd the church that neither of them went to Bro. Tolaferee but wrote to him to come to meeting but he disappeared so the church concluded to wait another oppertunity. The church thought proper to deny Samuel Stansel fellowship. The church deligated Bro. Thomas Johnson and Bro. John Turner to go to the assosiation in June, the church deligated the same two brethren to go see Bro. Morgan concerning drinking too much and fighting.
Friday the 23th May. The church setting in order. Bro. Morgan (OWEN Co. Ky.) came in with humble acknowledgement and the church received him into fellowship.
Thursday 13th of June. The church seting in order. Received a letter from Bro. Talefarrer to meet him at Mitchels River meeting house on the fourth Satterday of June–Bro. King, Bro. Larrance, Bro. Bradberry & Bro. Harn was appointed to write a letter to the association.
Satterday ye 12th June. The church seting in order. Received Sister Medley into fellowship and gave the clark orders to write her a dismission. The church thought it proper for sister Hulda Wyatt to go the Hollow Church to settle an affair with Bro. Rise.
Satterday the 13th of July. The church setting in order examined Sister Huldah Wyatt concerning the dispute between she & Bro. Rise and the church thought her clear. Also Sister Mary Caudill joind by experience & Baptism. NB The deligates met at Mitchells River according to appointment and they gave Bro. Talefarrer to that church as a transgressing member.
Satterday 9th (?) of December the church setting in order. Took it into consideration concerning Bro. Taleferrer & the church thought that he still belong’d to this church – he was not mentioned in the constitution at Mitchels River — as also Bro. Joseph Hamon applied for a dismission for himself and his wife, and it was granted.
Satterday the 12th of January 1789. The church seting in order. m Bro. Talefarrer came with a recantation and the church received him. Also Sister Peggey Amburga & Bro. John Sparks joind by experience and baptism.
The second Satterday in February. The church seting in order. Bro. Ambrose appld for a dismission for him self and his wife and it was granted.
The second Satterday in April. The church seting in order took it into consideration concerning an elder and they sot forward Bro. John Prophet, Bro. Thomas Johnson, and Bro. John Turner to act as Elders and recommended to each other look to the Lord for his teachings concerning the matter.
Second Satterday in May. The church setting in order. Bro. Thomas Morgan came with a recantation and the church received him.
Second Satterday in June. The church met and fell to work about an Eider but was divided and so put it off till another oppertunity.
Satterday ye 11th of July. The church setting in order under took to talk about Elders & the church seemd to be of woneness for Bro. Prophet, Bro. Johnson & Bro. Turner to be elders. Also Bro. Taliafarro applid for dismission & it was granted. Also Bro. John Cate & Sister Susanna Harriss joind by experience and Baptism.
A cald meeting Satterday the 1st of August. Charles Cate accuse Bro. Thomas Johnson with telling a lye but it was proved otherwise. Bro. Larrance, Bro. Turner, Bro. Johnson and Bro. Hand was deligated to go & talk with Sister King.
Satterday ye 13th of March 1790. The church setting in order Bro. John Prophet applyd for a dismission for him self & his wife & it was granted. Also the church took under their consideration concerning officers in the church and sot apart Bro. Thomas Johnson & Bro. John Hamon to walk before church. Also a report came to the church that Bro. John Talifarro had lately been gilty of the sin of drunkness — the church deligated Bro. Thomas Larrance and Bro. John Hamon to go see into it.
Satterday the 8th (?) of May. The church met and seemd to be in love & had some talk about a Deacon but laid it over till next meeting.
Satterday the 10th of July. The church setting in order had some tolk of a decond but laid it over till next meeting to get the church more together. The church deligated three members to go to the Association at Eatons meeting house on Dutchman Creek the last Satterday in August to wit Bro. Thomas Larrance, Bro. John Sparks and John Hamon. The church protitiond Bro. Wm. Hamon (Wh. grandfather of John above) to attend our monthly meetings as a transant minister and he consented if his church would give him up & the church deligated Bro. Thomas Larrance & Bro. Thomas Johnson to go to the Hollow Meeting to protition the church for Bro. Hamon to attend our meetings. Our next meeting is to be a Sacrement meeting.
Satterday the 12th of August the church setting in order Bro. Larrance & Bro. Johnson acquainted the church that the Hollow Church gave up Bro. Hamon to attend our munthly meetings. So the church fell to work about a Deacon sot Bro. Sparks forward to do the work of a Deacon. Bro. Christerpher Maner Joind the church by letter. The church thought proper to deny James & Mary Caudill fellowship for telling of big storys such as the church could not credit and then refusing to hear the church. Also Sister Rachel Tomson applyd to the church for dismission & it was granted. Also Bro. Gipson Maner & Sister Sarah his wif joind the church by letter.
Satterday ye 11th of September. The church met and seemd to be in love and Bro. John Han (d) made application for a dismission him self & his wife and it was granted. Bro. Gipson Maner reported that Bro. Christorfer Maner had transgressd in striping (stopping) to fight – the church laid it over until Bro. Gipson to labour with him and to site him to the next meeting.
Sunday ye 12th. The church got together and indevoured to take into consideration why or what could be the cause of reason that there is no more growth in the church. Some thought the fault was in the constitution & others couldnt be satisfid about it, so the church was divided and concluded to lay it over til next meeting & look to the Lord for his teachings. Also the church thought proper to deny Huldrah Wyatt fellowship for going away out of order & continueing in the same.
Satterday (?) of November. The church setting in order. Bro. Christerfer Maner came in with a repentance & the church receivd him. Also the church Receivd Bro. Evins as a transiand minister.
Satterday 11th of December. The church setting in order. Bro. James Maner & Sister Sarah Pruit joind by experience.
Satterday ye 8th (?) of January 1791. The church seting in order chose Bro. Larrance for a moderater.
Satterday ye 11th of February. The church met & seemd to be in love & Sister Agnes Holbrook (Owen Co. Ky. Holbrooks) joind by experence & the next day was baptisd & sister Sarah Preuit and Bro. James Maner also.
March ye 11th. The church met & seemd to be in love.
Satterday ye 9th of April. The church setting in order chose deligates to attend the assosiation at Brier Creek meeting house to wit Bro. Thomas Larrance, Bro. John Sparks & Bro. John Turner.
Satterday ye 12th of May. The church seting in order Bro. Ambrose Hamon and Sister Ann Hamon his wife joind by letter. Also had some tolk about a Decond but was some what divided & so concluded to lay it over till next meeting and look to the Lord for his teachings.
Satterday ye 11th of June. The church setting in order – a disput arose between Bro. Thomas Johnson, Sister Ennritter (Henrietta) Adams (Adams settled near Whitesburg, Ky.) & the church chose three of the brethren to take them aside & labour with them, who seemd to bring them together. Also some disscarse about Bro. John Talifaro the church holds him a transgressor. Question wheather Bro. Ambrose Hamon ‘Should be receivd in his former stand which was an Elder — answer yes. Also the church chose Bro. John Sparks as a Deacon who was ordained. Sister Rachel Tomson brought back her letter & gave it to the church. Also Bro. John Talifaros letter brought at the request of the church. Also Sister Sarah Sparks Baptisd. Also the church told Bro. (?)irns to do the work of a minister.
Satterday ye 9th July. The church setting in order. Bro. Ambrose Hamon report to the church that the dispute that was between Bro. Thomas Johnson and Sister Ennritter Adams last meeting was brook out again, and he went and got Bro. Thomas Larrance to go with him to labor with them & after going several times got them together and they gave each other the right hand of fellowship. Bro. Thomas Larrance informd the church that in the time of labouring with Bro. Johnson he chargd the church with receiving Sister Adams over his head & the ministers and Deacons heads.
for which the church allowd Bro. Johnson to be a transgressor. Also Bro. Christopher Maner came in with a recantation for thretning to kill a man but seemd to have the same ambition & say that he should do it if it was to doe again for which the church allows him to be in transgression.
The second Satterday in August. The church setting in order Bro. Thomas ~on came in with a recantation & the church received him. Also Bro. John Sparks & Bro. Gibson Maner made an adknowledgement of a tramsgression they were guilty of by gameing & the church receivd them. Also Bro. John Turner protitioned the church for liberty to exercise his gift where he thinks the Lord calls him & it was granted.
Satterday ye 11th of September. The church setting in order Bro. Christerpher Maner came in with a repentance & the church receivd him, and Bro. John Lucas & his wife Sister Mary Lucas joind by a recantation & a recommendation and Bro. James Bradberry applyd for a dismission & it was granted. Also Bro. Samuel Stansell applyd for a dismission & it was granted — and Bro. Cate made a recantation to the church and requested a recommendation to his church and it was granted. Also the church deligated Bro. John Sparks, Bro. Thomas Johnson & Gibson Maner to attend the association at Bro. Coffey meeting house on the lower creek of Cotauba (Catawba) on the fourth Friday October.
Ye second Satter the church setting a guary wheather the church should invite Bro. Morgan to preach to us, ansered yes.
Satterday ye 12th of November. The church setting in order. Sister Levised Turner applyd for a dismission & it was granted. Also Bro. John Holbrook joind by letter the church sot him forward to doe the work of a Dacon. Quary wheater it be lawfull for a member of the church to follow trading for a lively hood & would not work the lazy man condemd – the trading man unsettled.
The fourth Sunday in November – at a cald meeting the church deligated Bro. Thos. Larrance & Bro. Thomas Johnson to attend the association at Eatons meeting house. Also recald the former proceedance concerning Charles Cate. Also a quary put to the church wheather it was the mind to administer the Ordanances answerd yes, and it seemd to be the mind of the church that Bro. John Turner should be the man to doe that work.
Satterday ye 10th (of November, added later). The church setting in order tolk about Bro. Turner being put in order for administering the Ordanances but laid over till the fourth Sunday in this month and look to the Lord for his teachings and that day is sot apart for fasting & praying on the Occasion.
Sunday ye 25th of December the church setting in order met according to appointment & all seemd to be in love but concluded to lay the work over till February meeting and be looking to the Lord for his teachings. Also John Lucas applyd for a dismission for him self & his wife & it was granted.
Satterday ye 14th of January 1792, The church setting in order Bro. John Adams made acknowledgement that he had transgrest in getting drunk and the church receivd his recantation. Also Bro Spencer Adams & his wife Sister Ann Adams joind by letter.
Satterday ye 11th of February. The church setting in order had some tolk about a Dacond but laid it over till next meeting and be looking to the Lord for his teachings.
Satterday ye 10th of March. The church setting in order Bro. Christepher Maner came in with a recantation concerning drinking more that he aught & the church receivd his recantation, Also the church deligated Bro. Timothy Butterey and Bro. John Holbrook Jur. to go to see Bro. Evins to know the reason why he dose not come to see us. Also Bro. Frances Runnels to labour with Bro. Christerpher Maner for renting out a place that belongd to Bro. Runnels & then stressing for the rent & refusing to pay up Bro. Runnels the money that he recievd for the rent and he gould not (g)ain him and he got help but could not gain him still and then agreed to choose two brethern out of each church and let them settle it and Bro. Maner chose Bro. Sparks & Bro. Spencer Adams.
Satterday ye 12th of April. The church setting in order had some (talk) about a minister and concluded to lay it over till next meeting & look to the Lord for his teachings & hold a fast to the Lord on the second Satterday in May.
May ye 13th. The church setting in order, Sister (blot) Adams was receivd by experrience & was Baptized. Also Sister Anney Roy was Baptized.
Satterday ye 9th of June. The church sitting in order had some tolk about Christopher Maner & Bro. Runnels wheather he should pay back the money he receivd of Sebolt for rent. The church was some what divided and concluded to drop it at present and bare with each other. As also Bro. Semeon Williams Sister Mary his wife joind by letter.
Satterday ye 12th of July. The church setting in order had some tolk about Bro. Turner being ordaind by Elder but concluded to lay it over till next meeting. Also chose deligated three members to attend the the association the fourth Satterday in August at the deed foard meeting house.
December ye 8th 1792. The church setting in order Bro. John Holbrook came in with a recantation concerning getting drunk and the church lookd upon it to be best to lay it over till next meeting. Also the church concluded if any of the male members fail attending the monthly meetings without sending an excuse, to appoint deligates to goe to know the reason.
January ye 12th 1793. The church setting in order Bro, John Holbrook got fellowship Bro. Gibson Mainer made a recantation for getting angry and fighting lai’d over till next meeting.
Sunday ye 13th. The church got together and had some tolk concerning Bro. Turner taking the pastral care of the church and concluded to send for helps, and deligated Bro. Thos. Johnson & Bro. Timothy Buttery to invite Bro. Baker.
Sattterday ye 9th of February. Bro. Abraham Mitchel joind by letter. Also Bro. Gibson Maner was receivd into fellowship. Also deligated Bro. Thos. Johnson & John Hamon to invite Bro. Wm. Hamon as a held the second Satterday in March.
SatterdaY ye 9th of March. The Prisbattery met according to appointment & after prayer and supplication entered on the work and finding it not all together ripe for ordanation concluded to lay it over and exorted the church to weight on the Lord and be looking to him for his teachings. Also Sister Sary Cate joind by letter. Also Bro. Thomas Johnson applyd for a dismission for himself and his wife and it was granted.
Satterday ye 13th of April. The church setting in order offerd a reproof Bro. Gibson Manard for shooting at a shooting match.
Satterday ye 19th of May. The church setting in order concluded to send for a prisbatary to come to ordain Bro. Turner a paster for the church if found ripe.
Friday ye 7th June. Sister Rachel Turner joind the church by experience and Baptism.
Satterday ye 8th. The church setting in order. Bro. Larrance informed the church that being unwell and bad weather he did not obay the church in going to invite Bro. Baker, and the church deligated him again to go Bro. Bakers meeting to invite him to come as a prisbattery on the last Satterday in this istant as Bro. Wm. Hamon has provised to attend them.
The Third Saterday in July. The prisbatery met and after examination (found) things in order and so ordained Bro. John Turner as a paster for the church.
Sunday the 11th of August. The church setting in order receivd Sister Michel by experience and Baptism.
The second Saterday in October. The church seting in order. Sister Susana joind by experience.
November the 9th. The church seting in order. Report was made to the church that Sister King had transgresd by drinking two much and the church deligated Bro. Ambrose Hamon, Bro. Thos. Larrance to go labour with her.
The second Saterday in December. The church setting in order had some tolk about Sister King & agreed to bare with her till next meeting.
January meeting (1794). The church seting in order. Report was made to the church that Sister King was not able to come to the meeting.
February 8th. The church setting in order. Sister King came in and made an acknowledgement and profest to have repentance for her sis and the church receivd her. Also some tolk concerning deconds & elders and sot a part Bro. Buttery & Bro. Mitchel.
March 8th. The church setting in order, Sister Jean Holbrook joind by experience & Baptism. Also tride to get the minds of the church concerning officers the church in a janaral (?) lookd at Bro. Buttery as a Dacond & Bro. Mitchel as a Elder & the church exorted to look to the Lord and try to get his mond on the matter.
Saterda the 12th of April. The church seting in order a report was made concerning Bro. Sparks geting drunk and he denyd the charge and it was laid over. Also some talk about Bro. Gibson Mainors bantering the company to swap horses and he allowd it was not a transpression and thought it was a transgression.
The Second Saterday in May the church setting in order. Bro. Sparks & Bro Mainor gave the church satisfaction.
The second Saterday in June the church setting in order. There was some tolk about a Dacond & Elder and the church sot forward Bro. Abraham Mitchel & Bro. Timothy Buttery to walk before the church.
July 10th. The church setting in order. Enquired concerning a Deacon & Elder and church profest to see Bro. Buttery a Deacon and concluded to send for a presbattery.
August 9th. The church setting in order. Report was made that Bro. Spencer Adams & his wife was both in transgression, he for charging a man to fight & she for threatning to kill a woman, for which the church thought proper to deny them both fellowship.
Saterday the 13th of September. The church met and seemd to be in love.
Saterday the 11th of October the church setting in order Bro. Simon Williams and wife and Bro. John Cate applyd for dissmissions and it was granted.
The Second Satterday in November. The church setting in order with the prisbattery inquired into the stand concerning a deacond and there was some division & concluded to weight longer & get the mind of the Lord. Also Sister Winneford Adams applyd for a dismission & it was granted.
The Second Satterday in December the church met & seemd to be in love.
The Second Satterday in January 1795. The church setting in order Bro. Turner applyd for a dismission and it was granted (notice the dismissions this period: a general drift to Kentucky was taking place).
The Second Satterday in February the church met & seemd to be in love.
March 7th. The church met & all in love.
11th April the church setting in order, had some talk about a decon but could not see all alike and so agreed to lay it over till next meeting.
9th May. The church setting in order the church deligated Bro. Laurance & Bro. John Cate to site Bro. Gibson Mainor to appear at the next meeting to make it know why he would pass by the meeting house on church meeting day and not attend meeting. Also Bro. John Cate & John Hamon (John’s grandfather William had died and left a will in Wilkes Co. in 1793 and his father Ambrose in 1794. There is a lot of evidence that John was in Ky. very early and later was in Bryants Station when attacked by Indians. Like the Bryants themselves he made several trips back and forth before settling permanently in Ky. near Georgetown just after he last appears in these minutes in Feb. 1796. He became a member of the Mountain Island Baptist church and in 1817 after moving on Hammons creek a branch of Eagle Creek in the eastern part of Owen Co. Ky. He is mentioned as a charter member of the Mussel Shoals Bapts. Church which is still holding service in that location. The minutes of this church may be seen at either the Filson Club or the Southern Baptist Theological Seminary at Louisville. Many of these charter members were of the families mentioned in the Roaring River church and their descendants are numerous in Owen Co. to this day. Indeed they have spread out all over Ky. and the West) was appointed to site Bro. John Sparks to appear at next meeting to make knoon the reason why he neglected attending meeting from time to time.
The third Satterday in June. The church met & Bro. Gibson Mainor & Bro. John Sparks both left the place before the church got together.
11th July. The church setting in order under took to talk some with Bro. Gibson Mainor but was not satisfide & agread to bare with him till next meeting. Bro. Sparks did not appear and report was made to the church that said he had as leave be out of the church as in it & so the church denid him fellowship. Also the church deligated Bro. Turner, Bro. Laurance & Bro. Mitchel to attend the next association at Bro. Pettys meeting house.
Satterday 12th of September. The church met together and Sister Sarah came forward and profect to be dissattisfid with the church on the account of her husborn being shut out and the church labord with her to convince her that the church was in duty but to no purpose but concluded bare with hir untill next meeting. Also some talk about Bro. Christopher Mainor neglectin to attend meeting of a long time but concluded to bare him a while longer
Satterday 10th of October 1795. The church setting in order Sister Mainor appeared before the church and profsd that she did not fellowship the (blot)edence of the church in cuting off heir husburn. Also Sister Sarah Cate applyd for dismission and it was granted also Bro. James Mainor.
Satterday 12th of November the church setting in order Sister Sarah Mainor disappeared and the church saw cause to deny her fellowship. Also Sister Ann Harris applyd for dismission and it was granted. Also Sister Susannah Harris applyd for a dismission and it was granted. Also Bro. John Holbrook applyd for a dismission and it was granted.
Satterday the 12th December the church met together and seemd to be in love and it seemd to be the mind of the church to look at Bro. Timothy Buttery as a Deacond and Bro. Abraham Mitchel as an Elder and exorted each other look to look to the Lord for his teachings.
Satterday the 9th of January 1796. The church setting in order deligated Abraham Mitchel to go see Bro. Christopher Mainor & site him once more to the church.
Satterday 6th of February. The church seting in order saw cause to deny Christopher Mainor fellowship for refusing to hear the church after transgresing. Also Sister Ale Shipperd, John Hamon and wife Mary Hamon applyd for dismission & it was granted. (This is last mention of John Hammon in these minutes, evidently he was about to leave for Ky. Note that his wife is Mary here. She died before he appeared in the Mussell Shoals Church minutes in 1817; his wife then was Mildred Ann Morgan. It is probable that he had three wives as we know that he had 22 children and lived to be 108).
Satterday ye 8th February – 1796 a complaint was laid in to the church against Sister Mary Turner for reporting that Bro. Butry was an extortioner and not dealing with him agreable to the gospel & Sister Billing & Sister Sary Pruit is to sight her to next meeting. Bro. Mitchell & wife requested a dismission and it was granted.
Saterday the 10th of September 1796. Our Sister Charity Turner requested a letter and it was granted.
December the 28th 1795 (Evidently a mistake; 1796 is meant) Sister Lucy Laurance joind the church by experience & Baptism.
July the Second Saterday 1797. Brother Thomas Laurance joind by experience & Bapt.
November the Second Saterday 1797. Brother Thomes Laurance chosen by the to be clark & the church agreed to wait with Sister King till next meeting & Brother Timothy Buttery was appointed to go to see Sister Heney Adams on the account of a dispute between her and Sister Jonston.
Saturday the 9th of September. The church met and set together and saw cause to deny our former Sister Mary King fellowship for afferming that she saw our Lord Jesus on the cross with her natural eyes and for getting dunk. Also our former Bro. Thimothy Butry informd the church that our former Sister Henne Addams denied that Sister Rachel Johnson sited her to meeting and the church saw cause to deny her fellowship. The church by agreement concluded to call for Bro. Mitchell.
Saterday the 10th March 1797. Bro. Thomas Collyer & Sister Agathy Holbrook joind the church by letter. The church considers Sister Rachel May to be out of her duty agrees to send Bro. Timithy Buttry & Bro. Thomas Laurance to cite her to a meeting. Sunday the 11th March. The church sot to gather and recieved Bro. Jesse Maynord by experience and he was Baptised.
(The last page of the first booklet is badly torn and stained and seems to with a lot of association business and questions of policy. The best we can be sure of from it is as follow.) The association met acco—Matrumony Meeting House—After prayer & other solem—proceeded to business. Samuel—Randolph Hall Clark, a letter—ordered to be read the refferen—Queary 3rd. Wheather a minister might have the pastrol care of more than one church at the same time. Answer, he has. (End of first book)
*****COMMENTS BY HAL MAYNARD (Transcriber, May 1998)
I computer-scanned and retyped significant portions of the above document to make it available to a wider audience of genealogists interested in Wilkes County’s pioneer residents prior to 1800. I did not have access to the original church record or to a microfilm copy of that document. I did, however, have two older typed versions to draw upon. The copy that was most scanable by computer was found on the shelves of the DAR Library in Washington, DC. However, the copy that was obtained from current members (Vance Johnson and his son Quincy Johnson) of the Old Roaring River Baptist Church in Traphill, NC, is better in all other respects. It contains considerable supplementary information provided by Ida Holbrook Jones in 1952 and it also has the advantage of some indexing.
Roaring River Baptist Church in the 1790s was designed as a mission church on the frontier; at least 13 other small churches were spinoffs of this church. The church first existed as a log cabin, and then as a frame building on a hill, with an adjacent cemetery. The church is now a brick building located at the bottom of the hillside cemetery, on the south side of Long Bottom Road. The cemetery is still active, but it has no tombstones dating from the 1700s.
Roaring River Baptist Church records from founding in 1779 until mid-1785 appear to have been permanently lost. The above record covers the period of 1785-1797. Records for 1798-1827 have also been lost. There is a good church record from 1828 through 1950.