History of Baptist Church, Johnson, Arkansas

New Hope Missionary Baptist Church

The following article compiling the history of New Hope Missionary Baptist Church in Elm Springs, Washington Co., AR was published in “Flashback”, the Washington County Genealogy newsletter, 1957.

Fifty-One Years with the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church
By Thomas Rockrock
During the earlier years of its existence, this church was usually known as the “Stony Point” Church, due to the fact that the school of that name was close beside it. During the World War I period, a new schoolhouse was built a half mile or more way and the old building done away with. New Hope is about 6 miles southwest of Springdale and one-half mile east of Stoney Point school. It is not without emotion that the compiler of this article undertook a partial history of this church. These people were the neighbors of his youthful years. Some of the younger ones are still that, but the old-timers have gone to their reward, many of them long since. 1888 The New Hope Missionary Baptist Church was organized the 3rd day of March by Elder G.P. Hanks with the following charter members:
L.B. Hughes Zenolia Thurmond Eliza Luper Margaret A. Hughes Martha Gault Hannah Daniels Sarah A. Hughes Fannie M. Hanks America Daniels Della Octa Hanks R.S. Thurmond James Simpkins Sarah M. Simpkins Susan Thurmond John Luper J.W. Austin Etta Thurmond John Snider John Mason Ida Thurmond Mary Burnett Betta R. Mason Amanda Maxey Nancy Burnett Netta Cox Irvin Wickwire James E. Luper Samuel Cox Elijah Wickware Louisa Luper Emily Jane Wickware Florence Simpkins Thomas J. Luper N.P. Thurmond George Austin Thomas J. Luper

1888 to 1899 Minutes lost.

1900 Jan 13: Preaching by Brother John Busey of Tipton Ford, Missouri. Report of committee of deacons on repair of the Church roof called for. No report, so given more time.
Feb 10: Brother John Luper on behalf of the committee on Church roof reported that the entire roof needed to be recovered and that there were only funds enough to cover one side. A committee composed of deacons was appointed to raise funds to re-cover the other side.
Mar 10:Four members were checked off the Church roll for “walking disorderly”. Brother Kennedy, the Church clerk, resigned and Brother Hanks was elected to take his place. Sister Dora Curtis was granted a letter of dismission.
April 7: Decided that after the next rain the deacons find the leak in the Church roof and patch it immediately. Brother Hugh Daugherty was received by relation.
May 15: Brother John Luper given the job of repairing the Church roof.
July 7:A sister excluded for dancing. Letter of dismission granted to Sister Ida Shaffer.
Sept 8:Brothers Shep Luper and C.W. Hopper elected as delegates to the Association, with John Luper and Pete Kennedy as alternates. A revival held this month resulted in ten additions to the Church.
Dec 8: Church still not re-roofed.

1901 Jan 12: Brothers Kennedy, Austin, Hopper and Hanks appointed to re-roof the Church. Elder Shep Luper reelected pastor.
Feb 9: Church re-roofed. Brother Perry Cazort granted letter of dismission. Brother Roy Smith received by letter.
April 13: Brother J.W. Austin called by death.
May 11: Brother Hugh Daugherty granted a letter of dismission.
1902 Minutes lost.

1903 April 4: Brother and Sister Hopper granted letters of dismission. Decided the Church hold conference on Saturday night during the berry season.
At July meeting: Two weeks revival held by our pastor Shep Luper, assisted by Brother Johnson Crawford our missionary, and Brother Jones our assistant missionary. Backsliders were reclaimed, cold members were restored, sinners were convicted and mourners converted, of which there were sixteen.
August 8: Received Brother Arthur Masterson by statement. Brothers G.N. Snyder, Peter Kennedy, J.A. Luper appointed as messengers to the Association, with Arthur Masterson and S.A. Luper as alternates.
Sept 12: Brother Shep Luper called as pastor for another year.

1904 Minutes lost.

1905 April 15: Preaching by our pastor M.H. Spyres. Letters of Recommendation granted to Brother and Sister Snyder, Brother and Sister White, Sister Kisner and daughter, and Sister Hughes.
July 15: Brother G. Spyres received by recommendation. Saturday before the 5th Sunday in Sept: Recalled Brother Shep Luper as pastor.

1906 November: Brother Shep Luper held a two weeks revival. There were 42 conversions.
Saturday before the 2nd Lord’s Day in December: Received 10 candidates for baptism: Orley Maxey, Sam Luper, Sam Claypool, James Luper, John Borum, Charley Vernon, Gerty Claypool, Lizzie Daniel, Bessie Vernon, John Vernon.

1907 Saturday before the 2nd Lord’s Day in February: Committee appointed to overhaul the Church book, consisting of J.A. Luper, S.A. Luper, J.F. Nichols.
Saturday before the 2nd Lord’s Day in July: Brothers J.A. Luper and W.S. Luper elected as messengers to the Association, with S.A. Luper and J.F. Nichols as alternates.

1908 August: Brothers J.A. Luper, S.A. Luper, Sam Claypool elected as messengers to the Association. Received by baptism Martha Borum and Sim Borum.
December 15: Brother Elmer Rice called as pastor.

1909 Jan: Sister Ota Luper received by letter.
Feb: Brothers Arthur Smith and J.F. Nichols elected deacons.
Aug: Brothers Kennedy, Nichols and Shep Luper appointed as messengers to the Association.
In August a meeting was held and the following were received by baptism: Brothers Bennett Maxey, Willie Peterson, Alvin Luper, Arthur Wood, Sam Waldrip, George Vernon, Dee Booth, B.F. Johnson; Sisters Mag Maxey, Ella Maxey, Ethel Johnson, Josie Johnson, Creta Vansant, Lou Austin, Mary Hughes, Maggie Wickwire, Viola Cawthorn, Eula Harris, Harrie Cox, Pearl Wood.

1910 May: Received Mr. and Mrs. Parks and Mr. Cox.
August: Brothers J.A. Luper and Sam Claypool appointed as messengers to the Fayetteville Association. Received by letter Brother P.D. Spyers and wife.

1911 March: Brother Jim Luper granted a letter of dismission.
August: Brothers Arthur Smith, J.A. Luper and Jim Cox appointed as messengers to the Association, with alternates Bennett Maxey, Sam Waldrip and Sister Ella Maxey.
September: Brother J.L. Brown called as pastor at $5.00 a trip.

1912 April 18: Called Brother Floyd Tillman as pastor at $4.00 a trip. Committee appointed to collect funds to paint the Church.

1913 December: Called Brother J.E. Baggett as pastor.

1914 August: Voted to change the name of the Association from Fayetteville to Washington County. Brothers J.A. Luper, Arthur Smith and Sam Claypool elected as messengers to the Association, with Sim Luper, Sam Waldrip and Pete Kennedy as alternates.

1915 January: Church voted to adopt a standing position during prayer.
May: Received Albert and Amanda Hollors into the Church. Granted letters of dismission to Mr. and Mrs. B.F. Johnson, Mr. and Mrs. G.P. Hanks, Mr. and Mrs. Perry Cazort, and Ella Maxey.
July: Brother Sam Claypool, John Allen Luper and J.A. Luper elected as messengers to the Association, with Pete Kennedy and S.A. Luper as alternates.
Voted to have the Stony Point Band cease its practice in the church house.
Voted that the Church oppose using the house or grounds for any shows.
Voted to dispose of the standing attitude for prayer.
August: Voted to attempt to have preaching two Sundays a month.

1916 March: Letter of dismission granted Brother Arthur Smith.
September: Brother Morman held a meeting at Grandview and Brother Shep Luper held a meeting at New Hope. Ten added to the Church.

1917 September: Brother W.S. Luper recalled as pastor.

1918 Nothing of note. World War I and the great flu epidemic seem to have cancelled all but two or three meetings.

1919 Called conference February 27: Brother J.A. Luper tendered his resignation as Church clerk. Brother J.R. Harris elected in his stead. A vote of thanks given Brother Luper for his faithful services as clerk for the past number of years.
March 15: Brother J.E. Baggett recalled as pastor.
June 14: Brother Oscar Austin received as a candidate for baptism. He was baptized in Clear Creek the third Sunday in July.
August 16: Brother S.A. Luper and Sam Claypool chosen as messengers to the Association.
October 12: Brother W. R. Peters called as pastor. The Church recommended Brother J.A. Peters to the State Association for State Missionary.

1920 Third Sunday in June: Brother W.R. Peters preached the funeral sermon of Brother John A. Luper to a large audience. (Brother Luper died about three months earlier but the prevalence of flu delayed the sermon.) Saturday night before the 3rd Lord’s Day in July: Letters of dismission granted Brother Will Nichols and Sister Nichols and Sister Belle Glenn.
August 14: Brothers Sam Claypool, W.S. Luper and S.A. Luper elected as messengers to the County Association, with W.R. Peterson, Sam Waldrip and J.R. Harris as alternates. Meeting held by Brother J.A. Peters, State Missionary. Margaret White, Homer Plumlee, Irena White and Opal Thornburg are candidates for baptism.
Called conference September 25: Brothers W.R. Peterson and Sam Waldrip elected deacons. Arrangements made to lock the Church doors and to paint the window sashes. December: A meeting held by Brother O. L. Lierly. One conversion, Miss Lena Watts. Letters of dismission granted Brother Calvin martin and Sister Pearl Martin.

1921 Nothing of note.

1922 Minutes lost.

1923 August 30: Brothers Sam Claypool, J.R. Harris and Sister Mary Bridgewaters elected as messengers to the Fayetteville Association meeting with Liberty Church. Lost this year by death, Sister Kennedy. Church roll now has 66 names. We are using Land Mark Sunday School literature.

1924 to 1931 The only minutes available for this period are as follows: July 1928: Preaching by our pastor, Brother Johnson. Brothers Bridgewaters, Richardson and Harris appointed as messengers to the Association, which meets with Oakland Church in July.

1932 September 4: Called Brother Floyd Tillman as pastor. Brothers Sam Claypool, Sam Waldrip and J.R. Harris elected as messengers to the Association, with Tommie Lockhart, Ralph Lockhart and Earl West as alternates. To be held with Shady Grove Church. Earl West was elected librarian.

1933 Pastor this year was Brother Floyd Tillman. November: Revival meeting held. Received by baptism Brothers Dotson Fowler, Guy Fowler and Fay Burnett, Sisters Lola Mae Luper, Ola Claypool, Evelyn Kisner, and Wilma Spurgeon. Received by statement Sisters Barbary Burnett, Vina Kisner, Dessa Carter, Bertie Partain, Mrs. Andrew Shipp.

1934 August 11: Brother Harve Guess and wife granted letters of dismission.
August 26: Letter of dismission granted Sister Mabel Guess. Brothers G.B. Burnett, Sam Claypool nad J.R. Harris elected as messengers to the Association, with Sam Waldrip and Earl West alternates. Brother E.F. Rice elected as pastor.
October: Sister Opal Guess granted a letter of dismission.
December 15: Brother Earl West and Sister Tenny Fowler appointed to collect funds for Associational missions.

1935 January: Meeting held by our missionary Brother O.L. Lierly assisted by our pastor Brother E.F. Rice. Received by baptism A.C. Partain, Fred Burrough, Nina Lockhart, Joe Claypool, Garland Martin, Carl Carta, Junior Maxey, Miss Partain, Richard Davis, Marie Davis, Loretta Hughes, Mrs. Ellen Wood, John Hardin, Harvey McGaugh and Lillie Mae McGaugh.
April 30: Letter of dismission granted Sister Aline (Mrs. Loy) Jackson.
May 18: Brothers Sam Claypool and Richard Davis elected deacons.
August 17: Brothers Richard Davis, J.R. Harris and Sam Claypool elected as messengers to the Association, with Sisters Beulah Claypool and Ruth Waldrip and Brother Earl West and wife and Brother Dewey Maxey as alternates. Association held with Little Elm Church.

1936 August 15: Richard Davis and wife and Earl West elected as messengers to the Association, with Sam Claypool and wife and J.R. Harris as alternates.
October 17: Letters of dismission granted Brother Carl Carta and Sister Dessie Carta, Brother W.R. Peterson and Sister Cordia Peterson.
December 20: Brother and Sister Oscar Hughes granted letters of dismission.

1937 January 16: Preaching by Brother Koran Begley.
July 11: Called Brother Roy Owen as pastor.
August 15: Brothers J.R. Harris, Richard Davis and Sam Claypool elected as messengers to the Association, with Eldon Maxey and Earl West as alternates.
September 23: Brother and Sister Dotson Fowler granted letters of dismission.
October 24: Brother Sam Claypool was ordained to the full ministry of the Gospel.
November 28: Letter of dismission granted Sister Ina Thompson. During 1937 the Church baptized Millard Wood, Everett Cate, Thlma Cate, Miss Partain and Nadine Hutton.

1938 February 26 : Brothers Tommie Lockhart and Ted Burrough were elected as deacons, to be ordained in March. June 26: Will hold pie supper at schoolhouse to help buy lights for Church. Condisering electricity. August 26: Brothers Richard David and Sam Claypool and Sister Marie Davis elected as messengers to the Association to be held with Liberty Church at Dutch Mills.
November: Meeting held by Brother Roy Owen. Called Brother Freeman as pastor. Received by letter Aaron Howard and Mrs. Howard, Mrs. Rose Wilkerson and Verna Partain. Eldon Jr. Maxey, Riley Wood, Mrs. Harden White, J.D. Cordell, Pauling Cordell and Ethel Lockhart received by baptism.
With the year 1938 fifty-one years with the New Hope Missionary Baptist Church are complete, that is insofar as records can be found. The present pastor and officers (1957) are as follows: Pastor:Roy Owens of Lowell Deacons:Tommie Lockhart, Ted Weible, Carol Garrison Sunday School Superintendent:James Blalock Church Clerk: Mrs. Tommie Lockhart.
From 1932 to 1936 the Rev. Graham (Baptist) from Springdale and the Rev. Freyschlag (Presbyterian) from Fayetteville each held services once a month. For the years 1937-1938 our pastor was Ernie Miller, a student at the University of Arkansas. During the summer of 1938 the Rev. Prince of Springdale's First Baptist Church held a revival for us and made us a protectorate of his Church, although we retained our Union status.
Through the years our attendance averaged somewhere around 50; dropping some as World War II years commenced, due to the fact that some Johnson families moved away to take nwly created Jobs. Our average collection was in the neighborhood of one dollar. These were depression years. On March 7, 1937 the secretary reported a deficit of 68 cents.
A community Chyristmas tree and program was always held by us, the money to defray the expenses being raised by a pie supper.
A list of families in attendance through the years would be about as follows: Crum, Johnson, Luper, Heckman, Hanks, Dunlevy, George, Combs, Diven, Rothrock, Banks, Allen, Qualls, Mahan, Wilkinson, Stamper, Kell, Harris, Curtis, Howard, Lyons, Williams, Miller, Webb, Graves, Woods, Stephens, Harper, Dillinger, Price, Reed, Roper, Kelley, Stone, Preston, Bowman, Clark, Cardwell, Cassat, Broyles, Begley, Bridenthal, Maxey, Scott, Hendrix.
Although some records are available for thie period, they are not at all complete, and here again, memories are dimmed by passing years.

Part Three - The Johnson Baptist Church Reactiviated 1944
July 30. Rev. J.S. Blystone, Associational Missionary for the Washington-Madison Association, acting as Moderator, called to order a meeting to reconstitute the Johnson Baptist Church.
Members of the old Johnson Baptist Church were: Dayne Johnson and Mrs. Mildred Cassat.
Those who had letters from the First Baptist Church of Springdale, Arkansas, were: Ollie Crum, Bill Crum, Mrs. Mayme Johnson, Doris Dean Johnson, Ina Mae Johnson, Richard Rothrock, Harold Cassat, Dorothy Jean Luper, James Cardwell; Alice Faye Cardwell, Allen Miller, Floyd Miller, Hoyt Combs Jr., Mrs. Nellie Stamper, Mrs. Florence Graue, Ward Graue.
Those who came on promise of letter were: Paul Allen, Mrs. Lena Allen, Alvin Luper, Mrs. Ola Rothrock, Irvin A. Rothrock, Rev. and Mrs. Burrell Stephens, Frank Johnson, Mrs. Edith Johnson, Hugh Lichlyter, Mrs. Emma Lichlyter, Mr. and Mrs. F.M. Holt.
Candidates for baptism were: Billie Lee Diven, Mrs. Flora Luper, Thomas Rothrock.
The first officers elected by the Church were: Harold Cassat, treasurer; Alice Faye Cardwell, clerk. Membership this year was 25.
The minutes for the first year being lost, there is no further information and some given here is, perhaps, not as accurate as it should be.

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