The Church Talks Reading done by Louise Garland at the 100th Anniversary Celebration Catawba Methodist Church Fairmont, Marion County, WV This was donated to me by a very gracious church member.1854 - 1954 100th ANNIVERSARY CELEBRATION "THE CHURCH TALKS" by Louise Garland June 20, 1954 When I was asked to give a reading here today on the 100th Anniversary of the church I could not find anything that seemed appropriate and I started thinking, "What if the Church could talk?" After standing here 100 years serving the people of Catawba in good times and depressions, through war and peace, wouldn't it be interesting the things this church could tell-- the incidents that have happened in and around it for a whole century. So, from my mother, my grandmother Alice Swisher, who is the oldest living member of this church and who helped to raise the money to build the church, and from other older members of the community I have made a list of the things this church might remember and talk about, if a church could talk. Probably the first thing it would remember would be, Jacob Swisher, who donated the ground on which the church is built. The first church services were held in his home and on the river bank near his home where the preacher stood on a large rock and spoke to the people. When the first church was founded this part of the country was almost a wilderness with logging roads or trails the only road from one community to another and the houses were far and few between. The old-fashioned sings would be well-remembered when the choirs and singers came for miles by horse and buggy and in sleighs in the winter time. Some of the singers of yesterday were Aunt Vine MALONE, Alice SWISHER, Lula and Lanta MAHAFFEY, Maude MALONE, Rosie FERRELL, Jenny LAYMAN, Lennie SWISHER, Peach MALONE, Sara HARRIS, Bob SWISHER, Cora JOLLIFFE, Jenny HOVATTER, Lib THORNE, Pole SWISHER, Grant SWISHER, Josephine KISNER, Rash SWISHER, Thornt MALONE, Beck BROWN, Ella SWISHER, Myrt HALL -- this was quite a choir -- they walked to Mt. Zion to singing school. Another big occasion was the big Sunday School picnic held every summer which were recalled by Clark SWISHER. They were a big affair with "all day" meetin' and dinner on the ground." After Sunday School the Catawba Brass Band, "yes sir, Catawba had a brass band once." The band would parade all over town and every one, not just a few families but everyone, fixed baskets and had a picnic dinner at the church. Some of the members of the band were Nathan SWISHER, Henry SWISHER, Floyd MICHAELS, Tom POWELL, Worth POWELL, and a Mr. WINGROVE, Uncle Clark SWISHER carried the flag. If the church could talk it would tell you of some of the people who were active in the church and of the things they did the same as a mother would talk of her children. Dickey PRICKETT, who came from Viola to church and Sunday School. On Easter Sunday he would bring a basket of colored eggs and every child at Sunday School would get an Easter egg. On Decoration Day he put a flower on every grave in the cemetery. -----Aunt Sally POWELL, who was the founder of the SWISHER reunion and attended every reunion until her 100th birthday. She probably lived longer than any member of this church and was brought back to lie in state in the church she loved so well. The church would remember her husband, Gene POWELL too, who donated money to help build the new church and was killed in the mines before it was finished --- Aunt Lena SUMMERS, who was class leader here for years. She came to church when most people in her condition would be in bed. I remember her shouting down the aisle at revival meetings and patting everyone on the head as she passed. She canvassed the town and raised money to wire the church for electricity to replace the old oil lamps of another era. ----- Marshall HARRIS, who was Sunday School Superintendent for a long time and Jink LOOMAN and Levi HARRIS, who walked from Viola to church and Sunday School. ----- Pole SWISHER, who was also, Sunday School Superintendent and built fires, swept the church and filled the old oil lamps as long as his health would permit. ----- Jackie KISNER, who built coffins for all the old folks who passed on. His son, Uncle Jim KISNER, who was official undertaker around here for years. He probably laid out more people in this town than Carpenter & Ford and R. C. Jones put together. -----Henry POLING, who is buried on opposite sides of the old cemetery gate with Uncle Jim KISNER. The wanted to be the first ones out on Res- surection Day. By the way, Uncle Jim KISNER'S grave is unmarked and very few people know exactly where it is. I think it would be a wonderful thing if the people of Catawba would raise money to buy a small marker for his grave -- to partly repay the good deeds he did for the community. Think of all the funeral expenses he saved our ancestors. ----- Jimmy STARN, who set out the maple trees that used to be in front of the church, he was also official bell ringer at the old watch-night parties held on New Year's Eve. The church would remember Archie WILSON, Sally WILSON, Marion POWELL, Mrs. Pole SWISHER, Aunt Vine MALONE and Molly JOLLIFFE who ran free boarding houses for the preachers before the parsonage was built. Mrs. JOLLIFFE must have ben a good cook because the preachers alway came back even after her daughters, Edna, Clara, and Cora played jokes on them, such as blacking their faces with soot while they were asleep and sewing their umbrellas together ----- It would be hard to recall everyone who played a part in the history of the church --- Nellie HARDEN, Georgann HAUN, Alice TOWNS, Grant SWISHER, Ruth SUMMERS, Jim SUMMERS, and Meryle SWISHER, who played the piano for years, Willy SWISHER, Ida and Emma SWISHER. The church would also tell of the people of today who keep up the work of the church. The Sunday School teachers, Alice SWISHER, Rose HARRIS, Della SUMMERS, Clara SWISHER, who is always willing to do anything for the chuch, Marie NINE, who is mother to every child in the Primary Class. Mrs. KNOTTS, our minister's wife who is never too busy to do something for the good of the community. The children are always welcome in her home. The parsonage looks like a children's shelter most of the time. When there is illness or death in the family she is always there to lend a helping hand. .....the next partial paragraph states several names of those who may be living, and has been partially ommitted ....... .........If the church could talk about it, it would let you all know how badly it needs a basment for extra Sunday School rooms, storage space and most of all a place for a furnace to replace those old, outdated Burnside stoves. The church would tell you of all the fine programs that have been presented here. The reunions, home-comings, Memorial programs, the time our service flag was dedicated, the Gold Stars on it for Bernard SWISHER, Raymond STOLLER, and Pete PHILLIPS. The Honor Roll dedications in honor of all who gave so much for our country. The Easter programs, Sunrise Service, Children's Day Programs, the Bible School which help our children to understand the church and its purpose. The wonderful Christmas programs with the treats, gifts, the children too excited to sit still, the tree shining in all its glory, maybe with a chuckle it would tell you about the time Santa Claus got on fire from the candles used to trim the tree and the amazement of the children present when Santa Claus turned out to be Bill MICHAELS. The hundreds of funerals held in this church, the Youth Fellowship programs and Scout programs. The grade school graduation, the students as proud of their diplomas as if they were a master degree. The weddings, some large with all the trimmings, some small, yet beautiful in their simplicity. The old-fashioned quilting bees of long ago and all the wonderful revival meetings. The church would probably tell you about all the ministers, who have served here since the church was founded. From Rev. HELMICH, who was the very first to our present minister, Rev. KNOTTS, who is a wonderful person even though he does go through a red light and cross intersections without stopping occassionally. Some of the ministers who served here were, Rev. BURCH; Rev. MORRISON, who was the first to occupy the new parsonage, they had twin daughters named Liberty and Freedom; Rev. JACKSON; Rev. BENNET, who was an Englishman from the old sod; Rev. RORK, Rev. HOLT, who held revival that was revival; Rev. MITCHELL; Rev. DEAN, who married Mag and Floyd MICHAELS and Johnny POWELL and Cora MURPHY the same evening; Rev. RIGGLE; Rev. I.A. BARNES, some say he was on the circuit here and some say he just held a revival but we all know he was an outstanding person in the Methodist Church; ....... Edna MALONE, who is ill in the hospital, told one incident where the preacher who was very strict on his daughters and wouldn't let them go to the schoolhouse to a meeting. Edna got the girls to stay all night with her and they slipped past the parsonage and went to the schoolhouse. I heard Rev. SESSIONS say that a preacher's children learned their orneriness from the other children, they surely aren't taught it at home and I believe it. Rev. DUVAL, who had a sense of humor, he told of a true incident that happened when he was holding a revival meeting. "An old teamster, who had worked all day hauling logs with his horses came to church. As the sermon progressed the old fellow went to sleep. All at once the fire shovel fell down, the old teamster jumped up with a start, started swinging his arms and yelled "Unbuckle that harness and loosen them traces before them horses tear up everything", that really happened, my Mother said she heard Rev. DUVAL tell it. Rev. JOHNSON whom a lot of you remember, some of his children married local people and still live in this vicinity. His daughter, ..........., not only followed in her father's footsteps by founding a church herself, which is known as Johnson's Chapel on Route 73, a beautiful addition to the Methodist Church. Most of us remember Rev. Lowe and Rev. RICHMOND, there was Rev. ADAMS, he had twins; Rev. DILLARD, Rev. YOST and Rev. RADCLIFFE whom we all remember well. But I think the church would be proudest of the fact that you all appreciate it enough to come out and celebrate its 100th ANNIVERSARY.
This information taken from a program dated Aug. 17 - 24, 1980 CATAWBA UNITED METHODIST CHURCH Week of Dedication FOUNDING OF OUR CHURCH "In 1841 the Rev. John Clark was appointed pastor of the Middletown Circuit and J.D. Garmow was assistant. The circuit then con- sisted of fifteen organized classes and five other preaching places, making twenty ap- pointments in all. During this year an ap- pointment was established at the home of Jacob Swisher at New Port (now known as Catawba). In warm weather Rev. Clark preached out of doors, standing on a large rock near the river bank. Afterward an old schoolhouse was used, and in 1848 Rev. Samuel Clawson had a wonderful revival here. The Swishers, Summerses, Hauns, Wilsons and Jolliffs were among the first members at Catawba. The first church was build in 1854. Because of it's crude structure, this building gave way to the present (1980) commodious structure that was build in 1892. The Swisher, Haun and Summers families are still represented in the membership of the Catawba Church. Rev. D. G. Helmick was pastor when the present church was built." The above article was taken from a 1926 area church history compile by Rev. Isaac A. Barnes, one of our former ministers. OLD CIRCUIT For many years the Catawba Charge was made up of the following churches: Winfield, Montana, Walnut Grove (Union), Hopewell, The Old Salem Church (near 5-Forks) & Catawba. Other early preaching appointments on this charge included: Hampton's Valley, Opekiska, Levels, Smithtown, Colfax, Brier Hill, Mt. Calvary, Pleasant Valley & Williams School. IMPROVEMENTS 1957 - basement 1962 - new parsonage 1963 - interior remodeled 1967 - central heating 1972 - vestibule added 1976 - new bell tower Dec. 24, 1979 - Fire! 1980 - Interior Rebuilt! Ministers Who Served (The Catawba Circuit) - in order- Daniel HELMICK 1854 J. B. McCORMICK 1854 - 57 Samuel CLAWSON 1858 T. E. LANCASTER 1859 - 60 E. F. WESTFALL 1861 - 62 J. B. McCORMICK 1863 - 66 J. L. LAMPSON 1866 - 68 D. R. HELMICK 1869 - 70 R. H. SUTTON Henry PALMER 1871 P. T. CONAWAY 1872 - 73 Isaac HOLLAND 1874 G. G. CONAWAY 1875 D. R. DAVIS 1876 - 77 Benjamin STOUT 1878 - 81 R. C. ERWIG 1882 E. F. WESTFALL 1883 - 84 H. YOUNG 1885 - 86 D. H. DAVIS 1887 - 88 D. G. HELMICK 1889 - 92 J. N. HOLT 1893 T. W. IRELAND 1894 U. W. MORRISON 1895 - 98 W. H. HART 1899 R. C. DEAN 1900 - 02 J. J. KITTLE 1903 C. L. HALL 1904 - 05 Isaac A. BARNES 1906 -07 L. M. AUVIL 1908 - 10 A. S. JOHNSON 1911 J. M. RHOADES 1912 R. S. BURCH 1913 - 14 W. F. YORKE 1915 - 16 S. T. BENNETT 1917 Paul RIEGAL 1918 J. J. JACKSON 1919 -20 W. P. HOLT 1921 W. B. LEGGETT 1922 Not Supplied 1923 J. W. EATON 1924 Not Supplied 1925 J. L. BOWER 1926 J. B. UNDERWOOD 1927 J. B. WOODYARD 1928 T. A. McMELLON 1929 J. H. LOUGH 1930 - 33 J. A. RICHMOND 1934 A. L. NESTOR 1935 -36 R. S. ADAMS 1937 - 38 C. A. YOST 1940 - 49 Rev. DILLION 1950 Cecil RADCLIFFE 1951 Arthur NICHOLSON 1952 Perry KNOTTS 1953 - 54 Eugene M. GARLOW 1955 Frank TEDROW 1956 Eleanor McELROY '57 - 59 A. R. BURROUGH 1960 - 67 Chales FLINT 1968 - 74 Donald HANEY 1975 - 76 Charles SHAVER 1977 - present *Please save your folder for future reference. In 1904 the Catawba Church had 204 members.
History of the Mt. Zion Methodist Church
{**NOTE:There were NO copyrights on either of these histories**} THANKS FOR STOPPING BY!!History of the Mt. Zion Methodist Church (1951) Compiled by Baily Y. MORGAN Printed by J. J. SWISHER pg 1In Winfield District- Marion County, West Virginia Located Eight Miles East of Fairmont Some of the things of a century which had to do with the building of the Mt. Zion M. E. Church. In order to get some information concerning some of our pioneer church history we wander backward over the winding paths of time that have been trodden by the fathers and mothers of the past until we count six generations and cover a distance of time of 158 years, which takes us back to the year 1793. At that time there lived, likely in a humble log cabin, a man by the name of Jacob VANGILDER whose wife's name was Anna Margaret KIBLER. To these was born on the above date a son and they called his name Frederick. His father, Jacob, was born in 1760, and his mother was born in 1754. Jacob was a soldier in the Revolutionary War. Frederick grew to manhood and was brought up to honor and serve the God of heaven and became a very able man in the Lord's work. It is supposed at about the age of 20 he met a very fine young lady by the name of Susan LONGSTRETH. She was born in the year 1800. He fell in love with her and she with him. He at the age of 22 and Susan at the age of 17 were married. Their residence was in Monongalia County near Mt. Pisgah Church of which they were members. Away back when these things were being carefully planned and done, conditions were very different around this section of the country to what it is now. Pg 2 The roadways, horse paths and foot paths were very narrow and wound their way over the hills and through the valleys through dark shady forests of virgin timber which were full of wild animals such as deer, bear, panther, wildcat, wolves, and others. Frederick VANGILDER had a sister by the name of Sarah, and about the year 1829 or 30 which is over 100 years ago, Frederick and Sarah came into this section and began holding Prayer meetings in private homes which were far apart. Near this date they bought property in this section. In an old house which stood near the Mt. Zion Church which Frederick bought from a Mr. Harris was thrown open for church services and for school work. Perhaps this was the first house for public worship in this community which dates back 100 years or more. They brought a preacher from Mt. Pisgah Church where they were members and organized the first class of the Mt. Zion Church. The date being as near as we can tell in 1833. That was before the log church was built. Sarah VANGILDER, referred to above, married Tommy REED. They reared five children, namely, Tommy Jr., Jonny, Caleb, Mary, who married Joseph MORLEY, and Elizabeth, who married Allen SWISHER, James VANGILDER, a helper in the work,lived on Cherry Run near McKonkey Church. These were some of the pioneers of Methodism in this community which meant at that time practically all of the Winfield District. A lot of other pioneers joining them were as follows: Anna Margaret VANGILDER, John CAIN and wife, Mary Swisher CAIN, sister of Henry J. SWISHER, Benjamin BRAIN and wife, the great grandparents of B.Y. MORGAN, Isaiah HAWKINS, Philip BOOR, and others. Pg 3 Some of the charter members of the first organization were: Anna Margaret VANGILDER, Frederick VANGILDER, Sarah REED, Phillip BOOR, John CAIN, Mary S. CAIN, Benjamin BRAIN and wife, Isaiah HAWKINS, Dr. William VANGILDER, Squire Jacob SWISHER and Barsheba FARREL SWISHER, Salome MORGAN, Joseph VANGILDER, Sarah STANSBERRY, Asenath DOWNEY, Henry SWISHER and wife Mariam, James Morgan MARKS father, Lydia MORGAN, Tommy DOOLITTLE and wife. Time rolled on a few years with the church work prospering, the folks working very earnestly and zealously in the cause, and laying the foundation firmly for the work of the Lord. There were some enemies to the cause and some probably were doing things to discourage even to the burning of their little humble house of worship on a Saturday night. At this time some began to pray that they might be able to build a temple--a house of worship. After the burning of the first house of worship, the membership resorted to a house that stood in the field back of where Eldora MORAN lived. The work was steadily growing and soon demanded an established house of worship. Now Frederick by this time near his fiftieth milestone and still full of faith and zeal, gave, according to court records in the year 1846, a deed for the piece of ground including the oldest part of the Mt. Zion Cemetery and on which to build the old log church house. The trustees named in this deed were: Isaiah HAWKINS, Joseph SWISHER, Enoch FARREL, Thomas REED, William VANGILDER. The plot was practically nine rods square. Information from other records verify the fact that the little old log church house was erected in the year 1846. It is difficult to learn just who did this work but we are safe in saying that some of the older Pg 4 men who worked on this structure were: Frederich VANGILDER, Benjamin BRAIN,and Isaiah HAWKINS, Stephen MORGAN, James MORGAN, Dr. William VANGILDER, Elbert MORAN, Henry SWISHER, Squire Jacob SWISHER, Joseph SWISHER, and Allen SWISHER. No doubt there were more but it is very difficult to get all the information we would like. The size of the building was 18 x 24 feet. The roof was of clapboards nailed on with home made nails made by a blacksmith. The house stood north and south with the door in the south end. The location is marked by a small wooden cross. The population of the community increased very rapidly and through the wonderful revivals that were conducted the church membership grew very rapidly. One thing we wish to mention is that there was much emphasis placed on the Bible teaching, and the high standard of Christian living that was held out to the people by precept and example. This brought about real conviction and that lead to many grand and glorious conversions. The names of some of the people who were converted in the old log church were: Susan Downey HAWKINS, Miranda Vangilder BOYD, Emma Grubb SWISHER, Playford GRUBB, Malissa TATTERSON, and Samuel SWISHER. In 1846 the Sunday School was organized, no doubt, in the log church. The names of the officers for that year were: Superintendent: Dr. William VANGILDER Assistant Superintendent: Robert FARREL Secretary: Selby MORAN Treasurer: Henry J. SWISHER Librarian: Jacob SWISHER Pg 5 Teachers: First Male Class: Caleb REED Members of First Male Class: Peter MORAN, William H. HAWKINS, Elias FARREL, Richard P. MORAN, John HAWKINS, Allen SWISHER, Washington BUNNER, Nelson MARTIN, Edgar FAST, John G. BRAIN, Oliver JOHNSON. Second Male Class Teacher: Jefferson VANGILDER Members of Second Male Class: William A. DOWNEY, Anson VanGILDER, Robert JOHNSON, Alpheus DOWNEY, Joseph VANGILDER, Nelson SWISHER, Jacob VANGILDER, Absalom CAIN, William TRAVIS, Perry HAYHURST. Third Male Class Teacher: Solomon SWISHER Members of Third Male Class: John W. SWISHER, James VANGILDER, Thomas REED, Phillip VANGILDER, Benjamin WILSON, Perry MORGAN, Enoch SWISHER, Joshua HAWKINS, Joshua FARREL, Solomon HAWKINS, Steenrod VANGILDER, William HAYHURST, James JENKINS, Iva HEISKELL, Eli HAYHURST, Eli DOWNEY. First Female Class Teacher: Elizabeth VANGILDER Members of First Female Class: Almida SWISHER, Louisa HAWKINS, Mary MARTIN, Ingabee BRAIN, Martha J. MARTIN, Mary Anne HAYHURST, Sarah Anne HAYHURST, Amy STANSBERRY, Latisha FARREL, Mishael HAYHURST, Elizabeth HAYHURST. Second Female Class Teacher: Cassa MORGAN Members of Second Female Class: Elizabeth MORGAN, Mary REED, Louisa MORGAN, Manerva MORGAN, Phoebe HAYHURST, Alsinda HAYHURST, Rebecca FARREL, Sarah BUNNER, Prudence MARTIN, Sarah HEISKELL, Sophiah MAY. Pg 6 Third Female Class Teacher: Aseneth VANGILDER Members of Third Female Class: Elizabeth DOWNEY, Abegal VANGILDER, Nancy CAIN, Mary VANGILDER, Marian MORGAN, Alsinda SWISHER. Fourth Female Class Teacher: Elizabeth SWISHER Members of Fourth Female Class: Sarah M. SWISHER, Preseilla WILSON, Nancy SWISHER, Sarah FARREL, Harriet SWISHER, Roana CAIN, Lize HEISKELL. The total membership including officers and teachers amounted to 86. We now come from the year 1846 with broken parts of records of both church and Sunday school membership up to the year 1875 when there was great activity in church work in this community. Our fathers and grandfathers became very busy in making arrangements for a new house of worship to make the place of the log structure which had served its time and purpose well. There was much enthusiasm expressed by the entire community and in the year 1875 they erected the new house of worship. The foundation which was laid was of large dressed stone and was what you would call a solid foundation all the way around the building. Those stones were quarried from stone on the Marcus MORGAN farm which is about two miles southeast of the church building. The large stone was underswung on wagons and hauled to the site of the new building--two of the men who hauled were Camden SWISHER and on of Elbert MORAN'S sons. Those stones were chiseled and dressed by Lewis BOWMAN and Phillip VANGILDER. This building is a wood structure and stands on a beautiful site with cemetery nearby. The size of the new building was, length--40 feet, width--30 feet, height--16 feet to the square. Pg 7 A tower was erected on the building by Clark KINCAID and Eldora MORAN, to support the bell and that bell certianly has the most charming tone, which has sounded out for over 75 years, calling the people to this place of worship. The building is of one room and will comfortably seat about 300 grown people. It has always been lighted with oil and gasoline lamps except for the last five years when they started using electric lights. It has always been heated with two coal stoves. The deed for the lot on which this building was erected was made in the year 1860, by Joseph H. KINCAID to the following trustees: James VANGILDER, Joseph MORLEY, Jacob VANGILDER, Thomas N. SWISHER, and John MAY. This lot joined the one the old log house stood on. The building committee consisted of five members as follows: Joseph MORLEY, Alpheus SWISHER,Ezra MORGAN, W. C. DAUGHERTY and Elbert MORAN. The number of people who subscribed and paid toward the building was 193 and the total cost of the house was $1561.66. We have the names of all the contributors, and the amount each paid. The amounts run from 10 cents to $148.25. The profits from the sale of the old house, stove and lumber was $17.32. The total membership of the Mt. Zion class in 1875 was 117. At the close of a great revival conducted by Rev. William YOUNG following the completion of the new house there was added to the membership 15 persons on probation. The first person converted in the new house, we are told was Della MORGAN, daughter of Marcas MORGAN. The names of the probationers can be furnished from old class records in 1875 by W. C. DAUGHERTY, class leader. The new building described above still stands and is serving its purpose at this date 1951. Pg 8 James VANGILDER received license March 4, 1876 to exhort in the Mt. Zion M.E. Church. The license was given by Rev. William YOUNG, he held this license over 31 years until he died. To the above described church property there has been added by deed dated 1922. By Frederick VANGILDER, Atha VANGILDER and Wesley VANGILDER a lot very beautifully located for cemetery and grove. It contains about two acres which was paid for by subscriptions collected by Bailey Y. MORGAN which were very liberally contributed. The price being $300.00 besides expense of improvements. Here are the names of some of the circuit riders and local preachers of this place. George MARTIN, Isaiah HAWKINS, Francis CISCO, Chancellor ROWE, Hesekial BOYERS, Nixon POTTS, Jacob SWISHER, W. E. WILLIAMSON, L. D. CASTO, Moses TICHNEL, Isaac GOOSMAN, Giddeon MARTIN, WIlliam H. WILEY, Moses DOOLITTLE, Samuel HARRIS. The entire list of preachers in their order I have not been able to obtain. In the year 1941 it was decided by the President of the Mt. Zion home coming. B. Y. MORGAN and W. S. HANEY, Vice President to mark the sight of the old log church. There was a committee appointed for the purpose of deciding the site of the log church where the stake was to be driven. This committee consisted of : Jennie HOLLAND, Samuel SWISHER, Miranda BOYD, John REEVES, and Belle MORLEY. Each were 80 years old or more and all took part in driving the stake-- where W. S. HANEY later planted the wooden cross in a concrete base. At this time. July 1951, the trustees of this church are as follows: HANEY, KINCAID, MORGAN, HANEY, SWEARINGEN, and MORGAN. The above was compiled by Bailey Y. MORGAN---taken in shorthand and typed by Ms. MEANS. ==========
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