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SALE OF
THE BLUFF SPRINGS PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
Worker:
Frank B. Cook
May 8, 1941
Madison, Missouri
Subject:
A sketch of the Sale of the defunct Bluff Springs Presbyterian
church, from the Monroe County Appeal (Aug 20, 1920) a weekly
paper published in Paris, Mo.
The
old Bluff Spring Church was sold at public auction from the
church yard. The highest bidders being the Nevins Bros. Their
bid was $280.00.
From
an old record in possession of W. E. Sproul, it seems that Bluff
Springs Church was organized on 15th of Aug 1841,
with charter members as follows: Wharton S. Lampton, Deanah D.
Lampton, James Vaughn, Jane McGee, Robert Moore, Lucinda M.
Lampton, Thomas Vaughn, Eliner E. Lampton, Mary Sproul, Nancy L.
Lampton, Lucretia Williams, Eliza F. Sproul, Lucilla Moore,
Samuel M. Sproul, Eliza Vaughn, (Joseph) E. Sproul, Elizabeth J.
Sproul, Prudence Isabella McGee, James Noonan, Delila Noonan,
Elizabeth Noonan, Samuel Wiley, Joseph D. Vaughn, Hannah Ann
Vaughn, Polina C. Arnold.
Several
slaves were admitted to the membership also.
A told from memory by Mr. Carl Nevens, one of the brothers that
bought the old
church building in 1920 He was also an active member in the
church at one time.
The original church building sat on the R.R. Simpson 10 acres in
Section 32, Twp 54, range 9. But there being no public road
leading to the church the members had to pass across farms in
order to reach the church. Later a controversy arose about the
members trespassing, especially the farm of Mr. Geo. B. Uline.
He therefore granted the congregation a church lot so that the
build- might (sic) on the public road. In 1884 the building was
torn down and removed to this lot on Mr. Uline’s farm, about 1
½ miles South West from the old site.
Rev T. W. Baker was their last minister. He had preached for
them for about 30 years.
Someone
remembered that last services at Bluff Springs must have been in
April 1907. Mrs. Lenora Nevins said the old building was bought
by the Nevins Brothers and used to build a new house on the old
Nevins place. Robert Sproul reported that his father, J. T.
Sproul was one of the last members of the church.
The
land on which the church stood must have been turned back to the
Ulines as it is now in the Uline farm or Warren farm.
The
pulpit Bible of Bluff Springs Church has on the fly leaf:
Bluff
Springs Bible
Rev.
T. W. Baker
Jan
27, 1885
The
following is in the section for marriages:
T.
W. Baker was married to the Bluff Spring Church as its pastor in
March 1872 and was divorced in Sept. 1906.
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